Home » Misc » Living room space savers

Living room space savers


16 Amazing Space-Saving Solutions For Your Living Room

There's something extremely charming about a tiny living room. They can, however be hard to live in. That's why employing some space-saving ideas can be a great idea.

There are lots of ways to maximise on the space you have. From the simple act of rearranging items to choosing cleverly designed furniture, there's no room too small for space-saving solutions.

I've gathered 17 great ways you can create more space in your living room today. It's time to get inspired!

Before you do, sign up to the Expert Home Tips newsletter to get all the best home hacks, living tips, competitions and more.

1. Put up some shelves to save on space down below

Look how much stuff Colleen has fitted on her own shelves!

Lack of floor space? Then it's time to start thinking about using your walls. No, I don't mean mounting your tables and chairs, I mean shelves of course!

Shelves basically expand the size of your room by giving you more surface area to work with. They're great for displaying picture frames and decor, but more importantly, clutter that needs a home.

Invest in a few storage boxes, and you've basically got a DIY cupboard, mounted up high out of the way.

2. Rearrange your living room furniture

Now, this one may sound incredibly obvious, but it's essential if you want to maximise on space.

Although placing your sofa in the centre of your room can look great, it's not always space-friendly. Pushing furniture closer together, into corners and against walls can free up lots of central space.

Step back and have a look at the furniture you currently have in your room and the way it's rearranged. Begin to think about changes you could make to use the room more effectively, and then start having a play around.

You'll be surprised how much space you can free up!

3. Multipurpose furniture can be super for space-saving

Multipurpose furniture can be so fun. Not only is it often a great talking point in a room, but it's amazing for space-saving too.

There are many simple ways you can make your existing furniture multifunctional, such as stools that double up as side tables. Alternatively, there are loads of incredible, modern pieces of furniture that serve more than one job - a sofa that has pull out pouffes and side tables, for example.

These are definitely investment pieces, but worth considering, especially if you're looking to upgrade your current furniture.

Check out our post on multifunctional furniture ideas for further inspiration.

4. Solid furniture with storage underneath

Anushka's table not only looks the part, it also provides extra storage!

Coffee tables are great for putting mugs and magazines on, but they take up so much space. This is space that could otherwise be taken up by something much more practical, such as a storage unit.

Pick a coffee table that maximises the space it takes up by choosing something that doubles up as extra storage. There are lots of lovely coffee tables on the market that have drawers or platforms underneath.

Whilst they may not look as elegant as one on spindly legs, they will prevent your room from becoming cramped by clutter.

The same can be said for side tables - opt for something with a drawer or cupboard underneath to save space elsewhere.

5. Invest in a console table

Running short on storage space? If you need somewhere to put things, a console table could be the solution. Place one behind your sofa, out of the way.

It won't take up much space at all, and won't alter the look of your room either. They key is getting one that's the perfect height so it's hidden behind the sofa back. Be sure to measure thoroughly before you invest.

6. Use your bookcases as space-saving solutions

If you're lucky enough to have floor to ceiling bookcases, space-saving couldn't be easier. These are narrow pieces of furniture that, when used well, free up loads of space around your room.

Make the most out of your bookcases by aesthetically organising lots of your wares on their shelves. This way, you won't need to buy any bulky storage furniture which would otherwise take up floor space.

Storage boxes and other organising solutions can be a great help to do this effectively.

7. Mount the tv in your living room to save on space

Think of all the space you can save.

TV's these days are so big! If you've not really got room for a console table for yours to stand on, why not mount it instead?

This will free up lots of space down below for other essential things, such as additional seating or storage.

8. Furniture that fits your living room perfectly

Small rooms can be tricky to work with. In a small space, it's more important than ever to try and find furniture that suits the space.

Corner sofas are a great example of this. Their adapted design enables them to fit snugly into tight spaces, as opposed to jutting out all over the place.

In order to pick furniture that's really suitable, take measurements of your room, and be sure to stick to them. A chair that takes up half your room will be regretted, no matter how gorgeous it is.

