Designing any room in a home is challenging, however, it is the living room where people spend most of their time, and it automatically makes it more exposed to a critical eye. That is where you entertain your guests and spend a lot of family moments, celebrations, important events, etc. When decorating and shaping a small living room, the designer must overcome the imbalance between making it as spacious as it gets, but also providing it with sufficient seating – making it functional to the most. These guidelines will help you find the right path.

Mirror Play                                                                                

In order to avoid the boxy feeling of a small living room, especially one with not enough window space, you need to create the illusion of extra space by combining wallpapers and a large wall mirror. By positioning the mirror opposite the window (sorry, feng shui people) you can create an impression of an extra window, as it reflects the garden view from a real window. In this case you can focus your living room furniture on a love seat set against the wall, flanked by two identical side tables and lamps. Throw in a coffee table and if possible two slim chairs opposite the love seat.

photography by Zara for Kate Forma

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Scale it down

With current trends of conserving space, there is little use for cumbersome armchairs and bulky full-fledged sofas. Small scale furniture can be equally interesting and practical. Antique shops offer a good deal on small furniture pieces, as rooms used to be much smaller more than half a century ago. Ask for small benches, love seats and chairs. By centering a love seat in front of the window, and including side walls. small tables on each side, you can save more space than with a full armchairs/sofa set. Add a pair of subdued period armchairs opposite the sofa, and you are all set. Small living rooms benefit from a dual use of pieces, like using a trunk as a central coffee table. This setting allows for a chaise lounge on one of

Ceiling is the Limit

If you are lucky enough to have a small living room with a high ceiling, there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of that vertical dimension to create an impression of more space. Of course, you cannot add another seat vertically, but what you can do is attract the viewer’s attention up, persuading them that they are sitting in more spacious room. Turn your high living room walls into a private gallery of intricate small pieces. The effect won’t fall out.

Making the most out of a Corner

Contrary to sound logic, if you have a small living room, a good strategy is to take up that corner with a large piece of furniture you can find, like a sectional sofa. Such an array can make the living room look bigger than it really is, because it relies on one piece only, and more importantly can seat a dozen of people. Opt for a modern sectional with clean straight lines. Complement the sectional with a natural fabric rug Sydney style, in small prints or plain colors, to achieve the expansive effect. And if you are always in need for extra seating, involve a pair of leather folding stools opposite the sectional.

Foto Shift Interiors

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Double Approach

If your living room arrangement dictates for an open-space sofa position, try a backless model. It has many advantages, especially if you are left with only a small sofa option. Apart from being a chic alternative to a traditional couch, it can be used from both sides, which kind of doubles the seats when the room gets crowded with people. In another scenario, a backless sofa can act as a divider between a living room and a dining area. Another way to create impression of spaciousness, apart from wallpapers and mirrors is the use of plants. Greenery softens the corners and draws a conclusion that there is more room behind than it really is.

There are many solutions for making a small living room space look bigger. There are two approaches, which often combine beautifully: making the impression of larger space and using furniture pieces that take little space and provide substantial seating.

Author Bio:  Zoe Clark  is a home decorator from the land down under. She loves playing with colours and spaces, and has a tender spot in her heart for everything vintage. You can find her on Google+, Twitter and Facebook.