Décor ideas for a small living room

Small living rooms need not be loathed, shunned, and given up on. On the contrary, living rooms with limited space can be a much-loved place to gather, sit, socialise and be the hub of the family home.

With some creativity and interior design know-how, you can transform a small or awkwardly shaped living room into one that oozes with style, sophistication and, most importantly, more space.

If your living room is on the small size and you yearn for greater space, take a look at the following ways to supersize a living room without having to knock down walls and re-mortgage your home to pay for complicated structural changes.

Scale the furniture to fit the size of the room

Oversized corner sofas look fabulous in the right room but not when they’re shoved into a living room that’s not endowed with much space. Large, bulky pieces of furniture such as armchairs, sofas, coffee tables and cabinets will take up too much room, make the space appear cramped, and block much of the view.

Swap bulky furniture with smaller, more minimalist pieces to literally create more space. Another good tip in small living rooms is to use furniture with high legs so that the flooring is exposed underneath the items. Being able to see more of the floor will create the illusion of greater space.

Opt for reflective surfaces

Dark, matte finishes will do little in terms of reflecting light, which is key in helping small spaces look bigger. Trade matte finishes with a polished, shiny alternative. Walls, for example, could be finished in a polished plaster, which will reflect the light and create a visual perception of space.

Mirrors will have a similar effect, bouncing light around and casting reflections, which, again, will make the space seem bigger.

Cut out the clutter

It might sound obvious, but the simplest way to make a small living room appear bigger is to lose the clutter. Ornaments piled up on shelving should be vetoed, as should toys, plants, and other unnecessary items. Windowsills should be void of any clutter to optimise the amount of daylight filtering into the living space.

Accessories should be kept to bare minimum and the flooring should be clear, to help make the space feel orderly and, vitally, bigger.

A decluttered, tidy living space with carefully thought-out furniture, colour palettes, and finishing touches, will appear significantly larger, brighter, and geared up for socialising.