10 Small Living Room Inspo

People linger in a living room for several reasons. They hang out with all the family members while playing a board game and shooting the breeze. Some others host their guests while catching up with them. This room is indeed essential.

Unfortunately, some living room is not too spacious, which can make you feel uncomfortable. But, don’t worry! Some clever design tricks are always available to supersize your living space.
We’ve summed up these 10 small living room inspo ideas to help you out with that. So make sure you pick up one of our ideas to transform your small living room into a zone that feels bigger than it actually is. For more inspiring details, follow the Simphome link inside the description or reference area as always.

🔊10 Small Living Room Inspo Video:

List Entries:

10 Transitional Living Room Seating ideas
10 Minimalist Living Room Furniture and Storage Improvements
10 Cost-Effective Living Room Interiors
10 Cozy Open Plan Living Room Ideas
10 Inspiring Shiplap Wall Projects for Boring Living Room
10 Cozy Sectional Living Room Ideas
10 Small Living Room Layout with Sectionals

10. The Bright Walls Idea

Dark colors are trendy these years, but they hardly work with small spaces. In comparison, light colors work best for a limited area. Thus, the bright walls are more recommendable to apply along with the pale tones like white, creamy, and grey to provide the room with a light scheme, airy and open feeling.

Bright walls are also considered effective for small living rooms with only minimal natural light sources. This way, the light shades will make any small living room feel fresh, alive, and inviting. So you can pick up the brilliant whites instead of subtle green.
There are lots of different shades available with the best white paint to choose and purchase but make sure you ask for the samples in the space before painting.

Detail Instructions:

1. Painting the room with light white paint will provide an open and airy feel.
2. Hang double-deck curtains with a subtle tone, such as cream color or grey, to have the white walls balance out the dark eyesores, such as fireplaces or furniture.
3. Use natural light sources to create different moods in the living room and try to place a window seat near a large window for a simple fixture that can catch sunlight through the day and create a cozy nook for reading or snacking while watching TV.
4. Get some vases with flowers to place at the window seat to look more attractive.
5. Notice how a white sofa with some accent pillows of gray or cream color blends nicely with the floor, wall, and furniture. It also creates a vibrant contrast against the dark fireplace mantel.
6. You can accessorize the living room your way with a small white tapestry, frames & books.
7. You need to carefully place some accessories on the floor to create the illusion of open space.
8. For minimalism, you can also apply mirrored wall hangings or wall decorations that will give an excellent dimension to the room’s tone and warmth and a sense of depth.
   It will also create an illusion of spaciousness and openness in the small room, thus making it appear larger.
9. Finally, if you have a small living room, do not entirely close it off from a good light flow by using window shades only!
10. The Limousine Style Small Living Room
    Living room ideas with elegant car themes are trending these days! They are trendy for small living rooms since they will make you feel like you live in your limousine, not your apartment! Choose tinted windows to make you feel like you are driving out of the city or drive to the countryside every time you return home! But make sure to pick up lightweight materials, such as wood and tile, for easy move-in later.

9. Paint The Skirting Boards

Crisp white baseboards may look fascinating since they offer a clear border between the wall and floor. However, it will be different when you deal with a small living room. Those bold white borders
will break up the room.

According to Kelly Hoopen, painting the skirting boards the same color as the wall is one of the best ways to break the convention. This way, everything will look as if they flow into one being. As a bonus, this trick will make the entire walls look taller, making the space seem bigger.

Detail Instructions:

1. Take the dresser and hang it on the wall. Cut a hole in the back of the drawers and add a basket with some throw blankets to hide it.
2. Put decorative hooks on the wall to hang your garment bag.
3. Use an old shelf for your hats, scarves, ties, etc. Rest them on folded throw blankets so you can see what you have. Hang another shelf below for shoes or purses. You will fill the space between shelves with shoes, boots, bags, and other accessories to give more hanging storage space.
4. Put a soft throw blanket on the back of your armchair or couches to make it cozy. Pile up some pillows on the floor for additional seating if you will have guests.
5. Frame your artwork with clipboards to add an industrial touch to the living room since they are usually painted black or other neutral colors.
6. Put a small table close to the sofa to act as an end table and keep magazines, books, etc.
7. Hang some pendant lamps above your couch. Don’t forget to use plugin cord cover kits so that you avoid having dangling cords everywhere
8. Hang a shelf on the wall by adding a board across two easels. Place a mirror behind it to reflect more light into the room.
9. Put a mirror on the wall just by hanging a board across two easels. Place a mirror behind it to reflect more light into the room.
10. Hang photos of your travel destinations by using keyhole hangers onto one of your walls with only one nail

8. Play with Mirror

Hanging a mirror is one of the oldest tricks to deal with small space. It can reflect the light, which creates an expansive space illusion. As a result, you can double up your tiny living room.