9. Say no to floor lamps if you want to save space

Yes, floor lamps can look great, but they're not practical if you're short on space.

Not only do the bases take up floor space, but they often hang in the way, making a small room more difficult than ever to navigate.

If you're looking to really maximise on space, keep lights to ceilings and walls wherever possible.

10. Nesting tables can be great space-saving solutions

My very own nesting tables!

For those of you who can't bring yourself to buy bulky, 'IKEA' furniture with built-in storage, nesting tables can be a wonderful solution.

I have my very own set - a coffee table with two side tables that nest underneath. They're a retro, industrial style which is much more to my taste than the IKEA stuff. Whilst they don't allow for storage underneath like other, heavier designs, they do allow me to save space.

Whilst they don't allow for storage underneath like other, heavier designs, they do allow me to save space. I often use the side tables as additional stools when friends come over - seating I would otherwise have to store elsewhere.

Have a look at some examples and see if nesting tables could be the space-saving solution for you.

11. Corner your living room shelving

Who says shelving has to be straight? Bend yours round a corner and make use of those cubby holes in your living room.

Space-saving is all about adapting your furniture and storage solutions to suit your space. Shelving that worms around walls is a great example of this.

12. Overarm side tables are absolutely genius

Side tables with storage underneath are great, but overarm tables are absolutely genius!

By using your sofas arm as the support for the side table, there's no floor space necessary. This is a great alternative to tables when there's a lack of room.

You'll be able to sit back, relax and sip on your brew in front of the tv, allowing you to embrace the cosiness of your small space.

13. Room dividers can actually save space in your living room

Colleen has made great use of her Kallax.

It often seems like the less furniture, the better with small spaces. Room dividers, however, can be extremely useful.

Although they do take up space, by dividing the room in two, you create another 'wall' to use - another surface on which to place furniture.

Many room dividers also integrate storage solutions, such as the classic Kalax range from IKEA, making them even more practical.

14. Save decor for your walls

Small living rooms can start to get crowded real quick. Don't make the mistake of overfilling yours with decor, especially if there's a shortage of space.

By mounting your photographs onto walls, you'll free up the space they would've used down below. This means more room for remote controls, magazines and tv's that need to be in reach.

15. Make use of the space under the window

Most people forget about any available space under the window - don't make the same mistake. Although you may think the wall is unusable, there are plenty of ways to work around the window and maximise on space.

Tall, side cabinets can be placed on either side of the window to frame it, which can be very effective. Another option is to find a suitable cabinet to fit undeath the window ledge. This looks particularly smart and doesn't require much space at all.

16. Floating shelves make living rooms spacious

Whoever thought of these cute little shelves is a genius.

They're an exceptional way of saving space on walls and floors, as they hang from the ceiling alone. While they may not be able to store all your books, they're the perfect place to pop a few plants or candles. Plus, they look adorable!

With all those space-saving tips, your living room will be feeling more spacious than ever!

These Are the Best Space-Saving Living Room Layouts We've Seen All Year

Style

Decorating

Living Room

by Alyssa Longobucco

published Oct 13, 2021

SavePin It

See More Images

It’s an age-old adage many know to be true: Sometimes the best ideas are born out of necessity. This is especially true when you’re a small-space dweller trying to figure out the best way to arrange your home. Often, the right setup can make all the difference, so you better believe there’s a lot of careful considering going on. 

Having lived in New York City for ten years, I know that laying out a small space often feels like a game of Tetris. City apartments rarely afford enough room for a full-sized couch, let alone a coffee table or entertainment center. Even though I’ve since traded the city for the suburbs, I still love seeing how homeowners are making their square footage count — and still find myself stealing their tips and tricks. After all, have you ever heard anyone say, “Jeez, there’s just too much free space in this living room!” Yeah… me either.

For more content like this follow

Whether your home is tiny or just want some ideas for making the most of your space, check out the seven examples below from homeowners who gamed the system and made everything from a snug studio to a railroad-style apartment feel like palatial mansions.  

