Living rooms are often the heart of a home - the place where family and friends gather to relax, entertain, and spend quality time together. However, when space is limited, small living rooms can present some unique decorating challenges. Generally defined as living rooms under 300 square feet, small living rooms need to work extra hard to feel open, breathable, and spacious.
The confined quarters of a small living room can quickly start to feel cramped and cluttered if the space isn't decorated carefully. Visually busy patterns, large furniture pieces, and dark colors can make a small living room seem even smaller than it is. Fortunately, with some strategic decorating techniques, tricks of the eye, and smart space planning, you can make a small living room feel open, airy, and even larger than its actual square footage. The right small living room decor can transform what feels like a cramped box into a comfortable oasis.
Use Light Colors on Walls
Painting your walls in light, neutral colors is
one of the easiest and most effective ways to make a small living room feel
more spacious and airier. Lighter wall colors help reflect light around the
room, opening it up visually and making it appear larger.
Some great light paint colors to consider for a
small living room include soft whites, warm ivory, very light gray, pale
yellow, or muted blue-green shades. Stick to matte finishes rather than glossy
paint, which can make walls feel closed in. Avoid very intense or dark colors
on the walls like navy, charcoal, or crimson, which will only make the space
feel smaller.
Light neutral wall colors also create a clean backdrop that doesn't fight with your furniture and decor. This helps keep the visual focus on making the room feel more open and expansive. Painting with light colors lets you add other colorful accents in accessories, artwork, pillows, and throws to create visual interest without overwhelming the space.
Add Mirrors
Strategically placing mirrors in a small living
room can help make the space appear larger and more open. When choosing
mirrors, bigger is often better. Large mirrors will reflect more of the room,
increasing the sense of space and depth.
Aim to place mirrors across from windows. The
mirror will reflect the natural light from the window, making the room feel
brighter and more expansive. Position the mirror to reflect views of green
plants or other appealing scenery outside. This helps extend the outdoors
visually into the living room.
You can also place mirrors opposite doorways or
openings to other rooms. The mirror will reflect and expand the view through
the doorway, making the home feel more open and connected. Position the mirror
so it reflects the view down a hallway or peeks into an adjoining room.
When placing mirrors on the wall, try mounting
them slightly above eye level. Hanging mirrors too low on the wall tends to
foreshorten the room. An elevated mirror reflects the ceiling as well, creating
the illusion of a taller space. Just be sure the mirror doesn't reflect
anything unsightly above like light fixtures or pipes.
In a small living room, consider leaning an
elegantly framed full-length mirror against a wall. The vertical line of the
mirror draws the eye upward, counteracting the diminishing effect of low
ceilings. Choose a narrow mirror no wider than the doorway or furniture opening
it stands next to. Angle the mirror slightly outward into the room to reflect
more of the space.
Choose Multipurpose Furniture
The key is to look at each piece of furniture and think about how it could serve more than one purpose in your small space. With creative multipurpose furniture, you can maximize functionality.
Use Glass/Acrylic Furniture
One clever way to allow light to visually expand a
small living room is to incorporate transparent glass or acrylic furniture. The
see-through quality of such furnishings fosters an airier, less crowded
ambiance. Plus, transparent pieces have the added benefit of reflecting light
around the room.
Glass and acrylic furniture come in a variety of
forms that can work well in small living rooms:
Pick Furniture with Legs
Furniture with legs can create the illusion of
more space in a small living room. The openness under the furniture allows you
to see the floor, so the room feels more open and airier.
Look for furniture with exposed legs made of thin
or transparent materials like metal, wood, or acrylic. Couch and chair legs are
great for opening up visual space, as are coffee tables and console tables with
longer legs. The legs should be tall enough to see under the furniture
comfortably without having to crouch down.
Avoid bulky furniture with thick, solid legs or
bases that go all the way to the floor. Heavy block legs tend to make a room
feel smaller and more closed in. Similarly, stay away from furniture with
skirts or fabric covering the base, as you lose that openness underneath.
Arrange Furniture Properly
Arranging your furniture properly can make a huge
difference in opening up space in a small living room. Avoid pushing all your
furniture up against the walls, which can make the room feel closed in and
cramped. Instead, pull some pieces away from the walls and define separate
conversation areas within the space.
Create intimate seating arrangements by placing
chairs at angles facing each other and pull sofas and ottomans away from the
walls. Define each area with a rug underneath. Leave enough space around and
between furniture pieces so people can comfortably move around.
Don't overcrowd the space. Only include the
essential pieces you need and remove any excess furniture. Place taller pieces,
like bookshelves or cabinets, on the periphery of the room so they don't
obstruct sightlines. Angle furniture to create a feeling of openness and flow.
Add Shelving to Maximize Vertical Space
Shelving is a great way to maximize vertical wall
space in a small living room. Installing shelves on walls that would otherwise
remain blank creates the illusion of a larger room. Shelves also provide extra
storage and display space without taking up valuable floor area.
Wall-mounted shelving units are ideal for small
living rooms. Floating shelves, ladder shelves, ledges, and wall-mounted
cabinets help utilize vertical real estate while preserving an open,
uncluttered look. Stagger shelves at different heights for visual interest.
Glass shelving maintains an airy vibe, while closed cabinets conceal clutter.
Narrow bookshelves fit nicely on either side of
doorways, windows, and along unused stretches of wall. For a coordinated look,
opt for matching shelving units placed symmetrically. DIY industrial pipe
shelving adds an urban loft feel. Small wall-mounted cubbies provide storage
nooks for knickknacks.
Use Small Scale Furniture
When furnishing a small living room, opt for
petite, narrow pieces whenever possible. Bulky, oversized furniture will make
the room feel cramped and cluttered.
For seating, slender armchairs and loveseats work
better than a bulky couch. If you need extra seating, choose nesting tables,
stools, and ottomans that can easily be tucked under existing furniture when
not in use.
For storage, narrow consoles, étagères, and
sideboards maximize space efficiency. Look for furniture with legs, which
creates the illusion of more room since you can see under the piece.
Coffee tables and side tables should also have a
small footprint. Round tables take up less visual space than square. If you
need surfaces, nesting tables, and stackable trays allow you to put them away
when not needed.
When purchasing or making design choices, remember
- smaller is better for small spaces. Tiny pieces open up the floor area and
make the room feel more expansive.
Conclusion
With some strategic décor decisions and compact, multi-functional furniture choices, you can decorate your small living room to feel expansive, light-filled, and so much larger than its square footage. The possibilities are endless!
