All eight interior designers concur on restrictions for small living rooms, consistently pointing out the same three items as inadvisable
In the realm of home decor, navigating the challenges of small living rooms can be a daunting task. However, by steering clear of common pitfalls, you can create a spacious, inviting, and stylish environment.
Sara Hesikova, a Content Editor at our platform since June 2024 and the platform's Certified Expert in Training on Furniture, has identified three common mistakes that can make a small living room feel cramped or less inviting.
One of these mistakes is the use of accent walls or contrasting trim colors. Accent walls draw attention to just one part of the room, visually shrinking it. Contrasting trim on low ceilings draws the eye downward, making ceilings feel lower and rooms smaller. Instead, using a single paint color or wallpaper across walls, trims, and ceilings creates a seamless, expansive feel, even with dark colors.
Another mistake is ignoring scale and proportion. Oversized furniture overwhelms a small room, making it feel cramped. Conversely, undersized pieces can look lost and empty. The solution is to measure the space accurately and select furniture that fits proportionally within the room.
Choosing rugs that are too small is another common error. Too-small rugs make a space appear disjointed and ungrounded. It's better to opt for a larger rug that all furniture can touch or sit on, which visually unifies the area and makes it feel more spacious.
Poor lighting or lack of layered lighting is another pitfall. Insufficient lighting makes rooms feel dull and less inviting. Incorporating a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting with dimmer controls adds depth and flexibility to the space.
Lastly, curtains that are too short or hung too low can visually cut off walls and reduce the perceived height of the room. Hanging curtains high and wide—close to the ceiling and extending beyond the window frame—and using floor-length panels can increase the sense of height and openness.
Swapping these common mistakes with the recommended alternatives will help make a small living room feel more spacious, cohesive, and inviting. For instance, instead of a gallery wall, a single larger statement piece of art can add drama without visual clutter. Smaller patterns and introducing plenty of texture can create a calm haven in a small living room.
When it comes to furniture, Sara Hesikova has tested over 150 different sofas, and she recommends the affordable and stylish DUSK's Brooklyn sofa. The Ruggable rug design is another excellent choice for injecting pattern into a small living room.
Remember, a small living room does not need to be bland and boring. With careful consideration and the right choices, you can create a cosy, inviting, and visually appealing space. Treating small spaces like a limitation instead of an opportunity is a common mistake. Embrace visual stillness and choose a few bold, monolithic pieces to help avoid clutter.
A sizeable vase is better than lots of little ones that create visual clutter. And while a wallpaper-covered feature wall is an outdated trend in home decor, a single statement wallpapered wall can overwhelm a small space. Instead, consider keeping all walls the same color, including the ceiling, to create a cocooning, color-drenched effect in a small living space.
By adopting these tips and strategies, you can transform your small living room into a space that truly reflects your style and personality, all while maximising the available space.
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