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How to arrange a small apartment living room


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.

Small apartment living room ideas: 23 space-stretching tips |

(Image credit: Georgia Zikas/Jane Beiles/Future/Sofology)

If you are looking for small apartment living room ideas, then you’ll be more than aware of the tricky task of making a room look wider, taller or brighter than it actually is, while also trying to make every corner look cozy. 

These small apartment living room ideas will help inspire you to achieve the space of your dreams.

Though it can be challenging to find the right apartment living room ideas for a particularly small space, there are several benefits to compact living. A well-designed scheme can feel just as comfortable as a larger space, with all the coziness and comfort associated with family living. One of the main advantages of small living room ideas is also the convenient accessibility of everything that’s needed. Easy maintenance is another bonus.

All you have to do now is to find the perfect color scheme, layout and furniture style to suit your space – and that's where our apartment decor ideas come into play.

Small apartment living room ideas

If your apartment has a small living room, there are ways you can enhance it so it feels larger and thoughtfully designed, the majority focus around good organizing in a small apartment. Don't forget, too, that if you are looking for small apartment patio ideas, you can combine them with your search for small apartment living room ideas; creating a cohesive indoor-outdoor space is vital to enhancing a small space.

(Image credit: Georgia Zikas/Jane Beiles)

Approach apartment layout ideas with focus, thinking how you can create a space with great flow that still packs in everything you want in your life.

'Multipurpose design offers functionality when you're dealing with a small footprint. Clever, well thought out design can make a room work hard and serve as a dining nook, a bar, a living room and a study / work area. 

'In moments like these, good design is critical in maximizing the functionality of a smaller space,' says Georgia Zikas, founder and principal designer at Georgia Zikas Design . 

2. Create intimacy with pattern and color

(Image credit: Dado)

'Small apartment living rooms don’t need to be neutral and minimalist, pattern and color are a fantastic way to zone a living area within an open plan space, or create an intimate and personality packed living room. When space is limited keep your color palette tight and focused, take your cue from a favorite wallpaper, picking out colors from your chosen pattern to create a considered and cohesive scheme. 

'As well as zoning a space with wallpaper, consider coordinating paint work and flooring too – a well placed rug with a bold edge detail is a fantastic way to further define your living area,' says Kate French, creative director at Dado .  

3. A gold accent will give a luxury feel

(Image credit: Sofology)

If you are looking for combined small living room and apartment kitchen ideas, ensure your space feels fabulous and not just functional. You can convey this with luxe-look materials, such as marble and metallics. 

'This white, gray and gold color scheme is contemporary and fresh, it's ideal for a small apartment living room and it works across the kitchen too. The white bounces the light and the wooden floorboards add warmth. The gold highlights link the two spaces and the marble adds texture,' says Jennifer Ebert, digital editor, Homes & Gardens 

4. Look for storage and seating opportunities

(Image credit: M. Lavender Interiors/Janet Mesic Mackie)

Window seat ideas are a fantastically space-wise way to create both seating and hidden storage. They can also be used to add interest with pattern, color and even the joinery. And, they are a great apartment bedroom idea, too, for exactly the same reasons.

However you furnish your small apartment living room, think: light colors for space enhancement.

'I love the lightness of this room and the use of different textures in similar colorways to create drama. From the textured wallpaper on the ceiling to the high gloss finish on the trim, it is a great and interesting space even in a compact area. 

'We went with light, happy colors with shades of green and yellow. These shades were punctuated with more vibrant colors consistent with the rest of the home,' says Mark Lavender, principal designer of M. Lavender Interiors . 

5. Emphasize vertical lines to cheat the eye

(Image credit: Stefani Stein)

Clever living room curtain ideas can be used to play with the proportions of your space, visually at least. And it needn't be limited to curtains: whether you choose striped wallpaper or floor-to-ceiling hung drapes, you are creating a visual trick, drawing the eye up and down a wall rather than across it, which dupes the brain into seeing a small apartment living room as taller than it is. When used in long living room ideas too, this trick can help rebalance a room's narrow proportions. 

So, if your apartment living room has low ceilings, use this interior designer's trick – but soften the effect with curvaceous furniture.

