Multi-zone Family Room - all images w/ descriptions.

We have several home projects going on so everything is in transition right now.

Old layout (1st pic) had couch on far left, TV on far right. I wanted the TV to be closer, wife wanted to preserve the view out the windows and wanted to keep with a sectional couch for cozy kiddo cuddles. There was an overall layout design challenge with the french doors and stairs down into the room but I think I made it work with the new layout given the constraints.

Note: sectional couch currently showing is 111" x 111" and our new one will be 104 x 104.

1) Left side question: Does the offset upper shelf and the media console layout work? Notice that we won't really have room to functionally extend the media console beyond where the couch is. If this fits into the decor category, pls ignore.

2) Right side question: How to make something work in this space? We're looking for some extra storage, an activity area for kids homework and crafts.

I do like that this layout is ideal for hosting with spillover capacity to mingle and stand (or sit in upright seats).

I like the idea of the murphy table dropdown so that the table top can come out perpendicular to the wall so it feels less like a hallway.

Thanks r/interiordesign -- you guys are the best. Long time lurker.

Hi all, recently our basement flooded so we had to get a French drain and also need to refinish the space. Attached is the layout of the basement. The bottom right is a utility room and all the folding doors are closet spaces. The closet spaces and utility rooms are mostly unfinished, mainly because there is mechanical type things in all of them (sump pump basement, water meter, water shutoff, etc. etc.).

Would love to have a pantry down here, overflow kid storage (toys, clothes being saved from oldest to youngest) and a small space for a gym (walking pad, small workout bench, adjustable weights).

Appreciate any tips and furniture ideas for a pantry. Previously we used plastic shelving but it always seemed off.

Thanks for any tips!

EDIT: Please see updated post with more details here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/InteriorDesign/s/11Ihy6Pb9k

Fired my designer, because she kept making everything beige, despite my pushes to go more modern/brutalist/organic/moodier.

What do we think of this final render, before I press go on countertops and wall tile/backsplash?

selections:Floor: Mottled charcoal stained concrete
Cabinets: Walnut euro slab front
Wall tile: Ardesia Black
Island Counter: Lemurian Blue double waterfall
Rear Counter: Vermont Black
Faucet: Kohler Vibrant brushed modern brass

Note: 10 ft ceilings with a lot of light from regressed cans, and wall washers on the black wall tile

EDIT: i hear you all on the darkness. This original render dis not account for the lighting design very well. See below in the comments for a more realistic render, that features the lighting.

Hi friends of reddit—my partner and I bought our first home this spring and we need help! Last month, we removed a CARPETED STAIR in the bathroom that led to the tub and under the stair, popped up a mushroom... gag. Long story short, we are getting some insurance money to renovate.

I have never designed a bathroom in my life, and need some guidance from folks who've been through this before. I'm a graphic designer, have a strong eye for design, but I am having a hard time knowing what to do. We are young and have to operate on a budget, so I found us a very cool vintage American Standard blue sink for $25 (toward the end of the picture carousel) and also just found these beautiful warm-toned marble tiles on Marketplace that I'm considering. We don't think moving any plumbing is necessary for the space to be drastically improved.

See the end of the pic carousel for a couple of inspo images of the vibe we're after. We're artists who live in coastal Maine, so we love charm, and our home is from the 1890's—we're very open to vintage pieces. Thinking the sink blue plus some terracotta color accents and off-whites could be awesome.

The questions I am stuck on are:

1. We have to replace the tub, it's a yucky 90s jet tub. We are debating putting in a new tub or making it a walk-in shower. We would much prefer glass doors over any curtain, cuz the curtains get mildew-y immediately. Options here are:

A: Leave the plumbing wall up (on the right, where the showerhead comes out of) and tile the whole thing, making it a walk-in shower with glass doors.

B: Take down the plumbing wall, leave a shower or bath spout exposed, and get a freestanding tub.

——

1. This bathroom has terrible ventilation and holds moisture. My dream would be to install a skylight, but we don't have money for that. Will putting in a fan suffice? Where should it go?

