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How to lay out furniture in a small living room


Small living room layouts – 13 ways to arrange furniture in a tiny space |

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The pressure’s on when it comes to small living room layouts – you’ve got to juggle storage and seating and surface space and soft furnishing, while also making sure it feels calm and spacious. And yes, sometimes it feels like a bit of an impossible task. How can you ever arrange this amount of furniture into a small space while still keeping it feeling open and airy?

However, with some savvy planning and a discerning eye, it’s possible to create the perfect small living room layout. The living room is often a place to chill, a place to work, a place to entertain, and sometimes even a place to sleep, so it’s got to be a hard-working multifunctional space. 

Flexible living room furniture is king, such as modular pieces or those that can double up as seating and storage, yet it’s important not to cram it all in. Sometimes less is more, and leaving space to walk freely around the furniture will create a luxurious feel. 

How do you layout a small living room?

As more of us work and play at home, the living room now has to cater to various roles. It’s important to really think about how you spend your time in the space, as this will largely determine your layout. 

When it comes to choose the best furniture for small living rooms, ditch the trad three-piece suite and go for versatility and mobility. A couple of stylish slipper chairs or a cozy love seat paired with footstools or ottomans that can double up as seating, storage or side tables, will be more valuable than a pair of bulky sofas. Look for shallow-depth furniture, modular designs and bespoke built-in solutions that will all curb clutter and save valuable floor space.

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'Once you’ve decided on your key pieces, lay newspaper to mimic the size of the furniture you're looking to put in to help you visualize just how much room everything will take,' says Emma Deterding, founder of Kelling Designs . 'It'll also help you make important decisions about the size and scale of big pieces and whether the room will feel spacious or restricted.'

1. Opt for a symmetrical living room layout

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'Symmetry makes everything easier on the eye and it’ll automatically make the space feel orderly and calm.' says interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke . 

However, don’t go too streamlined; small spaces can often feel boxy so break up lines with plenty of curves and textured surfaces to add interest. She also suggests incorporating seamless hidden doors when wall space is at a premium – you can hang pictures on it, or even create a recessed bookcase within the door itself. 

2. Float your furniture

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Floating furniture is another good small living room layout idea, as it leaves the floor free, enhancing the proportions of the space. 

As your sofa is likely to be the largest single item in your living room, it's worth paying attention to getting this key piece right. Our guide to the best sofas has some great options for smaller spaces - think compact shapes elevated on tall legs that add a feeling of spaciousness by allowing your eye to travel underneath the sofa to the farthest walls

Use a bit of visual trickery too – layered lighting will make a small living room feel larger by drawing the eye around the room. The same goes for furniture; ensure you have a range of heights in the space as it’ll feel two-dimensional if it all sits on a low level.

3. Build it in  

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Swapping a sofa for a space-saving bench seat is a smart way to make the most of the space underneath a window. In this chic San Fran pad, ABD Studios utilized the corner by creating a stylish shallow-depth lounger, swapping a bulky backrest for a stash of plump cushions propped up against the windows. 

4. Break it up 

(Image credit: Emily Rickard)

If your budget won’t stretch to bespoke designs, modular furniture is the next best thing. Interior designer Emily Rickard hacked this Ikea Soderhamn sectional sofa to fit her space by popping a nifty triangular storage table in between two sections. It meant the sofa could fan around the corner of the room to gain extra floor space.

5. Make mirrors key in a small living room layout

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Mirrors are a brilliant way to enhance the perception of space and an essential to creating a small living room layout that feels light and open. Why not go one step further and add a statement mirror wall for real glam factor. 

'We always strategically place mirrors opposite windows to make a tight layout feel bigger and brighter,' says Costanza Ranieri of Ivar London . 'Just make sure it’s not reflecting other mirrors, as you get that never-ending effect, which makes for a very odd and kitsch space.'

6. Go floor to ceiling with storage

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The best way to boost a small living room layout is to go for floor-to-ceiling living room storage. It’s an opportunity to create a shelfie-worthy space that will add bags of charm in a limited space. 

Kingston Lafferty designed this playful bookcase with a ladder to access the full-height storage. 'Using mirrored paneling breaks up the solid block of cabinets and gives the illusion that the floor runs on beyond the furniture,' says Becky Russell of Kingston Lafferty .

7. Choose space saving furniture

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Corner or chaise sofas are often a go-to in small living rooms as they give max comfort and take up minimal floor space, plus they’re fab for impromptu sleepovers. 

Or, if you regularly have overnight guests, then you could take multifunctional furniture to the max by swapping your sofa for a sofa bed. Our guide to the best sofa beds has options that are comfortable enough to use as your everyday seating.

Also, choose curvy pieces – they not only look chic but save valuable inches by shaving off the corners. In this scheme designed by 2LG Studio , a sultry raspberry-red slipper chair adds glam without the footprint, while a matching footstool doubles up as a makeshift coffee table.

