Small Spaces
Apartments
By
Megan McCarty
Megan McCarty
Megan is a writer, editor, etc.-er, with over 13 years of experience in both print and digital media. She regularly contributes to design-focused outlets such as MyDomaine, Architectural Digest, Domino, House & Home, and Hunker.
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Updated on 01/04/24
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Looking for small apartment living room ideas to make the most of your limited square footage? Maximizing a petite room means avoiding oversized furniture that will leave you with zero floor space, while also being careful not to leave your guests without a place to sit, either. With smart storage, consideration for scale, and a little courage, you can pack a lot of style in a small space.
From adding storage through clever accessories, sleek shelving, and hidden hacks, to choosing the right furniture to suit your room's scale to planning an efficient layout and not skimping on style, there are countless ways to make your small living room magazine-worthy.
Scroll on for 40 design ideas that’ll maximize every inch of your petite apartment living room.
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Go Bold With a Gallery Wall
To pack a punch of personality into your small space, go big and bold with a wall-to-wall gallery wall.
“You’ll want to pick one really large piece that paves the way for the surrounding pieces and build out around it,” Yoselin Castro, senior interior designer at Mackenzie Collier Interiors, says “One of my favorite things when it comes to building gallery walls is filling in the small gaps with textural decor—think a clock, macrame hanging, or metal links.”
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Devise a Spot to Work From Home
With working from home a new part of our routines, including a desk in your small living room may seem like an unrealistic dream. Take it from this Studio London Co.-designed living room in New York City: it's not.
Nestled between the couch and the window is a barely-there but incredibly useful desk. The desk's slim silhouette is spacious enough to spread out during the work day, but blends into the background once you close your laptop.
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Hang a Standout Light Fixture
If you'd prefer to keep your walls bare, take a risk with an eye-catching light fixture, like Mary Patton did in this living room. It's a sculptural standout, drawing the eye up, so you can keep the rest of the room on the simpler side.
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Layer a Rug Over Carpet
Most of us have been there, stuck in an apartment with less-than-ideal carpeting. If you're renting, pulling it up and refinishing the floors isn't an option, but covering much of it up with a rug is.
This living room fromK Shan Design is a perfect example of how to layer a rug over carpet. Not only would a rug hide most of the carpet in your living room, but it'll muffle sound between you and your downstairs neighbor and add an extra soft landing for your feet too.
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Add Lots of Versatile Seating Options
You may not have the space for an oversized sectional, but there are plenty of other ways to include seating options in your small living room. Loveseats are always a great idea, and so are stools that can be moved around (or out of) the space, depending on your entertaining needs.
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Make it Monochromatic
To create an airy apartment living room, no matter how big or small it is, keeping everything (from wall color to furniture to window treatments) in shades of white will always make it feel roomier than the square footage suggests.
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Paint the Ceiling
It may seem risky to paint the ceiling in a small space. Won't that make it look smaller? That depends on the color. This icy blue, painted both on the walls and ceiling by Joshua Smith Inc., bounces around this petite living room thanks to the sunshine streaming through the windows, making for a cohesive space.
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Embrace the Space With a Dark and Moody Feel
When designing your small apartment living room, you have to start with one question. Do you want a light and bright space or a dark and moody one? If you opt for the latter, a cozy alternative to an airy living room, take notes from this JF Gardemal Designs space: textured eggplant wallpaper and blackout curtains are the keys to creating this mood.
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Use Muted Tones
Clean lines, natural materials, and muted tones—that's the recipe for this living room. The results are enviable and inspiring.
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Lean Into Parisian Vibes
Oh-so-chic Parisians have lived with small living rooms for centuries. When in doubt, take in this Anastasia Casey-designed space, which we could imagine in Le Marias, and ask yourself: what would a Parisian do?
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Arrange Art on Floating Shelves
Hanging art is great. Leaning art, some may say, is even better. Casually leaning matching frames on slim floating shelves, like in this living room designed by Curated Nest Interiors, makes for a cohesive look that is far from cluttered.