6. Have apartment living rooms fitted for storage

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)

Studio or small apartment living rooms cry out for fitted furniture that can not only hold (and hide) everything they need to, but also make use of every inch of space in a way that feels calm and uncluttered – so opt for built-in small living room storage ideas wherever you can.

Here, the storage wall has been cleverly brought into the room through the use of the orange accent color. The orange backdrop offers a dramatic contrast to the accessories displayed, further heightening its effect.

If you love a movie night, it's worth investigating space-clever small living room TV ideas like this one, too.

7. Decorate with a monochromatic color scheme

(Image credit: Richard Powers)

Living room color schemes can make or break a small space, and using different tones of the same color – the so-called monochromatic scheme – will help to make the furniture and other features recede and appear to take up less space when factored into apartment living room ideas.  

Soften the palette by adding a warm gray or blue, like in this white and blue living room, rather than a harsh black or white.

8. Keep small apartment flooring simple

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

Flooring should be unfussy so it blends into the background. Plain, neutral carpet works well in most small apartment living room ideas. Going without a rug will also open up the floor space, 'though if you have an open-plan kitchen, living space and diner, the use of rugs will create distinct zones that can make even a small apartment living room feel more purposefully designed,' says Lucy Searle, Editor in Chief, Homes & Gardens.

9. Use the same color palette

(Image credit: Kitesgrove)

When decorating small spaces, create the illusion of higher ceilings by painting walls, floors, woodwork and even fireplaces all the same color. This provides a seamless look, where your eyes are not stopped by a change in color, thus giving the illusion of a larger space.  

Paint low ceilings brilliant white, or a lighter tone of the same color that's used on the walls, to create the illusion of height. You can add color with soft furnishings and accessories.

In this entirely cream and white living room scheme, low-slung furniture has been used effectively to make the room look taller, too.

10. Play with scale

(Image credit: Rachel Smith)

Carefully consider which furniture would work best when planning small apartment living room ideas. 

Adding clear or high-shine perspex chairs or a glass coffee table will give the room the feeling of more air and space. Light will bounce around glass furniture and glossy surfaces, so plenty of shiny and mirrored furniture and accessories will make a small living room feel bigger.

11. Invest in space-saving furniture

(Image credit: Future/Paul Raeside)

Use shelves for items you really want to display. Floor-to-ceiling shelving will make good use of all the space you have at your disposal, and keep everything off the floor.

To make the room feel as large as possible, don't over-stuff the shelves – instead, decorate their interiors to complement the rest of your scheme, like in this sophisticated grey living room with red accents, and keep them under-populated.

12. Consider armless furniture

(Image credit: Jonathan Gooch)

Opt for armless chairs and sofas for space-enhancing small apartment living room ideas, and consider a corner unit sofa to create a more open feel. 

Not only space-saving, armless pieces will also give you the opportunity to reposition your furniture more frequently in a variety of combinations. An arm may not seem bulky, but when it is not there, the room appears cleaner, sleeker and less cluttered.

13. Use open storage to divide the space

(Image credit: Elicyon Photograph: Patrick Williamson)

If your small apartment living room is part of a larger space, one clever way to divide it is with open shelves, as in the apartment designed by Charu Gandhi of London-based design consultancy Elicyon, above.

'If you are looking to separate small living and dining room ideas for apartments, for example, this is an excellent way to do so,' says Sarah Spiteri, Editorial Director of Homes & Gardens. 'It can also solve layout problems caused by a limited footprint; here, the small apartment living room still gets lots of light, though it is physically separated from the window.' 

14. Match walls to woodwork

(Image credit: Richard Powers)

Make a small apartment living room feel larger by painting the walls and woodwork in the same shade. 

If you're brave enough, paint the ceiling in a brighter shade as well, to make the room feel taller. As long as your ceiling is painted in a paler color than your walls, no matter what the color, your ceilings will feel higher.

15. Hang a tall mirror 

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti)

Not surprisingly, decorating with mirrors can make a room look larger. Hang a large mirror on a wall opposite a window or very near one to reflect the outdoors, broadening the feel of your room.  

