10 Ways to Make a Small Living Room Look Bigger
Dwelling in a small space?
Tiny living rooms don’t have to actually feel cramped and claustrophobic. Here are some solid tips to make your small living room feel and look bigger!
1. Choose lighter colors.
Light colors reflect light and make any space feel light and airy. It’s important when decorating a small space to make the bones of the room light and go for lighter colored furnishings and decor to keep things feeling spacious.
Hip Tip: Need the perfect neutral paint? Check out our 9 neutral paint colors that everyone loves!
2. Use stripes to your advantage.
Stripes that run the longest part of your floor gives the optical illusion that your space is longer and larger. Or go bold with vertical stripes on your walls. This will draw your eyes up and make your space feel bigger. Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to use black and white to make an impact; even the subtlest of colors can make a big difference!
Hip Tip: Here are some of my favorite striped rugs:
- West Elm – Spliced Stripe Rug
- Target – Safavieh Winslow Stripe Rug
- Overstock – Safavieh Hand-Woven Dhurries Blue & Ivory Wool Rug
3. Show off the legs.
Choose furniture with legs so that it sits off the floor and gives you the illusion of more floor space.
Hip Tip: Here are some of my favorite sofas with legs:
- Overstock – Strick & Bolton Beatnik Oxford Leather Tan Sofa
- West Elm – Eddy Reversible Sectional
- West Elm – Bliss Sofa
4. Hang curtains high and wide.
Windows are one attribute in a room that makes a room feel more open so it’s important to enhance them. To make your windows appear larger, hang long curtains higher than the window, close to the ceiling, and hang each panel on either side of the window as opposed to on top of it.
Just look at what a difference some properly hung curtains can make in a small space! 😍
5. Get rid of clutter.
Less is definitely more when it comes to tiny spaces. Small items that are populating will make a space seem cluttered and much smaller, take advantage of storage space for small items that don’t need to sit out and clean out the clutter!
Hip Tip: Declutter your home with these simple tricks.
6. Clear furniture for the win.
Using glass or clear acrylic furniture will create functional space, without looking like it’s actually taking up too much space.
Hip Tip: Check out some of my favorite translucent coffee tables:
- Overstock – Christopher Knight Home Ramona Glass Rectangle Coffee Table
- AllModern – Artemon Coffee Table
- AllModern – Zara Coffee Table
7. Hang your lighting.
Hanging lights, whether it be a wall sconce or ceiling light, will free up valuable real estate on your floor.
Hip Tip: Here are some of my favorite wall sconces:
- Lamps Plus – Urban Barn Wall Light
- Lamps Plus – Wray Black and Antique Brass Plug-In Wall Lamp, set of 2
- AllModern – Samira 2-Light Armed Sconce
8. Use floor mirrors to your advantage.
Mirrors are known to make spaces feel bigger simply because they reflect whatever is in front of them. A large gorgeous floor mirror will make a statement in your room.
Hip Tip: Here are some floor mirrors I love:
- Anthropologie – Gleaming Primrose Mirror, 7 feet
- Amazon – NeuType Full-Length Mirror
- Urban Outfitters – Ashton Mango Wood Mirror
9. Make use of your ceilings.
Hanging plants and chairs not only free up floor space, but they also add a really fun element to your home. Both will also draw your eyes up and make your space seem taller.
Hip Tip: Here are some of my favorite hanging chairs:
- Serena & Lily – Hanging Rattan Chair
- Anthropologie – Knotted Melati Hanging Chair
- Pier 1 Imports – Swingasan Gray Hanging Chair
10. Break the rules of tradition.
Who says you need to have certain furniture for it to be a living room? Just because most have a sofa, coffee table, accent chairs, side tables, etc, doesn’t mean your space is meant to have it all.
Style your space with what works and flows the best, and if that means you have a large ottoman for extra seating rather than a traditional coffee table, then just go with it!
How do you make a small space work for you?
Tell me in the comments!