4 Ways to Add Additional Seating to Your Living Room
It's almost that time of year again when our homes are filled with the people we love, gathered together for delicious meals and great conversation! The holidays are knocking on the door (with Halloween just a couple of weeks away!) and if you're like us, you know you're going to have visitors and friends in town to join in on the holiday celebrations. When a house of three turns into a home of ten or twelve, the challenge of getting everyone seated in the same room at the same time can cause some anxiety. But don't worry, we've got your back today with 4 ways to add additional seating to your living space! When planning your living room furniture for your new or existing space, think about considering some of these ideas:
1. BUILT IN BENCH SEATING
Usually the area on each side of the fireplace is either dead space with no purpose, or there may be a console table of some sort that looks pretty... but perhaps that area could be used more purposefully if you're need of some extra seating. Especially when building a home, this is a minimal cost to add something simple like these built-ins below to gain a whopping 4-6 extra seats! Add a custom cushion on top and you'll be snuggled up there all day with good book and something warm to drink.
2. A SOFA FACE-OFF
For a clean symmetrical look have a sofa "face-off" by flanking the focal point in your room with two long sofas. This allows for lots of seating and is an especially great option when using sofas with clean straight lines. This set-up is also ideal for those who love to entertain and play games around the coffee table.
3. ADD A BENCH
Some may think it's odd to have a bench in your living room, but we beg to differ. A bench's low profile makes it a great piece for adding extra seating in front of low windows (no one likes a good view that's blocked by a large piece of furniture). It's also a great way to add dimension to your furnishings by contrasting the height of your sofa or chairs. Like ottomans (a great additional seating trick not addressed in this post) they can also be partially tucked under a coffee table or cantilevered hearth for a luxurious layered look.
4. INCORPORATE A UNIQUE CHAIR
A common trick many designers use while space planning a home is adding a unique piece of furniture (usually a chair) adjacent to the focal wall (whether it's the TV wall or a fireplace) facing the rest of the seating group. If you have plenty of space in that corner of the seating area, opt for a cool lounge chair with a patterned textile. Or if you're tight on room, find a one-of-a-kind side or arm chair that is bold enough to stand on its own. This piece will fill that gap perfectly, give you an extra seat, and may give your room that collected look you've been trying to achieve.
1. William Hefner | 2. Unknown | 3. Nam Dang-Mitchell | 4. PDG