Use our top small living room ideas to make the smallest space feel like a perfect match. Here are many small living room ideas and tips that can help turn a clunky small living room decor into something stylish and sophisticated, no matter its shape and proportions. While a small living room can present challenges, compact living has several benefits. A well-designed scheme can feel as comfortable as a larger space, with all the comforts and comforts associated with family life.
One of the main advantages is the convenience of everything you need. Easy maintenance is another bonus. In a small living space, zoning is critical. So here are our favorite living room ideas for smaller living rooms and how to design and decorate a compact space with our best small living room ideas.
Get the most out of a small living room by planning a diligent layout, keeping accessories to a minimum, and picking the suitable color scheme. So whether you are working in a small apartment living room or a compact living room in a family home, you can provide you with the space that works best for you.
1. Enlarge a small living room by bringing in nature
A small living room design idea with two white sofas facing green cushions and a green ottoman
We mentioned below how utilizing a mirror can open up a small living room, and you can see it working here. However, other critical elements combined with this design technique can also help.
Choose a light and airy living room color scheme – including light pale wood floors – with accent shades that lift a small room.
Henriette Von Stockhausen, founder and creative director of the UK studio, explained: “Not only do mirrors make the room feel more prominent, but they also reflect the greenery outside and bring it into the interior.
“So I used a vegetal fabric with a green and a bright white background for a fresh spring feel. Emerald velvet green cushions contrasted with the soft white background, and the Ottoman difference, then we used a green inspired by the artwork. The accents help unite this elegant scheme.
2. Choose a neutral solution based on symmetry
An example of a small living room decorating idea in a neutral color room with an asymmetrical layout
The introduction of symmetry in interior design creates balance and a sense of calm. This works perfect for long-term living rooms and is ideal for enhancing small living spaces. Maximum tranquility if you decorate with calming neutrals.
Beautiful brass accents are the main design feature of this space, helping to divert the eye from the size of the living room.
“Our client wanted to create a more formal reception and entertainment space, but at the same time keep it light and airy so it could be used throughout the day.
“Our solution was to refresh the walls and give it an even more elevated feel with antique brass accents, antique mirrored elements, and a stunning Chesneys fireplace.
3. Reduce clutter
A small living room with white walls, pink armchairs, and shelving flanked by a black marble fireplace
If there’s one thing that creates the illusion of more space, it’s tidying up—it can make a room feel wider in seconds. Make sure you keep your room tidy and organized by removing toys, plants, knickknacks, and other unnecessary items, and your space will instantly feel more extensive and more pleasant.
Of course, the storage idea for a brilliant small living room is key to maintaining a clutter-free, space-enhancing feel.
The space quickly feels orderly and open with accessories and fine heads neatly arranged and out of sight. A room full of ‘things’ takes up space, making it feel disorganized, busy, and trim. Try to maintain the floor as clearly as possible, as it is one of the easiest ways to maintain a spacious feel, so remove any oversized rugs.
4. Use Patterns as Accents for Subtle Plains
There is a small living room with pink walls, a patterned rug, and a blue sofa by the window
This small but immaculate living room in Chelsea, London, was designed by Henry Pulido for an American client. He wanted Henry to bring a taste of “urban British country” to his London residence.
Henry says, ‘Don’t be afraid to look for bold colors and patterns in a small space. It’s all about balance. A scheme with clever furniture pieces featuring textured rugs and tactile fabrics can create a very inviting and comfortable space even when the square footage is compromised.
“Sophisticated artwork and eye-catching accessories can provide a lot of fun vignettes.”
Henry also explains that the idea of intelligent small living room lighting not only makes the room brighter, but also makes it feel bigger: “A lighting scheme that includes different levels of light sources enhances the brightness of the room and helps create a mood at different times of the day.”
5. Light up a small living room
Creative small living room with white walls, wooden floor, and yellow decor
The light helps brighten the room immediately, first by allowing any natural light to diffuse into the interior from the heavy dark window coverings. Try sheer window care or install white wooden shutters or blinds to let natural light into your room during the day while providing privacy at night.
Additionally, wide horizontal slats help amplify the illusion of a more expansive room. Vignettes can make a room appear small and cramped, so place floor or desk lamps in exposed corners to visually expand the area, while recessed ceiling lights can brighten an entire room without taking up too much space.