Here are a few simple things you should do with this idea:
1. Add an oversized mirror to cover the whole wall.
2. Keep the color palette light and airy to help create the full effect.
3. Arrange the furniture and accessories to open up the feeling of space
4. Add potted plants for more spaciousness

Also, try to:

1. Use a round table with armchairs instead of a couch.
2. Use mirrors in unexpected places, such as on the fireplace mantel, behind the plants, and above the kitchen countertops.
3. Use tiles that reflect light, such as glass or ceramic tiles with a metallic finish.
4. The best lighting is natural light, so it’s best to keep windows in the
   same side of your room.
5. Use a small table in the corner and fill it with bottles and snacks for when you’re playing cards or board games with friends and family. When you’re alone in your room, place a lamp on top of it. This way, when your guests want to chat with you, they can sit at your table while you sit on the couch below.
6. Decorate your room with contrasting colors. You can use dark blue walls and light wood furniture or yellow walls and dark furniture for that sleek, modern look.
7. Use smaller furniture right up against the walls rather than in the middle of the room.
8. Create a small sanctuary in your room. Underneath a table or a couch,  lay down a rug to keep your feet warm and cozy when you sit in front of wooden flooring.
9. Choose a color for your room that will fit in with your décor. Some that’s also cheerful and fun to look at.
10. Place pictures that remind you of holidays or essential events over your fireplace mantel area to give it continuity with other rooms in your houses, such as dining rooms and bedrooms.

7. Use DIY Barn Door

The use of a DIY barn door to trick the small living room is usually more appropriate for a city apartment. Shari Francis, a designer, states that barn door tricks up the limiting floor plans.

You can try the following tips to apply this trick:

1. Divide the space between the bedroom and the adjoining living room with a sliding barn door to enhance your privacy and provide you with dedicated spaces. Accordingly, you will be able to do some different activities.
2. Add a smaller sofa instead of a bulky one. An armchair is also better than two if you want to keep a pathway clear. Plus, asymmetry is somewhat chic.
3. If you don’t like the feel of the traditional-shaped staircase, go for something more modern and elongated; for example, side-to-side stairs
4. Display your indoor plants in a big wooden box, which is hung on the wall. Use the stairs to support the small box, which can be used as a side table.
5. Put an extremely long console table instead of a coffee table. It has many functions, including keeping essentials for daily usage or keeping your feet up when reading an inspiring book.
6. Use decorative hanging orb-shaped lights to illuminate the space and add interest.
7. Instead of having a glass coffee table, choose a wooden one and keep it low enough to make the room feel more spacious; use it to keep some essentials on top of it (e.g., magazines and books).

There are some designer tips: the 15 most effective tricks:

1. Fill your small living room with lightings on walls and ceiling to enlarge the appearance of the space; you can also try putting up interesting wall art here.
2. Fill up the space with several exciting and engaging items, such as bookshelves and plants, and let them create a focal point in your small living room.
3. Use the space effectively: place all your furniture against the walls and use large windows to maximize the amount of light entering your room.
4. Opt for contemporary-styled white furniture. White items will be able to brighten up your tiny living room without looking too overwhelming.
5. Place a darker-colored rug to help bring a warm, cozy mood to your small living room. Remember not to use too many of the same color of furniture and accessories. Otherwise, it will create an overwhelming feeling.
6. Pick light-colored paint for the wall since it can visually expand the space. In this example, you can see that these homeowners have chosen a grayish color for their walls, which pretty much blends into the background and makes the space look bigger than it is.
7. Use a bold pattern on a rug to create a focal point in your small living room.
8. Do not have too much of the same color of furniture and wall items. Try to choose furniture with different colors so you can have a variety of colors in your space, such as wood and metal or leather and white.
9. Use floating shelves to save space; lay some decorative items on them, such as books and flowers; use shelving for kitchen items.
10. Go for clean lines; try to avoid using too many decorative items too busy.
11. Keep your lighting options simple; use nothing but lamps on end tables; try not to use the overhead lightings at all unless you want to create a dramatic effect.
12. Use lighting with wide shades so it will be able to create a bright and airy atmosphere in your small living room, which can make it look different.
13. Do not buy oversize sofa sets for small spaces. Otherwise, you will have no room to move around or have something on the side tables next to them.
14. Create seating arrangements in a way that you can enjoy the space. Make it work for your lifestyle; for example, if you frequently travel, opt for multi-functional furniture instead of pieces that are specifically meant to be used as tables.
15. Do not overdo the space by filling it with too much stuff. Put away all unnecessary items or combine them into one end table or shelf. If you always want to have an eye on something, place a small table next to it so you can always refer to it during those times when you are bored.

6. Use of a Large Rug

No matter how bold the pattern is, a large rug is tricky enough to make a room feel bigger. Unlike smaller rugs, the large ones will not break up the floor. It will also help anchor the space and provide you with a good staple piece to design the rest of your room.

