How can I make my small living room look nice? 6 strategies designers always use – Homes & Gardens

As we spend so much time in our living rooms relaxing or welcoming both family and friends, it is no surprise that we want to create the coziest space we can. So, how can I make the small family room look good?  

Small living room ideas may be lacking in space but need not lack in style. There are several ways to design a small family room for the functional yet cozy space ready for nights in or even entertaining guests. Small details such as ensuring you use the right size furniture to introducing the right colors through paint and artwork can all have a big impact in a small room.  

So , whether you want to make your living room look more expensive , or simply want to make your family room beautiful , these expert designer tips will help you make the most out of your small area and overcome the challenges small room suggestions can present.  

How can I help to make my little living room look nice?  

Living room concepts can easily be universal no matter what size or shape space you are working with, in fact , ‘there are many factors that make a small living room nice, sizing and style of furniture, color choices, creating visual interest, among others, ’ says American developer Seyie Putsure of Seyie Design (opens within new tab) . The secret in order to designing a little living room is finding a balance between elements.  

1 . Wow along with window treatments

Window treatment tips are both functional and stylish, often adding character to a room plus tying the scheme together beautifully. ‘Well-tailored draperies make a big difference in producing a nice foundation for a room, ’ says Seyie. ‘I hang the curtain high inside order to accentuate the particular height of the ceiling and make the space feel taller when in the room. ’

When using curtain ideas in smaller spaces, particularly rooms that lean on the particular darker side, it is a good idea in order to use lighter materials to prevent blocking or even absorbing any well-needed light or looking too bulky. Longer curtains that hang up from the ceiling to the floor can accentuate the height of the particular room, making a smaller room appear taller and giving the illusion associated with space whereas shorter drapes hung at the incorrect elevation can help make the room feel even smaller. The common drape mistake should be avoided in every space of the home.  

2 . Get the furnishings size right

Furniture is of course important in most area and it can be tempting to choose the most luxurious items you may afford. When it comes to making a small family room look great, however , the particular scale associated with your living room furniture suggestions should arguably come first.  

‘You ought to also not really put too much furniture in a small living space. You should select the home furniture carefully because the furniture of the wrong size and model will block the room, ’ explains Finnish designer Johanna Lehmuskallio (opens in new tab) . ‘You need to not choose furniture that is too big or heavy, but not too small either. The arrangement from the furniture is also of great importance to produce the small living area feel more spacious plus inviting. ’

‘It will be important to pay attention in order to the scale and proportion of furniture, as this will allow you to get the most use from your space while keeping it feel open, ’ expands designer Julia Dempster (opens in new tab) . ‘A sofa with a chaise gives you the ability to lounge without taking up a large footprint. A glass-topped coffee table that is circular is the perfect piece for a small living space because it doesn’t visually block your view of the other items of furniture. ’

‘Going with a well-scaled sofa, i. e., the biggest sofa that fits comfortably in the room with adequate space to walk around it helps ground the space, ’ concurs Seyie. ‘Then thoughtfully choose the type of furniture which fits your lifestyle and how you would want to enjoy the room.

‘Lower-backed furniture makes a small area feel not so congested. Round and organic shape coffee and side tables also help in making the space more inviting. I furthermore choose espresso tables that are visually light such as a polished marble top with a slender brass base here. A glass or mirrored top also works well. ’

3. Find the best layout 

In a small space finding the best layout can be the particular most difficult part. A living room layout idea should be well spaced enough to move around easily, but also not too spread out that the room feels disjointed. ‘If the furniture is completely attached to the wall, the particular room seems and looks cramped. Even a few inches between the wall and your largest furniture makes the room seem more spacious, suggests Johanna. ‘It is also good to remember that the large rug expands the particular space plus unites the furniture into a group. ’ 

4. consider color and pattern

Living room paint ideas are a great way in order to introduce color to a space while also laying the foundation for the atmosphere of the particular room.  

In small living rooms, using lighter or neutral colors can help to create the illusion of space, making a small living space look bigger , and can make a dark room brighter . ‘Dark colours often bring coziness to a room, but they also absorb light instead of reflecting it. This makes the room appear smaller. In a little room, you should keep the color scheme light plus relatively calm, this way a person can make the room look airier, ’ Johanna suggests. ‘When the particular walls, carpet, and furniture are different shades of the same color, you create visual consistency within the area and the space appears more open. Calm, lighting, and neutral tones may be enhanced with colorful details, lighting, and interesting objects and art. ’

The coziness created by darker shades may be appealing, however , if you wish to create a living room that feels more intimate and cocooning – especially if that will color is taken up onto the particular ceiling because well. ‘Color, pattern, plus textures really make the room feel special. The sofa in a favorite colour (vs. in neutral) is a great way in order to inject personality into a small room, ’ says Seyie.  

Color, pattern, and texture can also be injected through soft furnishings such as pillows, throws, plus rugs to add visible interest. ‘make the space feel rich through printed accent cushions and gold accents, ’ further indicates Seyie.

5. add accessories and art

Living room styling is an excellent way in order to add character and make a small living area look nice. ‘Accessories and artwork (or mirrors with fascinating frames) are usually the final pieces that

are key in making a room look nice and polished, ’ says Seyie. ‘When in doubt, different colors of the same color work well within creating a nice visual depth in a room. For example , the turquoise lamp (a shade of blue) works with the particular different tones of blue in a living room. ’

6. layer upward lighting

  Small living room lighting suggestions are important to make sure your space is not dull plus uninviting. Making a little living space look great may come down to layering illumination correctly to ensure the space will be functional as well as warm and welcoming. ‘A ceiling light in the middle of the area focuses light plus attention only on the middle part of the area, ’ Johanna states. ‘In addition, place smaller lamps around the room to distribute the light around and draw attention to the particular entire area. ’  

‘A statement lamp can have such gravitas in a family room whilst a similarly shaped lamp inside a smaller scale can become a lot more practical in a nook or placed on a small shelf whilst still coordinating, ’ Niki Wright, co-founder of lights& lights (opens in new tab) continues. ‘We are designing products with exaggerated level to produce interest and a sense of fun. This could be across a collection of lamps with a similar textured surface, or the use of geometric shapes such as domes, cones, and globes. ’ 

What colors make a small living room look bigger?  

The best colors to create a small room look bigger are light neutrals and pastels. The most important thing in making the small space feel bigger is to have a cohesive color scheme. Using too many colors or colours that do not go together can leave the room feeling disjointed.  

Consider using a tonal palette such as cooler blues and greens together or warmer beiges plus rusts to add color while keeping the space clean. You may also want in order to paint trims like door frames in addition to skirting boards a crisp white to be able to brighten the particular space up further.