Learn How To Arrange Furniture In A Small Living Room

The living room is the place in the house where you’re supposed to be able to sit, talk, and unwind, but the smaller the space, the tougher it is to arrange the furniture properly so it doesn’t look quite so crowded. Sure, choosing the right furniture at the outset can help, but beyond that, what can you do? These tips for how to arrange furniture in a small living room can help.

Start With a Diagram

One of the best things you can do before you start moving furniture here, there, and everywhere is to start with a sheet of paper. Graph paper is often the best idea because it will help you keep everything in proportion. Draw your room on the graph paper, then cut out small pieces to scale to help represent the furniture. Start moving the pieces around together on the paper to see what works best. It will save you quite a bit of hassle in the long run when arranging furniture in a small living room.

Create a Focal Point

Good rooms often work because they have a focal point, and nowhere is this more true than in the living room. In most cases, it’s the TV, but it could also be a fireplace or a great bay window. You’ll want to arrange your seating around that focal point, but make sure visitors will still be able to see and talk to each other too. Creating a focal point is especially helpful when considering how to arrange furniture in a small living room because it helps you to organize everything and eliminate what’s not needed.

Don’t Add Too Much

There’s always the temptation to cram one more piece of furniture in, but with small living rooms, don’t do it. Use just as much as you need, and try to go for dual use pieces. Storage ottomans are a good choice, as are end tables that open up. Remember that there’s no one piece you have to include in your small living room furniture arrangement. If you want to go with a loveseat over a couch or eliminate the coffee table entirely, anything goes in these situations.

The same holds true for décor. Instead of cluttering every table with knickknacks, try a more minimalist approach for how to arrange a small living room by selecting just a couple of items. The room will seem less crowded if there’s more open space for the eye to rest.

Mix Furniture Sizes

While too much large furniture will overpower a small room, it’ll look awkward if everything is too small. Mix up your furniture sizes a little with a larger sofa and a smaller chair, for example. This creates dimension and visual interest in when arranging furniture in a small living room.

Think About Traffic Flow

When thinking about how to arrange furniture in a small living room, consider where the entrances to the room are and how people will move through the room. You don’t want a couch to crowd the doorway or for the back of someone’s head to be the first thing you see when you walk in.

You also want to keep about three feet of walking space between furniture pieces. Any less, and you’re more likely to bump into things, making walking around the room uncomfortable. Don’t forget about furniture with drawers or doors – you’ll need to have space to open them as well.

Living room arrangement isn’t a science. Just look at the flow, then figure out what might work best with your available space. The key to small living room furniture arrangement is focusing on what’s important and keeping everything well organized.