SavePin It

See More Images

Pick pieces that do double duty

Just like every inch counts in a small space, so does every piece of furniture or decor you bring in. Making the most of your layout can become a lot easier if you select items that do double (or even triple!) duty in your home. Case in point: the living room of this 750-square-foot apartment in Boston, which boasts ample seating, thanks to an oversized sectional.

To make up for the space lost to that furniture choice, renters Aly and Mitch used a small circular stool as a coffee table. The round shape and flat surface allow the piece to easily flex as a surface for drinks, candles, books, and more, but it can just as quickly transform into extra seating should the duo have company over. Small spaces are all about trade-offs, and this is one I’d be willing to make considering the results.

SavePin It

See More Images

Pay attention to walkways

Small homes have a tendency to lack floor space, resulting in a cluttered maze you have to navigate your way around to walk from one room to another. This 260-square-foot studio apartment in New York City solves that issue by pushing nearly all the furniture against the walls, creating plenty of breezy walkways for making your way from one living area to the next.

While arranging furniture right against a wall is typically a design no-no, it works in a small space like this because it increases the airiness of the room while making the most of square footage that would otherwise go unused. So you heard it here: It’s okay to push your bed into a corner, and the perimeter of a room can be your furniture’s best friend.

SavePin It

See More Images

Opt for small scale furniture

Hannah Ruskin’s California studio apartment feels much roomier than its 700 square feet, due in large part to her choice of furniture. Instead of cramming the living room with full-sized pieces like a massive armchair, she swapped in a more snug and streamlined dining chair for extra seating. The end result still provides her with a complete sitting area, but there’s also more room for decor like plenty of potted plants and a side table. 

SavePin It

See More Images

Choose an airy room divider

When renters Bronte and Jordan were looking for a way to divvy up their 1,200-square-foot California loft, they broke out the toolbox, eventually crafting a 12-foot-tall room divider for under $500. The piece serves multiple purposes, allowing the couple to both display collectibles and section off their living space into a distinct “room.” The best part is that this is accomplished without depriving their nearby bedroom of much-needed light. 

If you’re not the DIY type, you can get this same look and effect with a hanging wall divider, a privacy screen that features a pattern with cut-outs, or even with a bookcase. In the case of the last option, just make sure you don’t add the backing, if your style has it, which will allow for maximum light flow.

SavePin It

See More Images

Shrink your furniture to fit your space

If full-sized pieces are just too taxing for the square footage your living area boasts, try opting for smaller versions of those furniture classics instead. In this 370-square-foot Bay Area apartment, renter Naimah opted for a petite loveseat instead of a full-sized sofa in order to give herself more room for other necessary pieces (like a dresser/nightstand hybrid). Set opposite a cozy pink chair, the navy stunner still allows Naimah to create a cozy, welcoming sitting area without sacrificing all her floor space to a too-large piece of furniture. 

SavePin It

See More Images

When in doubt, deck it out!

There’s a common misconception that small spaces have to be minimal and streamlined in order to feel liveable, but that’s just not true. Such is the case in the living room of interior designer and artist Sophia E. Agiuñaga. She upped the ante in her 900-square-foot home with a main area that goes bold with color, furniture, accessories, and art. An L-shaped, lime-colored velvet sofa from Joybird catches the majority of the attention in the living room, while a glass coffee table and decorative accents (art, sculptural lighting, and even fishing traps!) fill the rest of the space to the brim. The room doesn’t feel cramped for it, and that’s probably because the walls are white, and the space gets a lot of light, so the overall look still reads as bright and airy.

SavePin It

See More Images

Go modular — sort of

The beauty of decorating with modular furniture is that you’re basically on a choose your own adventure exercise in laying out a space when using it. However, many modular pieces can be overtly modern or kind of clunky (though of course there are exceptions!). If you want the flexibility without the futuristic feel, do what renter Toan Lam did in his 1,170-square-foot San Francisco apartment. After anchoring the living room with a luxe Z Gallerie sofa, Lam accented the space with several pieces of flexible furniture that could be separated and moved about the room. A “coffee table” comprised of three nesting faux-bamboo tables can be dispersed throughout the space as drink tables when company comes by, while a trio of colorful poufs have the same appeal as a bench when clustered together but can be arranged throughout the space as needed. You don’t have to shop something strictly labeled as a modular set to fill your space with flexible furnishings.

