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34 Small Living Room Ideas (With Photos of Inspiring Designs)

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Small Spaces

by Cara Gibbs

updated Nov 10, 2022

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Small living spaces are cozy, affordable and more often than not, completely adorable. But when it comes to designing your diminutive space to make it just right for you, challenges abound. Every decision, from what furniture to buy, how to arrange it and even what colors to use, will be filtered through the lens of small-space living. A well designed living room can easily transform into a family room.

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But even though your main living area isn’t large, there are tons of ways to create an inviting space that feels like home, all the while maximizing storage and placement of your favorite items. In this article, we’ve included some of our favorite small apartment living room ideas for you to browse for inspiration.  Fortunately, the beauty of creative freedom—and the power of the internet—means no matter how small your living room is, there are plenty of ideas and layouts you can find out there that will be the perfect solution for your living situation.

Small-space Design Tips

When it comes to small spaces, a few clever design tips can help you configure your living room in a way that tricks your eye into feeling like it’s plenty spacious. Below, Kathy Kuo, CEO and Founder of Kathy Kuo Home, shares some of her favorite small apartment living room ideas.

Design Tips for Small Spaces

Small Apartment Living Room Ideas

Coming up are 40 rooms—from teeny tiny spaces teeming with inspiration to larger living rooms that have adapted to living small—that all showcase the best ways to expand your square footage without any demo or renovating.

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1. Add an accent.

An accent wall is nice, but if you’re looking for small apartment living room ideas, try a small accent area, like the one shown in this Dutch living room. The pleasant green arch creates visual interest in this small space.

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2. Utilize under-bench storage.

It’s not just the natural tones and abundant light that make this small living room seem much bigger; it’s also the skilled use of storage for excess items: here, they’ve stowed several baskets under a small bench to keep clutter out of the way.

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3. Arrange things artfully.

Not all small apartment living rooms involve keeping items sparse. This 425-square-foot Los Angeles living room has plenty of furniture, but it’s displayed in such a way to avoid looking cluttered and stuffy. 

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4. Stick with a color scheme.

Incorporating a continuous color scheme throughout your entire space is a clever way to make a studio or one-room space look larger and less cluttered. We love the boho-chic look Senaida Mehmedovic used in her Denver studio apartment. 

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5. Go long.

Looking for small apartment living room ideas for a  narrow room? Look to this sleek Brooklyn apartment for a layout that’s perfect. To cop a similar look, search for furniture with small dimensions and leggy, airy pieces that don’t have a lot of visual weight. Place key furnishings like your sofa and large bookcases against the wall to take advantage of every square inch of floor space.

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6. Elevate an alcove.

Even a tiny alcove, like in this New York apartment, can work as the perfect living room. Emphasize the coziness of a small footprint with soft textures and calming colors, both of which can make a tiny area feel intentionally small.

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7. Embrace a multipurpose room.

Not enough space for a separate dining room, living room, and breakfast nook? Follow the example of this dreamy, pink-walled Washington DC studio and carve those areas out of one room. With the right sized furniture, this decorating strategy can make a layout look more like a deliberately open floor plan—not just a one room apartment.

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8. Size down and build up.

If your home has been blessed with high ceilings, you can use them to your advantage. Think vertically by decorating with tall mirrors, high shelves, and curtains mounted several inches above your actual windows, which draws the eye up and creates the illusion of a bigger home. All of these strategies—plus, the use of a smaller loveseat sofa and a tiny trunk as a coffee table—are exactly what make this stylish yet small Brooklyn studio look larger and more spacious.

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9.

Look to decor stores as inspiration.

Think of the room setups you see in stores like IKEA, West Elm, and Target—they’re great sources of small apartment living room ideas. If a home store vignette reflects the actual dimensions of your home , as in this artsy New York studio, you can simply replicate these ultra stylized setups.

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10. Get your reflection on.

Mirrors are one of the best ways to make your tiny space feel open and airy. That’s why Ayesha Curry and Parisa O’Connell chose to create this awesome optical illusion in their diminutive dwelling space. Our opinion? It totally works! 

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11. Fill ‘er up.

In a tiny space, you might be afraid of overwhelming things with too-large furniture, but oftentimes, if you go full throttle with a large sectional that hugs the walls, you’ll get a room that #1 seats a ton of people and #2 feels super welcoming and cozy. Take notes from this home we toured in the UK that fits a family of four.

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12. Embrace the cozy eclectic look.

Another example of a tiny space embracing all things cozy for the better can be seen in this comfortable, sunny Philadelphia condo. Layer in an eclectic mix of objects and furnishings that are special to you, and you’ll be left with a living room full of colorful textures you’ll never want to leave.

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13. Keep things linear.

To add to your list of small apartment living room ideas, try implementing varying geometric and linear prints, like the dramatic rug seen here. This gives a small space a sense of structure while also providing the illusion of additional length and width.

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14. Invite tiny keepsakes & treasures into your space.

In this charming living room, your attention is occupied and delighted by all the personal accents and accessories that draw you into each area of the little space.

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15. Use color to define spaces.

When you’re trying to carve a living room out of a smaller studio space, you can always use color blocking to your advantage. This Brooklyn renter anchored her sofa with a hunter green wall, which makes the space that also contains her bed look like two separate rooms. She kept the look as airy as possible by restricting her living room furniture to the bare minimum—just a couch, coffee table, and two pretty magenta pink stools.

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16. Install a wall of books.

To turn a small living space into your favorite room, consider taking an empty wall and turning it into a top-to-bottom mini library. It’ll provide plenty of storage opportunities, but also makes such a statement and gives a luxe built-in effect. For an even more stylish push, pick a rich color, like the hunter green of this room, and add molding to polish off the custom look.

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17. Don’t be scared of quirky set ups.

Just because this area’s called a “living room” doesn’t mean it can’t serve a purpose beyond just lounging. The roommates in this San Francisco apartment actually squeezed a washing machine in the corner of their living room. Although unexpected, the white unit almost blends into the space, since it’s close in color to the walls. It even features a fabric accent that matches the living room sofa.

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18. Embrace less.

If you’re averse to clutter, just put the good bones of your living room on display. A perfect example is this light and airy Michigan apartment, which has the essential pieces of furniture and just a few select decor items. Sometimes less is more, especially when you have a beautiful fireplace, nice hardwood floors, and large windows that let in tons of light.

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19.

The power of the tuck.

The main goal of any small living space is always to use every area as efficiently as possible. And the area under your coffee table (considering yours doesn’t have shelving) can be prime real estate! Mimic the clever space shown here, where poufs that serve as additional seating are tucked neatly beneath the coffee table.

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20. Keep your space alive.

It’s no secret that plants add so much value to any room in the home, but you can really get creative with them in your living area. In a tour of her home via House Beautiful, Justina Blakeney shows off just that in her compact living room, and is smart about hanging greenery so as to avoid taking up any precious floor space.

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21. Double duty furniture.

This ultra creative Washington DC apartment uses furniture with a dual purpose to save on space. The coffee table is able to go from regular height to the height of a proper dining room table and can seat up to four guests, erasing the need for a separate eating nook and excessive pieces of furniture.

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22. Add height with floor to ceiling draperies.

Curtains are the quickest way to add instant height to any space. The trick is to hang them from right around where your wall meets your ceiling and let them slightly puddle on the ground. Light-colored sheer panels are designed this way, popping against a dark background in this Colorado home. 

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23. Behold the power of threes.

Grouping items into threes is a great way to make a living room feel a bit bigger by adding more pieces to a space without taking up more real estate. (Not to mention you can move smaller furnishings like these around as needed.)

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24.

K.I.S.S.

Keep it simple, sweetie! When you don’t have a ton of room to play with but you want to inject some color, it’s best to keep it simple if you’re a newbie. Start with a foundation of neutrals and add in one feature color and one metallic and run with it, like this space which invites varying textures and finishes to add depth while remaining light and airy on the eyes.

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25. Fit it all in.

Packing your teeny space with lots of purpose is another way to trick yourself into thinking things are bigger than they appear. In this apartment, living room seamlessly connects to an office area, feeling cohesive and interesting.

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26. Brighten up with white.

Nothing brightens and opens up a space like the color white can, which is why this technique is tops on our list of small apartment living room ideas. This coastal-reminiscent apartment in California shows how even the tiniest living rooms can look larger than life when decorated in a monochrome palette.

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27. Layer your lighting.

This living room feels big and spacious due in large part to tall ceilings and big windows, but also of note is the layered lighting. Keeping light at multiple levels (via floor lamps, chandeliers, and task lights) creates a moody yet well-lit room.

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28. Don’t overlook underused spots.

If you have windows in your tiny living room, put those windowsills to work holding books, plants and other decorative objects.

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Watch

10 Brilliant Ideas for Your Small Living Room

29. Go big with a rug.

A large rug like this one in the West Village apartment of Lee Lenox makes a tiny space feel much bigger than it actually is, according to Kuo.

