How to Arrange Furniture in a Room with a Fireplace?

A fireplace gives a room a natural focal point, and the arrangement should build around it rather than compete with it. Set the main sofa facing the hearth at roughly 240cm to 300cm, angle armchairs inwards at the sides, anchor everything with a rug sized so the front legs of each seat rest on it, and protect at least 90cm of clear floor in front of the fire. This guide sets out the three layouts that work in British living rooms, the symmetrical arrangement for wide Victorian rooms, the angled L shape for narrow spaces, and two facing sofas for knocked through terraces. We also cover how to use chimney breast alcoves for storage rather than seating, sensible alternatives to mounting a television above the mantel, handling corner fireplaces and bay windows, and layering lamplight so it works with firelight rather than against it. A section on testing a layout with masking tape before moving heavy sofas closes the guide....