We have shared this space before on the blog, what we didn't share was the awkward living room before. This entryway worked perfectly and seemed totally logical when we toured the home. After purchasing, however, we quickly came to realize that this space did not work for us.
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Awkward Living Room Layout
At first glance, we loved this space. Don't get me wrong there wasn't anything wrong with it, it just didn't work for our family.
As you can see from the above photograph, there is a door to the far right. This door is the front entrance. What you can't see is the door just off the frame to the left. This too is set up to be the main entrance.
Here is the view from sitting in the seating area. You can see the door and closet just behind the half wall. This is what made this space so awkward for our family.
As a family, we chose to use the front door as our main entrance. If we wanted to access the backyard we used the double doors you see in this photo. After a few months, we realized this space became wasted, and would better suit our family if we removed the door and closet.
How To Fix An Awkward Living Room Layout
The first thing to go was the half wall. This opened up the space into the dining room, extending the current living space.
Next to go was the closet and then of course a quick staging of furniture. I made sure to stop and stage some furniture halfway through, telling myself we did the right thing.
Not pictured is the removal of the door, to be replaced by a window. We also removed the carpet/ vinyl flooring which was replaced by laminate.
Functional Living Room Layout
Now, instead of having a small seating area, we have a full out extra living space! Not only that, but our sectional is also a pull out bed, so we also acquired extra space for guests!
What was once an entryway complete with closet and small seating area is now a full out additional living space! It's hard for me to remember this space as anything other than a living room. We are so happy with how our awkward living area transformed.
If you have an awkward living room in your home, get creative! Most of the time awkward spaces can be solved with a simple layout switch or furniture swap. In some cases you need to get a little more creative. I hope this inspires you to make your home work for you!
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Wow, this is amazing! I can't believe you guys did all that. It looks fantastic now! Also, I love that wooden board with the measurements on it for the kids heights 🙂
Thank you, Alexa! Greg made me that for Christmas a few years back.
This is simply amazing!! I kept scrolling back and forth between the before and after pictures! You are a very talented couple and I can't wait to read your next post! Inspiring & Amazing....
Thank you, Christina for your very kind comment!
You have such an eye for all things reno and decor! Love watching your transformations.
Thank you, Megan you are so very kind!