Mirrors reflect both natural and artificial light to make a room brighter during the day and night and they bounce light deep into the room, making it appear larger.

16. Use color to define a space

(Image credit: Design Lines Signature)

'Adding collected pieces and pops of color throughout a small living space is a great way to elevate the room and add interest and detail to even the smallest corner. You want the space to feel familiar and relaxed and color is a great way to do that,' says Judy Pickett, founder and principal designer at Design Lines Signature . 

Ensuring you carry these colors through to your apartment entryway will also help your whole space feel larger and more cohesive.

17. Match your drapes to your couch

(Image credit: Madeaux )

‘When embracing pattern within a smaller living room, one way to introduce it easily can be to use the same motif across different elements, such as the curtains and the upholstery. This will allow the space to be in harmony without a conflict in scale or color, ensuring the room is celebrated with personality and depth, without becoming overwhelming. 

'It’s a good idea to consider the type of pattern when you are using it across different pieces. Here the ‘Zogee’ design with its geometric vertical repeat cleverly creates a trompe l’oeil, drawing the eye and elongating the proportions of the room, whilst the monochromatic colour combination further enhances this effect,' says Richard Smith, founder of Madeaux Home .

18. Choose darker shades for coziness

(Image credit: Little Greene)

Small apartment living room ideas aren't just about creating light, airy spaces – they can be dark and cozy if that's the mood you want to create, particularly if you only really inhabit them in the evening. However, when choosing paint colors, pick warm shades for an inviting appeal.

'When creating a scheme that will feel comfortable and intimate, consider shades that have an inherent warmth to them. Stronger, jewel tones such as Puck or Hicks’ Blue can be used in an all-over scheme to create coziness and warmth in a small living space,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene . 

19. Layer print and pattern

(Image credit: Kitesgrove)

It's likely that small apartment living rooms have little space for you to express your creativity and add comfort with layers. But you can achieve this with a narrow console and artwork above it.

'Making a home feel comfortable is always a priority when designing a space, as is creating something that feels unique to each individual. Incorporating a mix of pattern, print and texture creates a space that feels layered and nuanced, allowing key pieces and features of the room to come to foreground,' says Katie Lion, senior interior designer at Kitesgrove . 

20. Layer textures 

(Image credit: Davide Lovatti / Future)

'There are several textures at work in this small apartment living room – a mixture of velvet upholstery and woven pillows, faux fur armchairs, a combination of footstools and coffee table in different materials, and a deep pile rug.  

'Then, there's the texture of the wallpaper, the curtain pattern and the flooring beneath the area rug, each element being key to keeping this space contemporary, stylish and uncluttered,' says Lucy Searle, global editor in chief, Homes & Gardens.

21. Create a reading nook

(Image credit: Future)

Reading nooks needn't be reserved for larger homes; you can create one in a small apartment living room.

'Maximizing all areas of a smaller apartment living room is an excellent way to ensure you get the most from the space but also the best way to create an interior with personality. Creating new places to enjoy within the room, such as celebrating little corners such as these, by adding a favorite armchair, side table and lamp will make the most of every nook and cranny. 

'People can often be nervous of adding pattern and color into smaller rooms, but on the contrary, it can add character and authentic, bringing interest and depth. A small room devoid of color and pattern can feel forgotten and overlooked, whereas a room filled with it, tells a story and will bring a smile,' says Stefan Ormenisan, creative director and founder of MindTheGap .  

22. Choose the right couch for the space

(Image credit: OKA )

Ideally, you want lots of floor space in a small apartment living room, but if your priority is seating for family and guests, look to sectional living room ideas to give you a catch-all solution. 

'If you are going for a sectional, ensure the couch itself is low-slung; doing this will make it feel smaller and won't block any light coming in via the windows,' says Lucy Searle, Homes & Gardens' Editor in Chief. 'One that is in a light color will also help the room feel larger.'

23. Use a barely there wall color as a background for art

(Image credit: Mylands )

'Light shades with glossy finishes will make the most of a small room, giving the illusion of space and openness. Pale purple shades like Early Lavender™ No. 260 are proving increasingly popular, creating a soft and refreshing background when used as the main tone,' says Dominic Myland, CEO of Mylands .  

