*This is a collaborative post.
Small spaces don’t have to lack impact. Get creative with bold, daring design and make a statement with your living room, whatever the size.
Here are some small living room ideas to hopefully inspire you.
Use your wall space
If floor space and storage come at a premium in your living room, build upwards and expand your usable space. Use reclaimed wood and wall shelf brackets in nooks and crannies for a built-in feel that oozes industrial cool yet comes in extremely handy. Try to leave space on the shelves by selecting display pieces instead of cramming the shelves if possible.
Layer coffee tables
Rather than having one large coffee table, increase your floor space with a couple of nested or height differentiated coffee tables. This way you’ll have the table space as and when you need it without permanently compromising on floor space or bashing your shins off a table that takes up too much room.
Play around with scale
You might be reluctant to put any large pieces in a room that is short on space. However, a large work of art or a statement light fitting can give a real wow factor in a smaller living room without taking up valuable floor space. One large eye-catching piece will help give the room perspective in contrast to lots of small items dotted about.
Experiment with colour
When it comes to choosing suitable colours for a small living room you can go one of two ways. The most obvious choice is to go light, bright, and white to really open up the space you have and keep it feeling fresh and breezy. Your other, bolder option is to choose a dark, statement colour for your walls and even your ceiling and embrace the smallness. Couple dark colours with super comfy seating and create a snug, nest like interior that is a perfect backdrop for a cosy night in.
Make it multifunctional
Any pieces of furniture or areas of a room that can serve multiple purposes will be a godsend when you’re pushed for space. Foldaway desks can serve as a home office area during working hours without encroaching on your leisure time. Storage ottomans combine space-saving and seating. Doubling up on function while halving what features in the room is a real no-brainer when you’re trying to save room.
Layer large rugs
This might seem counterintuitive in a small living room but adding a large, bright rug will give the illusion of a larger space. Smaller rugs break up the flooring and compartmentalise the room where a larger rug that runs under furniture gives a more cohesive feel while giving you a great starting point to centre the rest of the room’s design around.
Create illusions with mirrors
It’s the oldest trick in the book but mirrors really do give the impression of more light and space. Make a statement with an oversized mirror or go the whole hog and make an entire wall of mirrors and effectively double the visual size of your room.
You never have to compromise on style even when you’re compromising on space. Make use of these tricks to maximise the room you do have for a cleverly designed living area you can’t wait to relax in.
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Great advice. Our living room is an average size but we always want more room. We are planning to put shelves up in the alcoves either side of the fireplace next year and we have a couple of storage ottomans which are fantastic although the kids do tend to hide junk in them. lol x
I live in a small home which is perfect for a retired person. You covered all the challenges but I am still laughing at the photo at the top! #MMBC
Fantastic ideas and like the one about the large rug x
We have a tiny living room and we’re considering getting an expandable dining table. My husband has already put some shelves on the wall to create storage and we might get a sofa bed just so we have an extra bed in the house too.