The Best Layout for a Small Living Room

Many people looking for apartments and houses these days are gravitating toward smaller spaces. While a smaller space often gives the wallet a break, it can present problems for decorating. One room especially affected by it is the living room because it's the place where people gather when friends come to visit.

Focal Point

Larger living rooms can afford to have more than one focal point, but a small living room cannot. Typically, in the smaller living room, the focal point starts with a few elements that include a focal wall and the area in front of the focal wall. To create this small room layout, take steps to make your main wall more noticeable. Paint it a vibrant color like red, and hang up striking pictures or artwork --- black and white photos in black frames offers a dramatic choice. Afterward, look for an area rug to provide a visual anchor, and place it in front of the focal wall. Center the furniture around that, and, if possible, avoid putting too many items against the wall as it creates the illusion of more space. Also, if you normally would feature a couch and a few chairs, take away the chairs and substitute them for ottomans or pillows that you can shove under the coffee table, which will save space and look chic.

Built-In Items

Utilizing built-in furniture and accessories allows you to make use of more of the living room space. Some of the best pieces for this are murphy beds, which feature cabinets and desks as part of their makeup. The murphy bed expands the usable floor space because it allows you to pull items out of the way as needed. The murphy beds of today fit snuggly against the wall and often have cupboards and built-in seats as well. The bed can be pulled down to make a daybed/ couch, and the cabinets offer a place to hang artwork and decorative items.

No Couch

No decorating rule exists that says you must have a couch in your living room. In small living rooms, substituting the couch for a few comfortable chairs is feasible. In this setup, the chairs should be placed around a coffee table or a trunk, which will serve to anchor the arrangement visually and help to create a feeling of intimacy. The best sitting areas allow for four to six people to sit and converse comfortably. In this design, you should have room for at least four stuffed chairs. If extra seating becomes necessary, add items that are easily converted to places where people can sit. One logical solution is the ottoman. Chances are you will have a few in this area anyway; if push comes to shove, these footstool pieces can become makeshift chairs easily.

Unconventional

Loft beds aren't just for a 9-year-old's room anymore; nor are they limited to just being pieces that belong in a bedroom. Small living rooms --- especially those in a studio apartment --- benefit a great deal from the loft bed. Besides functioning as a bed in the case of the studio, the bed itself can function as extra seating daybed style while the space below affords room for a couch or a set of chairs. The best place for these pieces is against the wall with other furnishings and decorative elements surrounding them.

References

• "Trading Spaces: Make It Yours"; Brian Kramer, editor; 2004
• Apartment Therapy: 7 Murphy Beds from Domosfera
• Apartment Therapy: Horizontal Opening Murphy Beds
• Creative Homemaking: Bunks and Lofts: Beds for Small Spaces; Tameka Norris
• Apartment Therapy: CHI Good Questions: Furniture Layout for Small Studio?
• Rental Decorating: Decorating a Living Room: Arranging Furniture

Resources

• Apartment Therapy: 5 Smart Studio Apartment Layouts
• Apartment Therapy: Seating Arrangements for Small Apartments
• Southern Living: The Best Tricks for Small Spaces
• Home Decorating Made Easy: With These Living Room Decorating Ideas, You Can't Miss!
• "Real Simple"; Big Solutions for a Small Living Room; Christine Camean Garson and Joyce Bautista
• Apartment Therapy: Heather's Funky Bohemian Loft 
• All Things Frugal: Tips for Decorating a Small Living Room; Lee Dobbins