Have you just moved into a new space? An apartment in New York or LA? A smaller house in a place you have always dreamed of living in? Wherever you have landed, you may be struggling with finding decorating ideas and living room design solutions. When working with a room that is smaller than what you are typically used to, you’ll need to take a unique approach to interior design and home decor.

Whether it be because you are in a tiny apartment in NYC or the living room has to sacrifice some space for bigger bedrooms in your house, follow these five tips to make sure that you are getting the most out of your living space, even if it is smaller than what you anticipated. 

1. Take Down Measurements for Your Living Area First

The best thing you can do, especially if you have just moved into a new place, is to measure how much space you actually have in your living room. By doing so, you will make sure that you are not purchasing an area rug that is too big or furniture that will look clunky and out of place in your space. It will prevent any mishaps in furniture that is too big for your living room. 

Taking DIY measurements should be simple enough. Just grab any sort of measuring tape or any other type of measuring tool you have on hand and get the dimensions of the room. Have some furniture that you have been eyeing for quite some time? Measure out where it would go in your living space and see if it would work. Planning these types of things is essential, especially when you are working with limited floor space. 

Measuring all of this out will also really give you a feel for how much space you actually have. Who knows; maybe you only planned on buying a certain amount of pieces for the room, but after measuring it out, you come to find that there is plenty of space for more additions to your small living space! Just doing this first will make the rest of the process of arranging things much easier.

2. Buy Pieces of Furniture That Are Meant for a Small Space 

You also have to keep in mind that certain furniture, even if it seems it will fit in a space, may look awkward in a smaller living room. For instance, if you plan on purchasing a wrap-around sectional sofa that is going to take up three-fourths of the space, maybe reconsider that option for a smaller loveseat or a couple of armchairs. This will not only provide more walking room but will also make your space look far more open. 

You should also try to refrain from filling the living space with an excess of items if you are trying to make the space feel more open. For instance, if you have three chairs and a side table bought for people to sit around because a larger couch was too big for your floor plan, maybe just place two chairs in each corner of the room as opposed to having three awkwardly placed. 

Making choices like these is essential to making sure your small living room looks spacious and spread out. 

In terms of the types of furniture you can buy and what would look best in a smaller living room, this could range from small accent chairs to a storage ottoman. Even our Modern C-Curve Design Bookshelf could make a great addition. Whatever it may be, just make sure that it is small and moveable. Little accent pieces like these will give your living room some personality while maintaining the little space you have. 

Some other small living room design tips on how to position your furniture include: 

• Tucking pieces in the corners/edges of walls 
• Get “thin” furniture to save space in a narrow living room
• Get creative with your furniture — just because something is meant for your bedroom doesn’t mean it wouldn’t look great in your living space
• Opt for wall sconces or table lamps instead of floor lamps

3. Add Secondary Storage 

If your living room is already small and you have items that you’re struggling to place in certain areas, make sure you utilize some storage space to make the small living room feel roomier. This can come in a number of formats, whether that be two ottomans for extra seating and storage, a coffee table with ample drawers, and a place for storage underneath; get creative! 

Adding storage space to your living room will stop any sort of clutter from building up and becoming the focal point of the space. For example, if you have a gaming system or any sort of DVDs that would normally be lying around, a fashionable storage ottoman would keep them concealed and would make your space look cleaner and sleeker. 

Also, when thinking about storage, make sure that you are getting as creative as you can with the process. For example, try and go from the bottom to the top with the types of storage units you incorporate. This could be taller bookcases or anything that seems tall and sleek. These types of storage will make your small living space look more cohesive and may even make the room seem bigger or the ceilings taller. 

4. Consider How Often You Will Be Hosting 

If you know that you are going to be having people over often, especially in your family room with limited space, you should adjust the furniture placement accordingly. This may mean having a coffee table that can be easily moved if you are having guests over, or maybe you will just need to make sure your space is wide open to ensure that your guests have ample walking and standing space. 

If people will be coming over to hang out in your living room often, especially if it is smaller, the biggest thing is to make sure that you have furniture that can easily be rearranged and that your space looks the part. You can do this by adding small pictures, posters, and so on, all of which do not take up a large amount of space. 

If hosting is not going to be one of your primary concerns, the tips here still apply; you never know when you are going to have to rearrange furniture quickly for whatever event might be happening in your home. 

5. Utilize Wall Space 

The floor isn’t the only place that can hold all the furniture in your living room, and it shouldn’t be! If you have a small living room, utilizing the space on your walls will not only make the space look more lived in and have personality, but it can just make things like storage and small living room decor more practical. 

For instance, you could use hanging wall shelves to hold up things like candles, DVDs, books, and anything else that you would normally put on a typical shelf. This will take up far less space and make the living room take on a whole new feel. 

6. Work With the Shape of the Living Room 

If your living room has a specific shape, whether that be long and narrow or short and boxy, keep this in mind when decorating it, even if it still seems small. For instance, if the living room is not necessarily wide but has a decent amount of length, make small nooks in the corners of the room and throughout the space. This will give the illusion that the room is bigger than it actually is. 

The same goes for a room that feels a little boxed in. Add some furniture in the corners and maybe a medium-sized coffee table in the middle of the room and this type of furniture layout may increase the illusion of space. 

7. Don’t Be Afraid To Do a Makeover

One of the other perks of having a small living room is that the furniture you buy will typically be smaller, therefore making it easier to make any sort of adjustments to your space. Don’t shy away from switching up the layout. If there is less furniture and it is fairly small, this could be a fun and exciting way to switch up your living room layout. 

A small couch and a couple of chairs could be switched around easily, and doing so could make it feel like a whole new living room. Of course, you don’t have to do this often, but if you find that your furniture arrangement s not feeling right, a small living room allows you the flexibility to change things up.

Simple Design Tips Can Make a Big Difference

A small living room does not have to be the end of the world by any means; in fact, it may even provide more room to get creative and be flexible with what you can do with the seating area and wall space.

Remember to measure out the space you have before jumping in and utilizing storage spaces, think about how often you will be hosting, use any wall space you can, and don’t shy away from switching up the layout as often as you like. A small living room means quick and easy changes to your quaint space. 

Sources: 

13 Rules to Arrange Living Room Furniture for TVs, Tables & More | The Spruce

How to Design a Home Perfect for Entertaining in 2020 | Room Hints

Small living room layouts – 13 ways to arrange furniture in a tiny space | Livingetc