To support the way you use the rug to deal with the small living space, set a corner seating to lead you to get more out of the area. Don’t forget to pick up the proper color for seating to match with the rug.

Detail Instructions:

1. Divide the wall with a door.
2. Create a nook in that area for an armchair or table.
3. Install one overhead light to illuminate the area.
4. Use two large rugs to cover the floor space under the seat and around it to create a sense of transition when you walk in from different parts of the room.
5. Create a seating group with armchairs and coffee table(s).
6. Use a sofa for the main living area with an ottoman and coffee table(s).
7. Add a floor lamp to illuminate the area.
8. Place a vase with flowers in the middle of the table or footrests to add brightness.
9. Position wall art above the sofa or hang it on the walls in the living area.
10. Install a TV in the nook’s wall to maximize your space.

An open living room makes a big difference in terms of comfort and convenience. At least, you will be able to walk around freely without anything blocking you. But, it is essential to note that open spaces are open spaces for everyone else too, which means you should keep your mind on design tricks to keep your private space private even when it is an open room.

5. A Built-in Shelving Idea

Just because you have only a tiny place for a living room doesn’t mean that you cannot have a wonderful and functional one. If you feel bored or have no idea how to deal with your limited zone, do renovations!

Built-in shelves seem very much suitable for either storage or decorating spots. The shelves provide storage for your books, accessories, or other room decorations you wish to put on. Just make sure that you keep them in the same color as the wall. Thus, the room will feel larger without looking too crowded.

Detail Instructions:

1. Use a storage unit to create a TV nook.
2. Put an ottoman to serve as a footrest.
3. Add a storage unit behind the armchair or another piece of furniture to hold your shoes and other accessories.
4. Create a small meditation zone with pillows and candles with built-in shelves above it.
5. Use an overhead reading lamp posted near the wall’s corner zone with shelves on top of it to illuminate the area during dull or dark hours of the day for more relaxation and tranquility.
6. Install a ladder to the wall’s corner to store books and DVDs if you have any.
7. Create a small seating area near the TV nook to watch your favorite show with your family.
8. Use a rug to keep your floors clean and tidy at all times.

4. Fill The Room with more personalized Set-up

As the name suggests, this idea lets you fill the room with anything you want. It might not be in line with the general tips stating that minimizing the number of things is one way to deal with the small space. However, if you do it well, it works. Definitely, you can fill the whole area with some furniture without making it feel too crowded.

The tips are as follows:

1. Opt a cozy modular seating to fit the space neatly.
2. Add a neutral carpet along with the grass-cloth covering.
3. Add also full drapes in the room.
4. Add a coffee table for sure.

The use of modular seating, neutral carpet, grass-cloth covering, and full drapes will enhance the sense of intimacy and warmth. The coffee table will serve you a space on the surface but visually disappears.

Other Instructions:

• No 1. Add a wall decal with a quotation for you and your children.
• No 2. Add a bold painting to give an energy boost to the room.
• No 3. Add some accessories and personal belongings to the space put them on display, and use them as inspiration sources.
• No 4. Do not forget to add some of the souvenirs to a room that your child didn’t access too often
• No 5. Simphome also recommends always adding some artificial lighting to the room.
• No 6. Finally, always use some of the souvenirs from your child’s room to personalize the space a little bit more

3. A Modern-Style Room Idea

Though you might have only a tiny living room in a 600-squares foot apartment, you can start decorating the space from scratch.

Here is the simple formula to begin with:
1. Stick with low-profile furniture that has neutral colors, such as a coffee table. This table will make sense of spaciousness since you can see more of the floor.
2. For pops of color, add one or two houseplants as well as the patterned rug.
3. Set your sofa along with an oversized mirror to fill the blank space.
4. Instead of a floor lamp, a wall-mounted one would be better.

To complete the project, you can:

1. Change the curtains to have a different look. With seamless curtains or sheer curtains, you can successfully create a modern design.
2. Hang some art prints on the wall to awaken the eye.
3. Switch up the coffered ceiling with a painted one to open up more space in your living room.
4. Paint your window frames in white, then throw in an oversized throw pillow for an elegant look that is worth every penny!
5. Add a small bar area for yourself and guests, plus they can enjoy their mocktail!
6. Usefully add a window seat with a gorgeous sofa and lots of cushions. This extra will add another space to your living room.
7. Instead of your dull light fixtures, swap them out for hanging lanterns or pendant lamps to bring a romantic and cozy touch to your living room.
8. You may also want a floating shelf to display your favorite images and books.
9. Make use of an open fireplace if you have one available.
10. Use some living room inspo (such as curtains, side tables, and rugs) to make your living room chic and beautiful.

