Decorating a small room is quite possible. It's not complicated, but you just need to bear in mind some important points such as furniture distribution, the use of colour and light. If you have a small living room and you are wondering how to decorate it, do not despair. At OneHowTo we explain you how to decorate a small living room and make it look larger visually with the following steps:
The first step is to paint the walls with light coloured paint. Painting with pastels and light colours is key.
Light walls are more reflective and make the space feel more open. Dark colors, on the contrary, tend to absorb light and therefore, make the room seem even smaller.
White never fails as it is the best colour to make a living room appear larger than it is. However, it's not true that painting everything white and having all your furniture in white color will make the room look bigger. Carefully placed furniture and the right colors can make even a better effect. If you think white is boring, try soft tones of blue and green.
Paint the wall trim and moldings in a lighter color than the wall, this will make the walls look farther back and your room will seem larger.
You can also paint heating appliances the same colour as the wall so that they are concealed.
Another important aspect when decorating a small living room is the amount and distribution of furniture. Opt for fewer pieces and never choose large furniture. Having too much stuff makes any room seem even smaller.
Add a few shelves on the wall, to make the most out of vertical storage space.
Choose small furniture. Big bulky sofas and other pieces of furniture will take a lot of space from your room and make it look tiny. Opt for smaller pieces of furniture that will leave air in the room. You can use different styles to create an eclectic style for your small living room.
There is one situation in which you can use a bigger piece of furniture, though. If you have a small corner in your living room, you can fill it with a large piece of furniture such as a corner sofa. You'll be able to accommodate lots of people on it and it's just one piece, so it helps to make the room feel airy.
Opt for light textiles (linen, organza, silk or cotton net curtains), and smooth, light-coloured curtains.
Use multifunctional furniture. When you have a small living room every piece counts. Instead of having a coffee table and additional seats, use ottomans. These will serve as a coffee table as well as additional seating, and will only take up half of the space available.
Mirrors are perfect for small rooms. If you place a mirror on the wall you'll be creating a focal point that will add depth to your living room and thus make it seem bigger. If you can, put the mirror across from a window. This way the mirror will reflect the view outside and it will give the impression that there is an extra window in the room.
Try "invisible" furniture. Coffee tables or nesting side tables made out of acrylic, lucite and glass are perfect for tiny rooms, because they don't take any visual space.
Don't think that having a small living room is a synonym of boring room with no possibilities. Keep the furniture low and experiment with color palettes that will make your room seem bigger.
If you want to read similar articles to How to Decorate a Small Living Room, we recommend you visit our Interior Design and Decor category.
- It is best to place furniture against the wall and leave areas of movement clearer.