Tip
Best yet, it's all too easy to switch out frames, giving your space an immediate makeover without leaving holes in your walls.
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Take a Chance on an Adventurous Color
Never thought you'd own a mustard couch? The confines of a small apartment living room may be the perfect space to stretch your design comfort zone. The unexpected color warms up the modern touches, like the geometric pendant light and the stone coffee table.
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Opt for a Sofa Sleeper
Just because your apartment living room is on the smaller side doesn't mean you need to forego hosting guests. Take it from this apartment designed by Christina Loucks. It features a great sleeper sofa that easily turns the couch into a bed your guests would happily crash on.
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Create a Seamless Open Concept Space
If your living room is also your dining room, make the most of the combined space with a cohesive design that doesn't visually chop up the already tight quarters. Here, BHDM Design kept the couch, dining room table, and all the furniture in between in the same sleek color family, creating a seamless open concept look.
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Paint it Black
Feeling brave? A small apartment living room is a golden opportunity to make bold design decisions—like painting the entire room black. That's whatLouis Duncan-He Designs did for this living room. The matte black paint creates a cool and dramatic backdrop for equally-as-exciting furnishings, like a rust-colored couch and a feathery floor lamp.
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Integrate Vintage Furniture
Is there anything more satisfying than responding, "Oh, it's vintage" to a guest fawning over your you-name-it? Investing in vintage furniture and art takes some scouting, but brings a je ne sais quoi to any space—especially a small living room.
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Hang Uniform Art
Small apartment living rooms can look cluttered fast. That's not the case with this clean, airy space by BHDM Design. Partially to thank for that is the neatly hung art, uniform and perfectly in place.
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Embrace Awkward Angles
Look at a triangular footprint, like the one featured in this Manhattan apartment, as a welcome challenge. It forces you to be intentional about your furnishings, creating a cozy conversation corner that doesn't detract from the stunning city views.
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Go for Gauzy Window Treatments
Instead of heavy drapery, which could make a small space feel even smaller, Mary Patton Design kept the window treatments in this apartment living room light and airy. They filter sunlight, provide privacy, and inspire a grand feeling in the space.
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Prioritize the View
Who cares about the size of your apartment living room when you have a view like this? BHDM Design kept the furnishings and flourishes in this space minimal, so nothing distracts from that view.
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Add a Pair of Matching Loveseats
A small apartment living room won't allow you to indulge in an oversized sectional. Instead, invest in matching loveseats, which you can arrange to face one another for optimal conversation and cuddling.
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Keep Furnishings Minimal
If you're afraid of overwhelming your small apartment living room, start with minimal furnishings: a couch, a coffee table, a lamp, and a plant. From there you can build on until you feel like the space is properly furnished without cluttering the space.
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Mix and Match Bold Patterns
For a serious jolt of personality in your living room, put a pattern to work. Then maybe another pattern too. Take this Travis Londons / Studio London-designed space as inspiration. The oh-so-fun zigzag wallpaper creates a statement wall behind the couch, with the pattern elongating the look of the room, while the diamond-patterned rug complements it with a similar-but-different feel.
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Trade a Sectional for a Couch
Sectionals can be clunky, especially in a small apartment living room. That's not the case with this sleek and understated gray sofa—it provides the perfect anchor in the space without overcrowding it.
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Add Storage With Book Shelves
Bless bookshelves. Not only do they provide storage for books (of course), but they are also a genius use of space to house framed photos, plants, and knick-knacks—all without taking up too much precious space.
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Incorporate (Lots of) Plants
No matter how small your living room is, there's always room for a plant, or two, or 10. Plants add much-needed life to spaces of all sizes. If you're short on square footage, look up. Hanging plants draw the eye up while saving you precious floor space.
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Camouflage the TV in a Gallery Wall
With just a quick glance at this gallery wall, your eyes will barely register that the TV is placed in the middle of it. What a smart way to blend a TV into your design. Use the television as the anchor, then arrange wall art of various (but slightly smaller) sizes around it.
