How to Get the Seating Right in a Small Living Room
Wondering how to pack in plenty of seating without crowding your room? Check out these space-smart solutions
Amanda Pollard
29 January 2019
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
If your living room is small, there are a number of simple design tricks you can use to ensure you choose the right seating. Follow these tips to help you select suitable pieces and arrange your furniture to make your room feel spacious, comfortable and practical.
Fill the space
Utilise every centimetre of space in your tiny living room by choosing an L-shaped sofa. The right-angled design will fit neatly in a corner and fill the whole area.
It might seem counterproductive to go large in a small room, but a sofa that fits the scale of the space won’t look excessive.
Browse more compact living rooms for seating inspiration
Utilise every centimetre of space in your tiny living room by choosing an L-shaped sofa. The right-angled design will fit neatly in a corner and fill the whole area.
It might seem counterproductive to go large in a small room, but a sofa that fits the scale of the space won’t look excessive.
Browse more compact living rooms for seating inspiration
Double up
A symmetrical layout can give a small room a feeling of space and balance. If your living room is compact, invest in two matching sofas and position them opposite each other so the focus is on the open centre of the room.
The mirrored layout in this scheme creates a uniform, harmonious look that feels airy and cosy at the same time.
A symmetrical layout can give a small room a feeling of space and balance. If your living room is compact, invest in two matching sofas and position them opposite each other so the focus is on the open centre of the room.
The mirrored layout in this scheme creates a uniform, harmonious look that feels airy and cosy at the same time.
Scale down
If you like the idea of sofas facing each other but space is just too tight, why not try the same idea with love seats? Big enough for two to squeeze on – if you’re good friends – and luxurious for one, they offer sociability while leaving room to manoeuvre.
If you like the idea of sofas facing each other but space is just too tight, why not try the same idea with love seats? Big enough for two to squeeze on – if you’re good friends – and luxurious for one, they offer sociability while leaving room to manoeuvre.
Mix and match
If you can’t fit larger furniture in your space, go for a variety of small seating options. In this room, a couple of mismatched armchairs face the sofa. There’s enough seating for a few people, but with plenty of floor area. The mix of styles also encourages the eye to move around the room, creating the illusion of space.
How Do I… Decorate a Small Open-Plan Living Space?
If you can’t fit larger furniture in your space, go for a variety of small seating options. In this room, a couple of mismatched armchairs face the sofa. There’s enough seating for a few people, but with plenty of floor area. The mix of styles also encourages the eye to move around the room, creating the illusion of space.
How Do I… Decorate a Small Open-Plan Living Space?
Think outside the box
In a small living space, it can be hard to find a functional layout, particularly when it comes to watching TV. The designers of this room have come up with a clever solution to create plenty of seating without compromising on practicality.
Rather than placing a sofa against the wall near the television, they’ve chosen a chaise longue instead. The inhabitants of this home can face each other to have a conversation, then turn around to comfortably watch TV.
In a small living space, it can be hard to find a functional layout, particularly when it comes to watching TV. The designers of this room have come up with a clever solution to create plenty of seating without compromising on practicality.
Rather than placing a sofa against the wall near the television, they’ve chosen a chaise longue instead. The inhabitants of this home can face each other to have a conversation, then turn around to comfortably watch TV.
Rethink dead areas
Your living room seating options don’t have to be limited to a classic arrangement of sofas and armchairs. Take a look around to see whether there are any unused corners of the room that could accommodate a seat.
A bay window, for example, is the ideal spot for a bespoke bench. Alternatively, an alcove could provide a place to create a cosy reading nook, like the window seat here.
Your living room seating options don’t have to be limited to a classic arrangement of sofas and armchairs. Take a look around to see whether there are any unused corners of the room that could accommodate a seat.
A bay window, for example, is the ideal spot for a bespoke bench. Alternatively, an alcove could provide a place to create a cosy reading nook, like the window seat here.
Slot in a multi-tasker
Furniture that does more than one job is a brilliant space saver in a compact room. A simple idea is to use a footstool or pouf as your coffee table, and pull it out to the side to use as a seat when an extra perch is needed.
Here, the upholstered stool can be moved sideways to accommodate guests, it can be placed between the sofas and used as a footrest, or, with the addition of a tray, it can serve as a coffee table. Look for a design on castors to make yours even more portable.
10 Reasons Why Poufs Are the Ultimate Decor Accessory
Furniture that does more than one job is a brilliant space saver in a compact room. A simple idea is to use a footstool or pouf as your coffee table, and pull it out to the side to use as a seat when an extra perch is needed.
Here, the upholstered stool can be moved sideways to accommodate guests, it can be placed between the sofas and used as a footrest, or, with the addition of a tray, it can serve as a coffee table. Look for a design on castors to make yours even more portable.
10 Reasons Why Poufs Are the Ultimate Decor Accessory
Take the edges off
To avoid cluttering up a small room, consider choosing seating without bulky additions. Go for a low back, for example, or opt for a design without arms.
The sofa and chair in this space are roomy enough to be comfortable. However, the minimal design – low-level and arm-free – means they take up less visual space than more fussy items would.
Tell us
How have you arranged seating in your small living room to maximise space? Share your tips in the Comments section, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Need some new seating to suit your small living space? Find a furniture designer or retailer near you
To avoid cluttering up a small room, consider choosing seating without bulky additions. Go for a low back, for example, or opt for a design without arms.
The sofa and chair in this space are roomy enough to be comfortable. However, the minimal design – low-level and arm-free – means they take up less visual space than more fussy items would.
Tell us
How have you arranged seating in your small living room to maximise space? Share your tips in the Comments section, like this story, save your favourite images and join the conversation.
More
Need some new seating to suit your small living space? Find a furniture designer or retailer near you
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I went with this design for my small room
janedale, agree with you. I was looking for images of living rooms without a sofa since in practice people don't sit in a row and it's much easier to curl up with a book or watch a film in a comfy armchair - which is also so much more flexible than a big piece of furniture. Suspect we are in a tiny minority here!
Me again, weighing in ... Just to say - in response to someone above who mentioned dining tables: we discovered that our existing dining table was almost exactly the same length and width as the size of the units/butcher block top we were proposing for our trolley. we therefore moed it into the kitchen for a while, to check whether we were going to be able to cope with that size. No problems with that - but we did discover that, because the dining table was at the right height for sitting round, it made it extemely uncomfortable as an extra work surface ! Too low, achey back, and I'm not very tall !! Trolley it was !