Living rooms are the center of every home. A beautifully decorated living room can change the entire look and feel of your home. When you have a small space to work with, it can be difficult to create the ideal layout. It’s important to think about how you can fit your furniture in the room while leaving enough space to move around. Even if your living room has limited space, you can still have a stylish design.

We asked three interior designers for their favorite layout for a small living room.

Meet the Expert

  • Caitlin is the founder and creative director of Black Lacquer Design. The Los Angeles-based studio is known for its eclectic, bold style, and residential design work.
  • Kimberlee is the founder and principal designer of Kimberlee Marie Interiors. The Seattle-based studio is known for creating residential spaces which inspire and amaze.
  • Abbe Fenimore, the founder and principal designer of studio Ten 25 in Dallas, is known for her bold, daring style, and work on sorority homes.

Here are six great ideas for your small living space. Each one is based on a key feature.

The Living Room with a Sectional

Layout: A layout that is ideal for a small living room where you need to walk through it to reach an adjacent space. The layout features a small chaise on the wall, directly opposite a TV. There is also space for one side chair diagonally across the chaise as well as a small coffee desk.

Sofa It might seem counterintuitive but a sectional is king in a small space. A sofa with a reclining chaise allows you to relax without having a large footprint. Be mindful of the size of the sofa and make sure there’s extra room on either side of it.

The Extras If your concern is that a sectional will take up too much visual space, Gorsline suggests you consider circular or curvy furniture. She says that they can be functional while taking up less room visually and physically.

Consider a C table over the armrest of your couch if you do not have space for a sidetable.

Open Concept Living Room

Layout: Arranging furniture in a small concept room can be challenging. Two side chairs are placed on either side of the couch to create a wall behind it. It helps separate the living space from the kitchen or dining area behind it, but feels airy and open.

Sofa In this classic design, the sofa is the focal point of the room. The sofa is placed across from the fireplace or TV stand.

The extras: According to Gorsline, the key to achieving this layout is to ensure that your furniture has a bit of breathing room on all sides. In some cases, leaving little space between furniture and walls can be effective. However, this layout is better with some space between each piece.

The Library-Focused living Room

The Layout Not every living room revolves around a TV or fireplace. Place the couch perpendicularly to the bookcase, whether it’s built-in or freestanding. Place two lounge chairs across from each other, pointing towards the couch.

The Sofa : Since the sofa is positioned to one side, you might want to try larger pieces. Fenimore says that large pieces in soft colors combined with accent pieces of acrylic and white will make the room feel bigger than it is.

The Extras Since your bookcase is a focal point of the room you may want to wallpaper the back of the shelves in order to add some pattern. This will also be helpful when styling the shelves, as the wallpaper will visually fill them and stop them from looking over-styled,” Fenimore says.

The Living Room with a Fireplace

The Layout In the classic layout of the living room, the fire place is truly the focal point. This formal layout does not require you to direct the furniture toward a television, which gives the fireplace greater prominence. The couch is positioned directly opposite two chairs, jutting up against the fireplace.

Sofa Choose a sofa large enough to fill in the space, but not too big. Keep in mind the space between your sofa and other furniture, especially if there is a passageway to another room.

The extras: Keep in mind that you don’t want to distract attention from the focal point of your fireplace. Fenimore recommends an acrylic coffee-table because “it is the perfect piece for a small living room like this because it does not visually block your view to the fireplace.”

The Odd Layout of Living Room

Layout: This is a common problem in older homes. Focus on furniture pieces that are appropriate for the size of the room. You may have to settle for a couch that is 80 inches instead of 112 inches or give up that second accent chair.

Sofa If you do not have the space for a large couch, think about a loveseat. You can get a love seat that is just as charming and won’t overwhelm the space if you rarely entertain.

The Extras Do not be afraid to put a chair next to a window as long as there is enough space on all sides for light to filter through. Furniture that floats can be used in tight spaces. Choose pieces with streamlined, modern edges.

The Small Living Room

The Layout Murray says, “I try to not do too much” in very small living rooms. Avoid side chairs and keep it simple. Focus on a sofa that is comfortable and fits your space. Add an oversized ottoman to provide extra seating for guests.

Sofa Here you should spend a lot on the couch. This will be the only piece of furniture you have in this small space. Choose a sofa with a lot personality so it can act as the focal point of the room.

The Extras “To add a nice layer, I choose an area rug almost the same size as the parameter,” Murray says. The use of texture and color to create layers can make a small room appear larger.

Tags: