How to Design a Small Living Room

It’s not small; it’s cozy. Your apartment has all the space you need, you just need to arrange it so it, and the items in it, are working for you and your lifestyle. Here are three things to think about when it’s time to tackle the living room.

The Sofa

This large piece of furniture is often the focal point of a living room and much consideration goes into its purchase. Survey the room’s layout and honestly evaluate your needs before making the buy. Do you have a lot of overnight guests? Consider a hide-a-bed or daybed. Do you have a corner you aren’t sure what to do with? Consider an L-shaped sofa. Typically they don’t crowd a small room because it feels like just one piece. If you have enough room, you could go with a classic arrangement of a sofa, coffee table and two chairs on either side. If your room is small, go for a couple love seats, or even a love seat and a big chair. A living room doesn’t have to have a traditional sofa. In fact, if you have a good eye, you could mix and match a variety of upholstered chairs for a very cool look. Small rooms also do better if they have furniture with ‘feet’ meaning the upholstery doesn’t touch the floor and you can see underneath it. Don’t go for the overstuffed look, and does your sofa really need arms or a back? There are tons of styles out there, look around. Color and fabric trends come and go – choose the style and upholstery that fits you, your personality and lifestyle (kids? pets?) and you’ll have a lounging piece to be proud of.

The Style

Since the living room is the place where most of your guests will gather, you want it to be a reflection of you. Whether you go for contemporary, classic, trendy or recycled, you can’t go wrong as long as you love it. You will want to decide on a color palate including the inclusion (or not) of prints. Most things can pair well together as long as you keep them in a similar color family and don’t mix and match too many prints of different sizes or styles (i.e. mini stripes and gigantic flowers). Don’t forget the walls – hang a favorite painting or poster and book shelves can hold much more than just books. Hanging shelves can display collections, photos and other mementos and consider a mirror. Mirrors make any space appear larger.

The Purpose

What will you be doing most in your living room? Functionality is key here as it will probably be one of the most used rooms in your apartment. If you like to entertain, make sure you have enough seating spots available by stacking big pillows in a corner. Small collapsible tables are handy too for setting up any place someone might be looking to set a drink. Ottomans with storage are a must of course – as a seat, a table and hidden storage, they are a living room’s best friend.