Calling my current living room small would be accurate, if not an understatement. Despite the fact that we have a sofa in the space, I still think it’s more of a hallway than an actual living room. Thanks to the odd shape, my roommates and I had to get creative to make the space feel comfy without being cluttered.
If you have a small living room, you may be on the lookout for some useful tipsto decorate a small space. Here are some of the best life hacks for decorating tiny living rooms that I’ve learned over the past couple of years:
MOUNT YOUR TELEVISION
This tip has been a godsend for my apartment. Remember how I said the space looks like a hallway? (It actually connects our foyer and kitchen!) Adding an entertainment cabinet was out of the question, unless we wanted to climb over our coffee table to access the kitchen– no thank you!
I highly recommend mounting your TV if you have the option– it frees up space on the ground, flattens the TV against the wall, and makes it accessible to everyone, no matter where they sit in your tiny living room. And in a small living room, angling your furniture perfectly isn’t always an option.
PRIORITIZE FLOW
The best life hacks for small spaces always include movement, and for good reason. If you stuff all of your belongings in the living room without thinking about walking paths, you’ll get frustrated real fast. When you decorate, prioritize flow, by which I mean figure out how you naturally want to move throughout the space.
For me, this meant leaving the center of the living room from the foyer to the kitchen open– I have to walk this way many times a day, so I wanted to be able to beeline.Once you’ve identified walkways, set up your furniture.
INCLUDE STORAGE
As with all small spaces, you should purchase multifunctional furniture. That way, each piece does multiple jobs so you don’t have to take up more of your limited space. Ottomans with built-in storage, coffee tables that have drawers– items like these give you extra room to keep belongings out of sight that would otherwise create clutter.
Wall-mounted shelving is also ideal for small living rooms. It doesn’t take up any space on your floor (you’d probably rather put a sofa there) and it provides a spot to display your DVD collection.
Additionally, use the space underneath furniture. For instance, you can slide flat plastic storage tubs underneath your sofa to hold things like DVDs or extra cords.
SHRINK YOUR SCALE
Unfortunately, a sectional complete with chaise lounge isn’t going to fit in a small living room (unless your space has some Mary Poppins magic). Instead of seeking large, poufy furniture, rethink your scale.
Loveseats, thin chairs, slim coffee tables, and so on will fit better than antique armchairs and big sofas. Plan where you’ll put your furniture, then measure the space. That way, you know what sizes will fit in your small living room.
Before you shell out money for furniture or accept hand-me-downs from your family, measure the pieces and compare the numbers to make sure everything will fit.
ELIMINATE CLUTTER
Clutter has a way of making any room (even a large one) seem cramped and small. In a tiny living room, clutter will visually obliterate what little space you have. Keep your living room neat and organized and it will appear more spacious. That means only decorating with a few vases, knick-knacks, and what have you, and storing the rest or keeping them in another room.
Clutter doesn’t just include magazines and old knick knacks: It can also come in the form of art. Instead of hanging a bunch of small pieces on your wall, hang up only one large piece (consider a mirror). That art will become a focal point and it won’t look overly cluttered.
LOOK UP
Don’t have much horizontal space in your living room? Make use of vertical space. To do this, decorate with items that will make your eye naturally want to peer upward this includes curtains and hanging lights.
Tall bookcases and mounted shelves placed closer to the ceiling also do the trick. Small living rooms may seem limiting, but with these life hacks, you’ll make the most of your space.