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Connect Spaces With a Large Area Rug
A rug is a must for any apartment living room, not only for aesthetic purposes, but also to muffle the sounds of your footsteps for your downstairs neighbor. Here, BHDM Design outfitted the entire floor, from the living room through the dining area, with one oversized rug, which makes the space seem bigger than it is.
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Work With—Not Against—Slanted Walls
If your apartment is tucked into the top floor of a house, you may be working within the confines of slanted walls. The key? Work with them, not against them. Low-profile furniture is your friend; it'll neatly tuck into the part with the shorter ceiling.
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Take Things Outside
If you're lucky enough to have an outdoor space in your apartment, make the most of it by setting up an outside lounging area—you'll thank us later.
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Use Art to Define the Walls
Add an unexpected twist to the walls of your living room with tapestry art. The results are refreshing and effortless while leaving enough space for the walls to breathe. Win/win.
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Reconsider Black Trim
Forget everything you think you know about black trim—this living roomwill surely change your mind. It doesn't have to look overbearing or dated, and it doesn't have to make a room feel smaller either.
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Consider Scale
Playing with scale in a small apartment living room is a delicate balance. You don't want to overwhelm the room, but you don't want to solely feature dainty pieces either. A good place to start: an oversized light fixture, like the one in this living room.
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Have Fun
No one says you have to take interior design seriously. Have fun designing your small apartment living room. Go ahead, hang colorful art! Show off a funky pattern! Encourage guests to sit on a knotted velvet pouf, like the one in this New York City living room designed byAlvin Wayne. Your living room, no matter its size, is meant to be enjoyed.
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Choose the Largest Sofa Possible
While you want to choose furniture that correctly suits the scale of your living room, that doesn't mean choosing the smallest sofa on the market. A tiny sofa can have a dollhouse effect, while choosing the largest sofa that works within your space can actually make your room seem bigger, especially if it's a light and airy white.
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Add Built-Ins
Storage is typically hard to come by in small spaces, but you can create an entire wall of storage without taking major square footage. Use bookshelves to create faux built-ins or install real built-ins. You'll only lose a few inches from the wall but you'll gain major storage space.
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Choose an Armless Sofa
Not only do you need to select a sofa that's the right scale for your space, but also the right silhouette. An armless sofa can make your space feel more airy and avoid disrupting the flow in your room.
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Echo Textures Throughout the Room
An intentional small space will feel sophisticated and styled. One way to do that is to echo the same fabrics and textures throughout the space. In this room, a cognac leather sofa coordinates with the cognac leather ottoman next to the accent chair. This helps the small living room feel cohesive rather than thrown together.
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Balance Hard and Soft
Leggy wood and metal furniture feels light and airy, which is why it's used so often in small living rooms. But too much of it can create a cold look. Balance those harder materials with soft, cozy textures, including blankets, sheepskin throws, and drapery.
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Incorporate Chairs Into Your Layout
Even in the smallest of spaces, a seating option beyond the sofa will make a room feel more welcoming and comfortable. Try petite accent chairs or ottomans that can double as storage or seating.
FAQ
How do you arrange a small living room in an apartment?
No matter how small the living room in an apartment is, make sure you have the necessities, including a sofa, at least one additional seat, and a coffee table (it can be small or unconventional!).
This foolproof layout will not only be a comfortable room for you to relax in, but it allows you to host another guest or two.
How can I maximize space in my small apartment?
Maximize space in your apartment by choosing furniture that's the right scale for your room. Furniture that's too big or too small will make your living room seem smaller. Additionally, choose items that can do double duty. A sectional that has hidden storage, an ottoman where you can store blankets, or a chair with a shelf underneath are all clever ideas for a small space.
Where should I put my couch and TV in a small apartment?
A couch and TV in the living room is the best choice for a small apartment. If you're in a studio, the couch can go at the end of the bed. Place the TV across from the couch and mount it to the wall, if possible.
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