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Small living spaces often get a bad rap when it comes to decorating as they require a balance of space and design. But just because your small living room presents a few design setbacks doesn’t mean it is impossible to decorate. With a few well placed pieces and extra attention to decorating details you can make even the smallest living room feel like a palace.
Make Your Furniture Multi-Functional
Small rooms can be hard to furnish, especially when that small space is going to get quite a bit of use. It can be even harder to furnish a small space and provide storage for everyday clutter. In order to create enough seating areas while providing ample storage its best to use multi-functional furniture that can double as a seating area and a storage unit.
Some examples that work well in a small living room are storage ottomans and stools, nesting tables, and foldable chairs that can be stored when not needed.
Add Storage and Space Behind the Sofa
When decorating a small living room, many homeowners are inclined to push their couch tight against the wall. However, doing this won’t help the room look any bigger. Instead, keep your couch and chairs a few inches away from the walls. This will create an illusion of depth that will instantly make the room look and feel bigger. Even better, add a bookcase or shelves behind your sofa.
This will not only add storage to your living room, it will also add visual interest. If you have the ability to create a built in bookcase go for it. If not, you can purchase a floor-to-ceiling bookcase that fits your wallspace. Choose one that provides vertical space rather than lots of depth. This way you won’t take away from the usable area in your living room.
Remember, this bookcase is more of an eye catching addition to your room rather than a place to cram tons of knick-knacks, books, and clutter. Keep your bookcase decor sleek by selecting just a few decorative elements like plants, books, and bookends.
Clear the Clutter
Nothing shrinks the size of a room faster than clutter. Everything from an over abundance of knick-knacks to extra furniture pieces can shrink an already small room. Keep the number of shelves you have to a minimum and do not over clutter them with pictures and figurines. Instead choose just a few important items to display. The same tactic should be utilized with bookcase, end tables, and coffee tables.
One final area that makes a small room look cluttered is an overabundance of small seating options. Choose individual pieces that fit your room such as a couch and storage ottoman rather than a small loveseat and several chairs.
Brighten Things Up
Dark and dreary rooms have a tendency to feel small. But a brightly lit room has an open air feel that makes your room seem larger than it is. If you have a large window you should refrain from covering it with heavy curtains as they can look bulky. Consider swapping them out for blinds instead. These will allow daylight to filter through, keeping the room bright will still providing privacy.
If natural light is not an option in your living room, you should look into adding recessed lighting to your space. A hanging light fixture might make your ceiling appear lower, however recessed lighting sits flush with your ceilings and does not remove what little extra space you have. Dimmable recessed lights that mimic natural light are the best option and will make your small space look warm and inviting.
Keep Your Rugs Large
Homeowners tend to shrink their rooms by limiting the size of their rugs. Rugs are supposed to delineate a space so when you place a small rug between two pieces of furniture you are drawing the eye toward that rug and shrinking the area. Instead of a small rug, opt for an oversized rug. The best size of a rug is one that can fit under most of your furniture. This means the rug should extend at least partially under your sofa, coffee table, and side table.
Your small living room may not be the expansive lounge area you desire, but that doesn’t mean you can’t embrace it. Work with the space you have and remember that even though your living room might be small you can still make it a cozy inviting area.
