The living room is usually the largest room in the house and the one used most. It’s also often the warmest: big windows or bifold doors, open-plan kitchens adding cooking heat, televisions and a sofa full of people.
Cooling it well comes down to three things: the right capacity for the whole space, an indoor unit placed so it doesn’t blow on anyone, and a design that suits the room. This guide covers all three, plus heating in winter and what to expect at the survey.
Where the heat comes from
- Glazing. Large south or west facing windows, roof lights and glazed doors let in the most heat.
- Open plan. A kitchen-diner-living space is one volume of air. The cooker, fridge and dishwasher all add heat.
- People and equipment. A full sofa and a large television make a difference on a hot evening.
- Extensions. Single-storey extensions with flat roofs and lots of glass often overheat more than the original house.
Blinds and shading reduce the load before you cool anything, and they make any system work less hard.
Sizing for the whole space
Sizing starts with the full volume of connected space, not just the sofa end. Units come in steps, for example 2.5, 3.5, 5 and 7 kW, and an open-plan room may need one of the larger sizes or two smaller units at opposite ends. Two units often give more even comfort in a long room, and on a multi-split they can share one outdoor unit.
We work out the heat load at the survey from the room size, ceiling height, glazing and orientation, insulation and how the room is used. Our sizing guide explains why an undersized unit struggles and an oversized one short-cycles.
Avoiding the cold draught
The most common complaint about living room air conditioning is cold air blowing on someone sitting down. It’s avoidable. We place wall units so the air travels across the ceiling and falls gently through the room, not straight at the seating. Many models let you set the louvres to blow upwards in cooling mode, and some have sensors or airflow modes designed to avoid blowing directly at people. Run on auto or a lower fan speed once the room is cool.
Want it done properly? AirCon Doctor installs, repairs and services air conditioning and heat pumps across London and the South East, from our base in East Grinstead. We’re an F-Gas certified company and NICEIC approved. Get a fixed-price quote.
Making it look right
- Wall units are the most common and the simplest to install. Above a door or on a side wall they’re less noticeable than above the television.
- Design-led wall units in matt, mirrored or coloured finishes; see design air conditioning units.
- Floor consoles sit low like a radiator and suit rooms with sloping ceilings or under windows.
- Ducted or cassette units during a renovation, when a ceiling void can be built in. See ducted air conditioning.
Pipework can run in trunking, or be chased into the wall before decorating. Our guide to indoor unit types compares the options.
Heating in winter
Most split systems are reversible heat pumps. In heating mode a living room unit can take the chill off on autumn evenings, or warm a cold extension that radiators struggle with. The Energy Saving Trust notes that air can’t carry as much heat as a wet central heating system, so for most homes it complements radiators rather than replacing them. Our guide to heat pump mode in winter has tips.
What we check at the survey
We measure the room, note the glazing and which way it faces, look at where people sit, the walls the indoor unit could go on, the pipe route to the outdoor unit and where condensate can drain. We also ask how you use the room: evenings only, all day, with the kitchen in use. Then you get a fixed-price quote. Our site survey guide explains the visit.
Prices
A single room split system costs £1,200–£2,200 + VAT, and a 2-room multi-split £2,800–£4,500 + VAT, including supply, installation, commissioning and F-Gas documentation. Larger units for big open-plan spaces sit towards the top of the single room range. We confirm the VAT on your quote: HMRC treats most air conditioning units as air source heat pumps, which are zero-rated in homes until 31 March 2027, but each case depends on its facts.
Quick answers
What size air conditioning do I need for a living room?
It depends on the whole connected space, the glazing and how the room is used. Open-plan rooms often need a larger unit or two smaller ones. We size it at the survey.
How do I stop the air conditioning blowing on me?
Good positioning and louvre settings send air across the ceiling, not at the seating. Use auto or low fan once the room is cool.
Can I hide the air conditioning in a living room?
Floor consoles, design-led wall units, and ducted or cassette units in a renovation are all options.
Can living room air conditioning replace my radiators?
It can heat the room well, but for most homes it complements central heating rather than replacing it.
Related services
- Domestic air conditioning
- Wall-mounted air conditioning
- Multi-split air conditioning
- Ducted air conditioning
More advice
- Design Air Conditioning Units: Options for Stylish Interiors
- Air Conditioning Indoor Unit Types Compared
- How to Choose the Right Size Air Conditioning Unit
- Air Conditioning for Conservatories: Is It Worth It?
- All advice
This guide is general information, checked against the sources linked on 30 October 2026. It isn’t legal, tax or financial advice. Rules, grants and product ranges change, so check the current position before you rely on it.