Small Living Room Ideas: 3 Easy Design Strategies

Three small living room ideas for a refreshed, on-trend feel – no matter the physical size of your space. Get the scoop here.

1. Stretch with Stripes

Stripes aren’t just a classic pattern that goes with everything – they can also elongate and expand. A narrow living room may be short on horizontal space, but there’s a quick and easy fix to make it seem bigger, more open: a striped area rug. The longer the area rug and the bolder the stripes, the more spacious your living room will feel.

2. Go Convertible

When shopping for a small living room, it’s one thing to choose small furniture pieces and an entirely different thing to choose sleek. Just because a furniture piece is ‘small’ doesn’t necessarily mean it will help save you space; while size is important when it comes to choosing small furniture, so is design. In a small living room, a ‘small’ sofa with protruding roll arms and wide cushions will feel bulkier and bigger than a larger sofa with clean lines and a thinner silhouette. For bonus space-saving points, choose one that will let you customize the shape; some convertible sofas allow for as many as five different configurations – making it easy to choose a layout that makes the most sense for your space.

3. Master Monochromes

A tried and true decorating strategy, a monochrome palette can work wonders for small spaces; choose one main color to define a small living room (go neutral for a clean look), and one or two accents to make it pop. If you're dealing with seating, consider these 2-piece living room sets, which come pre-matched, so you don't have to worry about clashing.