Is your living room very small? With these 12 design tip, it can appear more spacious
A small living room can easily appear messy and cluttered, but there are many design tips that can help you make small rooms appear larger and more welcoming. From the skilled use of colors to the optimum arrangement of furniture, you will certainly be able to easily find some good advice in this article.
Have you decided to redecorate your living room and want to it more welcoming and less cluttered? Well, check out these 12 design tips before you get started:
1. Use of light
Light and lighting is a key component in all rooms and in a small room, this factor takes on even more importance. Make the most of the natural light that filters through the windows and place light fittings in strategic spots to eliminate any dark corners. With the right lighting approach, your living room will feel much more spacious.
2. Use mirrors
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Mirrors reflect space and light, helping to make your living room appear larger.
3. Pay attention to the walls
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Mount everything you can (but without going overboard) to and on the walls: from the TV to book/ornament shelving, and more. Leave your floor as free as possible. Your living room will certainly appear larger if the floor area is clear.
4. Large rugs
Using large rugs (or just one) to cover the floor of your living room, can be another useful tip to make it appear larger, especially if the rug is colorful and decorative. Alternatively, use rugs to divide up/demarcate the different areas of your living room, which will also make the space look larger.
5. White for light
White can be used not only on walls and ceilings, but also for furniture upholstery and as the dominant color in black-and-white artworks; by doing so, the living room will become much brighter and will allow you to use an occassional accent piece in a contrasting color.
6. Custom-made furniture
Choose - or have custom-built - furniture that is smaller in size to the standard and avoid pushing this furniture up against the walls. Leaving some space around the sofa, for example, will help the room seem larger. Further, choosing a smaller sofa will give you the space to add other furnishing accessories that will make your living room more welcoming.
7. Storage coffee table
Your living room coffee table can also provide storage space if you choose a model that doubles as a container (which is typically "hidden" under the lid/top).
8. High ceilings can be a real blessing!
High ceiling in the living room? Emphasize the height of your room with floor-to-ceiling curtains and tall furniture with clean lines to make the space feel larger.
9. Embrace color
There's no need to only use neutral colors in your small living room. Whether it is an accent wall, just the upper half of the walls, the sofa or a TV cabinet, choose your favorite color and use it - perhaps toned down to a softer, more subtle shade (if necessary).
10. Materials as decorations
Avoid clutter, but without going as far as the minimalism approach does. By using materials with a high decorative value - such as leather sofas with plush cushions and high-pile carpets - your living room will feel warmer and more welcoming.
11. Dark walls
Paint one or more of the walls a dark, glossy shade to highlight the lighter areas of the living room. If you also use the same shade for the ceiling, you can make the room feel more intimate. Alternatively, if you choose to paint the walls in contrasting colours - in stripes, for example - you will create a feeling of movement. Vertical stripes will help make the room appear taller; horizontal stripes will make it feel more spacious.
12. Make use of vertical space
Install shelves as high as you can (or is practical) to take advantage of all the space you do have. Put your plants on the highest shelves to liven up an otherwise bland corner and add white trims to the floor and ceiling to make appear brighter.
What have you done to make your small living room appear more spacious?
