Decorating a Small Living Room - How to Create More Space

Decorating a small living room can be challenging. You may have tons of decorating ideas but unfortunately have only one limited space. Sometimes no matter how you arrange the furniture, the room would still seem more suffocating than relaxing. But don't give up on it yet. The following living room tips will teach you how to make the best out of the small space you have.

No, you don't really have to hammer down the walls and expand your living room. You can, however, make your small living room appear more spacious by choosing the right flooring materials. Try not to use carpet in a small room. Carpet flooring makes the room look warmer and cozier, but it also cramps our vision of the floor. Laminate wood flooring is a much better choice; it can fool the eye, and give a lighter and larger appearance to your small living room. Tiles can also trick us into seeing the room bigger than it actually is, by adding horizontal lines to the floor and accordingly highlighting its width. It is really all about the visual effect!

Bulky big couches are not a very nifty choice when you try to decorate small spaces. They can make your living room look stuffed and therefore uncomfortable. You should opt for lightweight-looking armchairs, bean bags or small loveseats instead. The spaces between chairs will make the place appear more roomy.

In the fashion world, a dress with verticle stripes makes the wearer look taller and slimmer, whereas one with horizontal stripes can help the person appear less skinny. The same theory also works for room decoration. Painting narrow, verticle stripes on your living room walls will give the impression that the room is loftier. This trick is great for rooms with low ceilings. On the other hand, if you want to stretch your living room widthwise, just turn the stripes sideways. Try to choose colors that are coordinating, not contrasting, unless you want to create a dramatic look for your living room.

For a narrow living room, you may want to keep the walkway clear and get rid of the central coffee table completely. Small side tables can be as practical and help you save much more space. Also, keep in mind that slender glass tables are more effective for creating the sense of space than thick wooden ones.

A mirror is a quick fix for a small space. You can either casually prop a vast mirror on the wall or stylishly decorate the top of the mantelpiece with a row of small mirrors, and you will be surprised at how effectively mirrors can work as a space enhancer. Besides creating a sense of spaciousness, a large mirror can also increase the light and brighten your dull living room, especially when it is positioned opposite to a window.

No, I'm not talking about you, but your cabinets and chests. Lean and tall cabinets will make your living room arrangement much easier, as they are more space-saving and can fit into narrow spots that are often left unused. Save your wide cabinets, chests and bookcases for other bigger rooms. Imagine cabinets as human bodies. How does it make you feel when you step into an elevator full of overweight people?

Some accent furniture such as bookcases and CD racks may be practical but they tend to make a small living room look crowded. So try to utilize the space on your walls a little more. Adding a few floating shelves and wall-mounted CD holders to your living room walls will provide extra storage space for your favorite books, games, CDs, toys, etc. Plus, some wall-mounted shelves are so interestingly designed. They often seem to be creative items for living room decoration, rather than just storage shelves.

Large windows can make a small living room look bigger. The idea is to maximize the light. If you really want to supersize the look of your room, you should turn the window into a floor-to-ceiling glass door. It won't cost too much and will add much more liveliness to your room. If your living room has small windows, try to keep them neat. Don't put too many knick knacks on the window sills, as they will create a cluttered look. Heavy draperies are not ideal for a small room. Shutters, Roman blinds and sheer curtains are better options.