How do you decorate a small apartment living room?

Small living rooms in apartments may be short of space but can still be big on style. A carefully designed studio apartment that incorporates plenty of concealed storage and furniture that is tailored to the space can achieve a sense of comfort and convenience that belies a modest square footage.

Select furniture pieces that are in proportion to the size of your room – oversized cabinets, sofas and chairs can make a small room feel narrow. Furniture that is the same color as your walls tends to blend into the wall, making it look wider, and make sure you arrange your furniture at an angle to create a sense of depth to the room.

Consider finishing the walls in polished plaster, a material that reflects light and increases visual perception of space. Any other reflective decorative surfaces, such as patinated mirrors, silver leaf or lacquer, will make the space seem bigger too.

When decorating a small room, create a focal point – one area or feature that will draw the eye so there’s less emphasis on the room’s layout. In apartment living room ideas this will most likely be the sofa or coffee table, so make sure that focal point is the star of the room.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

Small living room - tips for furnishing

An apartment without a living room is a rarity even for small-sized housing. On the one hand, the name itself alludes to the reception of guests; on the other hand, in this room you can find a lot of activities in splendid isolation. Even those of us who are used to meeting friends on neutral ground want to carve out a small space for ourselves. Arranging a corner for a TV zone, arranging books, separating the living room from the common space in a studio apartment - apartment owners around the world are solving the same problems. We've rounded up the best ideas on Houzz for you to try out. Suddenly, the answer to your questions has already occurred to someone in Finland or, for example, in Japan? nine0003

apartmentjeanie

USA: transparent furniture
If you have big plans for your living room and there is not much space in it, choose furniture made of materials that look weightless - glass and plastic, which do not overload the space.

Despite the variety of furniture, this living room from the USA does not look cluttered - thanks in large part to the transparent chairs at the dining table.

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France: armchairs instead of a sofa
If you are used to spending evenings in solitude or tete-a-tete, think about whether you need a bulky sofa? Two upholstered armchairs and a coffee table look much more intimate and comfortable in a small living room than a voluminous sofa, which was purchased only because it is customary.

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Finland: self-expression in color
Those who do not like bland interiors usually find themselves in a dilemma: how to decorate the living room, but not turn it into a warehouse of accessories in a limited area? This Finnish project gives a simple answer: despite the restraint characteristic of the Scandinavians, bright colors bring variety to the interior.

Textured wallpaper, rich shade of sofa upholstery, colorful furniture and textiles create an optimistic character of the living room. And all this - without additional shelves and extra accessories that collect dust. nine0003

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9000 JulietTettte BYRNETE BYRNE Great Britain: for long-awaited guests
Regular home meetings - on the contrary, an occasion to set aside the main space of the living room for the soft zone. In a small room, sofas and armchairs can be placed around the perimeter, and a coffee table (preferably even a few) can be made the center of the composition. nine0003

By the way, when arranging a very small living room, it is logical to abandon the front door and even the interior walls, uniting the room with the main space of the apartment. The zoning feature in this case can be the boundaries of the carpet, as in our example from the UK.

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Design of a small living room — 22,000 photos dining table, I want to leave as much free space as possible, but what if the space is occupied by furniture? nine0003

We offer to enlarge the living room visually - for example, with the help of a mirror built into a niche. This technique works flawlessly: reflection creates the illusion that the room continues behind the mirror panel. So that the blende does not look too artificial, and you do not have to allocate an entire wall under the mirror, place any large piece of furniture in front of the mirror, such as a sideboard or a shelving unit; a large picture in a frame will do.

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Universal soldier: The tasks of a mirror in the interior0018

The Room Studio

Spain: optical illusions
A sensible alternative to a mirror is a photo wallpaper with a perspective: a road stretching into the distance or architectural forms will stretch the space to infinity. To emphasize the reception, in our Spanish example, the accent wall around the perimeter was decorated with LED lighting.

