(Updated on September 3, 2023)
It is always more difficult to arrange your living room furniture if the space is small.
You have to figure out how to maximize the space you have and arrange your furniture accordingly.
In some instances, you might need to carve out an area for a desk. This is if you work from home and don’t have a home office. So you would have to arrange the living room furniture with the desk in mind.
You might put a desk in a corner, behind the couch, or even alongside the couch.
TIP: Rolled arm chairs and couches take up more room.
COZY TWO CHAIR ARRANGEMENT:
If you have two living rooms, consider using only chairs in the smaller space.
Instead of using a traditional coffee table, an upholstered ottoman might be a better choice. The ottoman can be used for extra seating.
TIP: If there’s not enough room for a couch, consider buying a loveseat instead.
NARROW LIVING ROOM:
In a narrow living room, figure out a good place for the largest piece of furniture. That’s typically a couch.
You will have to establish a pattern for foot traffic when considering where to put chairs, etc.
TIP: Take advantage of windows by using window treatments that are light instead of those having many layers.
SMALL LIVING/DINING SPACE COMBO:
If you don’t have a dining room or a designated dining space, you might end up having to put a table in your living room.
It is better to choose a round table for a small space instead of a rectangular table.
A round table is a good choice because there are no corners that waste space.
TIP: A sectional might be a better choice rather than a couch and two chairs.
DIAGONALLY ARRANGED LIVING ROOM:
Angled furniture redirects the flow of a room and allows you to move pieces away from the walls.
I’ve placed furniture diagonally before and it often has the effect of making the room feel less crowded.
An angled couch automatically creates the proper placement for chairs.
TIP: For a cohesive and clutter-free space, it’s important to define how the living room will function before you buy furniture.
SMALL APARTMENT LIVING ROOM:
With an apartment that has a small footprint, it is often hard to know how to arrange your living room furniture.
Sometimes the placement of windows will dictate your decision. If you have large or floor to ceiling windows, choose light curtains to hang.
This will allow you to take advantage of the light that streams in, and the room may seem bigger than it actually is.
TIP: Using a neutral palette for your living room creates the illusion of more space. Bring color in with accents.
COUCH SEPARATING AREA TO DOOR:
If you don’t have a separate foyer, you might have to get creative and separate that space with your couch.
Arranging the chairs nearby and across from one another creates a cozy conversational feel to the room.
TIP: If you have a bay window, consider creating a window seat there. This will add additional seating for guests, and give you a cozy reading spot in front of the window.
SEPARATING A SMALL LIVING ROOM:
Sometimes you can visually separate your living room in an open area with furniture like a console table
The console table is like a period at the end of a sentence. Its presence tells you that that’s where the “room” ends.
TIP: Consider placing two matching couches opposite each other. Then team them with a pair of armchairs. A square coffee would look best with this arrangement.
FURNITURE ARRANGED IN FRONT OF THE FIREPLACE:
It would make sense to place the couch in front of a fireplace, which is an obvious focal point.
Adding a loveseat or a couple of chairs will create a cozy conversation area.
To further separate the room, you could place a console table or other piece of furniture behind the couch. Add a couple of poufs underneath for extra seating.
When entertaining in a small space, you might consider setting up drinks on a rolling bar cart. If you have a floor mirror, place the bar cart in front of it.
It will appear to take up less space and the light is reflected back into the room.
TIP: When it comes to the layout of a small space, the general advice is not to place all of your furniture too close to the walls.
USING MIRRORS IN A SMALL SPACE LIVING ROOM:
Decorating with mirrors over the couch or behind a couple of chairs can open up a small living room visually.
Mirrors have the affect of bouncing the light back into a room.
Place a mirror behind a light source such as a table lamp, floor lamp, or sconce.
To increase the amount of natural light cast around a room, simply place a mirror opposite or beside a window. Even if the skies are dark, the mirror will harness any available daylight.
The bigger the mirror, the brighter and larger the space will feel.
If you choose glass or mirror-topped coffee tables, this too will bounce light around and create the illusion of more space.
