Nate Berkus’ Living Room Layout Could Be a Fresh Take on the Conversation Pit
Living room layouts can sometimes feel simple to design because there’s a fairly standard way to place furniture. Your couch can be centered along the longest wall in the room, and maybe you throw in a few accent chairs on one or both sides for a bit of extra seating. But according to Nate Berkus, your living room might benefit from having two seating areas rather than just one.
In a recent Instagram post, Berkus explains in the caption why he always likes to set up two separate seating areas within his living room designs: doing so helps “encourage movement and conversation,” while also adding dimension to the space.
Nate Berkus Says Having Multiple Seating Areas in a Room Has Benefits
“I think that multiple seating areas allow me to have different shapes, many different shapes, like this classic Louis XVI-style chair mixed with Italian mid-century,” Berkus said in the video. “I also think that it’s really nice to give two people their own spot in the room, if you’re entertaining. Like, somebody always branches off and has a side conversation. You want there to be really comfortable places to sit everywhere.”
Berkus isn’t the only one who sees the value in having multiple seating arrangements in a single living room space. Martha Stewart’s three living rooms at her Skylands property are each divided into several seating areas with couches, armchairs, and sometimes tables and chairs in each.
Arranging these spaces like that makes them feel like historic mansions, which had rooms large enough for entertaining several groups in a single room.
But you don’t need a large floor plan to set up two or more seating areas in a single living room — you just need to think outside the box. Two strategically placed chairs can create the feeling of another seating area in a small corner, while the couch and comfy armchairs remain in the spotlight.
Experiment with creating several seating areas in your living room and you’ll not only create more space to spread out and chat, but you might also make your space feel a bit more sophisticated.