2. A French Style Decoration Idea

The picture above depicts the French-style living room that you can also try through the following steps:

1. Paint the wall with bright color with the appropriate color tones.
2. Furnish the space with the bare essentials only. Those include sofa and dining set for either eating or working.
3. Choose a formal embellishment from the crystal chandelier along with the decorative mirror to match the function.
4. Attach two or three framed-picture to the wall to add more decorations.

To complete the project, you can also:

1. Choose the black or beige sofa or dining set for this design.
2. Install the crystal chandelier and the decorative mirror to match the French style of this decoration idea.
3. Turn on the crystal chandelier with dim light for this night mode.
4. Surrounding with flowers is also an option that you can choose to complement the theme
5. Paint the ceiling with bright color
6. Cover the table with a white table cloth for a more formal decoration
7. Spread fresh flowers on top of the table to create an elegant look.
8. Put on a small crystal vase or bowl as a holder
9. Hang some classic paintings and frames on the wall as accents and decorations
10. Keep the lighting dim to avoid disturbing your eyes

Lastly, Number 1. A Gold Décor touch for More Glam

There is nothing wrong with glamorizing your home, even a tiny living room. This idea will really work well if you watch the scale of your furniture. For example, an apartment-size sofa will have an opposite effect, while an overstuffed couch will make any tiny space feel minuscule.

Thus, keep scaling the furniture in mind when it comes to dealing with the small space. As a solution, gold décor can be a perfect option since it will work with the low-profile couch. Further, the transparent coffee table will not take up the visual residency. It only makes an illusion of more floor space.

To complete the 10 Small Living Room Inspo, you can also choose the following projects:

• Project no 1. The Aesthetic Retro Blue Décor
  To do the project, all you need to do is paint the blue wall with this retro color, but make sure it is not too bright. Then, get a vintage wall shelf and arrange the knickknacks on it. Finally, get a blue puff-back chair to get the warm, cozy feel of an old living room.
• Project no 2. The Rustic Chestwood Décor
  For this project, you should use a wooden table with shelves since it will help you save enough space for your books and magazines neatly arranged in the case below this table.
• Project no 3. The Contemporary Design
  The contemporary living room design is the most popular design amongst the modern living room designs. This design uses a lot of space and has a lot of ventilation to keep you cool, calm, and collected during hot summer days.
• Project no 4. The Minimalist White Home Design
  It is best to get a large white table or a white sofa if you have one for this project. Otherwise, you may need to compromise the size of the table and place it as close as possible to the wall. If you do not have enough space for this, it is still possible to use your long chairs instead of short ones for now until you can afford those white couches or chairs.
• Project no 5. The Minimalist Wooden Décor
  It is best to get a vintage white wooden chest for this project and hang it on the wall if space allows. Also, keep in mind that light colors will be the best choice since white resembles light very much and thus will not be overpowering in your tiny living room.
• Project no 6. The Classic Décor with the Cosy Reading Corner
  To start the project, you only need to add some bookshelves or a bookshelf where you can put your favorite novels and comic books on. Then, on the other side of the room, add some chairs and a coffee table to create a cozy reading corner for your living room.
• Project no 7. The Colorful Décor with the Convenient Storage Space
  For this project, it is best to paint two walls with bright colors and keep the third wall white, so it does not look visually heavier than the other two, after this start adding shelves where you can put anything you want while making sure that they are visible from different angles in your living room.
• Project no 8. The Vintage Inspiration With the Elegant Sideboard
  To copy the project, you only need to get a sideboard and add three shelves where you can keep all your favorite books and magazines on. You can either keep this sideboard in the middle of the room or at the end to make it more convenient.
• Project no 9. The Cozy Soothing Décor
  To start the project, paint two walls with light green and use some green as color accents and some green leaves as decorative elements such as vases and small items hanging on the wall. Also, get a couch with green pillows to bring out those colors even more. Project no
• 10. The Elegant White Inspiration
  You need to get a white table and then add a vase with flowers on it to start this project. Also, place some pictures on the walls and get a white couch for more visual impact.
  Since the living room is usually the center of family gatherings, it should reflect your personality and what you value in life while being functional.

That’s it,
Above are some of our favorite living room design ideas to help you find inspiration. We hope they inspire you to create a living space that reflects who you are and what you love about life!
“You can never have enough plants,” says designer Joyce Wangsness of Madison, Wisconsin.

Conclusion:

Overall, you always need to pick up some tricks to deal with the limited space. Whether you start with the color paint or furniture placement, don’t hesitate to create a perfect space with these 10 small living room inspo.

References:

10. Idealhome.co.uk
9. Idealhome.co.uk
8. Idealhome.co.uk
7. Housebeautiful.com
6. Housebeautiful.com
5. Housebeautiful.com
4. Housebeautiful.com
3. Thespruce.com
2. Thespruce.com
1. Thespruce.com