6. Use color blocking tricks to detract from the living room’s dimension
An example of a small living room decorating idea showing a blue sofa in a living room with blue walls and cream-colored curtains
Finding the perfect small living room sofa is key to how your space feels. If you can’t find a brand new sofa that you like, but your old one looks a bit shabby, then why not reupholster it instead of investing in a new one? It’s more sustainable if you like the comfort and style, then give it a new life.
Here’s the trick – if you make your sofa the focal point of your living room, it will distract people from the size of your space. A bold and vibrant hue will pack a punch in your living room, then decorate accordingly, bringing the dominant hue throughout the scheme.
7. Be overly particular about furniture
This is an example of a small living room design decorated in neutral colors
Furniture can be a hassle, especially in cramped rooms, so getting it right and buying it pays off.
A great way to maximize a small space is to use multifunctional furniture, such as a cabinet that doubles as a coffee table, a set of desks, and folding chairs that can be stowed away when you don’t need them.
Another important directive is to place large furniture against the wall so that the open space in between is not destroyed.
8. Use mirrors to expand tight spaces
A living room with a large fireplace, artwork above it, and two large mirrors on either side
Not surprisingly, mirrors can make a room look much more significant. When decorating a small space, hang a mirror on the wall opposite the window, or very close to one, to reflect the outdoors and broaden the feel of your room.
You can also try using a focal point with your mirror facing it, which will give you the illusion of depth.
Mirrors reflect natural and artificial light, making a room brighter during the day and night, and they drill deep into the room to make it appear larger. Mirrors and glass tabletops on the walls will make it look more open. You can also use mirrored cabinet doors to make the space feel large and uncluttered.
9. Balance yin and yang in your small living room decor
An example of a quirky small living room decorating idea, showing a room with bright pink walls and a dark purple velvet sofa
We love the contradiction between the designs of this beautiful feminine shade called Nancy’s Blush and the visual heaviness of the mahogany sofa and striking Old Masters-inspired portraits in the boho-inspired living room pictured here.
Keeping the floor and furniture the same color also helps bring the room together – if nothing stands out, then your eye will flow through a space. In a small living room, this makes it feel bigger. The essential.
10. Get creative with paint
A long white living room with a gray rug, and armchairs with flowers
You can visually expand a creative rectangular space with living room paint ideas such as painting one end of the wall darker than the other two.
Gradations of shades and colors on opposing walls can lengthen the distance using lighter shades or shorten the space using darker shades.
Light shades such as cream or pale gray help brighten a room and appear larger and more comprehensive. Satin paint finishes tend to reflect more light.
You can also paint horizontal stripes on the walls to make the room feel more expansive. Use two alternating colors to draw each line about 12 inches wide.
11. Mimic the symmetry of a room’s architecture
A small living room with two large windows, modern furniture, and a geometric rug
Smaller living rooms benefit from the order and a prettier feel. This is where symmetry can be your best friend. Furniture that maintains lines puts the heart in LIV Wallers of British design studio, London Wong explains:
“Symmetry provides balance in a room, and it usually starts with a fireplace or a fireplace or a window in the living room. It brings a sense of comfort and rhythm to the space, which is an integral part of our approach to design. It can go all the way to the room. The smaller details, from the cushions on the sofa to the lamp on the dresser.’
12. Repeat a pattern to enhance the space
An example of a small living room decorating idea, the leaf pattern on the sofa matches the curtains
Matching curtains or curtain fabrics to sofas are becoming a trend we love, especially when patterns and prints are leading the way in the current design world.
In a smaller living room, it works when the background color of the photo is pale, such as Colefax & Fowler’s cruising fabric which also brings the outside, which can help create ventilation in tandem with the white-coated walls Feels like a blank canvas.
13. A long and narrow living room
A small living room with blue patterned wallpaper and antique furniture
A slender room rarely feels at home, but you can use a few tricks to divide the space and make it feel more comfortable. A rug can visually draw together the furniture in an area, give the room a focal point, and add comfort.
A focal point that contrasts with the rest of the scheme is visually exciting and can mask awkward layouts like quirky artwork, coffee tables, or eye-catching lamp shades.
14. Be creative with color
A neutral-toned living room contrasts with a dark yellow ceiling
It’s essential to paint a color on the ceiling right now, and you can paint it in a warm shade to make the room feel cozier.
Another design trick is to paint the same color outside the room – like the hallway here. It plays with the visual aspect and draws your eye to another space – rather than having a door helps make the room feel larger.
15. Hang art in a small space
A small living room with gray plans and maps is printed on the wall above the sofa
Walls covered in pictures and other wall hangings tend to make a room feel cramped, cramped, and busy, so just one or two large pieces of art hanging on the wall can make a room feel more expansive and more spacious.
