There's something extremely charming about a tiny living room. They can, however be hard to live in. That's why employing some space-saving ideas can be a great idea.
There are lots of ways to maximise on the space you have. From the simple act of rearranging items to choosing cleverly designed furniture, there's no room too small for space-saving solutions.
I've gathered 17 great ways you can create more space in your living room today. It's time to get inspired!
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1. Put up some shelves to save on space down below
Lack of floor space? Then it's time to start thinking about using your walls. No, I don't mean mounting your tables and chairs, I mean shelves of course!
Shelves basically expand the size of your room by giving you more surface area to work with. They're great for displaying picture frames and decor, but more importantly, clutter that needs a home.
Invest in a few storage boxes, and you've basically got a DIY cupboard, mounted up high out of the way.
2. Rearrange your living room furniture
Now, this one may sound incredibly obvious, but it's essential if you want to maximise on space.
Although placing your sofa in the centre of your room can look great, it's not always space-friendly. Pushing furniture closer together, into corners and against walls can free up lots of central space.
Step back and have a look at the furniture you currently have in your room and the way it's rearranged. Begin to think about changes you could make to use the room more effectively, and then start having a play around.
You'll be surprised how much space you can free up!
3. Multipurpose furniture can be super for space-saving
Multipurpose furniture can be so fun. Not only is it often a great talking point in a room, but it's amazing for space-saving too.
There are many simple ways you can make your existing furniture multifunctional, such as stools that double up as side tables. Alternatively, there are loads of incredible, modern pieces of furniture that serve more than one job - a sofa that has pull out pouffes and side tables, for example.
These are definitely investment pieces, but worth considering, especially if you're looking to upgrade your current furniture.
Check out our post on multifunctional furniture ideas for further inspiration.
4. Solid furniture with storage underneath
Coffee tables are great for putting mugs and magazines on, but they take up so much space. This is space that could otherwise be taken up by something much more practical, such as a storage unit.
Pick a coffee table that maximises the space it takes up by choosing something that doubles up as extra storage. There are lots of lovely coffee tables on the market that have drawers or platforms underneath.
Whilst they may not look as elegant as one on spindly legs, they will prevent your room from becoming cramped by clutter.
The same can be said for side tables - opt for something with a drawer or cupboard underneath to save space elsewhere.
5. Invest in a console table
Running short on storage space? If you need somewhere to put things, a console table could be the solution. Place one behind your sofa, out of the way.
It won't take up much space at all, and won't alter the look of your room either. They key is getting one that's the perfect height so it's hidden behind the sofa back. Be sure to measure thoroughly before you invest.
6. Use your bookcases as space-saving solutions
If you're lucky enough to have floor to ceiling bookcases, space-saving couldn't be easier. These are narrow pieces of furniture that, when used well, free up loads of space around your room.
Make the most out of your bookcases by aesthetically organising lots of your wares on their shelves. This way, you won't need to buy any bulky storage furniture which would otherwise take up floor space.
Storage boxes and other organising solutions can be a great help to do this effectively.
7. Mount the tv in your living room to save on space
TV's these days are so big! If you've not really got room for a console table for yours to stand on, why not mount it instead?
This will free up lots of space down below for other essential things, such as additional seating or storage.
8. Furniture that fits your living room perfectly
Small rooms can be tricky to work with. In a small space, it's more important than ever to try and find furniture that suits the space.
Corner sofas are a great example of this. Their adapted design enables them to fit snugly into tight spaces, as opposed to jutting out all over the place.
In order to pick furniture that's really suitable, take measurements of your room, and be sure to stick to them. A chair that takes up half your room will be regretted, no matter how gorgeous it is.
9. Say no to floor lamps if you want to save space
Yes, floor lamps can look great, but they're not practical if you're short on space.
Not only do the bases take up floor space, but they often hang in the way, making a small room more difficult than ever to navigate.
If you're looking to really maximise on space, keep lights to ceilings and walls wherever possible.
10. Nesting tables can be great space-saving solutions
For those of you who can't bring yourself to buy bulky, 'IKEA' furniture with built-in storage, nesting tables can be a wonderful solution.
I have my very own set - a coffee table with two side tables that nest underneath. They're a retro, industrial style which is much more to my taste than the IKEA stuff. Whilst they don't allow for storage underneath like other, heavier designs, they do allow me to save space.
Whilst they don't allow for storage underneath like other, heavier designs, they do allow me to save space. I often use the side tables as additional stools when friends come over - seating I would otherwise have to store elsewhere.
Have a look at some examples and see if nesting tables could be the space-saving solution for you.
