Give your living room a sociable layout

Love to entertain? Create a living room that's perfect for sharing with friends

Layout
Place the sofas opposite each other so people can talk face to face.

Pull sofas and chairs away from the walls to make it easy for your guests to move around the room and socialise.

Guests will need plenty of spots to put their drinks, so place a coffee table centrally and side tables at the ends of the sofas.

Lighting
Add decorative lamps that will create pools of soft light – perfect for evening entertaining – rather than just one pendant.

Create a focal point by fitting a smart picture lamp over a traditional print. It will provide soft, atmospheric lighting, too.

Furniture
Go for matching sofas to emphasise the room's symmetry.

Use a rug that will fit under and in between the sofas, or one that is slightly larger than your coffee table, so it links the sofas together.

Buy storage with doors to keep clutter hidden.

For more
Create a modern living and dining room
Chill out in a relaxed living room

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