Awkward Living Room Layout Ideas — 9 Designer Solutions

small living room with windows opening out to balcony, plinth in corner, long ottoman, two woven armchair, timber coffee table, and blue sofa

(Image credit: William Jess Laird. Design: Margaux Lafond. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos)

published 18 February 2025

Designing a living room is never one-size-fits-all, especially when faced with unconventional layouts, structural quirks, or competing focal points. That’s where these awkward living room layout ideas come in. The best designers embrace the challenge, using creativity and a keen eye for functionality to transform awkward spaces into beautifully resolved rooms.

As interior designer Kelly Sutherland of Kelly Sutherland Designs puts it, “One of the joys of decorating is knowing we are not performing brain surgery, so you can take a rule and bend it to fit your specific needs.”

Similarly, interior designer Rebecca Roberts of Method + Moxie notes that sometimes, the key to making an awkward space work is leaning into the quirks of your living room layout rather than trying to hide them. “What began as a design dilemma is now the soul of the space — a captivating centerpiece that seamlessly ties the home together,” she says of her firm’s Manhattan penthouse project.

From clever solutions to hard angles and the trick to creating a better flow, here are nine awkward living room layout ideas from designers.

1. Resolving Competing Focal Points

modern living room with fireplace with large artwork hung on either side and a mirror hanging over the fire, two windows with sheer curtains, a large L-shaped brown sofa with a nesting coffee table and modern white and timber armchair — It's a hard balance between being able to see the TV when you want to, but not when you don't.

London-based Tollgard Studio solved a tricky living room TV placement issue in an old artist’s studio by installing a sliding door that conceals the screen when not in use. This awkward living room layout idea now means the TV doesn’t compete with the fireplace as the room’s focal point.

“The flexibility was really helpful as it allowed us to configure a room that inspires connections, but also angles towards the TV without seeming to do so,” they explain.

2. Turning an Architectural Quirk into a Feature

modern open plan living room with beige sofa, armchair with ottoman stool, glass coffee table and pendant light hanging above. elsewhere there is a blue banquette seat with table and timber chairs, and a sculptural timber ottoman to sit on — Structural columns are a layout hazard no matter where they are, but there are ways to work with them.

New York City-based designer Rebecca Roberts transformed an inconvenient structural column into a design statement by wrapping it in a beautiful wallcovering used as a base for the living room wall art. The result? A glowing focal point that ties the open-plan space together.

“Rather than conceal it, we embraced the column, wrapping it in a luminous, textural mica wallcovering that catches the light and commands attention,” she explains, of what could have been a potentially awkward living room layout.

Rebecca Roberts

Rebecca Roberts studied Interior Architecture and Design at Parsons School of Design in New York, and subsequently has the technical skills to bring both form and, more importantly, function to every space she conceives. She focusses on 'liveable practicality,' helping her to create homes that speak to the way her client's actually live.

3. Using Curved Furniture Against Harsh Angles

large open plan living room with two seating areas. one in the corner with woven chair and plant, the other in the middle of the room with two beige armchairs, a large stone coffee table decorated with books and flowers, and a white sofa opposite — Floating your furniture and opting for smoother shapes helps soften a square living space.

Jason Saft, founder Staged To Sell Home, says his firm is often hired to reimagine spaces due to oddly shaped floorplans that buyers struggle with understanding how to lay out. When faced with a long living room obstructed by columns, he created clearly defined areas with similar yet distinct purposes.

“We created a more formal seating area using matching sofas to create symmetry,” he says. “A hard angled corner was softened with a circular sofa, round rug, and rounded chairs for a casual seating area to relax and take in the view.”

4. Dividing Up an L-Shaped Layout

Interior designer Margaux Lafond tackled the challenge of an awkward L-shaped living room by splitting it into two distinct areas: a living room and a study with a reading nook.

“We kept the opening to the study open to keep the sense of space,” she says. “It ended up being a long and narrow living room, but I think it actually worked out better and was easier to furnish in addition to creating another room within the apartment where the owner can work during the day or read a book facing the window.”

Margaux Lafond

Having worked across residential and commercial projects, including restaurants and a luxury yacht, Margaux Lafond has a keen eye for identifying the function of different spaces, and adapting to it through her design. She studied interior architecture and furniture design at the ESAG-Penninghen in Paris and the Rhode Island School of Design.

