No couch in the living room?

[Minz]

I gave away my couch on freecycle.org today. I'm loving having all this empty space in my living room which has made me start to question if I need to replace my couch or just go couch-less. I'm thinking of just getting 1-2 comfy chairs, possibly an ottoman and several floor pillows. Does anyone out there have a couch-less living room or thinking about it? I know some cultures sit on mats/pillows on the floor and I've always loved the simplicity of that.

[ToomuchStuff]

I haven't had a couch in at least 10 years, probably closer to 15. I do miss it on rare occasions, and have even thought about trying to make one in the style of a Morris Chair. The reason I don't have one is simple, when I bought my house and moved in, I had almost no help. I expect that as the normal for my life, so whatever I buy, I need to know I can move it myself and couches are no easy task that way. (a Morris couch I might be able to disassemble)

[Dhiana]

Currently living in one those cultures that hangs out on mats/pillows on the floor and I've realized I can't completely relax like that.
Various legs & arms fall asleep when I'm trying to relax on the tatami mats so I'm constantly changing positions.

A simple bean bag chair would be more comfortable to me than an ottoman. Although I'm sure most guests would feel more comfortable
with the ottoman

[Nella]

I haven't had a couch since 1990. I have instead always had several comfortable upholstered chairs and they've always worked just fine. I'm with TooMuchStuff, if I can't move it solo, I pretty much just don't own it.

[Minz]

It never occurred to me not to have a couch until I read a post on Miss Minimalist about it. Then I started to realize that I was kind of tired of having some big piece of furniture in which I had less options to arrange furniture. That led me to create a pinterest of living rooms with no couch and I'm really am starting to enjoy the esthetics of couch-less living rooms. http://pinterest.com/blissfulmindy/m...-living-rooms/

Dhiana - I would think it would be a little tough getting used to another culture's sitting/sleeping ways if it is something so different that what you grew up with. I would have concern for guests, especially older ones who wouldn't be comfortable sitting on the floor. I'm really starting to lean towards two fluffy chairs, an ottoman and then perhaps some floor pillows...seems simple and blissful to me!

[CathyA]

I love couches!

[cattledog]

I love couches!

Me too! I'm a lounger, and so is my DH. We have two couches in our living room. I briefly entertained the idea of replacing the one couch with a couple of chairs, but then I thought about those winter nights when DD and I pile on the quilts and snuggle together and read a book. That's harder to do on a chair as she gets bigger and I didn't want to give that up.

I understand about living alone though and not wanting to have something that requires help to move. I thought the same way, hence my wicker chairs and futon bed. I also didn't buy anything that wouldn't fit in the hatchback of my car.

[JaneV2.0]

I like your plan; it's pretty much what I have in mind for my next place. I have a couch I never use. In fact, I never use my living room. Or dining room, for that matter. My SO has nothing in his living room but a bookshelf, making "living room" a frank misnomer.

[Lainey]

No couch? What do you nap on?

[Minz]

No couch? What do you nap on?

I have a pallet on the floor made of two twin size memory foams. I have an actual bed in a bedroom but I prefer sleeping on the floor in the living room.