37 Small Living Room Ideas for a Cozy Common Area

37 Small Living Room Ideas for a Cozy Common Area

While it has its drawbacks, a small footprint can make a home cozy. A shortage of square footage lends itself to a plethora of intimate small living room design ideas. Because you have less real estate to work with, you’ve got to make the most of every vignette, so items from floor lamps to coffee tables should be selected with intention; all the pieces will need to work together to tie the space cohesively. Think of this sitting area as something that incorporates all your needs—from a chic TV stand to a comfy lounge space to built-in bookshelves that double as a library and a display area for home decor.

“The most important thing to keep in mind when designing a smaller living room is the scale and layout of your furniture,” says Anne McDonald, principal of the ​​Minneapolis-based firm Anne McDonald Design. “Invest in comfort and style without the bulk. You can add more depth and interest to the room with paint, art, and rugs. I love to layer rugs in a smaller space.”

Read on for a roundup of small living room decorating ideas that are as eye-catching as they are comforting, according to interior designers across the nation.

What’s the best furniture layout for a small living room?

In small living room design, the goal is to create a central gathering area as well as at least one intimate area, says Frank Ponterio of Frank Ponterio Interiors in Chicago. Borrow armchairs from the smaller setup for additional seating as needed.

Suzanne Dawson of Suzanne Dawson Interiors in New York City recommends arranging two similarly size sofas to face off in your small living room. She also suggests opting for an L- or U-shaped sectional with a coffee table in the middle and club chairs right across to create a conversation zone. The table offers a space for snacks, games, puzzles, and cocktails.

While it might be tempting to put smaller furniture in a smaller room, Amanda Khouri, founder and principal designer of Amanda Khouri Interiors in Nashville, encourages clients to think bigger. “It’s counterintuitive, but filling a small room with small furniture can make it feel…well, smaller,” she says. Instead, come up with a layout that can accommodate at least one standard-size sofa or love seat with a coffee table, and ideally two comfortable chairs.

How to style a small living room that has lots of furniture?

The trick to styling a small living room that’s filled with furniture mostly comes down to breaking the space up into clear chunks. We use our living spaces for all types of activities—hosting a group, relaxing with a book, crafting, gaming, and, let’s be honest, dining—and defining these areas, even if subtly, can help create a sense of overall cohesion and comfort in the space. Also, it helps to know which furniture pieces you can manage to take up extra square footage for and which you’d be better off replacing with something smaller.

What are some design tricks to make the most out of a small living room?

When you don’t have too much floor space, custom built-ins offer a storage solution designed for your specific area. Plus hiding not-so-pretty items is always a bonus.


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