5. Opening Up Dark, Enclosed Spaces

apartment living room layout with wall of windows, a built-in cabinet with TV, a stone coffee table, L-shaped sofa, and blue armchair with a side table — Sometimes the best way to fix a layout is to completely change it.

Interior designer Susan Petrie of Petrie Interior Designs transformed a Manhattan apartment by removing walls that enclosed a dark library, which blocked natural light from the west-facing windows.

"The previous owners created a dark library that shut off the natural light that came from the West. It was awkward and felt shut off,” she says. “I encouraged the client to knock down some walls and open up the space to allow for a better flow of foot traffic and make a more inviting environment."

By embracing an open-concept floorplan approach, this awkward living room layout idea helped create a brighter, airier living space with improved functionality.

6. Using Sculptural Seating as a Safety Barrier

living room with stone fireplace and a TV mounted above, wall of windows, white L-shaped sofa with two white armchairs opposite, and a black timber coffee table — Where you position your sofa can directly impact the flow of your space — for better or worse.

Principal designer Sarah Latham of Latham Interiors tackled a split-level living and dining space by incorporating sculptural seating that not only serves as a transition but also prevents accidental falls while keeping the space visually cohesive.

“We created an opportunity for sculptural seating to provide a transition point and safety barrier around the potential fall hazard,” she explains.

7. Embracing Tight Spaces

dark living room with gold pendant light, curtains over windows, a dark sofa with lots of throw pillows and lamps on either side, a writing desk with chair, a plinth holding a vase in the background, and a timber coffee table — Sometimes rules are meant to be broken — especially when it comes to snug living rooms.

Kelly Sutherland of Kelly Sutherland Designs proves that you don’t always need the traditional 36 inches of clearance around furniture. When it came to this small living room layout, she prioritized function over rigid rules, creating a practical and stylish multi-purpose space.

“There was no way we were going to clear 36” on either side of the seating area, so we didn’t! And guess what? It works beautifully,” she says.

8. Making a Dual-Purpose Space Work

traditional living room with chandelier, four white armchairs styled around a round coffee table, a console table and cabinet against either wall, and a window looking out to the garden — A formal living room will have completely different layout requirements to a more casual space.

For this awkward living room layout idea, Regan Billingsley of Regan Billingsley Interiors designed a family room that needed to double as a formal living space. By arranging two sofas opposite each other and customizing one to allow for better TV viewing, she created a space that balances sophistication and comfort.

“The challenge was finding the perfect balance between sophistication and coziness without sacrificing style or functionality,” she explains.

9. Breaking Large Spaces into Functional Zones

living room with two coffee tables side by side, two armchairs separated by a nesting side table, a large sofa with throw pillows, and behind another seating area with a study desk and windows — Sometimes, working out an entire layout can be intimidating, so it helps to break it down into 'zones'.

Gail Taylor of TH2 Designs emphasizes the importance of thoughtful space planning to transform large or awkward layouts into functional, welcoming environments.

“Whether large or small, living spaces can feel overwhelming to furnish,” she says. “We find the best approach is to break the space into ‘pockets,’ considering each area and its intended use (entertaining, watching TV, relaxing, working, cooking, and dining) and then planning how these functions can flow and work together.”

By defining specific zones within a large living area and ensuring seamless flow, even the most expansive or irregularly shaped spaces can feel cozy and purposeful.

FAQs

How to Approach an Awkward Living Room Layout

When coming up with awkward living room layout ideas, the first step is to assess the major challenges. Whether it’s a tricky split-level design, an inconvenient structural element, or an unusual room shape, identifying the problem areas upfront will help guide the layout strategy.

Next, determine how the space needs to function. Flexibility is often the best approach, especially in multi-use spaces. When determining furniture placement, consider focal points. If a fireplace or architectural feature naturally draws attention, work with it rather than against it.

Ultimately, the secret behind most awkward living room layout ideas is creativity. Whether it’s hiding a TV behind a sliding panel, using sculptural seating as a safety barrier, or customizing furniture to fit unusual dimensions, these expert solutions prove that no layout is too difficult to conquer.