8. Create a cozy nook

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Quirky niches and recesses are ripe for transforming into comfy seating areas as they don’t eat up valuable floor space. Even better, add storage underneath like in this apartment renovation by Vanrenen GW Designs to stash any inevitable living-room flotsam.

9. Work with a narrow living room 

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If you’ve got a long narrow living room layout to work with, think outside the box – literally. Carve out niches, recesses and oriel windows to create seating opportunities as well as extra surfaces for books and knick-knacks. Architecture firm Loader Monteith added a series of frameless windows in this living room to avoid a dark corridor effect and to make it feel visually wider.

10. Make the most of wall space

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If you’re working with a super-tiny space, slim picture ledges are a slick way of incorporating storage without taking up room with bulky furniture, as well as adding interest with books, art and photos. To maximize the illusion of space, a clever trick is to go dark – by painting both the walls and shelving black, it’ll make the walls look further away than they really are.

11. Pick a small living layout that embraces the coziness

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“Avoid pushing the furniture back against the wall, even if you feel like you can’t fit it in,” says interior designer Emily Rickard. “A little breathing space around key pieces makes the room feel bigger, plus it will create an intimate and cosy vibe.” A rug will also help ground the furniture and leaving a border of floor space will enhance the sense of spaciousness.

12. Utilize the back of the sofa

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In a small living room, every surface is an opportunity, so think about using the back of a sofa, especially in an open-plan layout. 

'We wanted to include a study space without impacting the elegance of the sitting room, where we knew we wanted two slim sofas facing each other,' says Sarah Peake of Studio Peake . 'Putting a slim desk against the back of a sofa was the perfect solution. Always try to incorporate a view if you can – we positioned it so you can gaze out the window beyond the sitting room.'

13. Rethink your lighting scheme

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Obviously, even small living rooms need decent lighting, but when you’re trying to squeeze every square inch out of the floorplan, table and floor lamps can feel like a luxury. Swing-arm wall sconces are a savvy choice as they make stylish reading lamps, leaving side-table surfaces free.

Furniture Arrangement Ideas for a Small Living Room

Small living room furniture arrangement can be a challenge, but as shocking as it seems, small living rooms are often easier to decorate than larger ones, especially on a budget. The main, basic design rule applies for a small living room as it would for a larger room. Choose furniture that fits the space, and do not try to squeeze too much in.

Here are four ideas for furniture layouts for small living rooms that may inspire you and show you that less can be more.

Watch Now: How to Make a Space Cozy But Not Crowded

Arrangement of furniture in the living room: types and basic rules

Stalinka - an apartment in the center

From the colloquial name, it is clear that this housing was built from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s. A distinctive feature of these apartments are ceilings 3.5 meters high. Therefore, there is more air in them, space and the spirit of the times are felt.

Builder's layout

The apartments had from 1 to 3 rooms. The living room more often became the largest room itself.

In stalinkas, they had a rectangular shape, the area was from 16.5 to 19.4 sq / m.

Living room furniture arrangement

In this case, the plan for arranging furniture in the living room comes down to several options:

1. The sofa is placed against the wall, on the contrary, furniture is placed under the TV.

With this arrangement, the middle of the room remains free, the passage to the window is open. Additionally, you can put a coffee table, a small pouffe or an oversized chair.

Furniture should not occupy the entire space, interfere with the household. Minimum distance between furnishings - 60 cm.

2. The furniture group is formed near the window. It turns out a cozy corner, which can be supplemented with the directional light of a floor lamp, a stand with flowers, a fountain, a table.

The distance between the chair and the window must be sufficient for free passage to the curtain.

3. There is an interesting layout in Stalinist apartments, where the room has hinged doors in the center. If they are preserved, then the sofa can be placed with its back to the entrance. This is a bold and interesting decision. This arrangement of furniture in the living room is close to European, an example in the photo.

In the interior of even a small living room, two sofas located in parallel look cozy and modern. Such a zone is appropriate opposite the swing door. In the center is traditionally a coffee table. A large company will sit behind him for games or tea drinking. And the guests will communicate without a TV, looking into each other's eyes.

Sofas of the same design should be selected, models identical in color and size form a single ensemble.

The smaller the area of ​​the room, the more minimalist the furniture. Avoid bulky armrests and frilly backs. They steal centimeters.

Khrushchevka - mass building

Khrushchev houses were built from the late 1950s to the early 1980s. It was they who received the name "cells" for their small areas and low ceilings of 2.5 meters.

Small but own

The living room in the odnushka had a large open span from the corridor to the kitchen. As if part of the wall was missing. In such a room, it was necessary to arrange a lot: a wardrobe, a table, a sofa bed, a children's corner (if there was a child in the family).

