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8 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Small Living Room
Swerve these common design errors to make a big impact in your compact sitting room
Do you want to turn your poky living room into a beautiful, relaxing and functional space? There are a few design decisions that could negatively impact how the room looks and feels, including blocking out light, choosing the wrong furniture and surfaces, placing key pieces in the wrong place, and not keeping it clutter-free. Read on to discover 8 common small living room mistakes and how to fix them.
Mistake 2: Blocking views or natural light
It isn’t just the elements inside that can impact how spacious a room feels; outside features can make all the difference. Natural daylight can help to create an airy feel, while the view out of a window can create the illusion of extra space.
With this in mind, make sure all your furniture is helping to bring in that light and view rather than obstructing it.
Architect and designer Jolanta Cajzer of Studio 212 paid close attention to the light and view out of the patio doors in this apartment when she specified armchairs for the living area. The low-profile seats ensure there’s no barrier to the sun reaching the space and whoever is sitting on the sofa can see out to the terrace.
Take a peek around this midcentury flat.
It isn’t just the elements inside that can impact how spacious a room feels; outside features can make all the difference. Natural daylight can help to create an airy feel, while the view out of a window can create the illusion of extra space.
With this in mind, make sure all your furniture is helping to bring in that light and view rather than obstructing it.
Architect and designer Jolanta Cajzer of Studio 212 paid close attention to the light and view out of the patio doors in this apartment when she specified armchairs for the living area. The low-profile seats ensure there’s no barrier to the sun reaching the space and whoever is sitting on the sofa can see out to the terrace.
Take a peek around this midcentury flat.
Mistake 3: Adding the wrong surfaces
The materials you choose for your key living room pieces can have an effect on how spacious it feels. If you want the room to feel cocooning and cosy, go for darker surfaces that absorb light, such as dark wood or deep-toned velvet. If a feeling of space is what you’re after, then lighter, more reflective surfaces are you friend.
Look out for mirrored, metallic or glass surfaces, like the coffee table in this living room designed by Josephine Lecouflé-Vinet of JLV Design. The glass and brass materials on the coffee table help to create an open feel in the space.
Find out how texture and colour warmed up this formerly stark living room.
The materials you choose for your key living room pieces can have an effect on how spacious it feels. If you want the room to feel cocooning and cosy, go for darker surfaces that absorb light, such as dark wood or deep-toned velvet. If a feeling of space is what you’re after, then lighter, more reflective surfaces are you friend.
Look out for mirrored, metallic or glass surfaces, like the coffee table in this living room designed by Josephine Lecouflé-Vinet of JLV Design. The glass and brass materials on the coffee table help to create an open feel in the space.
Find out how texture and colour warmed up this formerly stark living room.
Mistake 4: Not making the most of vertical space
Don’t just think about the floor space in your bijou sitting room, consider its height as well. If you can use some clever tricks to make the room feel taller, this will help to visually expand the whole space.
In this tiny living area, Joy Flanagan of Joy Flanagan Design played with scale by choosing tall lamps and fitting floor-to-ceiling curtains. “It’s not a big footprint, so we emphasised the vertical space,” she says.
Visit the rest of this welcoming home.
Don’t just think about the floor space in your bijou sitting room, consider its height as well. If you can use some clever tricks to make the room feel taller, this will help to visually expand the whole space.
In this tiny living area, Joy Flanagan of Joy Flanagan Design played with scale by choosing tall lamps and fitting floor-to-ceiling curtains. “It’s not a big footprint, so we emphasised the vertical space,” she says.
Visit the rest of this welcoming home.
Mistake 5: Putting all the furniture against the wall
It’s tempting to position all your furniture around the perimeter of a small living room, but while you might create more space to move around, that can also make the room feel uninviting.
Ideally, bring the seating away from the wall to create some movement around it, as in this scheme by Rumi Bunya Design. Bringing the sofa closer to the fire has created a cosy seating area, while the console table makes use of the space behind.
It’s tempting to position all your furniture around the perimeter of a small living room, but while you might create more space to move around, that can also make the room feel uninviting.
Ideally, bring the seating away from the wall to create some movement around it, as in this scheme by Rumi Bunya Design. Bringing the sofa closer to the fire has created a cosy seating area, while the console table makes use of the space behind.
Mistake 6: Choosing a small rug
A living room rug can make a huge difference to how the space looks and feels. Not only does it help to zone the seating area and bring pattern and texture into the room, it can also impact the visual dimensions of the space.
Don’t be tempted to choose a small rug, as this will end up floating in the centre of the room and breaking up the floor area. Instead, go for the largest rug that will fit in the space.
“Arrange your furniture around the edges of the rug, but place all, or at least the front feet, of your [pieces] on the rug to create a cohesive look,” Roger Oates says.
A living room rug can make a huge difference to how the space looks and feels. Not only does it help to zone the seating area and bring pattern and texture into the room, it can also impact the visual dimensions of the space.
Don’t be tempted to choose a small rug, as this will end up floating in the centre of the room and breaking up the floor area. Instead, go for the largest rug that will fit in the space.
“Arrange your furniture around the edges of the rug, but place all, or at least the front feet, of your [pieces] on the rug to create a cohesive look,” Roger Oates says.
Mistake 7: Forgetting about storage
Don’t underestimate the usefulness of storage. An untidy room will look cramped and unwelcoming and, in a compact space, clutter can gather quickly.
Make sure you incorporate as much storage as possible into your living room design, and include a combination of freestanding items and custom-made cabinets. Here, for example, interior designer Lydia Allen has designed beautiful joinery for the alcoves to help keep the space tidy and organised.
Don’t underestimate the usefulness of storage. An untidy room will look cramped and unwelcoming and, in a compact space, clutter can gather quickly.
Make sure you incorporate as much storage as possible into your living room design, and include a combination of freestanding items and custom-made cabinets. Here, for example, interior designer Lydia Allen has designed beautiful joinery for the alcoves to help keep the space tidy and organised.
Mistake 8: Filling the space with imposing furniture
If you want your living room to feel more spacious, avoid furniture that takes up too much visual space. Instead of a large, solid coffee table or a bulky sofa, go for pieces that feel light.
In this living room, for example, designer Nick Scott of WN Interiors chose furniture on legs to give the illusion of space. “I’ve lifted as much furniture as possible off the floor on light legs to make the room feel bigger,” he says.
Discover more small space solutions in this sociable flat.
Tell us…
Will you be avoiding these mistakes in your small living room? Are there any more that you can think of? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
If you want your living room to feel more spacious, avoid furniture that takes up too much visual space. Instead of a large, solid coffee table or a bulky sofa, go for pieces that feel light.
In this living room, for example, designer Nick Scott of WN Interiors chose furniture on legs to give the illusion of space. “I’ve lifted as much furniture as possible off the floor on light legs to make the room feel bigger,” he says.
Discover more small space solutions in this sociable flat.
Tell us…
Will you be avoiding these mistakes in your small living room? Are there any more that you can think of? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
If space is at a premium in your living room, it’s time to get creative with the area you do have. Look around the room to see if there are any places that could be used for extra storage or seating.
In this compact sitting room, for example, designer Dorota Hrstic of Miri Design has made use of the alcoves and the bay window.
Bespoke storage cabinets were built into the chimney alcoves, with shelving going all the way to the ceiling. More storage and a cosy bench seat was then built below the window to add an extra place to relax in the room.
See how this plain new build was given a cosy update.
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