Emma's Living Room

Emma was moving uptown and in with her partner. She wanted a cozy space that blended their existing furniture in with a few new pieces. She had an initial vision that I helped her visualize in 3D, but we also wanted to explore layouts she hadn't yet considered.

Constraints:

• The pull-out couch had been purchased already, so we knew we had to work with that left-handed L shape

• We needed to keep their dresser as the TV credenza to maximize clothing storage

• Her partner's workstation (including an "unaesthetic" ergonomic chair) also had to stay in the main living space

• They also wanted a bar cart area and enough seating to host friends for dinner

I iterated on a few layouts before landing on the 2 options in the gallery. Option 1 stayed close to Emma's initial instincts and acted as our baseline. In the alternate layout (Option 2), I prioritized pulling the dining chairs away from the wall to increase circulation. I also liked the idea of using the back of the couch as a guide for the path of travel to the bedroom. The orientation of the couch in Option 2 also resulted in a more delineated "living room" zone which I hoped could pump up the coziness factor.

Emma ultimately went with her gut and brought Option 1 to life - and the results speak for themselves! I've been a dinner guest on a few occasions and can confirm the space a) functions and flows well, and b) feels cozy and inviting just like she was aiming for. Thank you, Emma, for letting me play around with your space and even more for providing 'after' photos of the real deal.