The job of the chair decides the spot. A chair for conversation belongs in the seating group around the coffee table; a chair for reading wants a quieter place of its own with good light.
The chart below gives the distances that make both work.
Where is the best place for an armchair in a living room?
At an angle to the sofa, or facing it across the coffee table, so that everyone can talk without turning their heads; or in a corner or by a window as a reading chair.
| Between | Distance | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Armchair and sofa (seat to seat) | Up to about 2.5 m (8 ft) | Close enough for conversation |
| Armchair and coffee table | 16 to 18 in | Reach a cup without leaning forward |
| Walkway around the group | About 35.5 in | Room to pass without climbing over feet |
| Armchair and TV | About 2 to 3 m (6.5 to 10 ft) | Comfortable viewing for most screens |
How do you arrange a sofa and an armchair?
Put the armchair at the end of the coffee table, at a right angle or a slight angle to the sofa, with its front edge in line with the table.
That creates an L-shaped group where the chair and the sofa share the table. Angling the chair a little towards the sofa makes conversation feel more natural than a strict right angle.
With a deep lounge chair, check the depth first: Kent and Einar are 31.9 to 32.3 in deep, so the back of the chair sits about 1.2 m (4 ft) from the edge of the coffee table.
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How do you arrange two armchairs in a living room?
Place them side by side opposite the sofa, facing it across the coffee table, with a small table between them; or as a pair angled towards each other in a corner.
A pair opposite the sofa closes the seating group into a square, the classic conversation layout. A pair in a corner with a small table between them makes a second, quieter seating area in a larger room.
As a guide, leave 4 to 12 in between the arms of two chairs, or the width of a side table. Our guide to two armchairs or a sofa looks at when a pair works instead of a second sofa.
Can you put an armchair in front of a window?
Yes, facing into the room or angled beside the window, but avoid putting the back of the chair against a radiator or blocking a door to a balcony.
A chair beside a window gives you daylight over your shoulder for reading. A chair facing out of a window makes a place to sit and look out, which works well in a bedroom or at the end of a room.
Keep solid wood and fabric out of strong, direct sun where you can, or rotate the chair now and then, as sunlight fades fabric and changes the color of oak over time.
Where should a reading chair go?
In a corner or beside a window, away from the main walkway, with light falling over your shoulder from a lamp or the window.
A corner gives the chair two walls of shelter, which is what makes a reading corner feel calm. Add a side table at about the height of the arms and a lamp behind the chair.
Our reading chair guide goes through the lighting and the table in detail.
How much space do you need around an armchair?
As a planning guide, about 35.5 in of walkway along any route people use, and at least 23.5 in where only the person sitting needs to get in and out.
The chair's own footprint comes first: our Kent is 26.4 x 32.3 in and Einar 28 x 31.9 in.
In a smaller room, turn the chair to face the sofa instead of standing beside it, which shortens the walkway you need. Our guide to armchairs for small living rooms has more layouts, and the armchair dimensions guide every measurement.
Placing an armchair in three distances
- 2.5 m
- 8 ft: a good maximum between seats for easy conversation.
- 16 to 17.7 in
- 16 to 18 in from the armchair to the coffee table.
- 35.5 in
- Walkway around the seating group.
