Not having much room can be a real issue, but if you wish to know how to create an illusion of extra area in a cramped living room, there are plenty of ideas and techniques you can utilize to make your limited living area appear much larger and roomier than it really is.
Using pale tones is an effective way to make any living area look more extensive, but there are alternative methods available for giving a limited lounge an airier apparel and less of a congested aesthetic. We have gathered our favorite suggestions to maximize your living room – from using cleverly placed furniture, to using window treatments to save light, optical illusions, and simple detoxing and organizing!
How to make a small living room look bigger
Examine your area thoroughly and identify which components are beneficial and which require more attention. Examining the place again, removing objects that do not have a purpose, and making changes to the design can transform a humble living room. Start with a bare bones approach.
1. Simplify your colour scheme
When considering ideas for small living rooms in the present day, its important that you stay away from too many strong or dark hues if you want the room to appear larger. Employing the same hue in shades and shadows in the room assists with making it seem bigger and more open. Employing too many assorted hues can split up the room optically and make it seem tinier and fragmented.
Ellen McEvoy, Head of Marketing and Digital for paint brand Colourtrend, highlights the use of similar shades in multiple forms for ‘Colour Drenching.’ Having your walls, ceiling, woodwork, and furniture all be the same color is possible. This is a simple method to achieve a greater effect and make a space appear bigger.
Using lighter hues will do wonders in reducing the apparent size of a small room since they tend to deflect light, making the area feel larger. Try matching light, neutral walls with furniture that uses the same hue scheme to achieve a continuous area. Recent evidence from Colourtrend indicates people have been selecting off-white and almond-colored neutrals more than muted grays and brilliant whites for an inviting atmosphere.
2. Don’t rule out darker colours
Using bright colourings and deeper hues does not have to be excluded when planning the decor for a cramped living area. Light colours and soothing shades are usually chosen to make a limited space appear more spacious, but bolder hues can still be incorporated.
Ellen McEvoy from Colourtrend says that painting a room a rich, dark tone provides perception of more space while also making a bold declaration. Take into consideration the amount of sunlight that enters the room. Ellen suggests that to even out rooms with a lot of daylight, darker hues of neutral colors should be implemented to balance out the rays of sunlight.
Shelley Cochrane, Accessories Buyer at Furniture Village, suggests that people should make the most of the small space they have. One of the pieces of advice I typically offer when dealing with a small living room is to make it as comfortable as can be. Do not restrict yourself when it comes to furniture, do not refrain from adding decorations. It is possible to construct a gorgeous and unified living room without overpowering the area. Moreover, since this is a room where we spend considerable time, it should show off your own individual flair.
Try different sorts of wall storage and wall decorations to make a cozy atmosphere – and if you’re anxious about the space seeming too chaotic or crowded, an ideal solution is to hang a mirror on the wall to bounce any sunlight that comes into the living room.
3. Create a focal point
Living rooms are best when they have a single detail that stands out and captivates your attention when you enter the room. This point of interest should be the first thing the eye catches upon entering. In many living spaces, the fireplace serves as a central point of interest and is a handy tool for determining how to organize furniture in the room.
It is achievable to create an eye-catching point of focus in a small living room without any striking characteristics by being creative with the use of paint, wallpaper, or the positioning of furniture. Paint a panel on a single wall in an eye-catching color in order to attract attention and pretend to have a structural feature. A console table and mirror can be used to attract people’s attention and this has a similar visual appeal to a classic fireplace.
James Greenwood, who is the Brand and Interiors Expert at Graham & Brown, notes that it can be intimidating to use a vivid color in one’s home. Although we believe it is straightforward to incorporate it into a domestic shade, our intrepid Vixen paint appears attractive and lively in a brighter atmosphere, or elegant in a compact and snug area.
4. Leave some breathing space
When you’re limited on living room space, it’s best to not add too many heavy, large pieces of furniture that could prevent light from entering or make the area feel cramped. Figuring out the best way to organize the furniture in a limited-sized living area can have a huge impact.
Martynas Mandrijauskas, from Instrument Furniture, advises to open up a route through your bedroom by avoiding putting objects in the corners. Your vision should be able to move easily throughout your house without interference. Leaving blank, open areas creates a feeling of spaciousness and helps make a location appear less crowded.
Be sure to not cover the windows with large pieces of furniture, as this will make the window look smaller and diminish the amount of light that can enter. Go for smaller furnishings located close to the window to create an illusion of a bigger space.
5. Say yes to multifunctional pieces
In cramped living rooms, finding innovative ways to incorporate extra items without using any additional space on the floor is essential. Couches and seating take up a significant amount of floor space, but selecting a sofa with storage underneath that can be lifted helps address two issues simultaneously. Look at unused spaces like bay windows or alcoves and think about putting in storage. To make the most of the area, you could even place seating on top of the storage.