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30.

Go vertical.

Blankets are a must for a cozy living room experience. But when you’re short on space to store said blankets, you don’t have many options. Sure, you can stash them in a basket, but that takes up valuable floor space. A better option? A leaning ladder.

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31. Skip the coffee table in place of an ottoman or pouf.

This space from Cup of Jo is by no means a small living room, but let’s pretend for a second that it is to learn a thing or two from it. See those two poufs on the other side of the coffee table? Those could easily swap in for the actual coffee table itself in a tighter space, which lends flexibility; crucial in a small space. Opting for ottomans or poufs over larger furnishings is a smart way to still have a spot to place a drink or remote but be able to move things easily around as you please (and of course, create more seating).

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32.

Thinking clearly.

Acrylic or glass furniture has long been a designer trick for small spaces. They serve a purpose (i.e., holding drinks, etc.) while basically disappearing into the space. The result is a room with all the function you need, but without all the visual clutter.

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33. Be delicate.

Similar to the above trick, choosing accent furniture with delicate frames is another way to tone down the visual noise. This tiny seating living room (the home of content strategist Cole Wilson via One Kings Lane) feels full sized thanks to the delicate gold base and glass top coffee table, thin framed accent chairs and floor lamp.

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34. Try matchy-matchy.

While some might tell you that all-white rooms are the key to stretching a small space, we’re here to tell you that no matter what paint you go with, the effect of color is a lot more nuanced than that. A trick that always works, though, no matter what’s on your wall? Matching your drapes (bonus points if they’re a sheer material) to your wall. Here, white walls seem to go on forever as the visual line is not interrupted by different colored curtains. If you flip this and decide to go dark and moody, stick to draperies in equally dramatic tones for a super cohesive, polished look perfect for a small living room.

15 Apartment Living Room Design Ideas and Examples

Sure, there are some standard best practices when it comes to decorating a stylish living room that work no matter the size and space, but there are a few extra caveats that make decorating an apartment living room extra unique. City apartment dwellings give "small" a whole new meaning, and they also tend to require more problem-solving if the building has certain restrictions. So if you live in an apartment and you find yourself here looking for design ideas, tips, and advice from the pros, you're in good hands! We're spotlighting 15 examples of living rooms in apartments from some of our favorite designers to help you maximize your own.

1

Be Strategic With Artwork

Jonny Valiant

This Chicago apartment living room by interior designer Devin Kirk is a masterclass in well-proprotioned pairings. The marbled sectional fits nicely in the corner while the round ottoman slash coffee table brings a softer, less boxy look. And instead of adding a side table or console, which might look too large here, Kirk opted for a low stool. The eye-catching gallery wall is another great touch (and hanging it over the decorative millwork visually expands the room).

2

Break the Room Into Zones

Gieves Anderson

David Frazier made his small NYC apartment living room feel formal and polished, despite the limited space. He divided the main room into two distinct zones, one for lounging and visiting, and one for dining and working. The large pendant light and antique pieces personalize the more generic bones of the building.

3

Work Around Building Rules

Karyn Millet

A super light shade of pink applied in a plaster-like finish makes a statement in this small New York City living room designed by Celerie Kemble. The faux finish channels the texture of wallpaper, which she wasn't allowed to use, per the building's rules. This was a great solution.

4

Convert a Closet

Robert McKinley

If you have an extra coat closet in your living room but don't need the extra storage, convert it into a bar. This will help you make it feel more prepped for entertaining and also adds depth and dimension, especially when painted a contrasting color, as seen in this one by Robert McKinley.

5

Match the Sofa to the Walls

Nicolas Gourguechon

Devin Kirk painted the walls Bird’s Egg by Benjamin Moore to flatter the sofa, a sectional from Jayson Home revamped in a Robert Allen Schiele fabric (which also hangs on the curtains). A jute rug brings texture and dimension without filling the small space with too much color.

6

Make Room for Work

Sarah Solis

Designer Sarah Solis carved out a home office within the living room by installing a floating desk in the corner. The other part of the room is dedicated to lounging and visiting.

7

Strike a Balance

Jacob Snavely

This small and sexy living room designed by Zia Priven was painted in Farrow Ball’s Stiffkey blue. The stacked coffee tables are slim and low-profile, which balances out the plush carpeting and voluptuous sectional.

