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Member since 8/5/02
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Posted on: 4/15/07 8:50 PM ET
I just moved into a new home. Our den is very large and we are going to use is as a game room/den. ( My husbands dream come true!) One side of the room is housing the pool table. The other side is a sofa and two chairs. The chairs are swivel tub style. You can face the sofa/conversation area in these chairs or turn around and be a part of the pool table side. I just can't figure out what shape/size area rug to use.

There will be one under the pool table and another to anchor the sitting group. The arrangement will be in an L shape as opposed to the typical U shape for conversation. Although these chairs can be easily moved to suit the occasion.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Is rectangle the way to go? Just in front of the sofa or should I allow the rug to extend into the chair area as well? Will the coffee table resting on one side of the rug only seem off balance? Thanks for any suggestions



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"Some people grow up in a house. I grew up at The Pond, where we swam, fished, caught tadpoles, went ice skating, played baseball, and hung out with friends. The Pond is home."
  
Member since 7/28/04
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Posted on: 4/15/07 10:38 PM ET
Generally, your rug should be under the furniture. The sofa can rest about 8"-12" over one edge if necessary, but you should have the sofa legs on the rug. (relating to each other)

The chairs will look best 100% on the rug, with about 12" or more behind them, so they don't look like they barely fit.

You want at least 18" minimum between coffee table and sofa. Same 18" is the minimum of "squeeze" space between a table and chair, etc. if you need to cut through on the traffic pattern. I like more than 18", but you need to be able to reach to place a drink, grab snacks, magazines, etc.

So, do what the decorators do. Using 1/4" graph paper, plot your furniture first, then draw the rug around the perimeter using measurements just discussed. Then, either find a standard rug at closest size (there are no standards, but some common sizes are 8x10; 11 x 12, etc.)...size depends on what loom is used. Machine looms are more standardized than hand-wovens.

Don't forget to plan lighting for lamps and such around seating, even if you have overhead lighting.

(Sorry, I'm a retired decorator!) Hope this helps and I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice from other PR members. Sounds like a great space!
  
Member since 3/11/07
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Posted on: 4/15/07 11:44 PM ET
You may want to buy a smaller sofa if you are going to use a rug for the proper look. (Having the sofa hanging over always suggests 'overcrowded room' no matter the lack of clutter to me) A new house needs new furniture :)! Or rather, not all furniture fits all houses. I'm particularly fond of kidney shaped sofas, myself and it sounds like it might be nice with those chairs.
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Needle Needle Straight and Slim, Dust and Sweep the House for Him! --Grimm Fairy Tales
  
Member since 10/27/05
Posts: 5976
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Posted on: 4/16/07 0:08 AM ET
In reply to cindyann
You could always buy a big roll of paper (I think most is the color of paper grocery bags), cut and tape pieces together to make different sizes and shapes, then lay it out and see how it looks.

You could look through a few decorating books or catalogs, too. I'm sure you already thought about doing that, though.

My best guess is that you need a large rug to house the sofa and chairs. It could be a rectangle or square. If you could find a square, you might be able to angle it..............maybe. It depends. I'd experiment with paper or whatever, first.



  
Member since 8/5/02
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Posted on: 4/16/07 8:25 AM ET
Thanks ladies. The paper sounds like a good idea. I still have a bit of packing paper around that I can use.

I did buy a new sofa!! It's smaller in size in a deep brown leather. Beautiful. In fact all the furniture in this room is going to be new. There are some issues with doors and openings in this space so that is a big problem here. Boy, you wouldn't believe the stack of decorating magazines I have. So I am looking for ideas there as well.

I always get really stressed out when I have to make decorating decisions on this large of a scale ( read lots of money) because I'm so afraid I'm going to make a mistake.

Cindy

Edited to add: Dresscode. How do decorators manage for electricity when lamps are in the center of rooms? Can you tell I've never managed such a large space before? I guess the cords can run under the rug?


-- Edited on 4/16/07 8:29 AM --
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"Some people grow up in a house. I grew up at The Pond, where we swam, fished, caught tadpoles, went ice skating, played baseball, and hung out with friends. The Pond is home."
  
Member since 7/28/04
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Posted on: 4/16/07 10:20 AM ET
In reply to cindyann
Yes, lighting in the center of the room is a challenge (or anywhere a few feet away from a wall).

If it's an upstairs room, then normally an electrical outlet is placed in the floor. New home construction, this is usually "floorplanned" by the client and decorator. Basements can be tough.

I normally don't like to run cords under a rug due to fire hazards. If you must, then do so in an area where there will be little foot traffic.

