Living Room

If your living room, family room, or sitting room feels cramped and cluttered, the last thing you'll want to do is spend time in it. Let's change that! Because no matter how small a space is, there are designer strategies to make it feel much bigger than it appears to be. It's not magic; it's just smart styling and layout problem-solving. Get ready to bookmark all these tips and transform your small living room into a comfortable, stylish oasis for you and your household to hang out in. With these designer examples and decorating ideas to guide the way, you'll love the space so much that you'll never want to leave it.

Sometimes smaller spaces actually allow for bolder color and pattern experiments. Here, Katie Rosenfeld worked in pairs. She used the same floral pattern for the sofa and drapes, corresponding (and wilder!) cheetah prints on the carpet and throw pillow, and then coupled the springy green paint with the striped ottoman. If you love this look but prefer something a touch more modern, try this formula but then swap in the traditional prints for edgy, modern photography or an abstract painting.

David Frazier carved out both a formal sitting and dining room within the same small space. A statement pendant over the pedestal table helps separate the dining zone, and stackable dining chairs can also double as extra sitting in the living room. Pops of dark yellow speak to the warm antique wood pieces and break up the monochromatic color scheme, and a ceiling-high curtain rod adds depth.

Beautiful Living Room Ideas & Designs

Ditch the sofa altogether if you'd rather use the living room as a place to catch up and chat with others as opposed to lounging horizontally. Four blue-painted rattan chairs are oriented towards each other for visits, but they're comfy enough to recline and stretch out on during life's quieter moments in this fun small living room designed by Avery Cox.

In a Parisian apartment designed by Lichelle Silvestry, luxe, warm, and texture-rich velvet seating further enhances the elaborate period elements. “I adore using materials that add character and authenticity to my interiors, ” Silvestry says. “It’s a sensory feast.”

In this small bungalow living room designed by Another Human, the contemporary linen-covered loveseat gets a bohemian treatment surrounded by a mix of granny-chic accents and '70s details. A surprising and rejuvenating shade of purple keeps things fresh and exciting.

Stunning Drawing Room Designs And Decor Ideas By Livspace

Amber El-Amin worked around an odd overhang above the sofa area by hanging a plant from it. It enlivens the nook and brings a touch of unexpected whimsy without forgoing light—the two vintage lamps are strategically placed to brighten the tonal and laid-back yet upscale living room.

Located by the entry and kitchen in the Novogratz family home, this bonus sitting room is a crash pad for any loitering kids or guests. It's also a great design formula for anyone looking for a formal setup in a smaller space: Colorful artwork, minimal decorative objects, and streamlined furniture... Just the basics! But in bright colors.

Old books and heirlooms will instantly make a room feel more personal, and exposed shelving and/or glass-enclosed cabinets will really let them shine. In this living room designed by Oliver Thornton, they add character and speak to the layered warmth of the furnishings, even though the space isn't huge.

A Guide To Living Room Interior Design Styles

If you're feeling stuck and uninspired, a room-spanning rug or piece of artwork can be a great jumping-off point for the rest of the color scheme. Everything in this small living room is inspired by the gorgeous Art Deco rug, from the plaster color-blocked paint to the masculine leather sofas. A lucite table keeps a lower visual profile while speaking to the mirrored ceiling.

This simple living room designed by Robert McKinley Studio incorporates tons of texture, from the rug to the shades and the sofa. These casual materials make it feel casual while still being fresh and stylish.

A reupholstered ottoman will play the role of a coffee table, footrest, and even extra seating depending on what you need it for. It's also a great option for anyone with small children or pets since the edges are soft, and it allows for extra pattern plays if you choose something fun like this triangle print in a sitting room by Les Ensembliers.

A Gallery Of Living Room Inspiration

Call on lucite and acrylic furniture in small spaces that start to feel visually chaotic. Thanks to their transparent nature, you can count on them to disappear into the background. A waterfall coffee table in this small living room by Ashley Whittaker is a prime example.

Mirroring all your walls to bounce light may seem like a tall task, but what about just hanging a few separate wall-spanning mirrors and then customizing the frames with one paint color to make them cohesive? The green monochrome situation in this small living room designed by Benjamin Dhong is also inspiring use to layer various shades of one color.

Bring on the cozy vibes with plenty of soft fabrics, and even apply them to your walls! A fabric-covered ottoman, lush blue velvet sectional, room-spanning rug, fun armchair, and upholstered walls. This polished space by Nick Olsen is all the convincing we need.

Top 10 Small Living Room Ideas For Your Home

In a bohemian living room, pretty much anything goes—but if you need some guidance, try applying this formula: daybed plus side chair, armchair, floor pillows, and a couple of stools. In this case, Commune Design also incorporated a statement rug and task lighting.

Eliza Crater Harris, the great great-granddaughter of Sister Parish, doesn't let limited square footage stop her from incorporating plenty of personality-packed patterns. Ceiling-high curtains elongate the room to make it feel larger and clean-lined furniture prevents the room from feeling too full.

Leaning into the smallness of a space can actually be what makes it feel genuinely cozy and inviting. Keep seating close together and intimate, pile one textile and rugs in neutral tones, as Tamsin Johnson did here. Then utilize your walls for everything else, from task lighting to colorful artwork.

Cozy Living Room Ideas: 20 Warm And Restful Schemes |

If you're short on space, you might have the urge to fill all usable floor space with furniture. But sometimes less is more, especially in small rooms that can quickly start to look over-crowded. Instead of a large sectional, which can sometimes look bulky, float two smaller sofas across from each other with a two-tier coffee table in between, as David Mann did here.

Eclectic and organic spaces like this one designed by Leanne Ford Interiors call for quirky seating arrangements and out-of-the-box furniture. Two small stools are painted white for a softer, cohesive, and personalized look in lieu of coffee tables, cushions are piled on top of a ledge as a makeshift softa, and a swing is hung from the low ceiling.

Area rugs separate the different zones in this studio apartment designed by Peter Frank. There's also plenty of accent seating on deck but out of the pathways when not in use, a small space strategy that always delivers.

Small Living Room Ideas To Copy For Rooms Of Any Size

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How To Decorate Your Large Living Room

Admittedly, a living room and the modern aesthetic don’t seem like a particularly compatible duo. As Cochineal Design principal and cofounder Sarah Sargeant points out, simply hearing about a modern living room might conjure a look that’s “sterile, austere, and one-note.” But in reality? Modern living rooms can deftly bridge the gap between the welcoming and well appointed. “Modernity has a streamlined tone that balances historic forms with a fresh sensibility, ” New York-based designer Augusta Hoffman explains.

In fact, a modern look can mean incorporating anything from minimal to midcentury, natty to neutral, chrome to concrete. But where to start when you want to find your own version of modern? “I think that the most successful modern spaces find beauty in practicality, while using rich materials to soften the minimalism, Hoffman adds. Sargeant agrees. “For us, modern means it achieves lifestyle needs while also being minimal leaning, ” she tells us. “We believe mixing time periods, tones, and textures can achieve a current look.” In 2023, Sargeant says, the secret to achieving a modern living room is “taking environmental, ecological, and longevity factors into account.” In other words, using locally sourced materials, working with nearby vendors, and minimizing climate impacts by reusing and buying vintage