Top tips to style a small living room

A small living room can be a challenge. When styled wrong, it can be stifling and feel cramped.

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Here we look at some great tips and tricks to make the most of the space you have, which may be essential considering living rooms have reduced in size by a third, according to this article in The Guardian.

Tidy and declutter

First, strip back and ensure only the items you need and want are in the room. Give everything a spot and make sure it gets put back where it belongs.

Colour

Having a small living area does not mean you have to avoid colour, but there are a few ways you can go. The obvious choice is to paint the whole room white to brighten the space and make it feel bigger. For colour, use the furniture or soft furnishings as a focal point. Alternatively, go the opposite way and use glossy dark colours to create a jewel-like room. This approach works best with simple furniture and classy accessories such as a metal log holder.

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Light

If the living room has large windows allowing lots of natural light in, embrace this to help the space feel open by avoiding dark, heavy curtains. An alternative source of light such as an open fire or log burner can add cosiness and the potential for some wonderfully striking accessories, such as a metal log holder or coal scuttle. For artificial lighting, try wall-mounted lamps to save on floor space or ceiling lights that avoid a stark effect.

Cosy

With a small living room, why not just accept it and concentrate on making it really cosy? This can create an inviting, warm room people want to spend time in. Seating can be kept close together with plush soft fabrics to invite snuggling. Whether there is a real fire or not, metal log holders could amplify the cosy feel and a large, luxurious rug would set this off perfectly.

Tables

Be a bit more experimental with coffee tables. Try using ottomans with a tray on top, which could double up as seating when friends are over, and think about a couple of smaller tables so they can be adjusted easily as needed.

A small space can easily be as comfortable and inviting as a large one, so get creative!