Decorating a small living room can be incredibly tricky at times. You want to maximise comfort, and to include all those trinkets and knick-knacks you’ve accumulated in your life, but you also need the room to be versatile, ensuring everything you need fits into the small space. It’s a tall ask in a room that may not be large enough to cope with it.
Fear not; help is at hand in the form of some good ol’ fashioned (and occasionally contemporary!) advice. Here are 12 clever ways to make the most of space in a space living room.
Sectional Furniture
One of the first things you should look for when trying to maximise space in your living room is sectional furniture. Not only does it give you the seating you need, but you can move the pieces as needed and easily change the look and feel of a room in a moment’s notice.
Depending on the sections, some L-shaped couches have a piece that can double as a footstool and a makeshift table. Other modular furniture options include adaptable shelving units and even modular scalable entertainment systems.
Maximise Light
Design the room with natural light in mind. Small spaces can often feel stuffy and dark, and blocking out the natural light will only make this worse. Don’t block the windows with big furniture pieces; instead, keep the area clear.
Read: The best ways to allow more natural light into your home
Versatility
Don’t choose a lot of furniture that can only be used one way. Instead, priorite compact, flexible furniture. A couch that can turn into a sleeper bed or a coffee table with drawers and storage, for instance, will allow you to get multiple uses out of a single piece of furniture, which is perfect in a room that estate agents might charitably deem ‘cosy’.
Many side table designs have two or three that fit into each other or small tables that have fold-out chairs. This allows you to seat more people without actually having the furniture.
Lighter Wall Colours
As we mentioned a little earlier, smaller rooms tend to feel much darker and will also be much darker if there isn’t enough light flowing about the place. To avoid this, you can paint the walls in lighter colours and create the illusion of illumination (which sounds a little like a prog-rock album title, don’t you think?).
Lighter paint tones are also brilliant at reflecting light, unlike darker colours which absorb them.
Abstract Wall Art
Opt for abstract wall art prints instead of portraits or detailed paintings. Abstract pieces tend to be less visually demanding and can make a small room feel more open and airy. They add a touch of sophistication without overwhelming the space, allowing the room to breathe. Abstract art can also complement a variety of colour schemes and styles, making it a versatile choice for any small living room.
Don’t Over-Clutter
While it may be tempting to decorate and add all your favourite touches, you will need to have some restraint. If you are short on space, even the smallest decorations can appear to take up much more room.
Choose a few pieces to decorate with, and limit the bigger items. Use open shelving instead of table surfaces if you want a mini library or something similar.
Proportions
When choosing furniture and fixtures, always keep the size of the room and the size of the item in mind. If you fill the room with big furniture, you’re going to run out of space long before you have everything you need.
On the other hand, don’t choose furniture that is too small either, as it won’t as it won’t provide the necessary functionality or comfort, and can make the space feel disjointed and incomplete.
Add Plants
Plants are easily one of the best ways to bring freshness into a room. Since a small room is more likely to feel stuffy, a beautiful green plant can give the illusion of freshness and remove the clammy feeling.
Skip The Sofa
While this may be a step too far for many, one of the best decisions you can make when decorating a small living room is to skip getting a sofa altogether. Not only are most of them too big for small spaces, but there is also a chance it isn’t even necessary.
If your living room is just for you or you and your partner, there is no need to have excess seating; two comfortable chairs are often more than enough and will satisfy all of your seating needs. And let’s be honest here; there’s something rather satisfying about having ‘your’ personal seat.
Utilise Shelving
Yep, we realise we already introduced shelving in this article, but shelves are easily one of the best ways to add storage space and dimension to a room, so we think they deserve their own tip. Since you don’t have much width to work with, then going up is the next best thing.
You can use shelves for books, plants, decorations, or anything else you may need them for. When designed in the right way, shelves can also add a level of cosiness to a room that other pieces can’t provide.
Bespoke Pieces
If the room is an awkward shape or has strange angles, some regular furniture may not fit, or you may end up wasting space trying to get a rectangular table to fit in a corner. This may sound like a small problem, but it adds up.
Specially made furniture allows you to choose the right size and shape of the piece and ensure it fits into the room perfectly.
Smart Storage Solutions
You most likely won’t have much storage space if you have a small living room or home. To solve this, several pieces of furniture offer additional storage within them. As mentioned, coffee tables can double as storage boxes for blankets or board games.
Some couches have removable cushions and storage boxes within them. This type of furniture allows you to have everything you need in the room without having it all out or on display, taking up space.
And on that note, check out these 6 of the best storage solutions for small houses, because we’re all here for that spirit of space and time saving, hey?