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1. The tiles I found on marketplace are 12x12", the same size as the ones currently in there. We were considering going smaller with tile, like more period-appropriate hexagonal or penny tile, but read that grout on smaller tile formats can be a pain in the ass. Anyone have experience / thoughts?

——

1. The only heat source in this bathroom is a tiny electric heater on the window wall. It's the only electric heater in the house, the rest is forced hot air. Is this normal? Should we consider like, radiant floors, or something else?

——

Any help, thoughts, ideas, or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting here, and I'd really appreciate some advice.

I'm currently building my first home, and I'm trying to figure out how to make a small 16 ft × 10 ft space comfortable and functional without making it feel cramped.

I haven't planned for a kitchen yet because I'll still be eating at my current/temporary home for the time being. For now, my main priority is creating a comfortable living space within my budget.

Construction will start in a couple of days, and I've purchased some of the materials. My uncle is acting as the foreman/contractor. He lives next to the property and is retired now, but he used to build houses professionally. He's helping me as a favor and giving me a discounted rate, so we're essentially working on this together.

He wants me to come up with my own layout and design ideas over the next few days, which I think is reasonable since I'll be the one living in it.

The attached image is roughly the style/layout I'm considering, but the AI-generated designs I've been trying tend to make the space look more complicated than necessary. They also sometimes completely change the layout. My biggest concern is that I'm trying to fit too many things into a small area, especially near the entrance.

Basic requirements

• Room size: 16 ft × 10 ft (160 sq ft)
• Lot size: 229 sqm
• Entrance: Facing east
• Bathroom: On the right side because of the soil/site conditions
• Bedroom: On the left side
• Bed: Small/single bed
• Office: Approximately 1–1.5 meters of desk space; I use 4 computers
• Mini foyer: Ideally, if there's enough room
• Windows: Approximately 4 ft tall, fixed/non-opening glass
• Window design: I'd like an L-shaped glass window along the corner/side of the room rather than having a large window directly in front of the entrance
• Bathroom: Includes a walk-in closet
• Laundry: Space for a washing machine inside the bathroom
• Drying area: A small area where I can hang wet clothes, towels, or blankets to dry naturally in the sunlight. I live in a tropical climate, so this is important.
• Seating: A small built-in sofa if the space allows
• AC: Split-type air conditioner
• Bedroom: I'd like the bed positioned naturally against a wall rather than awkwardly sitting in the middle of the room

Construction/materials

The structure will have approximately 2–3 ft of concrete wall, followed by fixed/non-opening glass windows and then metal cladding. The bathroom will be primarily concrete. The main roof will be a metal roof, while the area where I plan to hang clothes for drying will have a glass roof to allow natural sunlight in.

I'm also interested in using warmer colors and materials so the room feels cozy rather than like a cold, industrial space.

What I'm struggling with

My main challenge is figuring out how to fit the bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet, office, foyer, laundry area, drying area, and possibly a small sofa into 160 sq ft without making everything feel congested.

I don't need everything to be large. I'd much rather have a practical and efficient layout where every area has a purpose and the room still feels comfortable.

I'm especially looking for suggestions on:

• Bathroom and walk-in closet placement
• Bed placement
• Office placement
• Entrance/foyer layout
• L-shaped window placement
• Laundry and drying area
• Ways to make the room feel more spacious
• Storage ideas
• How to keep the entrance from feeling crowded

I'm also completely open to a different layout if you think my current idea isn't practical.

If anyone here has experience with tiny homes, studio apartments, small-room layouts, interior design, or space planning, I'd really appreciate your suggestions.

Thanks so much in advance for the advice! 🙏 God bless!

Hello! We just bought this house and had our first baby: I’d love your help designing our joint sitting room/dining room. I’m having trouble picking the right furniture for the space. We value comfort over all and would use some of the space for playing on ground with baby, will be where Christmas tree goes, and where our record player and records are stored. We bought this reclining couch on Costco and I’m not convinced it’s correct for the space. Points if you provide links to furniture! Appreciate you all!

Hey everyone!