8

Mix Patterns

Read McKendree

For a small city apartment, Lisle McKenna employed soft, colorful shapes but didn't shy away from fun contrasting prints. She also opted for a settee by the timing dining table so that it could function as extra seating for guests or be a comfortable place to dine and catch up on emails.

9

Add Greenery

Read McKendree

If you live in a city apartment, you probably crave nature every now and then. So why not bring it into your living room for a dose of greenery every day? Designer Elizabeth Cooper placed a lush citrus tree in the corner for an extra pop of life and color and then staggered topiaries on the windowsill.

10

Use Enclosed Storage

Shapeless Studio

Enclosed storage is a godsend in a small living room apartment. In this one designed by Brooklyn-based firm Shapeless Studio, stacked of coffee table books animate the room without making it feel cluttered. Everything else is tucked behind closed cabinet doors.

11

Shrink Furniture

Robert McKinley

This simple living room designed by Robert McKinley Studio incorporates tons of texture, from the rug to the shades and the sofa. These casual materials make it feel breezy while still being fresh and stylish, and though all the furniture is smaller than your average living room stuff, it looks right at home here.

12

Make It Extra Homey

Heidi Caillier

Use every chance you get to add character and homey vibes to your apartment living room. In this case, Heidi Caillier created a cozy window seat in the corner.

13

Embrace Low Ceilings

ERIN KELLY

Don't let awkward ceiling slopes turn you off from an otherwise perfect apartment. With the right approach, you can make it work! Take this living room designed by Leane Ford Interiors for example. The neutral tones and modern shapes make it feel extra cozy.

14

Stay True to Your Style

Maude McEvoy

"I love the juxtaposition between the traditional space and the modern staircase," says Eliza Crater of Sister Parish Design. The rich kelly green accent wall and decorative floral curtains help bring some fullness and warmth to otherwise all-white surfaces in her apartment living room.

15

Use Sophisticated Neutrals

Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTO

A quirky indoor tree is s fun surprise in this polished and cosmopolitan living room designed by Shawn Henderson. And, instead of a classic white or warm off-white paint color, he opted for a cooler gray neutral. It's the perfect fit for a pied-a-terre.

Hadley Mendelsohn Senior Editor Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House.

6 secrets of a successful living room design

The living room is a place identified with the mood for a pleasant pastime, relaxation, relaxation. This is facilitated by the appropriate decoration of the room, furniture, TV - each of the elements conducive to relaxation and comfortable rest. In this material, we have collected for you the most basic rules, thanks to which your living room will become not only stylish, but also comfortable. Shall we start?

During the day, the living room has many different functions. Here we meet after a hard working day, and lately, we spend almost all our free time in the living room, and even bring food from the kitchen to the living room, closer to the TV. And it is in the hall that we receive guests, so that the room gets two functions at once: public and private. Let's now try to combine it beautifully.

Wall decoration

In the living room, without exaggeration, our whole life is now concentrated, so the color of the walls is very important. It creates the right mood. The perfect shade that will appeal to every member of the family is difficult to achieve. However, an agreement must be reached. And the general rules are as follows: light colors visually enlarge the room. Delicate colors are suitable for almost every style, as they easily harmonize with different furniture sets. But orange and golden ones “warm” the climate of the apartment, and faded ones, like green ones, improve mood.

Lighting

The hall must have properly installed artificial lighting that will have a beneficial effect on the human body. It can be both overhead lighting and spot lighting, designed for reading or other work. If possible, design a seating area close to a window, as natural light will bring out all the natural beauty.

Choosing the right furniture for the living room

Based on the versatility of using the hall, you need to take special care of its arrangement, equipment, and interior design of the living room, of course. Living room furniture is conditionally divided into 2 categories:

Organization of space and division of the room into functional areas: wall, sofa and armchairs, shelving. Additional elements to create a comfortable and cozy atmosphere: coffee table, chest of drawers, etc.

The furniture in the hall should be comfortable, but more importantly, the living room should not be too busy. So you have to strike a balance between what you want to put in the hall, and what will help the room to remain spacious and comfortable enough.

Leisure furniture

A relaxation island is created using a sofa or its set with armchairs. Well, if the sofa has built-in cabinets or wide armrests - you can use them as a coffee table or as a bedside table. Various little things, such as beautiful curtains, a blanket, decorative pillows, will help create a pleasant atmosphere at home. All this will make the room truly comfortable.

Shelving or wall?

Traditionally, walls are installed in all living rooms in the country. It is believed that this is the most convenient solution, because it is multifunctional furniture: there is a place for T-shirts and dresses, boxes with documents, there are shelves for books and decor, and a niche for installing a TV. And everyone is used to the fact that without a wall, the living room seems “naked”, not equipped.

However, with the advent of modular walls, which are not installed flush with the wall, like a monolithic structure, but can be re-installed around the room in different ways, as you like today.

At the same time, some people love the conciseness and the ability to divide the largest room in the house into small functional areas so much that they prefer neat compact shelving to the walls.

In the open part of the shelving unit, i.e. on the visible shelves, you can place books or other decorative items. In the closed part of the rack or in separate boxes, it is best to place tablecloths or other things that we cannot hide in other places. On the open shelves of the shelving, you can also display beautiful original items that we want to show or show off, they will focus the eyes of the guests on themselves.

Multimedia corner

Now the whole life of the family is concentrated at the TV screen. Of course, you shouldn’t make the center of the entire living room out of TV. But it is better to take care that the incident light is not reflected on the screen, and that all family members have a good view of the screen.

Normal viewing distances should also be maintained for pleasant viewing. The TV should be located at least 1.5 meters away from the place where we will sit watching it. The top edge of the TV should be slightly above or below your line of sight. It is also best to choose a cabinet or TV wall that will fit a DVD player and other accessories.

Proper arrangement of furniture

We are used to arranging all furniture exclusively along the walls. But this is not always the right decision, because there are three scenarios for arranging furniture at once, where, in addition to the classic symmetrical arrangement, a circular and asymmetric one is also offered. If you choose a different arrangement of furniture, this will allow you to organize the space more interestingly. For example, try placing the sofa and chairs in the middle of the room, rather than pushing them close to the wall. It will get pretty interesting.

Decorative elements of the hall

It should be remembered that the atmosphere of the hall is mainly determined by fabrics. When it comes to decor, hanging several paintings or one large one on a monochrome wall within the color of the wall can give an interesting effect. It also makes sense to choose the appropriate stylish and colorful curtains, since the “climate” of the room largely depends on them.

Will decorate the living room and a good carpet. In other parts of the house, carpet is not always necessary, but here, near the sofa, it will look best.

Magazines and books should be stacked on a special coffee table, which is installed somewhere near a chair or armchair. Because when they lie on a table or on a chest of drawers, it gives the impression of a mess.

What secrets do you use in decorating your living room?

Style, Finish & Furnishing Tips - INMYROOM

The living room in the home is where, as the name suggests, guests are received. However, the owners themselves relax here, spending time in front of the TV or a book, with drinks, pleasant conversation and other activities. Therefore, the living room should be the most comfortable place in your home.

If your family consists of several people, it is important to consider the interests of everyone. It is quite possible that for one of the family members, when designing the interior of a living room in an apartment, they will have to give space for working at a computer, doing creative work, even sports. All these points must be planned at the stage of designing the premises.

Determine the center of the living room

Living room design is inseparable from a competent layout. After looking at examples of photos of the living room in the apartment, you can see various space planning options. Of course, the choice depends on your preferences, as well as on the size and functionality of the room.

Under no circumstances should sofas and armchairs be placed around the perimeter of the room. Firstly, this is the last century, and the modern design of the living room categorically does not accept such a layout. In addition, you will clutter up the space with only recreational items, leaving no free space for other functional areas.

The best option for the interior of the living room is to highlight the central group, around which the rest of the furniture will be grouped. As a rule, a recreation area with a TV and a sofa is chosen as the center of the composition.

A fireplace can also be a central element, next to which chairs, rocking chairs or even luxurious skins for relaxation will comfortably fit.

Standard set of furniture for designing a living room in an apartment:

If the room is large, or it has to take on a diverse functional load, naturally, this should not be limited. The living room may well have a desktop for a computer, chests of drawers and cabinets, a bar counter.

In order not to clutter up a cramped room too much, give preference to the transformer models that are popular today. Such furniture is very functional and allows you to perfectly save scarce space.

Choice of colors

If your living room is on the sunny side, then you are practically unlimited in the choice of colors for its decoration and furnishing. The contrasting interior design of the living room will look very interesting. For example, walls and floors can be decorated in cold colors, while furniture, in contrast, in warm colors.

Many modern interior styles welcome the clean slate living room design. This technique involves decorating the walls and ceiling with plain white plaster or paint. And furniture and decor elements can be selected in a variety of colors: bright or rich dark - to create a spectacular and stylish interior, delicate and pastel - for a light, cozy and elegant design.