I wanted lighting on a reading desk I had placed in my small, front study. I had centered the desk at a diagonal with two leather wing chairs on each side. I ended up dropping a "mini-chandelier" from the ceiling, hanging fairly low over the desk.

You can do something similar in a basement, but using recessed lighting, or another fun fixture. Even some of the new track lighting can hang over a sideboard or something, floating in the room.

Ideally, there should be 7 sources of light in a room to provide different variances. Such as overhead (my least favorite unless it's a fun fixture), table lamps, task if needed, daylight, recessed, etc. Candles can count, but I'm always afraid of fire! (I don't light candles...but use them as accessories)

Guess I should explain my fear of candles, even though they have little to do with your room: I was amazed at how many clients I worked with who were doing "insurance" decorating due to a fire. All had left candles unattended, or had thought they had blown them out, and came back to fire engines. It's more common than you would think...and candles are sold to college students, high school students...you name it! Law of averages is not good with candles.

Once in a while on my dining room table when I have a lot of people around, I'll light them up. But not for "mood lighting", etc!

  
Member since 7/28/04
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Posted on: 4/16/07 10:30 AM ET
Oops, me again..just had a couple of thoughts:

1) Would you be able to do a "L" arrangement with your seating? Sofa on one side/wall and the chairs at a 90" angle?
This would allow you to run the cords back behind the sofa wall. You would have a "corner" table used by both a sofa seat and a chair seat.
(Then place a smaller table between the two chairs if needed)

The other benefit of this (and I may have your room all wrong in my head) is that it opens the traffice pattern to the pool table. Sometimes if a room (or area) is blocked, it is less inviting for people to enter...even if they only have to divert their traffic pattern slightly.

2) There are some excellent examples of designer floor plans in this issue of "O Decor"...Oprahs decorating magazine. I thought this was a good issue.
  
Member since 8/5/02
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Posted on: 4/16/07 11:22 AM ET
In reply to dresscode
Actually, it will be an L shape seating arrangement, however a corner table between the sofa and one chair is going to interfere with the traffic flow. It's sort of a cramped arrangement but I don't have many options due to focal point, which is fireplace and TV. TV is flat screen over the fireplace. Not my choice, but room design makes it the only option. I could place a small lamp next to the sofa on the other side if I can find the right table.

I'll see if I can find that issue of O Decor. I do have room planner software that I have used for this design but it only provides an overhead view and I'm having trouble visualizing things. I know I have 3D room planning software somewhere in a box but since we just moved in who the heck know which "office" box it's in. Oh the joys of moving.
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"Some people grow up in a house. I grew up at The Pond, where we swam, fished, caught tadpoles, went ice skating, played baseball, and hung out with friends. The Pond is home."
  
Member since 10/27/05
Posts: 5976
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Posted on: 4/16/07 11:58 AM ET
In reply to cindyann
A floor lamp is a possibility if you don't have space for a side table. I agree with dresscode about not running electrical cords under a rug.

  
Member since 7/28/04
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Posted on: 4/16/07 12:40 PM ET
I've been looking at "new" houses since we are about to be relocated (Jacksonville!)...

I'm amazed at how small the rooms are in most newer homes. It's like the builder is trying to get all things into a house but forgetting that most people who have a dining room table also have a china hutch or buffet. It drives me nuts to pull a chair out and hit the china cabinet. I'm considering using a living room for a dining room.

(One builder told me that people don't want dining rooms anymore!) I told him I found the opposite to be true, but most people don't use their dining rooms because they are too small once you add 6-8 people to a dining room table.

Kitchen islands? Ok great idea. But I'm finding these tiny little islands that a builder plops into a tiny space...just to say there is an island in the kitchen. It blocks the traffic pattern and the triangle (sink/stove/fridge) if there isn't enough room to begin with.

And the size of the home has little to do with these tiny kitchens and dining rooms.

I know this is off the original topic...but sometimes we have to deal with the cards dealt. I know from my working/decorating days most people buy sofas that are too large (sometimes too small) and they insist on two recliners along with all the other stuff. Plasma TV's are great, but you still have to have a storage unit/shelf for the components. Speakers are another problem...wall mounts are popular but the base (I think) needs to go on the floor. I try to place tables over those ugly little buzzards.

I have a large family room now, and still only have a sofa, large coffee table and a large mission rocker. But, it all floats in front of the TV. On the perimeter walls, I have a high side-board with lamps/art. TV in armoire at a diagonal, then a sliding door wall, window wall, and fireplace wall.

It is amazing how fast a family room can fill up due to fireplace and TV alone. They are some of the toughest rooms to decorate. Throw in a few kids, neighbors...no room for furniture!
  
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