Learn how to maximize the space in your living room with these timeless and easy-to-implement design ideas. Unlock the potential for your living room to be more than just a room with a sofa and TV!
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The living room is typically the starting point when decorating a new home because it serves as a gathering place for family and friends.
And, I mean, who wants their guests to sit on folding chairs when they come to visit?
For many of us, this is more easily said than done and decorating awkward living room corners can prove especially challenging. It only takes opening up a few Zillow listings to realize that most homeowners struggle to properly utilize the space in their living rooms.
To demonstrate how not to arrange your furniture if you want to maximize your living room space, check out these photos I grabbed from local listings, ranging from $250k – $2.4m.
Why do these living rooms all seem kind of sad and uninviting?
That is because none of these layouts are conducive to carrying on a conversation, which is unfortunate as the purpose of a living room is for socializing.
Furthermore, these homeowners all clearly struggled to fill their spaces in a cohesive manner. Most of these rooms have large empty spaces, which, in some cases, the owners attempted to fill with ridiculously oversized pieces of furniture. There is no need to fill a large, empty space with furniture for giants.
To be fair, some of these homeowners had oddly shaped spaces to fill. However, with the correct tips, you can easily maximize the potential of even the most awkward living room corners!
Let’s see what a difference it can make when you fully utilize the space in a room!
When the furniture proportions are appropriate for a space, more items in a small room can make it feel larger.
This living room isn’t particularly large, but there is plenty of seating, places to set down your coffee mug, and storage for your less aesthetically pleasing odds and ends. This space is not only cozy, but functional. This functionality is achieved by selecting furniture and décor that is appropriately sized for the dimensions of the room. The more functionality a space has, the larger it may feel.
Note the diminutive bamboo chair next to the console table. If you need to jot down a note, you can easily pull up the chair and use the table for your writing surface. Light chairs are also a great asset when entertaining a larger than usual audience because you can effortlessly carry them from room to room and they don’t take up much space when not in use. Additionally, a cabinet, like the one in the corner, is a bulkier item that can fill an empty expanse of wall, while also increasing the available storage in a room. The cabinet pictured is the ideal height for this living room; anything taller would feel overbearing and immediately draw your eye to that corner.
Add banquette seating to maximize the potential of an empty corner.
Your living room corners need not be a place where only dust collects. Utilize one for additional seating by incorporating a banquette. With a side table and a lamp, this corner is a perfect spot for to relax with a book or to enjoy an intimate conversation and drinks.
If it’s not a door you frequently use, don’t be afraid to put something in front of it!
This should go without saying, but don’t create a safety hazard by permanently obstructing an exit you need in the event of an emergency.
However, say you have two sets of French doors in your living room. How often do you need both sets open? In my experience, rarely. So the area in front of one set is really just empty space that could be better utilized.
The round accent table pictured above is an excellent idea to do just that. If you’re having guests over, you can use it for snacks and drinks. Or on a cozy winter evening, you could use it for a puzzle to complete while sitting next to the fire. This table is also not so large that it would be difficult to move if you wanted to open that door.
The charming space above also makes a great case for using a large houseplant to add visual interest to the corner of your living room.
It’s the same idea with cabinets – if you don’t open them frequently, don’t be afraid to put furniture next to them.
Say you only open your cabinet with the nice table linens three times a year, why not maximize the empty space in front of it by adding something you could use more frequently? For instance, you could add a set of chairs and a table for a new spot to enjoy a cup of tea and breakfast or to get some work done at your computer.
Consider the bones of your furniture to achieve balance.
As I mentioned earlier, you don’t have to sacrifice utility in a small space. With a bit of extra planning and consideration, you can maximize the potential of your small living room space to serve the same functions a larger room would. If you take one look at this vibrant living room, you can tell there is a lot going on in a small space; there are several places to sit, a desk to work at, and plenty of tables.
Despite the small floor space, it does not feel cluttered or overwhelmed. That is because not only are the proportions of the furniture appropriate for the room, but there is a balance in furniture construction as well. Notice the thin legs of the tables and chairs? These are balanced by the larger skirted ottoman and arm chair. The thin legs take up less visual and physical space, which is why they work in this small living room. However, if this room only contained furniture with bare, thin legs, it would feel a bit too formal and uncomfortable.
Another point of note regarding maximizing the space in a small living room: don’t forget about the walls and ceiling! Do you see how the art on the walls is arranged to draw the eye upwards toward the ceiling? Additionally, the baseboard and crown moulding is painted the same color as the walls, creating the illusion of higher ceilings. Check out this post if you would like to learn more about how a ceiling can enhance a room.
Don’t know how to decorate a long wall? Break it up with a low bookshelf and privacy screen!
Long walls in a living room can prove especially challenging to decorate. What do you do? Buy a really large couch and chairs to fill it?
No! The answer to filling a large space should not be to increase the size of the furniture. You should aim to increase the functionality of the space instead. For instance, break up a long wall, as demonstrated above with a privacy screen and bookcase. Thus, creating two distinct spaces within one large room.
Dark corner? Brighten it up with a mirror.
Is there any such thing as too many mirrors in a home? I don’t think so. The ability of mirrors to brighten a room by reflecting light makes them a perfect option for a dark corner of your living room. Add a table beneath one and some chinoiserie or other accent pieces and now you’ve transformed that dreary, unused corner of your living room into a bright and classy point of interest.
I hope these tips help you! In the process of slowly designing and decorating our living room, I noticed elements that these high-end rooms all had in common that helped maximize space so I wanted to share this compilation to save you time in your own decorating journey.
-Sasha
I usually try to shop secondhand. However, when I need something that’s difficult to find used or when I don’t have the patience to wait for it to turn up on Facebook Marketplace, I like shopping One Kings Lane or Ballard Designs. Below I’ve compiled a few items mentioned in this post from these sources. Please note that I may receive a small affiliate commission if you purchase any of these items from the links.