For north-facing living rooms with little to no daylight, choose warm-coloured finishes. Such an interior design of the living room compensates for the lack of sun, makes the room cozy and conducive to relaxation no matter what.

And, of course, if the room is a bit dark, you should take care of good artificial lighting. Well-placed spotlights are best suited to illuminate every corner of your living room.

Of course, the choice of colors for decorating a room should also depend on what visual and emotional effect you want to achieve.

If the living room is intended for stormy parties and active pastime, then it makes sense to decorate it in bright, saturated colors.

If the owners want to indulge in a calm and relaxing holiday, then the interior of the living room should be to match. In this case, you should give preference to soft light tones or, conversely, deep and calm, but in no case flashy.

Finishing materials

The choice of finishing materials should largely depend on the style in which you would like to maintain the design of the living room in the apartment. So, paper wallpapers with romantic flowers are definitely not suitable for laconic hi-tech or minimalism. And Provence or country-style interiors will not be combined with bright carpets with psychedelic prints and ultra-modern wall coverings with fur or leather texture.

In addition, the shape and size of the room is of great importance. Properly selected finishes will perfectly smooth out the flaws of the room and focus on its merits. While a thoughtlessly chosen design can spoil even a spacious and bright room.

Walls

The classic rule is to choose lighter shades for small rooms. It always works flawlessly. However, if this solution seems too boring for you, you can try all sorts of interesting wall designs. Spectacular examples of wall design in the living room, photos of which are presented in our article, will help you navigate and choose the most attractive options for yourself.

For example, even smooth, light-colored walls can be made a spectacular interior detail by adding bright or simply contrasting color accents to them. See such unusual living room interior ideas in the photo below.

All kinds of plasterboard niches look very stylish. They not only diversify the interior, but also become its very functional detail. After all, they can accommodate both decorative elements and items needed in the household. And if such a niche is beautifully illuminated from the inside, this will create an interesting effect of depth.

The traditional option for decorating the living room walls is wallpaper. Fortunately, today there is a great variety of them: both classic paper, and modern non-woven, and washable, and glass, and even innovative liquid wallpaper. If you are a lover of change, then you can pay attention to the wallpaper for painting. With such a finish, you can easily change the look of the room, at least several times a year. However, please note that, as a rule, such wallpapers are designed for a limited number of repaints.

Smoothly plastered or painted walls look great in modern interiors. At the same time, if you are a fan of the original design, you can pick up plaster with all sorts of beautiful and unusual textures. With its help, you can add a twist to your design and create a truly beautiful living room interior.

One of the fashion trends in modern design is the combination of materials. It is very important to use combinations of several finishes in one room: different types and shades of plaster, paint plus wallpaper, or even a combination of two types of wallpaper with different patterns and textures. See examples of such a living room design in the photo below.

Using this technique, you will not only be able to make your interior bright, stylish and original, but will also successfully cope with the zoning of the room. As you know, for proper zoning, it is not enough to collect several diverse groups of furniture in one room. So that all this does not look like a "hodgepodge", it is necessary to highlight each of the functional areas with its own design elements. And here, the design of wall sections in different colors and even different textures is the best fit.

Ceiling

When choosing the design of the ceiling in the living room, first of all, start from the size of the room. No matter how much you like spectacular multi-tiered structures, in a small room, packed full of necessary furniture, they will look simply ridiculous. In no case do not overload the design of the room.

If the room is small, then the best option is a simple ceiling in light colors with built-in ceiling lights. A good design move would be a small cornice around the perimeter, it will add a sense of depth.

Another interesting solution for visually increasing the space is the so-called "floating" suspended ceilings. This is a two-tier structure with a small height difference and built-in lights mounted inside the "upper" tier in such a way that they themselves are not visible. This technique creates soft diffused light and an interesting depth effect. As a result, the room seems visually higher and more spacious.

However, remember that the design tricks you have listed are inappropriate for small rooms with high ceilings. If in such a room you try to “distance” the ceiling even more due to visual techniques, then you will feel in it like at the bottom of a bottomless well.

In narrow rooms with high ceilings, it makes sense, on the contrary, to reduce the height - through visual means or with the help of suspended structures. Then the living room will immediately seem more comfortable and suitable for a comfortable stay.

If you are lucky and your living room is spacious and has high enough ceilings, then feel free to experiment with their design.

Here, multi-level suspended structures, both laconic and intricate forms, stucco, columns, scallops, and complex lighting systems can be used.