Modern methods of space division

This is where zoning comes in. You can clearly delimit the space with a rack, a filament curtain (muslin), flooring and wallpaper.

A place to rest for the night is transformed into a sleeping place, so a sofa bed is needed. The set can make a chair-bed for a child.

Narrow armrests save space and emphasize the seating area.

A sofa or furniture group can become the center of the interior, a bright color will emphasize this. The color of the upholstery is combined with textiles and decorative elements, with Anderssen you get a design for the interior of your living room.

The sofa is placed against a blank wall, leaving the middle of the room free. On a small wall with a kitchen, they put a rack under the TV, opposite a desk or computer desk.

Such a furniture ensemble will become the basis of the situation in the living room.

Two- and three-room apartments from the time of N.S. Khrushchev have a walk-through room. Complicates the arrangement of furniture in such a living room, the arrangement of doors diagonally.

A corner sofa will help separate the seating area from the aisle.

Each corner of the walk-through living room can be decorated in an individual style. Create islands of comfort for reading, meeting guests or watching TV.

Oversized sofas on one side are suitable for this.

and original armchairs on the other.

A small area for relaxing with a book or a cup of tea takes up little space. The upholstery is matched to the color of the interior.

A low coffee table will complement the composition and create a separate workplace in the living room.

Brezhnevka - an apartment with an improved layout

In apartments built from 1964 to the beginning of the 80s, there were ceilings 2.65 m high, the area of ​​​​a large room was from 16.5 to 18.3 sq / m. All of them are regular rectangular in shape.

Planning a layout in a rectangular living room

How to arrange furniture in such a living room, the owner decides. There are several schemes applicable for such a room.

Pieces of furniture are arranged in pairs. It can be sofas, armchairs, chests of drawers, shelving, floor lamps. This arrangement of furniture in the living room is a win-win. A calm, cozy interior is created, in which it is pleasant to be every day.

The interior is harmonious due to the thoughtful arrangement of furniture, selected colors. You can combine a sofa and 2 armchairs or make a corner sofa an accent. Minimalist poufs, bulky shelving and display cabinets will be appropriate.

Malosemeyka: how to sit on 12 square meters

Apartment with a total area of ​​20–23 sq/m. The room in such flats is 12–14 meters, with a window almost the entire wall, and pipes pass through narrow piers. If one person lives on such an area, then it is possible to put a small double sofa, a table, allocate space for a computer and a wardrobe.

You will have to save space on everything: armrests, backrest are minimalistic. Drawer for additional storage.

Studio

Studio apartments have a single area, sizes from 22 to 130 sq / m. The owner gets 4 walls, with one or more windows. The kitchen area is marked with a sink, otherwise there is complete freedom of creativity. The most common furnishing option is zoning.

The dining area is formed by a bar counter or a small table. Rest and sleep area combined. Corner sofa will accommodate guests, will allow you to relax in comfort. Hanging shelves with interior baskets and boxes or a cabinet of small depth will solve storage problems. Each zone is decorated with a separate carpet or different floor coverings.

It is necessary to think over the arrangement of furniture in the studio carefully so that there is a feeling of spaciousness, and not crampedness.

Modern new buildings

Now the apartments have an area of ​​40 sq/m and up to "infinity". But even in one-room apartments there are separate dressing rooms or areas for a built-in wardrobe, which makes it easier to create an interior. Now the wardrobe giant is not needed.

The rules for arranging furniture in the living room depend on the chosen style and the needs of the owners.

The ANDERSSEN online store catalog contains sofas for modern styles (loft, contemporary, grunge, minimalism), Scandinavian and English interiors, and just for people who appreciate comfort and coziness.

we are waiting for you in the showrooms of the ANDERSSEN upholstered furniture factory

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How to arrange the furniture in the living room: step-by-step instructions - INMYROOM

Small apartment

dressing room and office. How to find a place for design and decor in this cramped space?

The living room or, as we often say, the hall is almost always furnished in the same way: sofa, TV, coffee table. Usually it serves as a bedroom at night, sometimes it houses a library, almost always - storage space. A little less often, a work area is added to this set.

We have collected several detailed recommendations that will allow you to competently zone such a living room with the help of furniture: the one in which they receive guests, sleep and periodically work.

1. Prepare the layout plan

Moving furniture on paper is much easier than in reality. Proper layout starts with a plan: draw the room from the top. Experts believe that the most convenient scale is 1:20.

Specify where the windows are located, to what depth and in which direction they open. The same applies to the balcony and the front door. Mark out radiators, sockets, outlets for lamps, ledges of load-bearing walls, beams on the ceiling.

2. Sketch scenarios

Designers, architects, and even feng shui experts recommend starting with as the main piece of furniture in the room. Therefore, to begin with, it is important to understand what all daily actions and manipulations will line up around in the living room.

