23 smart ideas to arrange your small living room

Kayla Gulec Kayla Gulec
CASA TRANSPORTABLE ÁPH80, ÁBATON ÁBATON Living room
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For many, small homes mean cramped spaces and not enough room for all of your things. What people don't often realise are all of the benefits of small spaces. If we think economically, you don't have to pay as much to keep your home heated and lit, and when we think in terms of stylishness, there's certainly no competition. You can create just as much of a cosy, welcoming, and stylish interior with small spaces as you can with larger ones. In fact, we might even go so far as to say they're even cosier, depending on how you arrange things. Not sure just quite how to do that? Well, you've come to the right place!

For all of you small homeowners out there, we have a list of 23 ideas for how you can arrange your small living room to get just as much style and functional use out of it as you would in a mansion-sized space. And it's not rocket science. Just take note of a few key design principles and your space will instantly change from out of order to sensible and attractive. 

1. Simple graphics

First up on the list is a decorating tip. Simple graphics, like these wall decals, make a neutral interior come to life. Place a large decal over the couch or find some smaller ones to add to various corners. These will certainly give your small living room character that others can't compete with.

2. Walls and lighting

Mix concrete walls with wooden walls and light colours and give your living room a joyous, yet relaxing ambience. The warm tone of the wood against the cool neutral white creates a distinctive elegance which is only enhanced by the choice in furnishings.

3. Mirrors

Using mirrors gives you the illusion of a bigger space, which is a trick almost all interior designers and small homeowners know. But in addition to this optical illusion, they also reflect different colours and patterns in your room, which doubles the vitality of the space, as well.

4. Large windows

Aided by this glowing white interior, these incredibly large windows help to open up the small living room and shed some light on the practical and stylish interior.

5. Rural and simple

This rural style gives the living room a distinctive and homey charm. Textured walls and touches of green contribute to an organic theme.

6. Joyful yellow

The abundance of colour in a room gives it vitality and makes it more extensive, especially if those colours contain yellow. This bright and joyful hue adds extra vibrant charm and delight. 

7. Versatile furniture

Versatile furniture is one of the best ways to overcome the problem of small spaces. When one piece of furniture can do more than one job, it removes the need for excess items, consequently freeing up more floor space.

8. Room dividers

Removing walls and concrete barriers in your living room will result in an open line of communication between other spaces. If you prefer to have visible dividers, however, you can still make the space feel open with a room divider like the one we see here–the simple wooden shelves give the space a breath of fresh air.

9. Strong and quiet colours

Using a bright and strong colour like yellow or red gives the living room a different, strong energy. The colour can be in the tables and chairs or in the textiles.

10. Glass partitions

Glass partitions like this are attractive elements for any living room style, but they go especially well with this retro-industrial decor.

11. Carpeting

This carpet gracefully and effortlessly separates the living room from the dining room. You can do the same with your space, or even go so far as to use different flooring types, like hardwood and concrete.

12. Shelves for storage

Shelves will always be a great way to conquer space availability. Use shelves to display books or decorative items, and even stow away your junk. Just make sure those shelves have some sort of coverage.

13. Different atmospheres with lighting

Lighting like this that stretches the circumference of the room really give it more dimension and a calming atmosphere.

14. Surprising storage units

Optimize your space even further with surprising storage units like this couch. Simply pull out the drawers underneath and hide anything you want out of sight. Or better yet, keep a few extra blankets in there for snuggling up for movie time.

15. Embellishment

Small spaces sometimes require loud accessories. Embellish your decoration and have your room make a statement. Don't go too crazy, though. Too many large decorations will look tacky.

16. Glass walls

Glass walls between rooms help to connect interior spaces. Glass walls leading outside help to bring Mother Nature in. 

17. Dual space

The kitchen bar can become part of the living room if they're close enough together. 

18. Basic cuts

The focus of this room is the furniture. Basic styles without ornate patterns help keep the peace in a room, make it easier to coordinate, and visually enlarges it.

19. Clarity

Ideal lighting that gives clarity is absolutely imperative in the living room. It widens the furniture and highlights the walls and rug.

20. High ceilings

If you can't create more horizontal space, try creating more vertical space. High ceilings always make a room feel bigger. They also help us feel less claustrophobic.

21. Colour pairs

Pairing colours can have an interesting effect on style and space. Teal and grey give a room a broad, industrial, and yet cheeky vibe.

22. Leather furniture

The use of leather furniture is a brilliant idea for a classic look for the living room. Luxury and elegance are never far off with this choice.

23. Urban atmosphere

Simple lighting, white and grey walls, and wood floors give this room a sense of a more urban atmosphere. There is a warmth because of the brown tones, and also a stoic nature. Even this small space is no match for clever design.

If you liked these ideas, you should check out these tips for storing clothes in small homes!

Could your small living room benefit from any of these ideas? Let us know below!

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