The main thing is not to overdo it and stick to the intended design of the room. If the room is decorated in a ceremonial classical style, in the spirit of Baroque or Empire, then without a doubt, both bas-reliefs and columns will be appropriate. But for more concise modern styles, you should choose a simpler and more rigorous ceiling design.

If your living room will be divided into several functional areas, then the zoning can be "supported" with an appropriately designed ceiling.

For example, a central seating area with a sofa group and a TV can be highlighted with a second tier of false ceiling. Depending on the general style of the room, both strict rectangular shapes and soft rounded lines may be appropriate.

The ceiling does not have to be white. Delicate, warm pastel shades will look perfect in almost any room.

Fans of more extravagant options can experiment with bright shades. It is not necessary to decorate the entire ceiling in saturated colors. However, if you highlight only part of it or one of the tiers with a spectacular shade, you will get a chic look.

As far as materials are concerned, it is best to avoid whitewashing and painting. After all, this will take a long time and carefully level the surface. An excellent modern solution is plasterboard suspended ceilings or stylish stretch models. They are quick to install, provide perfectly flat surfaces, and in addition, allow you to create a wide variety of design options.

Lighting

Just a few years ago, when choosing lighting, the issue was always decided in favor of a large ceiling chandelier. Of course, today there are many lovers of such lighting fixtures, including those decorated with numerous "crystal" pendants. However, you should not get hung up on this option, because modern manufacturers offer many interesting, stylish and comfortable options.

If you - due to adherence to traditions or in order to create a certain style of interior - have opted for a massive chandelier, you do not need to limit yourself to this. In any living room, additional sources of lighting will be appropriate: wall sconces, floor lamps and portable standing lamps.

Additional light sources perform several functions at once:

If you are a supporter of laconic design, then recessed ceiling lights are the best fit. They also allow you to create separate lighting in different functional areas of the living room. And besides, with their help you can always adjust the brightness and level of illumination of the room. And with all this, they remain almost invisible, do not overload the design and fit almost all interior styles.

It's safe to say that recessed ceiling lights are the best choice for a small room with low ceilings. But, at the same time, they will also be appropriate in a spacious hall.

Style Selection

Choose a style based on the tastes of the whole family. Look at photo examples of living room designs in a magazine, on the Internet, explore the various styles that are in abundance today.

Of course, the dimensions of the room must also be taken into account. In a small room in Khrushchev, a lush baroque or any other “palace” interior will look out of place. For small living rooms, it is best to choose a laconic design in the Scandinavian style, elegant classics or strict hi-tech or minimalism. Country and Provence are perfect, as these styles suggest comfort and emphatically home furnishings.

If your living room is large, there is plenty of room to roam. In principle, a spacious room can be decorated in almost any style that you and your family like.

When choosing the style of the living room, be sure to take into account the interior features of other rooms. Maintain style and harmony.

Classic

The classic style of the interior involves the use of the most natural materials. The whole environment should breathe quality and good taste. As part of this style, traditional furniture made of solid wood or at least high-quality MDF will be appropriate.

Classic interior colors are soft, calm, usually light. But in principle, within the framework of this style, almost any shades (except bright and flashy) will be appropriate if they are correctly beaten.

Elegant wallpaper, paintings, vases, traditional chandeliers, beautiful curtains - all this will be an excellent frame for an interior in a classic style.

Despite certain design rules, there are different directions for decorating a living room in the spirit of the classics. Within the framework of the classical style, several variations can exist at once:

Minimalism and high-tech

High-tech and constructivism can also be combined under this general direction. All these styles imply laconic finishes, emphatically simple and modern furniture models, built-in lighting, and an abundance of technology.

Minimalism is characterized by soft colors, calm combinations, stylish and simple shapes.

For hi-tech, with all their similarities, saturated tones, metallic luster and a lot of glass are more characteristic. High-tech furniture or decor can have very unusual, but at the same time laconic and streamlined shapes.

Minimalistic interior of the living room is best suited for young and energetic people who keep up with the times, who do not attach much importance to luxurious surroundings, preferring simplicity and elegance of lines.

However, do not think that the interior in the style of hi-tech or minimalism is something from the category of "cheap and cheerful". Such a design may well turn out to be much more expensive than some magnificent Empire style.

Country and Provence

These styles are perfect for lovers of home comfort, antiquity and rustic simplicity. If you want to enjoy peace as much as possible, relax and forget about the bustle of the city, then these are excellent options for the living room.