8 life hacks to save space in the living room – Pravo newspaper

Manager3 House

A cozy and comfortable house is the owner's dream. I want to make every corner comfortable and beautiful. This is especially true for the living room, where people often spend their free time, gather with family or friends. It seems that its dimensions are not sufficient to accommodate everything you need in one place. However, it is possible to make even a small room comfortable if you pay attention to the principles of organizing a small living room. nine0005

Contents:

The right colors "push the walls apart"

The issue of saving space may not arise if visually the room seems spacious. Feelings of lightness and freedom can be achieved by using light shades, pastel colors, discreet basic colors (white, gray, beige) in the design. If you take them as a basis when choosing the color of walls and furniture, even a very compact living room will visually grow in area. Tip: so that a light interior does not seem too boring, you can add a few bright decor elements, but carefully, avoiding the opposite effect of piling up color. nine0005

More light!

Additional lighting with the help of several lamps in different areas can advantageously emphasize the competent arrangement of things even in a small living room. It is worth taking care of the main source of natural light. When decorating a window, it is easy to overdo it with decorative elements - but they only eat up extra space. Way out: avoid excesses in decorating a window opening, preferring light, concise options for tulle and curtains.

Minimalistic approach to the amount of things

If you want more space in your house, you need to leave less things! It’s easy to gain extra square meters, only realizing what is really needed in the living room, and what you can do without. For the normal functioning of this living room, a basic set of furniture and appliances is enough: a sofa, armchairs, a table, shelving, a TV. But the TV cabinet is rather an excess, because it can be placed on the wall. nine0005

Please note! Minimalism is on trend. Following its simple principles, you can not only significantly save space by getting rid of things that do not perform any function and do not please the owners, but also make the interior more stylish - a nice bonus.

The right furniture - functional furniture

It's not enough to simply reduce the amount of furniture. It is necessary to choose compact, functional furniture of simple shapes. For example, if the sofas and armchairs are folding, there will be extra beds. It is also worth looking at the transformer models. nine0005

Materials that "blur" the boundaries

The use of materials and finishing methods that make the room more "airy" will add visual volume to the living room. These include mirror and glossy surfaces, glass, transparent, "breathing" fabrics. It is advisable for them to give preference when choosing materials for the manufacture of partitions and shutters, window decoration, decorating furniture, walls and ceilings.

A sensible approach to design and storage

When fitting indoor flowers into the interior of a small living room, you should consider a few points:

It is necessary to realistically estimate the amount of things that are supposed to be stored in the living room. Perhaps it will be possible to get by with storage devices built into furniture: linen drawers and special shelves in the armrests of the sofa, etc. It is worth taking a fresh look at unused space - for example, a place behind the door where you can hide a narrow shelf-rack for storing various little things and books. nine0005

Contemporary design solutions

Innovative design ideas to optimize space, such as a second tier add-on (in the presence of high ceilings) or a chest as storage space, a coffee table and a bright accent in the interior.

So, using just a few clever tricks when arranging a living room, you can significantly save space in this rightfully central room of the house, while adding comfort, coziness and beauty to it. nine0005 Do you have a question? Write to us!

How to save space in a small living room - designers' advice

Cozy evening, you are just about to sit on the couch in front of the TV. You are looking for a remote control and, bad luck, you stumble over a bulky coffee table and are already face to face with your beloved rug. I wish there was more space in this living room!..

Do you know? And you are not alone. Even the lucky ones, who have more spacious rooms, often complain that they do not have enough space for entertainment, imposing reclining on the couch, and general family vacation. nine0005

To summarize: if remodeling is not expected, we must make the best use of what we have. And there is no better way to do this than to rethink your design strategy!

If you live in a big city, chances are you own a condo or apartment that isn't as big as you'd like. Or maybe you have a large family, and the living room turns into a center of events.

