Putting together a great floor plan is essential to using the space of any room to its best use and to make it as user friendly as possible. It's just like when you are designing a kitchen; you need to keep all of the furniture and appliances within a certain distance and in a certain geometry to make it as efficient as possible.

You don't want to have to walk twenty feet to put something in the oven that you grabbed from the refrigerator and prepared across the room. You also don't want to have to cross the room to put dishes in the dishwasher after rinsing them off in the sink. Everything needs to move and run smoothly and should be as user friendly as possible. The same principles go when you are designing a bathroom or living room or any other room.

A living room should have a flow, a direction that everything is focused on. That way when people are enjoying each other's company, they will have an idea of which way to face and what to expect. The seating area should be arranged so that people can see each other. So a love seat or sofa should be positioned in a way that they are accessible to each other. They don't need to face each other necessarily, but should be in a direct eye line.

The same would go for any chairs that are in the room. Sometimes, having the chairs in a separate little arrangement can make for a more intimate and allow a conversation to occur more easily. Of course you need to worry about where to position the entertainment. If you are going to have a television in the room, you want to make it viewable from all of the sitting area, but it doesn't necessarily have to be the focal point. A fireplace or a large picture window work just as well and don't offer as much of a distraction.

Tables should be placed in close proximity to the chairs and sofas. That way lamps and anything else you need access to are within arm's length. A coffee table is nice, but not always necessary. Many people prefer an open plan, with no table interrupting the space. If you do decide on a table, they offer many extras like storage for ottoman style tables or there are even tables that have ottomans that tuck in underneath and can be pulled out for extra seating.