At the same time, country is deliberately rough, emphatically rural, with simple, almost unfinished furniture and themed textiles. It is characterized by natural, natural shades: soft light and dark green tones, the whole range of brown, light yellow, ocher. Of the prints, a large cage, as well as various variations of floral patterns, will be especially harmonious.

The Provence style, as it should be for a true Frenchman, is more refined, distinguished by a special chic and charm. It is characterized by lighter shades of furniture and finishes: white, cream, pale blue, turquoise, beige. Decor and textiles can be very flirtatious: with ruffles, scallops, flounces, etc.

Today, these design trends are very popular not only in the design of country cottages, but also in the decoration of city apartments. Therefore, in stores you can easily find furniture, decor and finishing materials that perfectly match these styles.

Scandinavian

This style is incredibly popular right now. The secret of its success is in the harmonious combination of minimalism, comfort and homeliness. It involves a simple and concise finish, convenient and comfortable furniture of simple shapes, stylish, but at the same time soft and not defiant decor.

The Scandinavian style is characterized by calm shades: white, beige, light gray, gray-green, pale blue, dark blue. Often in the colors of such an interior there is a certain marine theme.

Living room interior in Scandinavian style is the perfect balance of functionality, convenience, modernity and home comfort. Stylish and modern upholstered furniture for the living room is perfect here, a photo of which you can see below.

Choosing furniture

Before you start choosing furniture for your living room, carefully consider which functional areas will be allocated in the room. Beautiful furniture for the living room, the photo of which can be seen below, is not all. It is important to correctly arrange it so that all the inhabitants and guests of the apartment feel cozy and comfortable.

If it is intended exclusively for families, then a comfortable sofa, armchairs, a TV stand and a couple of shelving will be enough. If space allows, you can add a coffee table, as well as small cabinets where you can place various decor items.

If you often arrange parties, like to receive and treat guests, then you will need a bar counter. It looks stylish, modern, spectacular, can serve as a place to store all kinds of items and will allow you to organize the serving of drinks and treats for guests in a very small area. In addition, the bar counter can be an excellent dividing element if you need to zone the living room.

Choose the dimensions of the sofa and the number of chairs depending on the number of family members and the possible number of guests. It makes no sense to choose an airfield sofa and three armchairs if you live alone and rarely receive guests. In this case, it is worth limiting yourself to more compact options and leaving more free space in the room - to create a feeling of spaciousness or to accommodate other functional elements.

If you expect your guests to occasionally stay overnight, then the choice of sofa should be approached especially carefully. Choose folding models, on which, if necessary, you can fully sleep. If there can be several overnight guests, then it makes sense to consider options for transforming chairs that can fold out and turn into a bed.

Modern design solutions, as a rule, do not involve the placement of solid cabinets in the hall. It is assumed that this tradition should remain in the Soviet past. However, if you don't have a walk-in closet and don't have enough space to place storage items in other rooms, no one can force you to give up a spacious closet in the living room.

In a classic interior, it can even be a solid wall. However, if you prefer more modern design trends, then it is better to pay attention to stylish wardrobes. For a small room, models with mirrored doors are perfect, they allow you to visually expand the space, and will not weigh down the interior as much as their counterparts with solid doors.

A small room should not be cluttered with a large number of pieces of furniture. Such an "abundant" environment will overwhelm, distract, and simply interfere with free movement around the room. If you don’t have a lot of things, then you definitely shouldn’t put a massive closet in the living room, limit yourself to a light and elegant rack. If you want to create a truly light and stylish design, pay special attention to the modern style living room furniture, the photo of which can be seen below.

If you do not plan to receive guests often, it makes no sense to purchase a grand dining table in the hall. In order to drink coffee or have a snack in front of the TV, an elegant coffee table will be quite enough. To save space, you can choose a functional transforming table, which will serve as both a stand and a storage for books and magazines, and, if necessary, can be expanded into a fairly full-fledged springboard for home meals.

Fireplace in the living room interior

If you want your living room to breathe genuine comfort and hospitality, consider purchasing a fireplace. Naturally, it is almost impossible to establish a real hearth in a city apartment. But today there are a lot of magnificent imitations on sale that will emphasize the elegance of the interior, create an atmosphere of comfort in the room and even be able to heat it.

An electric fireplace is perfect for an apartment. Do not think that this is a more beautiful analogue of the heater. In fact, modern manufacturers produce incredibly realistic models that amazingly imitate real flames. There are even models with sound and aroma accompaniment. That is, in front of you there will be not only the illusion of an open fire, but also real crackles, as well as the smells of burning logs.

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