Small living room ideas: design tips for your tiny living space
By Ellie Reeves | 10th March 2023 | 5 min read
Decorating and storage ideas for your small lounge
Having a small living room doesn’t mean you need to compromise on style or comfort. With the right small living room design, you can transform your lounge into an inviting area that’s perfect for relaxing, entertaining, and spending time with loved ones.
Whether you’re dealing with a studio apartment or simply have a cramped living area – we’ve rounded up some of the best small living room design ideas to help you maximise your space.
In need of some small lounge ideas? Carry on reading for plenty of inspiration for your small living room décor and storage.
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Small living room storage ideas
Nothing makes a small living room feel smaller than clutter. Use clever storage solutions to make sure everything is in its place. You can store your items neatly with shelves, storage units, baskets or boxes. Here are some of our best storage tips for your small living area.
- Make use of your vertical space. Install floating shelves, attach your TV to the wall, use sconces instead of floor lamps, hang houseplants from hooks. The more items you can keep off the floor, the better.
- Ditch the bulky furniture. When choosing furniture for your small living room, try not to pick bulky pieces. Instead, choose simple living room furniture with clean lines.
- Let your furniture breathe. Choose a sofa or side table with legs, this will make your room look bigger by showing off floor space. It will also allow light to flow through your room easier.
- A corner sofa can fill an awkward space. If you’ve got an awkward corner that you’re not sure how to style, a small corner sofa could be a great fit!
- Choose furniture with storage space. When choosing small living room furniture, ensure that is has storage space within it, such as an ottoman footstool or a coffee table with ample storage underneath.
A light colour palette will make your living room appear bigger
Lighter colours reflect more light, making your living room appear brighter and more spacious. Choose a neutral shade such as beige or light grey to create a calming and relaxing environment. Or you could choose a light colour such as pale pink or mint green for a subtle pop of colour without overwhelming the space. Also, painting the ceiling a lighter colour than the walls can create the illusion of height, making your small lounge appear taller than it is.
Don’t shy away from dark colours
Your living room may be small, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go for a rich and luscious colour scheme. This living room has got the balance just right with dramatic blue wallpaper and dark accessories, combined with French doors to let plenty of natural daylight in and a large mirror to bounce light around the room. Many interior experts advise against using dark colours in a small living room, but you shouldn’t shy away from them completely. You can still opt for a rich colour palette in your small room, just make sure you offset the dark shades with light décor, furniture, and home accessories.
Enhance natural light with mirrors
Natural light helps to brighten up a small living room, however not every room has large windows with ample light. Mirrors can help you to enhance the natural daylight in your small living room. By being strategic about where you place your mirrors, you can reflect daylight and create a brighter and more inviting living area. You could hang a large wall mirror on a wall adjacent to your window, or place lots of decorative mirrors all around for a gorgeous display.
Avoid patterned flooring
If your goal is to make your living room look bigger, then it’s best to steer clear of decorative flooring. Try to avoid busy patterns or contrasting colours, as they can make your floor look messy. Instead, choose a flooring option that doesn’t use patterns, such as hardwood flooring, vinyl flooring, or carpet. If you choose wood or wood effect flooring, go for wide planks – they’ll help to make your room look more spacious. Another way of making your living space feel even bigger and brighter is to paint the floor the same colour as your walls. Check out our article on painting a wooden floor for a step-by-step guide.
Create a focal point
Make the most of your space by creating a beautiful focal point which draws the eye in. You could hang a bold piece of art, create a gallery wall, install a statement light fixture or even paint your own fabulous feature wall. A well designed focal point can add interest to your small living room wile making the most of your limited space. Get creative and have some fun with your small lounge décor!
