I’ve lived in apartments where, lets just say you had to climb over each other to get to the other side of the living room. Not fun. But I’ve since learned a few things about how to make the most of your living room, no matter how small. No matter what your decorating style, these small living room ideas will not only make your living room feel much more spacious, but there is no compromise on style either.
My biggest rule for keeping small spaces clutter free is ‘one in, one out’. Replace things as and when you feel you want to but don’t keep adding. Simple. But there are lots of other things you can do to make the most of your small living space.
Small living room ideas with a scandi vibe:
1. NEUTRAL COLOURS
Think neutral tones – grey, white, black, beiges. These work best for small spaces and will effortlessly give you a cool Scandi look too. The key is to keep the colour palette consistent with everything in the room, so the entire space feels harmonious. The apartment pictured above (first of the three pics) is tiny – measuring under 400 sq ft or 36 sq m – that’s the whole apartment, not the living space. We see lots of white mixed with shades of grey and black. Tiny as it is, the space feels cozy, spacious and stylish.
2. GO BIG
One big piece of furniture is far better than lots of little pieces in a small living room. Little pieces end up looking bitty and make the small space feel cluttered. The middle picture is another small apartment measuring under 600 sq foot or 55 sq m, so the living room is very small but by having one large sofa they’ve made the space feel spacious and there is still plenty of room to walk around things. And big, plump sofa’s are so comfy too.
3. NAKED WINDOWS
This is a little controversial but I say go with bare windows if you can. You’ll let in maximum natural light which will make your living space feel bigger. But if you’re overlooked or just prefer windows being covered, choose the same colour as your walls – white on white, grey on grey etc. And consider sheer fabrics like linen that allow the light in while still giving you privacy.
4. BUY MULTI-PURPOSE FURNITURE
Buy furniture that has more than one use. Use a stool as a coffee table that can also be used as extra seating when needed. Or instead of a display shelf, go for a bench that can even be used at the dining table or anytime you need extra seating.
5. GO FOR OVERSIZED STATEMENT LIGHTING
Lighting is oh so important in any space but even more in a small space. One oversized pendant light can create a real statement in a small living room. Opt for sheer fabric lights, wooden lights or see through glass, rather than heavy metal or chunky chandelier like lights. Alternatively, an oversized floor lamp can work well too.
6. THINK ABOUT THAT SHELFIE
It’s always nice to have some books and art on display, no matter how small your living room is. Instead of going for a big, heavy bookcase or display shelves, opt for some picture ledges and paint them in the same colour as the wall. They look much lighter than a book case and can be used to display books, art and magazines. With picture ledges, you can also easily switch things around whenever you feel like a change.
7. CREATE CLUSTERS NOT CLUTTER
Having a small living room doesn’t mean it has to be free of personal objects. Every home, no matter how small can and should show your personality. But rather than scattering things around the place, create a cluster of things in one place. This makes everything come together and look like it’s meant to be there rather than looking like it’s been left lying around.
8. PLANTS ARE YOUR FRIENDS
Plants are a great way to add warmth and depth to a small living room. And plants don’t just have to be placed on tables and floors, but instead if space is very limited, consider hanging plants too.
These small living room ideas will help you create a space that not only looks warm, inviting and stylish but also will make your living space feel bigger. And who doesn’t want that?
Image credits: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 – source unknown | 9 |
[…] it means having only what you need and most importantly, living clutter-free, no matter how big or small your living space. It’s the opposite of feeling the need to fill every bit of floor space or shelf space, but […]