So, you got the keys to your new place, and you’re not sure what you should buy first. After the bedroom, the living room is the most important area of your home. This blog will help you decide which living room essentials you need and how to make sure they’re a perfect fit.
Consider The Size Of Your Space
You’re going to be doing some measuring today so have a good tape measure handy.
You need to know the height and width of your living room. This bit of information will help you find the sofa you need first since it’s the focal point of the room.
If space is limited, you wouldn’t want to buy a sectional. A three-seat sofa that measures around thirty-five inches by eighty-four inches can be right for you. This is the perfect solution if you and your partner live alone and only have a couple of people over at a time, although you can also use a small sofa with a couple of accent chairs or recliners.
If you have an open floor plan, you probably want to keep that open feeling instead of making it feel closed in. This is the place where you relax, and the sofa you choose should contribute to your well-being.
A sectional would be perfect if you have people over all the time, like your friends, cousins, and grandparents. This is because when your guests walk through your front door and head to your living room, you want to make sure there is a seat for everyone.
And in case you’re wondering how important a sofa really is, our Executive Inbound Logistic Director, Alfredo Lopez, had this to say: “The first thing you add to your living room is definitely a sofa. It’s a conversation piece, it’s where you kick back and relax to relieve stress, and it’s what gives your living room character.”
Check out a couple of sofa suggestions below.
For someone who has family and friends over often.
The Grigio Sofa is ideal for a large space, with plenty of room to spread out and relax with your whole family every night, making your living room feel complete.
For you and your partner. And a couple of friends.
The Napa Burgundy Leather Power Reclining Sofa, with comfortable genuine top grain leather and exactly enough space for you and your partner and a friend or two for the next season finale.
What Living Room Accent Furniture Do You Need?
Trust us, we know it’s not easy finding a new sofa but while this is important for your living room, you can’t forget about accent furniture. This is to make sure everything is to scale. You wouldn’t want a tall wide sofa that is paired with a short side table or coffee table. It just makes it harder to reach the TV remote or beverage by you.
First Off, A Coffee Table!
Once you’ve chosen your sofa and or accent chairs, the next step is finding the right coffee table.
Use the width and height of your sofa as a guide. There’s more freedom involved in choosing the width of the table, but it shouldn’t be wider than your sofa. The simplest way to make sure your coffee table is right for your living room is to look for one that is similar in style and color, although this isn’t a hard and fast rule. Mixing styles is acceptable as long as you know what you’re doing.
If you’d like to see our full selection of coffee tables, click here.
But what if a coffee table is too big? If there’s no way you can fit one in your living room, you can always get a side table set of two like the Briar Nesting Tables Set of 2. It’ll be perfect for a small space, and it helps you create a matching look.
If You’ve Got Extra Space
So you’ve picked out your sofa and coffee table. And there’s still room for more. You can add a side table like the Serpentine Side Table to either side of your new couch, giving you a place to put down your drink and TV remotes. Just make sure the height of this side table isn’t too low or too high.
Shop our stylish side tables here.
You Can’t Have A Sofa Without A TV Stand
If you’re a movie buff or binge-watching is your superpower, a TV stand is next on your list of living room essentials.
Before even picking out your new TV stand, grab your tape measure again! Start by measuring the distance from the top right corner of your TV to the bottom left corner. This is the number you’ll use to determine what the size of the stand should be. For example, the Tivo Gray TV Stand suits most 70 inch flat screens so a 65-inch television would be a perfect fit.
TV stands come in a variety of styles, the largest being full-blown wall units with shelves for family photos, lights to set the ambiance, compartments for your media, and more! To see your options, check out our wide selection of TV stands here. If you’re looking for wall units, click here.
Add A Personal Touch
Now you’ve got all your essential living room furniture, but it doesn’t end there. There’s one more thing you need to buy.
Rugs bring all the elements of a room together, creating a unified look and protecting your floors from wear. There’s a huge variety of patterns to choose from, giving you free range to try different combinations of textures and designs until you find the perfect one.
If your living room is going to be a high-traffic area (especially with kids and pets), a low pile rug is perfect. We like the Merit Red 5’ x 8’ Area Rug because it’s easy to clean and has a great pattern.
But if you want a rug that’s delicate and solid-colored, a shag rug could be what you’re looking for like the Milan Blue 5’ x 7’ Area Rug.
With plenty of options to choose from, you can find your new rug here.
And One Last Point…Don’t Get Furniture Just Because Of Trends.
Maybe you saw an ad on Instagram for a sofa with throw blankets that is super trendy. While this may seem like a good idea at first, buying living room furniture spontaneously without taking size, construction, and color into consideration will be a mistake in the long run. What’s the point of rushing to get something that’s not functional for you and your family?
Now that you have a list of living room essentials, it will much be easier to shop for your new living room. You can shop online or go to an El Dorado Furniture showroom, where we are located in Lee, Collier, Miami-Dade, Broward, Pinellas, and Palm Beach counties. Once you’ve made your purchase, feel free to share photos of your home with us on Instagram with the hashtag #myedfhome and you have the opportunity to be featured on our account!