Design specialists consistently advise against incorporating oversized furniture, excessive decor, and cluttered storage solutions in compact living rooms.
In the realm of interior design, maximising the potential of small living spaces is a challenge many homeowners face. Here are some expert tips to help you avoid common pitfalls and create an inviting, balanced, and seemingly larger environment.
Bilal Rehman, a renowned interior designer, advises against treating small spaces as limitations. Instead, he encourages bold choices to avoid a lifeless look. However, large-scale patterns can be too visually jarring in a more compact space. Sara Hesikova, the Content Editor at our platform since June 2024 and our platform's Certified Expert in Training on Furniture, highlights this point.
One of the common mistakes interior designers advise against is the use of accent walls. Accent walls draw attention to one area, making the room feel smaller rather than larger. Overcrowding with too many small pieces, choosing furniture out of scale, and bulky furniture and dark colors can also make small spaces feel suffocated and cramped.
Poor lighting and blocking natural light, pushing all furniture against walls and ignoring natural pathways, and using the wrong rug size are other mistakes that reduce the visual spaciousness and comfort of small living rooms.
Sara Hesikova has tested over 150 different sofas, and she suggests smaller patterns and introducing plenty of texture can create a calm haven in a small living room. One larger statement piece of art like an abstract print can be a better choice than a gallery wall. The Ruggable rug design is a good opportunity to inject pattern into a small living room, while the DUSK Brooklyn sofa is an affordable modular sofa that is comfortable and stylish.
Sarah and Liz Hellmers advise against small, fiddly furniture in compact spaces to prevent a cluttered appearance. Jo Lane suggests using a large rug as a foundational piece in a small living room to give the illusion of a larger space. John Cooper recommends embracing visual stillness by choosing a few bold, monolithic pieces to allow breathing room and balance.
The trend of a statement wallpaper or overly-vibrant color has not stood the test of time. Over-decorating a compact living space with accessories or furniture can result in a cluttered look. A soft powder shade of blue is one of the best choices for blue living room ideas and color drenching. A sizeable vase is better than lots of little ones to avoid visual clutter.
Keeping all walls the same color, including the ceiling, can create a cocooning, color-drenched effect in a small living space. Jo Lane advises against wallpapering a single statement wall in a small space as it can overwhelm the space and make it feel smaller. Bilal Rehman suggests using oversized art instead of a gallery wall to add drama without visual clutter. A gallery wall in a small living space can create a busy, cluttered look that overwhelms the room.
By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing these expert tips, you can transform your small living space into a comfortable and spacious haven.
In the realm of home-and-garden, particularly interior design, Saara Hesikova, the Content Editor at our platform, recommends smaller patterns and an abundance of texture to create a calm living room decor in small spaces. Meanwhile, Jo Lane suggests using a large rug as a foundation in a small living room to create an illusion of a bigger area.