If this is really a gathering place for a circle of friends or a large family, then becomes the center of attention of the soft group. If people sleep in the living room at night (we accepted this condition from the very beginning), then the main object will be sofa bed , which should be placed first of all with the comfort of those sleeping on it.

There are owners who like to dine in the living room - they will have to take care of the dining group. There are those who keep a lot of things in this room - simply because there is nowhere else. Often there is a need for a workplace. But, in fact, the new functionality of the living room is a place for general relaxation, one large sofa with a table on which you can put decorations, flowers, candles and something tasty. It is such a living room, not overloaded with other furniture, that can be a very comfortable bedroom.

3. Estimate the scope

Imagine how your furniture “works”. Arrange the squares and rectangles cut to the desired scale according to the grid plan so that they do not interfere with each other. And not only in static positions: measure and take into account the depth to which drawers open, cabinet doors, the sofa moves apart.

Create space between objects for comfortable use and free passage. For example, the distance from furniture with hinged doors should be equal to the width of the door, plus a minimum of 60 centimeters (this is the width of the minimum passage).

You will find a lot of interesting things: a chair, moved up to the table according to your plan, may not block the passage - but, being set aside, it blocks half the room. If you decide to hang shelves next to the door, see if it will bump into them. Thus, it is important to think over and mark out all movements and functional movements associated with furniture.

4. Apply the laws of composition

The first rule, especially important for small rooms - rule in proportion to . For most of our living rooms in typical apartments, it is better to choose compact furniture - leave huge sofas and wardrobes to country palaces.

If you absolutely need to use a large piece of furniture in the interior (for example, you cannot refuse a large armchair or you cannot raise your hand to throw away a huge wardrobe), place such an object away from windows and doors.

Another composition law: symmetrical arrangement pieces of furniture more suitable for large rooms . But if you want to bring the spirit of classic interiors into a very small room, use narrow tall shelving or compact console cabinets. Upholstered furniture (miniature sofas and small armchairs, preferably with legs) should be placed symmetrically opposite each other.

In general, asymmetric arrangement is more suitable for small rooms. Different heights and depths of pieces of furniture visually create an interesting and slightly unpredictable pattern. So in addition to the plan, you might also want to draw a wall map to give you an idea of ​​how objects of different sizes will look.

5. Add air

In all the current photos of the interiors of modern living rooms, there is almost no high furniture. And this is absolutely logical: the living room suggests splendor, this is the most representative room in the home, do not overload it with excessive functionality.

Even if you have only a small kopeck piece, you can make the living area “idle” and refined at least by removing high furniture from it. If necessary, design a closet at one of the end walls of the room, preferably closer to the entrance, so the rest of the volume will be freed from unnecessary clutter.

Organize storage inside the closet so that you can do without additional modular furniture. The “walls” familiar to us, contrary to popular belief, small living rooms do not decorate in any way.

Leave one of the walls empty if possible. Or closed furniture up to half. This can be free space above the sofa - or a wall opposite it, on which a screen is usually located. More air - more visual comfort, and in fact it is necessary in the living room!

6. Organize alternative storage

The modern look at furnishing does not imply a complete rejection of tall cabinets, but it would be better if shelving units act in their role. Narrow column shelving looks great in a small living room and can become a versatile zoning tool.

For example, they can be used to separate the workplace from the public area. They can frame the sofa - if it unfolds, the racks in their middle part will play the role of bedside tables, and upstairs you can remove items that are not used daily.

Racks can also be placed along a conditionally “empty” wall by turning them horizontally. Books will fit perfectly inside, and the end surface will turn into a shelf for decor.

7. Equip additional functional areas

If the living room needs a place to care for clothes, place it next to the built-in wardrobe (if any), partially fence off the dressing area from the rest of the space, find a place for an ironing board (in the same wardrobe , for example) and a large mirror.

The sofa can be installed not close to the wall, but at a certain distance. Behind it, put cargo racks , like kitchen ones: they go in both directions (provided that there is enough space for such a reception).

Those who are used to working in the living room should pay attention to corner computer desk - such models are usually compact and designed as ergonomically as possible. If it is important to arrange a workplace by the window, build up the window sill using a countertop.

The same technique will allow you to place the so-called coffee zone near the window in a non-trivial way: if there is no room for a small table and pouffes around it, then table-top-sill and high chairs will perfectly cope with the role of a coffee bar.

Choose light, openwork chairs with thin legs. And pouffes can be found hollow inside, with seat covers - and you can store, say, art supplies in them. Or home clothes.

8. Let go of stereotypes

The living room today is a place for informal pastime, so do not try to repeat the design from the picture. In the same way that you found a custom layout plan, look for your own finishes and decor options. And, of course, furniture filling.

Refusing modular furniture, try to do without soft headset . Who said that armchairs and a sofa should be similar? Or maybe a sofa is not needed at all? And a Japanese futon (if you need a bed) or a few poufs is enough.

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