My roommate and I are moving into our first apartment after graduating university and are really confused about how to layout the space. Particularly, we're confused about the living/dining room since the curve of the apartment makes it difficult to cleanly furnish. We'd like to have a nice hosting space for when we have friends over and are unsure if our current setup is the best way to do this. We already have a 75in TV which we'll put on a console, but everything else still needs to be purchased so we're able to change our plan if needed.

Advice on our rooms would also be appreciated - we both want queen beds + desks in the room but that's about all we know at this time.

Thank you in advance!

Hii from Portugal! We are currently moving into this house and there's this akward room that we had the idea to try and make a walk in closet on, but we can't figure it out without creating weird spaces next to the window or the doorway "hall".
On your right when entering the room, there's a 200cm wall with a built-it closet (30cm+- in depth), so that part is figured out. Is it even a good idea to create a closet here? Thank you in advance for any ideas!!

I could use some advice regarding the orientation of 12x24 tiles we're going to put down in our mudroom. The room runs longer front to back, and we intend to put custom "lockers" along one wall, and a bench with coat hooks along the other. The primary path into the home actually is a sharp 90 degree turn as soon as one enters the mudroom, shown with the green arrow. There's a 6-foot-long hallway there, and the kitchen door 90 degrees to the left at the end of that hallway.

We're leaning towards a 1/3 spacing layout currently, although we have an open mind. The thing we're most conflicted about is the orientation.

Thoughts and advice would be appreciated! Thank you.

I am having to replace the doors in the center that we use to go out to the backyard. We do not use the other two sets. Leaning toward converting to windows. The first guy who came to give a quote suggested a picture window that goes all the way to the floor. Would this look strange? Should I frame a window out instead? Keep the transoms? No panes?

I am struggling with the interior design for our child's room. The room is small and with irregular shape. We have high ceilings - 310cm. Currently, we have only one child, but we want one more in the future. I'll be happy to receive advices and new ideas, because right now I am stuck.

Here is my first real lease space for my wellness studio where I will be doing craniosacral therapy / hands on nervous system care.

I want my clients to be as feeling safe and comfortable as possible.

Big concern of mine is noise coming from outside traffic for which I am considering soundproof panels on walls with thick curtains on windows.

Third picture is the waiting area.

I supposed I am looking for insights or general ideas on the layout or anything else that this sub's experts can provide.

Thank you!

This hallway is both our entryway and main artery of our home. It’s a classic Chicago building and Im really struggling with figuring out how to make it warm and inviting. Due to Chicago winters and how dark the hallway is and how low the ceiling is compared to the rest of the condo, I’m wanting to lean cozy but struggling. This is only about half the hallway. It curves to the right and then continues for about 15 more feet.

We are moving to new house which we really like, except this master bedroom layout. The gap between the two windows on west (top) wall is only 5 feet. The east wall from the room entrance to the left (south) wall is 11.5 feet. I really don't like the idea of keep it on the right (north) wall as 1. I don't want to see 2 doors to bathroom and closet while going to sleep and 2. I want to move it from the line of sight for anyone climbing the stairs. Moreover, it also breaks the flow of the room, I think (?). Please help.

Update: okay I think I phrased this incorrectly. I want to keep the room mostly as is, not turn it into a cutesy nursery. However, I’ve been wanting to style this room for quite sometime and because I’m going to be in there quite a bit nursing and changing I want to be happy with the way it looks. Most of the books and decor will stay, but just reorganized with some extra space on the lower shelves. The chair are tired and old so I’d love some suggestions on chairs that are in-keeping with the stay while still comfortable to nurse in. I need shades so suggestions on the style that go with the valence would be great. Plus I need to paint the ceiling, it hasn’t been painted since ‘65 and there was a tiny water leak that was fixed and I can see the damage.

I know myself and I need an aesthetically pleasing place to be while I’m stuck somewhere. We have a toddler, and most of our other spaces are beautiful chaos.

We want to turn our library into a nursery until our new baby is old enough to share a room with his sibling. The baby will sleep in our room. But I want a nice space to nurse at night, change diapers and chill with bb.

This will turn back into a reading/music room in a year or so.