Don't worry! By equipping your home with the “right” furniture, you can create the illusion of a large space. Not to mention that you, dear readers of Little Interiors, will have a place to move freely around the room. nine0005

Choosing compact furniture

Let's start with the obvious. If you have a small room, don't fill it with bulky furniture.

Choose household items that are small enough to fit into your living room on the one hand, but large enough to fulfill their role on the other. For example, CB2's Cielo Shadow Loveseat is perfect for a compact room:

Here's another great example: the Flex Orange Sleeper sofa, also from CB2. This bright and pretty sofa unfolds, and accordingly your guests will have a place to stay for the night. nine0005

Narrow living space requires appropriate pieces of furniture. If your living room is longer than it is wide, get something long and narrow. Like this combination of sofa, newsstand and console shelf (Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture)

Buy Modular Furniture

Another great solution for small spaces is using modular furniture. Look at the Lotus Natural Sectional Pieces (CB2) set, its shape and configuration can be changed depending on the need. nine0005

One of the most popular options for a modular ensemble is a composite table. You want one long table - combine two of its components, you need free space in the center of the room - arrange them in the corners or on both sides of the sofa. (Home Glamor Now)

A great option is to purchase small tables that easily transform into stools. With such an abundance of stools, you will definitely have enough space for every guest. (Stephanie Wiley Photography)

Let each element be meaningful

When it comes to space, it's important to give functionality to every design element. Note that for particularly compact rooms, you need to adhere to the idea of ​​\u200b\u200b"the less furniture, the better." They will acquire charm and comfort through carefully selected exhibits.

This can be seen by looking at the design of the room below. Everything: a bright sofa, a striped bowl, an original vase - gives the room a sense of artistic taste. (Roger Hirsch Architect)

A similar note of “a little, but cozy” comes through here too. A curved lamp, a sectional sofa and a square coffee table bring balance to the decor of the room. These things, although quite majestic, do not cause a feeling of lack of space. (Mark Newman Design)

Check out another use for a sectional sofa and square coffee table. Add a large flower to the composition and the elegance of the lobby is guaranteed. And those textured walls? Graceful and unusual. (Ocean Gecko Designs and Marine Services)

Below we see a living room that seduces with antique elegance: wicker chairs, round brass table, lush greenery. Each item is chosen with care, as evidenced by the selection of textures, bright colors, intricate decorative details. (Cheryl Burke Interior Design)

As a final instance to the "every element counts" section, here's Julius Grass Storage Ottoman by CB2. If there is not enough space anyway, then why not choose furniture that will be multifunctional?

Ottoman gives you a lot: extra storage space, rest for your legs, extra seating for guests.

Combine glass and acrylic

Now it's time to showcase the most popular design secrets: the illusion of extra space created by transparent furniture. nine0005

Transparent things seem to dissolve in the space of the room. At the same time, acrylic details add chic, creating a modern touch and sometimes even real glamour. (Dawna Jones Design)

The use of transparent elements in the interior should not be limited to plexiglass products. Try adding real glass elements like this glass table pictured below. The transparent part seems to float in space and takes up less space. (Cary Bernstein Architect)

Another important rule: shiny + reflective = more space. Take a look at this room. Thanks to the shiny details and mirrored surfaces, it's hard to imagine that the room is small. Brilliantly! (Design Studio B)

More and more acrylic furniture is now appearing on the market, these are all kinds of consoles, tables, shelves and much more. How do you like, for example, this Peekaboo Clear Media console? Transparent and practical. Compact and perfect.

Creative storage solutions

Of course, you won't use your room as a warehouse, but whatever you say, you will have to place some things here. Things like DVDs, magazines, books, collectibles require space.

Few owners are content in a room with only furniture and a few vases. It is good that manufacturers such as West Elm create furniture for our convenience that helps us solve such problems. (Industrial Metal TV Cart)

For a more sophisticated style, take Rustic Storage Tables, also from West Elm. Deep drawers provide a secluded place for things, and they themselves are practically hidden from prying eyes. nine0005

Don't underestimate the power of hanging shelves.

Learn more