Ellen DeGeneres' Conversational Seating Follows This Key Rule

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi / Cozy living room — (Image credit: Getty Images (Photo by Kelly SullivanGetty Images for RH) / Future)

Ellen DeGeneres' and Portia de Rossi's stunning former Cotswolds home has given us so much inspiration over the years. The couple has always embraced the natural materials and farmhouse aesthetic to create really intentional spaces, like this cozy living room that's just made for conversation.

But as easy as Ellen DeGeneres makes her conversational seating look, there is a bit of an art to getting living room seating ideas just right. Jacob Smith, interior and lighting designer at Florida-based Residence Supply, says: 'A living room can look beautiful on paper but still feel awkward if the seating isn’t planned around conversation. When I’m laying out a space, I start with one simple rule: the seats should face people. That usually involves creating a U-shape or circle, rather than a straight line with your furniture.'

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Shop these Buys Inspired by Ellen DeGeneres' Living Room

Vintage piece

Danish Wing Lounge Chair

This close match to Ellen DeGeneres' boucle wingback chair is inspired by an original design by Fritz Hansen and brings a luxe softness to the space, although if the price tag is a little high, we've found a more affordable alternative, too.

Soft touch

Lark Manor™ Erjona Accent Chair

The faux shearling fabric of this chair brings a beautifully inviting texture to a living room, while the wingback shape envelopes the sitter for a really cozy and cocooning aesthetic.

Velvet upholstery

Allen Mid Century Button Tufted Sofa

In the same beautiful olive green as Ellen DeGeneres', this velvet tufted sofa combines mid-century style with a rustic finish, thanks to the wooden legs, and makes a statement combined with more muted seating options.

Antique look

Wide Copper Dome Pendant

Placing a pendant light in the center of your conversational seating area will create an intentional space to anchor your furniture around. Balance it with some table and floor lamps for added ambiance.

Distressed look

Adirondack Vera Area Rug

An area rug helps to 'zone' off a conversational seating space and this large 9'x12' rectangular one has a similar look to the one featured in Ellen DeGeneres' living room, thanks to it's distressed ombre effect.

Discreet height

Belfield Coffee Table

Ellen DeGeneres' rustic coffee table is long enough to span the whole seating area while being low so it doesn't detract from the seating or conversation. This oak piece has a similarly simple design.

If you want to design the perfect living room layout, Jacob suggests following a rule of three. 'In an average living room, my go-to is one sofa plus two chairs, or a sectional plus one accent chair. That usually gives you around five 'real' seats, which is enough for a group without making the room feel like a waiting room.'

You should also consider the distance between each piece of furniture. 'I aim to keep people within comfortable talking distance – close enough that you don’t have to raise your voice, but not so close that knees are touching,' says Jacob. 'Sofas and chairs should angle slightly toward each other, with a coffee table [keep it low like McGee & Co's Belfield Coffee Table] in the middle that everyone can reach, and side tables or a floor lamp next to key seats.'

Jacob also recommends pulling furniture away from the wall to create a cozier feel: '12–18 inches of breathing room behind a sofa can make the arrangement feel more intentional and welcoming.'

Cozy living room with curved sofa and statement pendant lighting

Building in layers of texture with an area-defining rug (like the distressed ombre rug at Bed Bath & Beyond), throw blankets, and different upholstery fabrics – Ellen DeGeneres' conversational seating pairs a soft olive velvet sofa paired with cream boucle chairs.

But, don't be tempted to mix too many different materials or colors if you are using a variety of different seating styles. Lenny Kharitonov, CEO of furniture retailer, Emma Mason, advises: 'Keep to two main upholstery tones across your core seating, then layer texture differences like bouclé on chairs against a smoother weave on the sofa [try velvet like this Kathy Kuo button tufted sofa] for depth. Keeping seat heights within a few inches of each other also helps the mix feel balanced and comfortable in conversation.'

The key is really to think about whether your guests will feel comfortable, so be sure to actually sit down and try out each seat before settling on your final arrangement. Jacob adds, 'imagine where people will actually look and reach when they sit down. If they can see and hear each other easily, and set down a drink without stretching, the room will feel welcoming, no matter how fancy the furniture is.'

Conversational seating is important to get right for hosting, but it also needs to be comfortable enough for you and your family to use day-to-day. Look to these cozy living room ideas to help you snuggle up in style.

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Katrina is Head of Living at Homes & Gardens, covering hosting and entertaining, seasonal styling ideas, sleep and wellbeing, along with a highly experienced team of writers and reviewers. With more than 15 years' experience in lifestyle content, Katrina was previously an editor at luxury lifestyle platform, Muddy Stilettos, has been a features writer at Sainsbury's magazine and has also written for a wealth of other food and lifestyle titles including Ideal Home, Waitrose Food, John Lewis' Edition and The Home Page. Katrina is passionate about heritage style and lives in a 100-year old cottage in rural Hertfordshire, where she enjoys finding creative ways to live and host stylishly.