An important detail: pay attention to which way you increase the space. If you arrange a narrow wall in this way, the living room will look like a carriage. nine0003

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Hoo Interior Design & STYLING

9000 : furniture has not only real, but also visual weight, which depends on many factors - colors, decor elements and shapes. This measurement, of course, is arbitrary, but minimalist interiors usually look noticeably more spacious than counterparts decorated in classic or other styles. nine0003

Light-colored wall and floor finishes, furniture with simple outlines and no unnecessary decor - such a scenario for a small living room was chosen in a project from Hong Kong. At the same time, storage systems were built into the TV cabinet, which stretches along the room and connects to a low window sill, where additional seats can be arranged.

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Nothing more, nothing less: Choosing furniture for a small room

Louise de Miranda

Holland: sliding doors for a single space
However, a living room combined with a hall is a bold idea for our realities, especially during the off-season. A compromise option is sliding doors with glazing between the two spaces: they will not allow street dirt to penetrate into the living room, but due to the transparent canvas they will make the interior of the apartment more solid.

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Microtrends: Barn doors in urban apartments
How and why to decorate interior doors?

Raumkleid | Anke Preywisch

Germany: living room on the podium
In a studio apartment, the living room can be distinguished by a podium without losing square meters. Another option is to slightly change the shade of the finish on the border between the zones, for example, combine gray and white plaster. In our example from Germany, both methods were used: the interior turned out to be more precise and geometric.

Rikki Snyder

USA: priority for books
The problem of storing paper books does not become less urgent with the advent of the digital age: you want to place the family library not only compactly, but also noticeably - whatever one may say, multi-colored spines create a special atmosphere in the living room. If there are really a lot of books, equip a spacious built-in wardrobe for them up to the ceiling, leaving an opening for a sofa or TV console, as in our American example.

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Read Don't Reread: How to Store Books in a Limited Space

Japan: Enhanced Storage
How do you make small living room storage systems not only reliable, but also stylish? The answer comes from Japan in the form of four colorful suitcases fitted into the shelves of a low pedestal.

Worn suitcases always bring an element of mischief into the interior, remind you of travels - however, if you collect as many as four copies, the accent risks turning into a home flea market. The wooden frame emphasizes the characteristic Japanese rigor in the placement of accessories, which, with such a system, are always in place and work as expressive storage systems. nine0003

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Save money and surprise: 17 ideas for using old things

MOODERN

Italy: a coffee table with a secret
A lot has been said about the benefits and aesthetic component of retro accessories, but in a small living room an old suitcase can solve two practical problems at once . Firstly, to replace the coffee table and save your budget, and secondly, to store magazines and useful little things that are difficult to find a place in a small room. nine0003

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Denmark: The second life of old things in the interior of the living room big problems with the arrangement of furniture: a door here, a window there, a second one nearby - and it seems that there is no room for a full-fledged headset.

Let's take inspiration from an example from Denmark and orient the set with its back to the front door. True, the reception will work only if there is a full passage behind the sofa. But such an arrangement has an interesting psychological aspect: you and your guests seem to be fenced off from the rest of the space and get a private environment for conversation. nine0003

gosto design & lifestyle

Holland: mobile furniture
If you are used to hosting large groups, and your parties are not complete without karaoke and dancing, you should think about how to free up space if necessary. The easiest option is to have a coffee table on wheels and light chairs in addition to the sofa. When the languid tea party is over and the real holiday begins, you can easily clear the center of the room from furniture and have fun without fear that the guests will leave bruised. nine0003

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Table games: Alternatives to coffee, magazines and cocktails

Lago Design

Italy: plus a hundred points to comfort
Original design and decorative scenarios can be borrowed in Italian. The owners of the neutral-colored living room decorated the walls with soft pillows - the same ones that were placed on the sofa. This technique works not only for the wow effect, but also looks unusually comfortable: who wants to leave the living room, where pillows hug him from all sides? nine0003

Monteliushome

Sweden: additional lighting from above
A good question is how to arrange lighting in a small room. The only ceiling lamp is a taboo for a limited space: deep shadows from a light source will not add coziness to a living room. If there is simply nowhere to put a floor lamp, lower additional lighting from the walls or ceiling, and, in order not to hide the wires, beat the expressive external wiring.

