Creative Ways to Decorate a Small Living Room 

Create a Small Space for Your Media

Media, such as television, computer, iPad, and other devices are essential in your life, and you probably have several that you want to keep handy. One way to do this is to create a small space where you set up some of your media. For instance, you might have a small table or bookcase under your television hanging from the wall.

This home hack will not only give your living room a unique look, but it will also help keep it organized. You can get a media center to hold your books and other items, so they don’t take up a lot of floor space. You might even find yourself on the lucky side and have some space in the center that you can use for hidden storage.

Don’t Be Afraid to Use the Top of the Walls

One way to make your living room look bigger is to keep looking up. Find some pictures of works of art and hang them on your walls, starting where the furniture stops and going up to your ceiling. While this might seem like an eyesore to some people, it can make your room look taller and give it a naturally larger look.

This hack is also an opportunity to add a splash of color, especially if your walls and furniture are light in color, such as white and white. You can add some darker shades to the light tones and then ensure you have some that give off some warmth.

Keep the Eye Constantly in Motion

One way to make your small space seem larger is to add a “wow” factor. You want to create an area with many colors and do what you can to keep the eyes busy and gazing around the room. Bold, bright, and a variety of colors are usually the way to go.

For instance, if your walls are all white, try making an accent wall and buying furniture that is different colors but goes together, such as a pink chair and a blue couch. You can then get a colorful rug and add other pieces that bring in other colors.

Create a Dorm Style Room

If you have lived in college dorm rooms, you know how much you can fit inside a small space. You can take the opportunity of your experience and create a living room that is similar to a dorm room, minus the microwave and mini-fridge you might have had. For instance, you can hang a rack on the wall to hold your bike and have a desk on one wall.

By creating this type of space, you’re giving yourself nearly everything you need to live within the small room. You might feel it is a bit crowded at first, and you can play with the space for a while, but you will also find that it helps make the room seem more prominent and creative.

Focus on Cozy

One fun step to take when creating a small space is by focusing on the cozy. People who feel comfortable in a room will want to spend as much time there as possible because they feel cozy and relaxed.

One way to do this is by keeping seating space close together, even if you feel too close. People might not want to sit close on the couch, but when everyone each has their chair, they’re more likely to feel comfortable in close quarters. The key is to keep the room warm and functional.

Create a Feature Wall

Creating a feature wall in your living room is similar to having an accent wall, but you don’t need to focus on having different colored paint or wallpaper unless you want to. When you make a feature wall, you focus on a hobby or something that you like. You choose the items you want to show off when guests come into your home.

You might decide to hang up your impressive artwork, or you could even set up all your favorite smaller antiques. If you’re a traveler, you might showcase all of the souvenirs you’ve bought over the years. You can keep the wall simple and only add a few items, or you can put up as many things as you feel the wall can hold.

Make a Multi-Purpose Room

When you think of small living, fitting more than what you usually do in this area seems impossible. You might look at the room’s size and wonder how you can fit your couch, coffee table, end tables, and entertainment center. The thought of creating a multi-purpose room in a small space doesn’t usually cross your mind.

But, a multi-purpose room might be exactly what you need to create in your living room. For instance, you might notice that you have enough room for your furniture on one side and then an open space on the other side. What do you do with it? Maybe creating a workout or office space suits the room.

Purchase Hanging Shelves

One of the most popular shelving units that are easy to install is known as hanging shelves. They are shelves that you can individually hang on your wall in any place and order. For instance, you could purchase five shelves and decide to line them up vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.

If you want to place heavier items on the shelves, you will want to ensure that they are secured to the wall’s studs. You can create a whole wall of the shelving units or have a few. You might use them to show off your books. Hanging shelves give the room a better look at having bulky cabinets around your living room. Another possibility is also to purchase floating shelves or baskets for your walls.

Build a Reading Corner

This tip might fit into the multi-purpose room, but you can also keep it more subtle. If you enjoy reading over other forms of entertainment, such as technology and movies, then you want to look into setting up a reading nook in your living room. This area doesn’t need to be fancy. A comfortable chair, small table, blanket, and a place to hold a few books is all you need.

A reading area can help break up your living room and give it a little creativity. It can also give you a place to relax and collect your thoughts if you need to take some time alone. Another significant step is to add a little more color and decoration into this area to make the whole room pop a bit, such as quotes from your favorite authors on your wall.

Skip the Couch and Aim for the Chairs

Many people believe you need to have a couch in the living room; otherwise, it’s not a formal living room. They might feel that their company won’t be comfortable or won’t be able to truly relax without crashing on the couch after a hard day’s work. While this is strictly for taste, other people have found that skipping the sofa (even a small loveseat) meant more comfortable chairs and different design ideas that became perfect for a small room.

The key is this is your home, and you can decorate it as you please. You can skip the couch and choose five different chairs to include in your living room. You might find that this is easier to work with when it comes to comfort and pleasing the eye than a couch.

Go With a Clear Coffee Table

There are small living rooms that you might feel aren’t set up for a large coffee table, but it might be perfect for a smaller, round table. However, you also wonder if that will look too bulky in your room or cause people to feel too crowded. In this case, you might want to look for a specific type of coffee table – glass.

Glass is sometimes more pleasing to the eye and for the room because you can see through it. It doesn’t look like a giant wooden piece of furniture placed randomly in the middle of a room. Instead, it seems like an elegant piece of furniture that makes the room look more inviting.

Choose a Tall Bookcase

A bookshelf is an object that you will probably have in your reading nook if you create one. Even if you don’t set up a specific area for reading, you might still feel a bookcase is necessary because you want to show off your books and even a few collectibles you’ve bought over the years. You might even have a couple of items from your grandmother’s house to display.

If this sounds like you, then you will want to choose a tall bookcase over a small one. This tip will not only allow you to hold more items in a small space, but it can make your room seem more prominent because the eyes will move up the wall.

Get Wallpaper that has Stripes

Wallpaper is coming back into style. One reason is that it’s a bit easier to put up than it used to be. Another reason is that many people are using it instead of paint because they like the paper’s designs for the walls. They feel it gives not only the room but the home more character.

If you decide to get wallpaper, even if it’s just for your accent wall, choose a design that will make your room seem bigger, such as stripes that go across or up and down. Depending on the style, the eyes will follow the lines, and this will automatically give people the illusion that your living room is more prominent.

Generally Love You Small Living Room

One of the biggest steps to take, more significant than any other tips in this article, is to embrace your small living room. You want to learn to love it just as you would the large dream living room you’ve always had set in your mind.

Take time to create your personal space that you’re proud to show off to your guests. Play around with your furniture and area a little to figure out the best design possible. Find ways to spend as much time as possible in the room, especially with your family. Maybe this means that you have a movie or game night. The more comfortable and happy you are with your room, the more you will love your space.

Sources:

“How to Decorate a Small Living Room.” Deirdre Sullivan, The Spruce. June 2020.

“17 Styling Tricks That Make a Small Living Room Seem Larger.” HADLEY MENDELSOHN AND KELLY ALLEN, House Beautiful. June 2020.

“21 Ways To Decorate A Small Living Room And Create Space.” Shutterfly. August 2019.

“Small living room ideas – how to best decorate a compact sitting room, snug or lounge.” Tamara Kelly, Ideal Home. February 2020.