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Spacious Design Ideas for Your Small Living Room

By Adam Morris
Share to PinterestSpacious Design Ideas for Your Small Living Room
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Small living rooms can feel at the very least, confining. You can make significant improvements to a living room that brings color, taste, and practical storage to even the smallest spaces. Who says you have to be tame? Your creative expression can go wild in a small living room. Striking pieces and rearranging the room can have a large effect on how you use and interact with your small space.

01

Make use of vertical space

If you can't go wide, go up. Use your walls or vertical space for storage, art, and accent pieces. Walls are untapped space in a small living room for creative expression and practical space utilization. Everything from furniture to statuettes can adorn your walls. Don't be afraid to use bold pieces that showcase your design aesthetic and personal style.

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02

Go light and bright to open up your living space

Dark colors will indeed close a space. By keeping the walls and decor of a small space white or light colors, you give the perception of more room. In a small area, make the most of natural light by using minimal window coverings and allowing light to fill the space.

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03

Stay neutral with added pops of color

Share to Pinterestloft room bright couch
asbe / Getty Images

Let your living room be your canvas. The coolest thing about neutral colors is that they let bright accent pieces and furniture pop. Keep the room colored in a neutral palette, while adding pops of color. This can range from icy blues to burnt oranges. The choice is yours.

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04

Go long and linear

Share to Pinterestvertical stripes make room look taller

Ever heard that saying about wearing vertical stripes? Just as vertical stripes on your body create the illusion of height, vertical lines on walls create the illusion of higher ceilings. The key to making the most of a small space is accenting its features. After adding vertical accents through paint or decals, avoid cluttering the space. Bare walls augment the vertical effect.

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05

Shelving is your friend

Share to Pinterestmid-century shelving
KatarzynaBialasiewicz / Getty Images

When decorating a small living room, be practical. There's no room for hope chests or other items that take up precious floor real estate. Adding shelving and other wall-based storage solutions keeps the flow and openness of the room. As a bonus, you have a cute place to keep your stuff.

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06

Leverage the space behind your couch

Share to Pinterestart and credenza behind couch
Bulgac / Getty Images

No space should go to waste. A mid-century credenza can add a tasteful accent to a room that doubles as storage for private items. If backed against a wall, this is the place to showcase your artwork. The area can also be used for partial room dividers or screens.

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07

Create an accent wall

Share to Pinterestwood accent wall
Avdic / Getty Images

What are your eyes drawn to first in your living room? An accent wall breaks up the space with color or texture. By adding an accent wall, you remove the monotony of bare walls in a small space and give the room a natural centerpiece. Start small with color, or go big with an architectural accent.

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08

Opt for floating furniture

Who's ready to defy gravity? Floating furniture gives a futuristic feel to any room. It's aesthetically, gorgeous and modern. Most importantly, by freeing up floor space, you create the illusion of more space even in the smallest of rooms.

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09

Add life with plants

Share to Pinterestplants
aldomurillo / Getty Images

Let your imagination run wild-- and some houseplants! Any room can be brought to life with plants of all sizes and colors. Bare corners are helped with greenery, as well as empty shelves. Plants filter your air and bring a fresh look to living room decor. In addition, plants make a room look and feel homier.

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10

Leverage the power of threes

Share to PinterestScandinavian style living and dining room.
1172217300 / Getty Images

When in doubt, triple it. Add three of a small accent at a time to refine a small living room. The important thing to remember is that your decorating should show thought and intentionality. By adding three of the same thing-- a painting, a sculpture, a plant-- your care for your small space shines through.

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