• 

Getting the right balance between having enough seats for guests and not overcrowding your living room is a difficult task. Think about it,  if you were to host a dinner party, how many people could you fit in your living room? 

Before you start to panic, the answer to how many seats you should have in your living room isn’t a fixed number, it all depends on a number of factors but a good rule to follow is…

Number of living room seats ≥ Number of dining room seats 

Let’s pretend that you are entertaining. You’ve cooked a meal, the veggie option went down well with the in-laws, you’ve escaped any awkward tensions – it’s all going great! Then you all move to have a glass of wine in the living room when it dawns upon you…there’s nowhere for your father-in-law to sit. 

So, how do you prevent this sort of issue from occurring? Here are some of the factors that you should consider when thinking about your living room seating and how you should design your living room layout. 

Space 

One thing to consider when deciding on your living room layout is how much space you actually have to play around with. The issue that you may face is having too much space to fill or not enough space. 

Having too little space 

Overcrowding a space is not something that you should do – it will only make your space look smaller. But don’t fear! There is a way to combat small spaces and that is with multi-purpose seating. 

One piece of furniture which can help you save space is an ottoman. The diverse range available here at Leader Furniture include designs which will look good no matter the aesthetic of your existing decor. The handy pieces of furniture allow you to store goods and can double up as a seat or a footstool for guests when they come around. 

Stand out pieces include the Worthington Ottoman which is available in four colours and can be used to complement or contrast the existing colour scheme within your living room. 

Having too much space

Having too much space is not as much of a problem, as you can fill different areas of the room with alternative kinds of seating. With larger spaces, you can also afford to add larger pieces of furniture. Some great options include armchairs, which can add a sense of luxury to the room, as well as single-seat chairs, which are a way to provide seating that is both fashionable and functional. 

If you are searching for a multi-seat option that is a bit larger then you can also do so by adding a chaise lounge sofa. The designs are great for lounging and are made for multiple people to relax on. 

Occasional chairs also help to fill a room with grandeur, they act as a perfect reading chair or somewhere to kick back to and listen to some music. One of our favourite designs is the Monaco Occasional Chair available in Tan. It is a hybrid between functional and contemporary and will suit both modern and traditional decors. The statement piece of furniture has been crafted with the highest quality materials so it will last you for years to come. 

Creating a plan to fill the space

One way to plan your living room seating is to create a floorplan. This can become a handy tool when deciding on what space you can fill and where you should put it, rather than pulling your back out trying to drag a sofa across the room. 

Lifestyle 

If you’re not someone who entertains often and spends more time in your living room laying sprawled across the sofa, then you should also consider this when thinking about how many seats you should have in your living room. 

Cosy nights relaxing on your sofa are priceless and, with the range of comfortable and stylish options available at Leader Furniture, you will want to stretch out and keep them to yourself!

However, if you do entertain frequently, it is best to have seating options available for your guests – nobody wants to sit on the floor. If you value your chill time but don’t want to be caught short when you do entertain, a suitable solution is plastic chairs that can be stowed away. Here at Leader Furniture, we offer a wide range of chairs which can help add a pop of colour to your room or can blend into the decor with simplistic designs. 

Aesthetic

How much seating you have within your living room can also depend on the aesthetic that you are trying to achieve. Some interior spaces are suited to having fewer chairs and some need to have places where lots of people can sit. It all depends on your own personal style and what you are trying to achieve.

Minimalism 

Minimalistic spaces often have open areas with little seating, if this is something that you are trying to achieve with your home then we have some tips for making your living room aesthetic fit. 

As this is a guide to living room seating, we will focus on how much seating a minimalist living room should have. The short answer is not too many, but the seats that you do have should stand out. 

The best type of seating for minimalist spaces is usually single seat options, such as occasional chairs, armchairs and industrial style metal chairs. With your living room seating, you will want to make a statement and one piece which stands out is the Ava Armchair. 

From the luxury designer, Madeline who has been creating contemporary furniture for over 35 years the elegant blue upholstery contrasts with the gold metal frame to create the statement piece that your room has been missing. 

Start planning your living room seating options 

Now that you know everything you need to know about seating in your living room you why not get some design inspiration by browsing through our collection of seating? The extensive collection of seating options available here at Leader Furniture have been hand-selected for you by our seating experts. They have picked designs from some of the best furniture designers around the world for you to add to your home to give it the upgrade that it deserves (and give your father in law a place to sit.)