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Come into the light: Lighting the living room according to the rules and canons

HIRASHIMA

Japan: study as a continuation of the living room
An example of Japanese functional design is a living room combined with an office, where the sofa and desk have a single frame. Built-in lower shelves solve the problem of storing a home library, and on the wooden armrests of the sofa or side shelves you can put, for example, a cup of tea while watching TV.

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  • Zoning a room for a bedroom and living room
  • Modern wallpaper for the hall
  • Small hall design
9000 Share your experience and photos!

Small living room design, 127 photos.

Beautiful interiors and design

Designing a small space is always a challenge for a designer. After all, here we are talking not only about creating an interesting interior, but first of all about making the interior not just beautiful, but ergonomic, comfortable in absolutely everything. And, of course, I want to avoid this unpleasant feeling, as if the walls are “pressing” on you: the room, despite its small size, should still seem spacious. This is exactly what we will talk about today - how to create the right design for a small living room. nine0003

Interior of a small living room - light walls

In any small room, walls are best painted in light, light shades like beige or light gray. Thanks to this technique, the room will appear larger, and beautiful modern furniture will come to the fore.

Interior design for a small living room - choosing a sofa

A low sofa is best suited for the interior of a small living room. Place a seemingly weightless coffee table with a glass top on an aluminum frame in front of the sofa. However, solid wood will also look good. nine0003

Read also: ideas of beautiful magazine tables, 48 ​​photos

The interior of a small living room with a glass coffee table

Little living room, combined with a kitchen

Design of a small living room in black and red-white,

Complete your interiors with furniture or accessories in clear acrylic or on slim legs that take up virtually no space visually and give the room a contemporary look. Coffee tables, bookshelves, desks, even acrylic plant pots are easy to find in stores. Place a floor lamp with a clear acrylic base and a black or white shade next to the reading chair. nine0003

Small living room interior - mirrors

Hang a mirror above the sofa to make the room appear larger. A mirror in a silver metal frame or frameless will perfectly cope with its task, besides it will give the interior a modern touch. And different-sized mirrors of a round or oval shape can be interestingly grouped, forming a whole composition.

Photo of a small living room with color accents

Opt for an accent color that will brighten up the neutral color scheme of the entire room. Scatter bright decorative pillows on the sofa, put an eye-catching carpet on the floor. Place a large glass vase of sunny yellow tulips on your coffee table. There are many options, as well as bright colors.

Bright colors for a living room in a small apartment

The most suitable colors for the design of a small living room are blue, green, orange and yellow. Cold shades of blue and green may seem too pale, but pastel shades of the same colors will create the perfect spring atmosphere. Warm orange and yellow, depending on the intensity of the color, will give the interior either a calm and cozy mood, or energize the room. Pink can also be used to design a small living room, but in small quantities and not very bright, unless you really, really like this color. nine0003

Blue walls in the interior of a small living room

A combination of green and orange for a small living room

Walls painted in different colors can always “revive” the design of a small living room. By painting one wall, you will create a bright accent; if you want to paint all the walls at once, which is also possible, consider a more neutral color scheme for furniture and accessories.

Design of a small living room in neutral colors with a separately painted wall

Another interesting technique is to use the combination of different color palettes, for example, to combine the cool tone of the walls with the warm tone of the furniture. Thus, you can create an unusual creative environment.

The combination of warm and cold colors in the interior of a small kitchen-living room

In general, the bright interior of a small living room is by no means a taboo. A carpet of flashy shades, decorative pillows of cheerful shades will refresh the room and improve your mood. And the best thing is that these decorative elements can be put away in the closet at any time and replaced with others that best suit your mood at the moment. nine0003

Sofa in the interior of a small living room

What living room is without a sofa, right? This is the central element of each living room, the arrangement of all other pieces of furniture will “dance” from the location and configuration of the sofa. But when choosing a sofa for a small living room, you must, of course, take into account its size: choose two or three-seater models, no more. However, multi-seat corner sofas, despite their bulkiness, can be very useful in terms of space zoning, especially in studios. nine0003

Zoning a small kitchen-living room with a corner sofa

Arrangement of furniture in a small living room

Who among us has not stumbled over the table in front of the sofa? How often this happens depends on how comfortable a person will feel in the room.

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