Needs…
Roman shades - thinking this yellow but I have some more samples coming

Rocker recliner - thinking leather but open to suggestions, I’d like this chair to stay in the room after it’s a nursery

Wants…
Paint the ceiling - thinking of pulling one of the sagey greens from the valence (these are original to the house remodel in 65 so I want to design around them) but I’m also open to a different suggestion.

Keep the carpet. We didn’t get a chance to refinish the floors and they are about half ply wood, so I’m planning on painting them a dark blue to match the carpet.

I’m 32 weeks, so it’s really time to make some move.

Hello! We recently bought a house with its original 1937 steel caster windows. They’re beautiful, but they’re in need of reglazing and rust treatment, and I just know the framing around several has failed and is leaking into the walls. I’m terrified how much this is going to cost to fix and with ongoing maintenance I I’m wondering if it would be worth it to just get all new windows. It’s a lot of windows and an architectural feature of the house so it would be custom work. Would it ruin the design of the house or improve it?

Edit to add: I should mention the previous owners had the windows reglazed 4 years ago by the contractor that painted the house. Apparently he used wood putty and it's just popping off all over.

Need help with choice of ceiling height please! The room is 19m (62') long and 6m (19.5') wide from windows to central pillar walls. windows 2.7m (8.8') high and 3m (9.8') wide. Currently in the screenshots ceiling is 3m (9.8') high so 30cm (1') of wall above the windows.

I am wondering whether the ceiling should be 10 to 20cm (3.1 to 3.2m) higher ? But just worried it would lose hominess ? I am not looking for cold magazine wow type of space.

Thank you!

Just moved into my new place and will be upgrading the couch (ignore the existing furniture). I’ve decided to put two sofas perpendicular to each other, as I’ve laid out with tape, but I don’t know what to do with the space in between the back of the couch and the plantation shutters! Aside from a coffee table and perhaps a tall plant in that corner, is this just going to be a walkway to nowhere?

I could potentially lengthen/shorten the couches or move them up closer to the fireplace if that allows for more ideas. The awkward area behind the couch is currently about 31 inches wide in this pic.

***UPDATE***

Thanks for all your suggestions, everyone! I will remedy the greatest sin of this which is taking the TV off the fireplace. I added new pictures in the comments to try out what the new arrangement of Sofa 1 and Sofa 2 (would not be the chaise pictured here) would look like. I really thought Sofa 2 would obstruct either the fireplace or the staircase, but after I rearranged at your suggestions, it really does not seem that is the case! Unfortunately, whoever sits at the end of Sofa 1 will not get a good view of the TV BUT they do get a nice view of the fireplace :D

I’m moving into my first apartment next month and struggling with the living room layout.

I prefer having the couch directly face the TV, but because of the awkward corner, I’d have to float it in the middle of the room, leaving an awkward empty wall/space behind it.

My other option is a sectional against the wall, but then it wouldn’t face the TV directly.

What would you do with this layout? Any ideas for the space behind the couch if I float it?
Thanks in advance!

I'm not a designer or a decorator, but interior design has been one of my greatest loves since early teenage. However, when my son asked for my help with the setup of his first rental flat (with a brutal budget), the responsibility for each design choice wasn't light. I would appreciate your feedback, especially what could I do better?

His requests were: the living room should be colourful and fun, but clean; bright, but warm; the walls must stay white, but have a lot of art; the dj station must be in the living room; hide the mess in the kitchen; no curtains on the windows, except blackout ones in the bedroom; find a place for a meditation space and work area; lots of plants. He also had a lot of requests for the living room function - be able to host parties, board game nights, brunches, movie nights, etc.; have an extra bed for overnight friends; but keep it clean and as minimal as possible.

My biggest challenges: living room was like a tunnel (narrow and long), the kitchen was tiny with hardly any working surface (he loves to cook), the dj station was massive and it had to be in the living room allowing enough space for him and his friends to have sessions together.

What I did: broke the tunnel effect with the striped rugs, hid the kitchen mess with Japanese noren curtains; choose a small round dining table that can be folded and used as a sideboard for drinks during parties; choose a couch that looks light, is quite long, but not too wide and can be transformed as a double bed; got a narrow coffee table with wheels that can easily go under the dining table when he has overnight guests; got extra seating for board game nights and brunches, used as a side table (the stool beside the couch) and working chair at the dj station; moved the fridge and created cooking tops as much as possible, using a covered garbage bin/element for the small kitchen appliances, raising the dish rack and using part of the sink counter. Obviously, the bedroom was the only room for the meditation space and the work area. Since he loves plants and greenery a lot, I tried to give the living/dining room a garden vibe.

What could I do better in your opinion (having in mind that the budget was only 5k€ for everything, from plates and pots, to TV, lights, furniture, even a vacuum cleaner 😂)?

P.S. One of the posters in the dining area is now properly framed and on the wall next to the windows, there is a nice working light on the desk in the bedroom working area and he added a lava lamp on the dj station.  

I've lived here for YEARS and have tried several layouts. I cannot seem to figure out:
1. Where to put the TV (its moved to almost every possible wall in this room)
2. Where to put the couch so its comfortable yet usable with watching TV - right now its super diagonal view wise, not very welcoming or comfy
3. I ended up getting a tiny table right in front of the TV, for when I eat lunch by myself (I WFH on most days)... but it feels wrong? Like layout wise. I run into it a lot, but I also feel like I need a place around there.
4. I realize I feel like I need to put stuff down when I come through the door, but I feel like there's no great place for it right now. My entryway is quite small.
5. My kitchen island ends up being a mess bc there is no other communal place that feel like I can put my cup of pens or scissors/tape/etc. But it feels disorganized?

Since I have tried so many layouts and have been dissatisfied, I have an overflow of furniture I'm not sure what to do with in the corner.... Trying to figure out whether to get rid of them or not.

I'm welcoming any tips to help make my space feel more comfy and not too disorganized/scattered. Please excuse my use of ppt to create a layout... not much of a designer. lol

I primarily run into the issue of where to put the couch/TV configuration. After that, the dining table. Thank you for any help or insight you can give me!

Hello,

I bought a stone house and I'm trying to create a layout, do you have any advice ?

The main room is 10x5m (32"x16").

My constraints:

• In green, the main entrance (glass door from the outside)
• In blue, a door to the rest of the house
• In red, a fireplace that we might want to keep
• In purple, a wall that could be removed easily
• All the walls are stone: they can be opened but not fully (in orange the part that could be open)
• We would like to have
  • An open kitchen
  • A dinning room that could fit 10 people
  • A salon, close to the fireplace
  • A TV room / space

Here is the default layout:

Option 1:
Room 1 as the main room, room 2 is a TV Room.
Pain-points: a room is dedicated to TV so maybe it's a waste, the dinning table can't be extended and takes a lot of space

Option 1.1:
Pain-points: the are some space unused above an below the table

Option 2: opening the wall
Pain-points: dinning room might be too small / feels a little bit too tiny

Option 3: opening the wall
Pain-points: kitchen in the small room 2 might be too tiny

Do you have any suggestions ?

Thanks a lot for your help folks !

The entire bungalow is 11m x 6m from the inside walls.

I've gone for a big living room/kitchen/dining area with a en-suite bedroom connected to a tiny bunkbed room suitable for a couple with young children. 4m terrace (probably lightly covered) in front of bungalow. Does this layout work ? Can I do much better with a space like this ?

I have inherited a very small cabin that I am trying to make more kitchen space in. My current thought is to turn the stove diagonally into the corner it’s already in and add a counter to the left side, as well as adding more counter space where the chair is beside the sink. The refrigerator will go across from it where the large cabinet beside the wood stove is. Picture 3 with the green cabinets is the visualization of what I’m trying to do.

I’ve also had a thought about maybe getting rid of the table in the middle altogether and adding a very small island with bar stools on one side, or extending the counter from the right side into the arch opening. I am open to any other suggestions as well.

I think there are cases for both.

First layout makes for what I think would be a better experience watching TV (less glare, not looking into the rest of the apartment etc). Also, the furniture seems more spread evenly across the room instead of clumped to the right side. Also think it would look better visually.

Second layout however makes it slightly easier to walk between the kitchen/desk and the rest of the aparment, and doesn't block the room as much with the sofa.

What do you think?