There is so many variables -- what is the house style and influences ? Your favourite colours ? Favourite furniture styles ? How many people live there ? Budget ?

Personally , I look on the auction sites ( gumtree in Aus , trademe in NZ ) and start with secondhand . Less money to outlay , less money if you've got it wrong , generally you can resell for similar $$$ if its wrong or you want to replace with new or even a different look .

You mentioned a chaise , so I'll use that as an example . Look on-line at every one locally and see the prices . If it isn't urgent , put 10 or 20 on your watchlist and see what they sell for , or if they don't sell . Do that with a few items , and you'll start to get a theme going .

That way you might decide on natural timber or wheat colour or white gloss or leather . That may be what you originally planned , but sometimes I find the style or colour I originally want is 3 times the price of some other style , so I change -- other times I think 'stuff it' and stick to number 1 plan .

I know thats not specific , but its no use saying do a yellow leather chaise lounge with deep buttons and mahogony frame in the family room , and a wheat settee with pink cushions and chrome feet in the lounge , without way more info .

Hi Pottsy99.
Thank you so very much for your reply, it has certainly given me somethings to think about that I had not considered!!

I think I perhaps worded my question wrong though. I’m ok with styling as such…it’s more where to put things. For example, should I put the couch near the window or with the back of the couch facing towards the dining area. Is one of them a faux pas. I think my worry is how to make the space usable. I hope that makes more sense!!

Thank you again!!

Even with that info , its still difficult , and basically I start with a basic layout ( or maybe preference is a better word ) and play with that . For example , a settee with the back to another area makes it almost a seperate room , so do you want seperate zones or one larger zone ? Is conversation the main focus ? Study ? Reading books ? Looking at art ? Watching TV ? All those will have slightly different layout requirements .

I assume in your larger living area you will have a tv (with built I storage) on the wall and therefore couch facing that and then diving table between that and the kitchen. If you're not sure of sizes make up templates using newspaper.
Your second living space is probably going to afford you the chance to be a bit more creative and you'll have to think about how you want to use this room. I'm a huge fan of armchairs around a round coffee table but this is more for coffee and conversation rather than relaxing and watching tv.
I would probably put tv in second living area andnot in main room but that's because I hate tv's in large open space areas but I realise I'm very much in the minority here.

Hi Lisa , congrats on your new home :) Our house has similar floor plan. I suggest the wall behind the laundry and toilet for TV and a large unit, with wall shelving and a long floor unit ( IKEAs has good examples to get some ideas ). L shape/chase couch back to the dinning area.

Also the wall behind the Living, next to master bedroom door, you can use for a nice piece of display/buffett.

In the Living room in this plan we have piano, small set of leather couch, a relaxing environment, no TV.

All the best for this exciting journey.

With your front windows, do the same s fold sheers for every window. Combine the sheers with roller roller blinds or horizontal blinds for privacy and sun block. Or combine sheers with sun block curtains. Nothing worse than the front facade of a home not having uniform window treatments, in my opinion.
The windows in the family dining and stacker doors, do exactly the same with s fold sheers plus blinds or block out curtains.
Keep the house uniform with window treatments, every room can be individual with furnishings.

Examples

Thank you all so very much!!
Seems I have a lot more to think about 😀