Inhabiting a tight area implies there is not much area for furniture. It may seem difficult initially, but if you make wise decisions you can achieve all that is necessary without creating chaos, Martynas states.
Furniture with multiple functions is a great way to save space by reducing the amount of items in a room. This is because one piece can serve multiple purposes, eliminating the need for extra items. This means you don’t have to pick one item from two pieces of furniture, therefore making it easier for you to cut costs as each article is used for multiple purposes. Consider investing in folding tables, sleeper sofas, units that can be stacked, and tables with compartments to save space and shift the area by making minimal adjustments.
6. Make Your Furniture Mobile
Envision having a Fuzion scooter in your house; it’s just like having a piece of furniture with wheels! Investing in furniture for a small room that is fitted with casters will make it easy to rearrange the items according to needs. This could include moving a chair, desk, or kitchen island out of the way or shifting a mattress into a suitable spot to accommodate overnight visitors.
7. Add Lots of Lightings
A small living room appears larger when illuminated with natural light, but artificial lighting can aid in this endeavor as well. To achieve a bright atmosphere during the day, incorporate several sources of light and a more relaxing and homey atmosphere at night. Dimming lights is an option that you should consider, and to create an even more unique atmosphere with your lighting you may use a combination of different fixtures such as floor lamps, table lamps, recessed fixtures in the ceiling, pendents, and wall sconces.
8. Add Hidden Storage
You can select contemporary furnishings with integrated storage capabilities to reduce mess. Using a wooden box or an ottoman as a coffee table can be an effective solution. Around the outside of the area, you can substitute a table with a small set of drawers or a cabinet to increase your storage capacity.
9. Downsize Your Sofa
In small spaces, the full-size modern sofa won’t work. You can select small room furniture that has sleek and unadorned features, as well as exposed legs to offer a more open and airy feel.
10. Try for Backless Sofa
Rather than placing it against a wall, the ideal spot for a couch in an open area is in the center of the room. A backless couch is a great way to add sophistication to any room and provides flexibility, since it can be used from either side. It also is beneficial when there’s limited seating space.
If you want to employ it for a larger space in the future, it can serve as a separator between two seating areas. This is a clever concept for a small living room, but it works just as well for larger rooms as well due to the modern furniture included.
11. Or Just Skip Your Sofa
In a space that is not very large, you can opt to select three to four armchairs arranged in a cluster around the middle table. It is adorable for small room furniture!
12. Use Your Corners
Leaving a corner of a room open can be beneficial, such as when adding a distinctive seating area or a shelving unit for books that livens up the space.
13. Use Sheer Curtains
Sheer curtains are a great pick for the living room if you don’t necessitate complete secrecy. Curtains that are not totally impenetrable give the eye a wordless suggestion of the outlook beyond them, making the space appear less enclosed if the drapes are pulled shut.
If you wish to have some seclusion or stop outside light from entering your space, you can add blackout shades or curtains to keep the possibilities open.
14. Fake Bigger Window Treatments
Putting the drapery rods a few inches wider than the window frame will give the optical illusion of a larger window and create a more expansive view. You can also choose to make the window look taller by hanging the curtain rods a few inches above the window line. This will also give you a larger window in height.
15. Draw Your Eye Upward!
Utilize the high ceiling of your small living room by decorating it in a way that directs people’s attention upwards. The lack of horizontal room doesn’t allow for another seat, but utilizing the vertical space can create the illusion that the room is grander and larger. You can use the space for displaying artwork of your own selection.
16. Add a Right Rug
A properly chosen rug can add a great deal of style to a room, but an inappropriate choice can make the area seem even more cramped.
Although it may not seem logical, try to place a rug in each usable space, making sure it stretches past all of your furniture. For example, a couch, end table, and a decorative chair as well as a rug would direct the gaze outwards and make the tiny living room appear more spacious.
17. Add Plants & Make it Lighter
Greenery makes the smallest space feel fresher and lighter. Usually, plants add depth to space. They work better in the corners rather than couches and seats. If you are occupying an apartment, you can also put it up!
18. Choose Lightweight Furniture
When you shop modern furniture, consider its visual weight. This idea relates to the feeling of weight being assigned to an item based on its size, colour, and appearance. Opt for items that look airy and light, as the heavier ones will make the small space seem cramped.
An example would be to use glass coffee or end tables that don’t take up as much space visually as wooden ones do, and they are transparent. You could select an acrylic table with a metal frame that has no sides. Using furnishings that do not block views will make the space appear more spacious!
Final Words
I trust that these concepts for making your room appear larger, much brighter and lighter were to your liking. In this message, I also wanted to emphasize the fact that even if your space is limited, that doesn’t prevent you from displaying your personality. We can make your living room feel like home by adding decorations that reflect your and your family’s stories and experiences, since it is a place we spend a lot of time in. Frames interestingly arranged, sentimental possessions of grandparents, handmade artworks or collections are ideal ornaments to give your living room a touch of familiarity.
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