Type into the fields, then print, or write on the paper copy. Entries stay in this open page. They are not sent or saved elsewhere.
Give the seats a job
Decide who needs to watch, talk or read. Keep the actual room and retained furniture unchanged while comparing your first two arrangements.
Draw the fixed room and the real journeys
Mark doors through their full swings, windows, hearth, radiators and sockets. Draw connecting trips separately from the approach to seats. Include the needs of everyone using the room.
Cut furniture shapes at the same scale
| Retained piece | Outer width × depth | Extra space in use |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa | ||
| Chairs | ||
| TV and stand / unit | ||
| Tables, storage and lamps |
Add extended recliners, open storage, seated legs and cables. Mark the screen face and intended eye positions; sofa-to-wall distance is not viewing distance.
Compare your two arrangements
Use the same questions for both options. A longer list of things that fit does not necessarily make a better room.
The furniture fits. Yet the chairs face away from the TV and their fronts sit over 1.60 m from the table; the sofa eyes are about 4.1 m from the screen. An extra-wide side gap leaves the 85 cm doorway unchanged.
Decision: reject this configuration. Draw a closer seating group before buying a larger TV to compensate.
Compare two versions of your room
| Decision to make | Your option 1 | Your option 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Regular TV viewers: required / useful seats | ||
| Worst sofa view: distance, side angle, height | ||
| Actual journey: endpoints and narrowest point | ||
| Doorway width separately from furniture gap | ||
| Where each seated person puts a drink | ||
| Daylight / evening screen reflection | ||
| Reading light, cables and storage access | ||
| Reason to keep, alter or reject |
Rehearse the better option at full size
Tape the footprints, sit at the proposed height and check both sofa ends with the actual screen. Open doors and walk the real journeys while seats are occupied. Reach for a drink and the reading light. Repeat the screen check in daylight and after dark.
The guide’s choices, at a glance
| Example | What the seats do | What the plan reveals | Decision or remaining work |
|---|---|---|---|
| A · Shared sitting area | Two sofa TV positions; chairs join conversation | Sofa eyes: 2.27 / 2.50 m; 1° / 25° off-axis | Try both sofa ends. The small side table serves chair 4. |
| B · Reject this version | Chairs face away from TV and sit too far from table | Sofa eyes: about 4.1 m; chair/table depth gap: 1.60 m | Move the group closer before considering a larger screen. |
| C · Separate activities | Two similar sofa views; fireplace chairs do another job | Sofa eyes: 2.47 m / 12° each; back-to-back gap: 55 cm | Use the side approach. The window chair gets the reading lamp. |
The UK examples share a 3.80 × 6.60 m shell and furniture inventory. The 85 cm hall doorway is distinct from the 90, 140 or 115 cm furniture gaps. The hall door opens out into an assumed clear hall. Viewing angles describe the marked model eyes, not a comfort threshold.