The living room or family room in most of the new homes is small. There are several things one can do to visually enlarge the small living room. The following tips will help you decorate your small living room and make it look stylish and bigger:
10 Tips for a Small Living Room
Install a Large-screen TV on the wall
You can install a sleek and streamlined TV on the wall but make sure it takes little space in the living room.
Use Light-colored Furniture
Light-colored furniture works magic in your small living room since light colors have less visual weight. The furniture should have small legs to allow a clear view of the floor. Dark-colored furniture consumes a lot of visual space and makes the living room look very small. A light-colored cowhide ottoman is ideal for a small living room.
Use a Lighter Color Theme
Lighter shades such as green and blue can be mixed with neutral colors to give the impression of a large living room. You can use bright colors on pillows and rugs. Minimize the number of colors you use in the room to three. Three-color palettes and monochrome schemes work perfectly for small living rooms. Lighter wood tones on the bare wood floors create a clean and warm feeling.
Use Medium to Large Wall Hangings or Pictures
Ensure that you place the pictures on the walls just above the furniture and at eye level. Do not group small pictures together because they make the room look smaller.
Use Mirrors
Mirrors enlarge a small space. However, it is not that easy. Place mirrors in the appropriate places that will enable them to reflect light. If the mirrors reflect inappropriate things, they will virtually decrease the space in your room.
Use Multipurpose Furniture
Multipurpose furniture items are a good solution to small rooms. For example, a table with lower shelves can be used as a coffee table and to store books or other small items. The multipurpose furniture items make the room look tidy.
Layer lighting
Ensure the window treatments are simple and airy to allow light into the room. Use tall stand lamps for additional lighting when there is minimal light especially in the evenings.
Control clutter
Avoid crowding the room with unnecessary items. Store what you need in baskets, storage cubes or decorative boxes. Make sure you also organize the shelves.
Use Small Furniture Items
Use small pieces of furniture to match the scale of your living room. You can use armless chairs or apartment-size sofas instead of large furniture items like a conventional glass table. However, do not be tempted to use many small furniture items because they will clutter the room.
Emphasize Vertical Axis
People rarely remember the vertical axis of a room. You should place large vases, vertical paintings, mantles or draperies on the vertical lines or axis of your room to encourage your eyes to stop looking at the furniture and floor only.
