LIVING ROOMS | An Architect Explains
A Living room is a room in a residence used for the common social activities of the occupants. The term sitting room is sometimes used synonymously with Living room. A typical Living room may contain furnishings such as a sofa, chairs, occasional tables, and bookshelves, electric lamps, rugs, or other furniture.

As an Architect practising in India, I have had the chance to design some Living rooms as part of the interior projects. There are so many considerations to be taken while designing them such as the furniture types, styles, sizes, clearances, minimum allowances between the furniture, position of windows and doors, lighting etc. Also, one has to keep in mind whether existing furniture is used or new furniture will be bought. These factors have been discussed here under the following headings:
INTERIOR DESIGN OF A LIVING ROOM:
A good living room is harmonious, elegant and fits in with the taste and personality of the people who use it. It may be used as a place for social gatherings or a space to watch TV. So, before buying furniture for the Living room it is important to take care of the functional needs and to think about certain key aspects like space, the colours to be used, the kind of furniture and accessories you like. In addition, for some design ideas and tips from an Architect, read on:
- Designing A Living Room
- Planning The Living Room Sizes
- Interior Design of A Living Room
- 10 Steps For Designing A Living Room
GOOD PLACEMENT OF FURNITURE:
The correct placement of furniture determines whether a Living Room looks spacious and aesthetic or cluttered and unattractive.
LIGHTING IN A LIVING ROOM:
Large rooms like living rooms, banquet halls are often highlighted with a beautiful Chandelier which then becomes the focal point.
When in doubt, you can always turn to the experts. Therefore, look for inspiration on Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram, and other interior design outlets to get ideas on how a professionally designed living room looks.
VASTU GUIDELINES FOR A LIVING ROOM:
The ancient Indian science lays down guidelines for the ideal location of the Living room and the spaces associated with and near it, such as the foyer, entrance verandah and the dining room. Sometimes as an Architect, I refer to Vastu Shastra guidelines to decide the location of the living room and the arrangement of the furniture, wall paintings, lighting and colours in the Living room because Vastu is based on scientific reasoning. If it interests you, here is a detailed list of Vastu guidelines with their scientific explanation:
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Visit my blog on House Construction In India and carry out a Vastu evaluation exercise to judge whether the Living Room in your house is as per Vaastu Shastra principles. Accordingly, you can decide to make some corrections so that it becomes Vaastu compliant.
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