TIP: Opt for chairs with tall, narrow legs, straight backs and less padding. Arm-less accent chairs work well, too.
BEST FURNITURE LAYOUT CONSIDERATIONS:
If your living room is going to be where you socialize, play games, etc., the space must also be functional. So the arrangement of the furniture should not only be stylish, but also practical.
You will want it arranged in such a way that doing the things you love are not hindered but instead made easier.
TIP: To keep the space looking light and open, consider buying light wood, glass-topped or metal tables.
WHERE TO PUT THE TV:
Ideally the TV is placed across from the couch.
The TV should be at the correct height in relation to the couch so that it is comfortable to view.
Mounting your TV on the wall is a great way to save space in a small living room. This will eliminate the need for a media console that would take up more space.
In a small living room with a fireplace, usually the best place to put the TV is above the fireplace.
When you’re buying furniture, draw up a graph where sliding glass doors, stairs, and pathways are located. Measure and write down the distances between them so you know what size furniture to purchase.
Arrange small living room layouts to direct traffic around the conversation area rather than through it.
Gather furniture in the center of the room to create a cozy conversation area.
Great ideas you have here…You can also use Room Divider can be a great addition to your home decor. It can be placed in between your seating area and dining area. It's give a privacy and separation your small area. Thank you for sharing us
Any suggestions for a 17 x 11 living room with a front door near one corner that opens into the fireplace (door so close to corner that it can't be fully opened); raised, uneven brick hearth and proximity to front door make the entry zone unusable. Doorway to all other rooms forces a traffic path diagonally across room. Doorway being off center means the other long wall isn't usable for much either. It's almost 9' (but sofa awkward here unless one end partially in fireplace!), then almost 4' doorway, then a bit over 2' to the corner ( bulky heat vents along walls steal valuable inches!!). Other short wall is solid, but does have heat vents. Final long wall has a picture window looking out to front yard, but it's hard to arrange sofa to see said view without blocking foot traffic, or just floating awkwardly. I've already given away most of my furniture thanks to this dilemma! Please help- all suggestions appreciated!! ? thank you.
Some really great ideas! I have huge problems finding the perfect arrangement for my living room!
great tips, Brenda. Shows what a little creativity can do.
These are all great ideas! I think sometimes people THINK they only have one option when there actually might be more if they just tried a few things out. I've been surprised at the number of different ways I have found to arrange a room. :o)
Tania
I have a small living area, and I really liked a few of these designs, they could actually work in my living room! Thank you for posting them!
Good ideas. I have a small living room and a little hearth room off the kitchen in the house we're moving to soon. This is very helpful in thinking through the furniture placement there. Thank you!
Good ideas!
I'm gonna send you a picture of my living room, then good luck with it. Hopefully you can come up with a better idea. My house is only 998 sq.ft and the living room is so hard for me to figure out.
I have a room where I would like to rearrange the furniture…and need to study these pics for help thanks for the ideas. Sheila
Great ideas. THank you for sharing.
So good! This has been my biggest issue with our home…the living room is small and awkward with tons of paths to other rooms that need to stay cleared! Love these ideas.
Hi Alice,
How did you end up arranging things?? I have the same issue, and I' m at a real impasse. The weird placement of our front door and doorways to other rooms plus fireplace make otherwise great solutions not work for us. Thanks in advance for sharing! ��
Dear Alice,
Just curious, how did you end up arranging your room? I have exactly the same issue. With the awkward positioning of our front door plus fireplace plus opening to hallway plus the various foot traffic paths, most solutions that work in other small spaces just don't work for us. Thanks in advance for sharing!! ��
I have the long narrow kind / the segment solution works best but oh boy did it take awhile to figure it all out when I first moved here! 🙂
My living room is very small. Several of these amazing examples would work perfectly! Thank you, Brenda.
These are great tips. Sometimes we get in a rut placing the furniture one way and just by changing a few things around, you can transform a whole room. Nice examples!
Shelley
Great tips and great examples.
I have always positioned my couch away from the wall, and when I get moved I have planned it that way with a desk or table behind it. It's a look I have always loved. xo Laura