Avoid photos that hang on longer walls, as they will only accentuate the imbalance in proportions, and instead opt for art that wraps around the couch, but is below it, bringing eye level down and helping make the room appear wider.
16. Think: Scale and Proportion
A simple, small living room idea with a corner sofa
Choose furniture that matches the size of your room—oversized cabinets, sofas, and chairs can make a small room feel cramped.
Furniture that is the same as the wall tends to blend into the wall, making it appear more expansive.
Make sure to arrange the furniture at an angle to the sense of the depth of the room; otherwise, if you put all the tables on the walls, you may end up with the look of a cramped “bowling alley.”
17. Create a focal point in a small living room
A small living room with white walls, blue curtains, blue sofas, rattan lamps, and a wooden coffee table with fresh flowers
When decorating a small room, create a focal point—an area or feature that catches the eye so that the room’s layout is less important. In the living room, the focal point is likely to be the coffee table, so make sure the focal point is the room’s star.
18. Unite two rooms
A small living room with wooden floors leads to a dining room
If you have a long, narrow room that’s like a composure – like an apartment at one end and a dining room, it might be worth picking a favorite color and using it as a critical tone to type a space. This can also make a small restaurant feel bigger.
For example, connect the dark blue walls of the dining room with the same color walls of the living room to create a unified and comfortable space.
19. Decorate with a light palette
A small living room with gray walls
Using light shades always works, but with different materials and textures. A common misconception is that the more miniature furniture and features you have in a space, the bigger it looks.
But in fact, multiple zones and functions create the feeling of different spaces within a room. The key is the right furniture size, suitable samples, and the proper lighting. Try to stick to a neutral scheme in smaller spaces and use accessories to punctuate the color.
20. Paint five walls
There are green panels on the wall in one corner of the living room, a gray rug, and a patterned armchair
Fifth walls tends to be an afterthought when redecorating, but yes, it can make a real difference to a small room. As long as your ceiling is painted a crumbly color than the walls, no matter what color, your roof will feel taller, helping cramped spaces feel more spacious.
21. Keep the small living room tidy
Small living room decor with alcove shelving
The key to living a compact life is to be extra organized. In my experience, small spaces are better for changing personal habits because they require careful editing and storage.
“Open the space as much as possible to allow for comfortable circulation,” says Irina Townsend, the firm’s interior designer. “Every centimeter of the small studio has to be used smartly so that it looks. It will not be cluttered while still providing a functional layout and optimizing storage space.
22. Make it monochrome
A small living room decorated with a blue and white palette
Using different shades of the same color, a monochromatic scheme will help set furniture and other features back and appear to take up less space. You can soften the palette by adding warm gray blues instead of harsh blacks or whites.
23. Play with Scale in a Narrow Plan
An old wooden dresser full of books sits on the living room wall with a neutral, rustic plan
Choose a large piece – a huge cabinet, an oversized lampshade, or wall in a small living room. A careful selection of these large accessories will draw attention away from the lack of space and focus the eye on something else.
24. Swap curtains to blinds
A bright living room full of comfortable furniture and pastel colors
Curtains can look bulky, so it’s worth considering swapping them out for blinds. These, designed by Stephen Stein in this cute little living room, allow sunlight to filter, too, making the room feel bigger and brighter.
25. Choose dark colors, but balance them with light
A living room with a black feature wall has a fireplace
No rule says you can’t have black color in a small living room if the room is lit, with large enough windows and south – or facing west; black color can be seen beautifully on the walls of a small living room, Makes the space feel very welcome.
However, if the living room lacks warm daylight, you can create a ton of impact with dark colors on focal walls and elsewhere, but it’s a wise move to balance this with light colors on walls and furniture.
26. Draw the eye to the focal point
Rustic living room with fireplace
This small living room is a busy space, but still, the fireplace wall is drawing all the attention, and, as we know, having a solid focal point in the room can make it feel more significant than it is.
“The lines created by the area rug, trunk coffee table, and bookshelf all lead the eye to the fireplace wall,” says h and g, Lucy Searle, editor-in-chief of the book. “The huge main image and surrounding images accentuate the width of the wall and are not surrounded by fire.” This uses just one simple visual trick to make a very (beautifully) cluttered room feel well-planned— Its size isn’t even an issue. ”
27. Emphasize Verticality
A Small living room decorated with colorful accents
Creating another useful visual trick in this living room, floor-to-ceiling curtains develop a panel of color that accentuates the room’s height. The height of the picture and the height of the basin sit at ceiling height, further exaggerating the room’s proportions.
