Struggling with how to lay out your living room to maximize form and function? Me too. Whether you live in a small studio or a larger home, furniture arrangement can be tricky, and sometimes thinking outside the box is the way to go! These eight smart living rooms — all from Apartment Therapy house tours this year — have taught me a thing or two about laying out what may be my most used room. Try these tricks for a better flow and use of this space in your home.

Karen Sawyer's Washington state house's style is like an "estate sale in a greenhouse."

Melissa's apartment is full of subtle, tongue-in-cheek cultural references to movies and TV.

There are no doors or walls separating the living room, dining room, playroom, and kid's room, but each area of this one-bedroom feels like a separate zone.

Melissa Chang's thoughtful (and smart!) furniture layout, her approach to collecting, and her experiences living even smaller in Tokyo have all contributed to a gorgeous, cozy, functional home, despite being a one-room studio apartment only 250 square feet large.

Plus, photos of Shrek throughout.

Jenasie Earl only buys things if they are ridiculously cheap; her home is full of styles over all decades!

This couple sharing a small New York apartment were able to create a functional floor plan that has separate functional areas.

Follow these top 10 furniture placement rules to nail your furniture layout every single time.