Small living room layouts – 13 ways to arrange furniture in a tiny space

The pressure’s on when it comes to small living room layouts – you’ve got to juggle storage and seating and surface space and soft furnishing, while also making sure it feels calm and spacious. And yes, sometimes it feels like a bit of an impossible task. How can you ever arrange this amount of furniture into a small space while still keeping it feeling open and airy?

However, with some savvy planning and a discerning eye, it’s possible to create the perfect small living room layout. The living room is often a place to chill, a place to work, a place to entertain, and sometimes even a place to sleep, so it’s got to be a hard-working multifunctional space. 

Flexible living room furniture is king, such as modular pieces or those that can double up as seating and storage, yet it’s important not to cram it all in. Sometimes less is more, and leaving space to walk freely around the furniture will create a luxurious feel. 

How do you layout a small living room?

As more of us work and play at home, the living room now has to cater to various roles. It’s important to really think about how you spend your time in the space, as this will largely determine your layout. 

When it comes to choose the best furniture for small living rooms, ditch the trad three-piece suite and go for versatility and mobility. A couple of stylish slipper chairs or a cozy love seat paired with footstools or ottomans that can double up as seating, storage or side tables, will be more valuable than a pair of bulky sofas. Look for shallow-depth furniture, modular designs and bespoke built-in solutions that will all curb clutter and save valuable floor space.

'Once you’ve decided on your key pieces, lay newspaper to mimic the size of the furniture you're looking to put in to help you visualize just how much room everything will take,' says Emma Deterding, founder of Kelling Designs (opens in new tab). 'It'll also help you make important decisions about the size and scale of big pieces and whether the room will feel spacious or restricted.'

1. Opt for a symmetrical living room layout

'Symmetry makes everything easier on the eye and it’ll automatically make the space feel orderly and calm.' says interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke (opens in new tab). 

However, don’t go too streamlined; small spaces can often feel boxy so break up lines with plenty of curves and textured surfaces to add interest. She also suggests incorporating seamless hidden doors when wall space is at a premium – you can hang pictures on it, or even create a recessed bookcase within the door itself. 

2. Float your furniture

Floating furniture is another good small living room layout idea, as it leaves the floor free, enhancing the proportions of the space. 

As your sofa is likely to be the largest single item in your living room, it's worth paying attention to getting this key piece right. Our guide to the best sofas has some great options for smaller spaces - think compact shapes elevated on tall legs that add a feeling of spaciousness by allowing your eye to travel underneath the sofa to the farthest walls

Use a bit of visual trickery too – layered lighting will make a small living room feel larger by drawing the eye around the room. The same goes for furniture; ensure you have a range of heights in the space as it’ll feel two-dimensional if it all sits on a low level.

3. Build it in  

Swapping a sofa for a space-saving bench seat is a smart way to make the most of the space underneath a window. In this chic San Fran pad, ABD Studios utilized the corner by creating a stylish shallow-depth lounger, swapping a bulky backrest for a stash of plump cushions propped up against the windows. 

4. Break it up 

If your budget won’t stretch to bespoke designs, modular furniture is the next best thing. Interior designer Emily Rickard (opens in new tab) hacked this Ikea Soderhamn sectional sofa to fit her space by popping a nifty triangular storage table in between two sections. It meant the sofa could fan around the corner of the room to gain extra floor space.

5. Make mirrors key in a small living room layout

Mirrors are a brilliant way to enhance the perception of space and an essential to creating a small living room layout that feels light and open. Why not go one step further and add a statement mirror wall for real glam factor. 

'We always strategically place mirrors opposite windows to make a tight layout feel bigger and brighter,' says Costanza Ranieri of Ivar London (opens in new tab). 'Just make sure it’s not reflecting other mirrors, as you get that never-ending effect, which makes for a very odd and kitsch space.'

6. Go floor to ceiling with storage

The best way to boost a small living room layout is to go for floor-to-ceiling living room storage. It’s an opportunity to create a shelfie-worthy space that will add bags of charm in a limited space. 

Kingston Lafferty designed this playful bookcase with a ladder to access the full-height storage. 'Using mirrored paneling breaks up the solid block of cabinets and gives the illusion that the floor runs on beyond the furniture,' says Becky Russell of Kingston Lafferty (opens in new tab).

7. Choose space saving furniture

Corner or chaise sofas are often a go-to in small living rooms as they give max comfort and take up minimal floor space, plus they’re fab for impromptu sleepovers. 

Or, if you regularly have overnight guests, then you could take multifunctional furniture to the max by swapping your sofa for a sofa bed. Our guide to the best sofa beds has options that are comfortable enough to use as your everyday seating.

Also, choose curvy pieces – they not only look chic but save valuable inches by shaving off the corners. In this scheme designed by 2LG Studio (opens in new tab), a sultry raspberry-red slipper chair adds glam without the footprint, while a matching footstool doubles up as a makeshift coffee table.

8. Create a cozy nook

Quirky niches and recesses are ripe for transforming into comfy seating areas as they don’t eat up valuable floor space. Even better, add storage underneath like in this apartment renovation by Vanrenen GW Designs (opens in new tab) to stash any inevitable living-room flotsam.

9. Work with a narrow living room 

If you’ve got a long narrow living room layout to work with, think outside the box – literally. Carve out niches, recesses and oriel windows to create seating opportunities as well as extra surfaces for books and knick-knacks. Architecture firm Loader Monteith (opens in new tab) added a series of frameless windows in this living room to avoid a dark corridor effect and to make it feel visually wider.

10. Make the most of wall space

If you’re working with a super-tiny space, slim picture ledges are a slick way of incorporating storage without taking up room with bulky furniture, as well as adding interest with books, art and photos. To maximize the illusion of space, a clever trick is to go dark – by painting both the walls and shelving black, it’ll make the walls look further away than they really are.

11. Pick a small living layout that embraces the coziness

“Avoid pushing the furniture back against the wall, even if you feel like you can’t fit it in,” says interior designer Emily Rickard. “A little breathing space around key pieces makes the room feel bigger, plus it will create an intimate and cosy vibe.” A rug will also help ground the furniture and leaving a border of floor space will enhance the sense of spaciousness.

12. Utilize the back of the sofa

In a small living room, every surface is an opportunity, so think about using the back of a sofa, especially in an open-plan layout. 

'We wanted to include a study space without impacting the elegance of the sitting room, where we knew we wanted two slim sofas facing each other,' says Sarah Peake of Studio Peake (opens in new tab). 'Putting a slim desk against the back of a sofa was the perfect solution. Always try to incorporate a view if you can – we positioned it so you can gaze out the window beyond the sitting room.'

13. Rethink your lighting scheme

Obviously, even small living rooms need decent lighting, but when you’re trying to squeeze every square inch out of the floorplan, table and floor lamps can feel like a luxury. Swing-arm wall sconces are a savvy choice as they make stylish reading lamps, leaving side-table surfaces free.