28. Keep the scheme neutral – but add bursts of color
A neutral-hued living room featuring bursts of color
The primary color decor is a beautiful way to create a successful small living room plan, as it allows you to create a space that stretches neutral rooms. Still, with more exciting colors in the accessories, you can switch gears according to your mood.
29. Decorate with stripes to make a small living room feel bigger
Two striped armchairs stand next to each other
Decorating with stripes is another intelligent way to make a small living room feel bigger. The direction the lines run will have a different effect – vertical stripes, like on these armchairs above – will make a room with a low ceiling feel taller. Depending on your angle, run the strip horizontally, and it will feel longer or broader.
30. Create a sense of infinity
An open-plan living room with white walls and wood floors has a large window looking out to the rear
Paint is a great tool when you need to maximize the feel of space in a small room. Matching clean white paint – used on the walls – and a compact living room of the same color on the ceiling helps blur the lines between the different surfaces, making the room feel more spacious and spacious.
Use dark, colorful furniture, floors, and statement artwork to add depth and interest to a simple scheme.
31. Stick to Simple Color Palettes
Small living room with white walls and green furniture
A bold and vibrant pattern can bring out a classic contemporary look even in a small living room. Comb through various prints, but all in green and white, to ensure this room feels calming rather than overwhelming.
32. Opt for compact furniture – upholstered with patterned fabrics
Compact table with patterned fabric
A sense of scale is a crucial principle of successful interior design – try mixing it up to enjoy your small living room.
When setting the scale of the furniture, be guided by the proportions and architecture of the room. The key to them is that the living room seating is designed in a small space to avoid a too-large sofa. Instead, invest in a compact design and then embellish it in gorgeous fabrics for instant appeal.
33. Instill comfort with a taupe colourway
Small Living Room with Neutral Color Palette
Go for a lighter style with a timeless stucco color scheme. Not very brown, not gray, not gray, and taupe falls somewhere between. In the room, you want to create comfort and the warm procrastination of the cooling roof.
To keep the colors from merging and looking bland, layer the textures woven with plush brocade and chenille on the curtains and upholstery. Invest in high-quality lighting to accentuate different textures, glosses, and finishes.
34. Keep furniture away from walls
Small living room with small furniture away from the walls
A common misconception in small living rooms is pushing furniture against the wall. Let the room space breathe by leaving a gap between the table and the wall. Make your room, even bigger by pulling furniture from his to the wall, even if it’s just inches, adding a small living room, creating a bathing space.
35- How should I furnish my small living room?
If you’ve ever lived in a cramped room, then you’re aware of the tricky task of making it appear more comprehensive than it is while desperately trying to make every corner look comfortable. You’ve probably spent hours frantically rearranging furniture trying to make your rectangular space look more square, but in your heart, you know you can’t do anything unless you knock down the walls and rebuild the room from scratch.
The general advice is not to place all the furniture too close to the walls when it comes to layout. “To make the room feel more spacious, move the sofa, away from the wall, put a console or shelf behind the sofa, and move the sofa,” says interior designer Kelly Hoppen.
Look for a table with refined or straightforward lines. The desk seems like it should “disappear,” so it gives your room more space in a small living room. And avoid clearing out ornate furniture, which will overdo the area.
36- How do you decorate the walls of a small living room?
Make the most reflective surfaces in a small living room. “Consider polishing the walls with polished plaster, a material that reflects light and adds to the visual feel of the space.” Any other reflective decorative surfaces such as colored mirrors, silver leaf, or lacquer will also make the space appear more significant,” explained Irina Townsend, Keir Townsend.
37- How do you make a small living room look bigger?
Homes that are short on space can still have style. A well-designed living room, containing plenty of hidden storage and furniture, is tailored to an area such as the living room photo above that can achieve a sense of comfort and convenience with a shielded gentle aspect.
The key to a fully executed small living room idea is a little bit of planning. Scale furniture to fit the size of the room, don’t block access – oversized sofas or too much furniture can make the living room look smaller, while furniture and accessories that block views in a room can make the space appear – if you can see the floor, the room seems more significant.
A good tip is choosing a sofa and chair with open arms and exposed legs and a glass coffee table, both of which will maintain more available and accessible space, allowing light to filter under and around the furniture more efficiently.
