We’ve all been guilty of daydreaming about Pinterest-worthy living rooms. However, it’s a bit harder to accomplish this picture-perfect masterpiece when you lack space in your home. Some of those fantastic ideas don’t execute well and make your home look cluttered instead of vibey. This is especially important when you need to stage your home for sale. So, we prepared some small living room ideas for maximum space and style.
First and foremost – declutter
Clean and decluttered space means everything. And we mean it. Besides making you mentally feel like you’re turning a new leaf in your life, decluttering is a critical part of staging your home and creating a new design. You’ll be able to envision your new ideas better. Also, your new ideas won’t look good on top of the old and worn-out stuff you don’t need anymore.
A decluttered, bright and airy living room.
Keep the memories
We understand that your old stuff connects you emotionally to some different and valuable eras in your life. And you don’t need to give that up. After you make the vital step of decluttering, you can consider putting all the valuable memories into storage. Look up the storage facilities online and look at the reviews – they’ll tell you which the best and most reliable ones are.
Play with the paint
It’s a common misconception that you need to paint your walls white or some other light color for them to reflect light and make your room feel more spacious. Yes, it’s true to a certain degree, and science backs it up. However, the rules of art and design are not always in sync with the laws of physics. This trend is now one of the somewhat outdated staging trends. The beauty of today’s design is that you can play with your taste and even break some ground rules to make new, better ones.
A living room with dark blue-painted walls to add depth.
Don’t be afraid of darker shades
As we said, it might be your first instinct to go safe and pick light shades for your walls. But, if you choose to paint them black, the color of the night, or a dark purple, you’ll give your room the visual depth you didn’t even know it had. This is perfect for a minimalistic staging vibe if you opt to go in that direction.
Of course, in that case, you need to take it slow on the decorations and ensure they don’t contrast the walls too much. Because that will make the wall lose its depth, you’ll make your space visually even smaller. It’s a thin line, but the potential result is worth the risk.
Make a painted focal point
If you prefer some vibrant colors over dark ones, you can also make your guilty pleasure come true. The trick is to paint the bare center of one wall with it. That will create an illusion that the space around it is much bigger, and you’ll have your favorite color on the wall. It’s a win-win situation because you also get to play with the decorations around it as much as you want. With that kind of ”alternative” wall, no decoration idea is a bad idea.
Living room with a black accent wall.
Give the legs to your furniture
When making the illusion of a larger space, science says it’s best to play on so-called ”airiness.” What is that? Some additional space between items will create the impression of more air in the room. That’s why experts at zippyshellphl.com suggest using pedestals for your furniture. They recommend choosing a couch or armchair with elevated legs to help introduce light and space into even the tiniest living spaces.
Rooms seem larger when more of the ground is visible. Many traditional couches and armchairs have elegant twisted wooden legs, making them perfect candidates for this design technique. Every piece of furniture, from sideboards and cupboards to sofas, is on legs, so the lovely hardwood floor underneath can be appreciated in all its glory. Also, you can make a unique and interesting clash of mid-century and modern designs with them.
Small Midcentury living room with wooden-leg chairs.
Mirror, mirror on the wall
It’s been around forever, but there’s a reason it’s still effective. The addition of mirrors to a living room is a quick and easy way to make the area seem larger. Better still, choose an extra-large mirror – large enough to cover a complete wall. Your limited living area might seem twice as big thanks to the mirror’s ability to reflect natural light and your room’s decor.
It is best to get the biggest mirror within your budget to maximize the mirror’s reflective capabilities and return as much ambient light to the room as possible. Also, in contrast, you can make a statement with a collection of antique mirrors on a wall in the living room. Mirrors have a potential to elevate your home and make it more luxurious. So, take advantage of that.
Living room decor with mirror to reflect natural light.
Other small living room ideas for maximum space and style
Of course, there are many other things you can play with. For example:
- Avoid heavy curtains. Instead, opt for those light, floaty ones. They’ll let more natural light in and help create a non-oppressed space in your living room.
- Opt for curved furniture. Your brain detects angles as something limiting. Therefore, sharp-edged furniture will restrict your space.
- Pick oversized artwork. This can be a great option instead of a vibrant focal point on your wall.
Final thoughts on small living room ideas for maximum space
Decorating a living room for you to enjoy or staging a home for sale is a complex work of art, especially if you don’t have much of a space to work with in the first place. When in doubt, check out these small living room ideas for maximum space and style. Also, don’t hesitate to ask professionals for help. Every living room is different, and only a reliable and experienced stager can advise you properly on the best options you’ve got. Even if you feel stressed as you’re selling your home, make sure to have fun along the way.
Guest Writer: Sophia Perry
Feel free to share this post:
