Armed with these small living room ideas, you can make your space look more spacious, organized, and comfy. To help you visualize how to bring all your living room design ideas together without having to lift a paintbrush, it’s well worth trying out the best interior design software.
This software will help you make the most of your space and the best part is that you can try a whole range of interior styles to see how they’d look, plus, if you don’t like your first choice of design, it’ll be super easy to create a whole new look. If you want to go all out and your entire home needs a new lease of life, you might benefit from using the best home design software which is better for remodeling projects.
Having a cozy living space doesn’t mean you have to feel cramped and squashed, it just means you have to use clever tactics to make the space appear bigger. That’s why we’ve rounded up 10 helpful tips so that you can transform your space into somewhere you’ll never want to leave.
10 small living room ideas: Easy interior design tips
Expand your small space with our easy interior design ideas for living rooms that are lacking footage. From considerate furniture placement to clever lighting hacks and genius paint ideas to keep your space neat, there are plenty of ways in which to make your small living room feel bigger than it actually is.
1. Light up your space
Illuminate all four corners of your living room to make it feel more spacious and open. Save on space by installing lights that can be hung on your walls and ceiling, rather than investing in floor lamps which will take up precious footage. The best smart lights make brightening up any room super easy and efficient. Plus, there are lighting styles for every living room design. Choose from bulbs, lighting strips, or even a design-led statement smart light.
2. Ditch big furniture
Small living room ideas don’t have to be impractical. Unfortunately, you can’t simply magic your room bigger, but with some clever tweaks to your living room design, it means you don’t have to. Small rooms struggle to handle big furniture especially if you want to get the most out of your compact space. Ditch big items that otherwise dominate the room and replace them with compact furniture that complements your room.
3. Bring the outside in
If you’re lucky enough to have an outdoor area that joins your small living room, why not embrace it, and make it an extension of your space? You could invest in the best outdoor solar lights to make your room seem endless, choose coordinating furniture to tie the two areas together, or use the best landscape design software to extend your living space out to your patio or backyard. Even if your living room doesn’t benefit from a view of a garden, another way to bring the outside in is by adding lots of plants to your space. If you’re keen to keep floors and surfaces clear, consider some hanging planters to add interest to the room.
4. Choose functional furniture
The best small living room ideas are functional without encroaching on the footprint. Which is why, if the furniture in your room doesn’t serve a purpose, it’s probably just taking up valuable space. Prioritize items that can do double duty. Think: ottomans that can be sat on and used to store throws, sofas that turn into sofa beds and tables that can be used for work and play. If you need larger pieces of furniture still, try to choose items that double up with a secondary use. For example, if you need a large table to hold your TV, opt for one that has built-in storage cupboards.
5. Get organized
Getting organized is one of the simplest but most effective things you can do for living rooms that are a little on the small side. Tidying away clutter into stylish storage bins, shelves or cabinets makes any room look bigger. A brilliant way to maximize your small living space is to ensure that everything has its place. Floating shelves are ideal for small rooms because they can house a whole host of items without taking away from your all-important floor space.
6. Hang things up
Floor space is super important when it comes to making cramped spaces feel sizeable. Prioritize the floor by showing off the space you have. Instead of placing furniture on the floor, why not go vertical? Utilize wall shelves, swap out a seat for a swing chair and install your TV on the wall instead of having a media unit. All of these small living room ideas might sound minuscule, but they make a difference.
7. Create dual-zone living rooms
If space is tight, use furniture, rugs, curtains, flooring or screens to create a sense of dual-zone living rooms. This clever living room design idea helps to construct the sense of a never-ending space, by making your square footage work harder. It’s absolutely possible to have a range of different areas for entertaining, working, eating and relaxing all in the same modest space. It just takes some creative planning.
8. Incorporate mirrors
It might be the oldest trick in the book when it comes to small living room ideas, but it’s one of the best. The clever placement of mirrors can help any space look larger than it actually is. Mirrors create the illusion of more square footage by doubling your interior space and reflecting light. Opt for an oversized mirror (or two) and place one above your fireplace or on the far back wall. Just remember to keep them off the floor.
9. Choose light colors
Pick light colors in your small living room design because light hues tend to open up small spaces, especially in rooms that have limited natural light sources. It’s a well-known fact that white paint absorbs little sunlight so not only will it keep your space cool, it will make it look bigger. However, white rooms might not be practical for everyone. If that’s the case, stick to pale tones and make gray, cream, or pastel shades your color palette.
10. Work with the space
All homes are different and not all properties come with perfectly square or rectangular living spaces, whether it’s period features such as bay windows or quirky fireplaces that take up a little more room than you’d like. However, the best small living room ideas for compact spaces work with the footage you have got. Use awkward areas to stand up to bulkier pieces of furniture. Or make the fireplace a focal point with shelves, mirrors, or books arranged neatly on top.
