16 Best Small Living Room Ideas

If your living room has access to a ton of natural light, don’t block it out with dark curtains. Let it pour in to make the space feel more airy and open. Even if you don’t have large windows and tons of sunlight, choose lighter shades to maximize the light you do have.

Don’t be afraid of making a big statement in a small space. Lots of little things in small spaces can make the room feel cluttered, so stick to a few larger pieces for comfort and one for a spotlight style moment. In this living room, we love how the over-the-top, formal chandelier creates contrast and intrigue.

Even if you’re lacking in square footage and surface space, you can get a lot of mileage out of high ceilings. To take advantage of that vertical space, accentuate tall windows with high curtains and a show-stopping wallpaper. Also, curtains hung well above a window add airiness and height to a small room. Keep the curtain design basic but use extra fabric for fullness.

Choosing a larger rug—even in a bold pattern—is a trick that makes a room feel bigger. Unlike smaller rugs, the large size doesn’t visually break up the floor. This can also help anchor the space and give you a good staple piece to design the rest of the room around. Corner seating can also help you get more mileage out of less surface room for a longer traditional sofa.

Leaning into the smallness of a space can actually be what makes it feel genuinely cozy and inviting. Keep seating close together and intimate, and choose a plush, soft rug.

Keep walls and floors all white to brighten up the space. Large artwork on the wall is eye-catching, yet not the leastbit cluttered. That way you can make a colorful piece of furniture the focal point of the room, so it’s not like the walls are closing in on you.

Use ottomans in place of a traditional coffee table to make better use of your space (because a tiny house means your living room often does double or triple duty when people come over). You can top them with a tray to hold flowers and books, or use as extra seating.

A lower sofa or settee creates the visual effect of higher ceilings. Playing with proportion and scale will also help, like the tiny side table next to this lounge chair. Just add pillows to make it more comfortable for lounging.

Use two small tables to take the place of one big coffee table. They’re better for traffic flow and easily moved to wherever else you may need them.

As we’ve mentioned a few times already, a small space doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with color. So if you love incorporating pretty pastels or vivid brights but want to make sure your living room doesn’t look chaotic, the trick is to stick to a tight color palette.

When space is lacking, the only option is to get creative and make things multi-purpose. For example, if you don’t have room for a separate living room, family room, and home office, combine each concept into one space. The living room and office above proves that the right layout and pieces can look great, no matter what shape or size the room.

Dark, glossy walls create a sophisticated backdrop for simple, clean-lined pieces and even colorful, bold items. Use the small space to your advantage and make it feel like a jewel-box. Painting your ceilings the same color can enhance the sense of intimacy even further.

Resist the urge to push all of your furniture up against the walls. If you create space behind the furniture, it makes the room look wider than it is.

Bring your artwork up to trick the eye and expand or accentuate the height of the room. A gallery wall might seem too busy for a small space, but it can actually make it feel larger if it extends to the ceiling.

Choose lighting that can be attached to the walls or hung from above to save room on floor space. Swing Arm lamps also free up space on side tables.

Hammock chairs are super trendy right now, but they’re also a life saver in a small living room. You can add seating without taking up a ton of floor space, like you would with a traditional armchair.