11. Corner your living room shelving
Who says shelving has to be straight? Bend yours round a corner and make use of those cubby holes in your living room.
Space-saving is all about adapting your furniture and storage solutions to suit your space. Shelving that worms around walls is a great example of this.
12. Overarm side tables are absolutely genius
Side tables with storage underneath are great, but overarm tables are absolutely genius!
By using your sofas arm as the support for the side table, there's no floor space necessary. This is a great alternative to tables when there's a lack of room.
You'll be able to sit back, relax and sip on your brew in front of the tv, allowing you to embrace the cosiness of your small space.
13. Room dividers can actually save space in your living room
It often seems like the less furniture, the better with small spaces. Room dividers, however, can be extremely useful.
Although they do take up space, by dividing the room in two, you create another 'wall' to use - another surface on which to place furniture.
Many room dividers also integrate storage solutions, such as the classic Kalax range from IKEA, making them even more practical.
14. Save decor for your walls
Small living rooms can start to get crowded real quick. Don't make the mistake of overfilling yours with decor, especially if there's a shortage of space.
By mounting your photographs onto walls, you'll free up the space they would've used down below. This means more room for remote controls, magazines and tv's that need to be in reach.
15. Make use of the space under the window
Most people forget about any available space under the window - don't make the same mistake. Although you may think the wall is unusable, there are plenty of ways to work around the window and maximise on space.
Tall, side cabinets can be placed on either side of the window to frame it, which can be very effective. Another option is to find a suitable cabinet to fit undeath the window ledge. This looks particularly smart and doesn't require much space at all.
16. Floating shelves make living rooms spacious
Whoever thought of these cute little shelves is a genius.
They're an exceptional way of saving space on walls and floors, as they hang from the ceiling alone. While they may not be able to store all your books, they're the perfect place to pop a few plants or candles. Plus, they look adorable!
With all those space-saving tips, your living room will be feeling more spacious than ever!
I find that all my windows have radiators underneath for some reason. I have storage boxes on wheels underneath my settee, (they would usually go under the bed) because I'm disabled my settee and chair have them slightly higher because most settee's are to low down for me with spinal back problems.
Hi Tony. Having radiators underneath windows isn't a bad idea space wise. The problem is the heated air can escape through the gaps, so it isn't very economical! Storage boxes are a great idea - good thinking! Thanks for stopping by :)
So have the radiators moved do you mean. My radiator in the living room is under the window. But will cost to move it? x
Moving a radiator can be expensive and complicated depending on the extent of work required, including new pipes and the cost of labour. Therefore, it's best to contact a heating engineer or plumber to get a quote and assess the situation is best.
If your bedroom is a strange shape then it can be really difficult to find furniture to fit spaces properly. We had this exact problem in two of three bedrooms which felt like a lot of wasted space and didn’t really know how to solve the problem. In the end we decided to go for fitted furniture to make the best use of the space, it turned out to be a best remodelling decision we’ve made and freed up a huge amount of space in the bedrooms. We went for sliding wardrobes from Sharps with mirrors so no need for any additional furniture or surfaces - http://www.sharps.co.uk/sliding-doors. The Mirrored doors made the rooms feel huge as well which was a huge bonus.
Hi Dale. It sounds like fitted furniture was the perfect solution for you! Expensive, but worth it. Thanks for sharing :)
I have a very small kitchen and the kitchen roll was taking up a lot of space. I bought a plastic, cupboard kitchen roll holder from Amazon. Very cheap and has freed up space and doesn't get wet.
Fab idea! Thanks for sharing.
When rearranging furniture in a room, I measure (accurately) the size/layout of the room (positions of doors, windows etc) and draw a scale model on a piece of paper or card. Then I measure each item of furniture that will be in the room and cut out pieces of paper (again to the same scale as the room), write on them what they are representations of, then move the paper furniture around the paper room to see what will fit where. This saves an awful lot of effort moving furniture only to find that the layout you have in your head won't work and then you have to move everything around all over again. Half an hour of measuring, drawing and cutting things out is far preferable to hours of shifting and re-shifting heavy furniture! I'm disabled and find all the furniture moving extremely difficult so I've used this method for almost 35 years and actually keep all my cut-out rooms and furniture in a plastic folder in my filing cabinet so that I don't have to go through all the measuring every time I feel like having a change around, I only have to measure any new items. This also works when you're planning what to do in the garden (laying new lawns, paths and patios, digging new beds, ponds, etc) and I'm sure we've all got the necessary tools to do the design work - pen, pencil, tape measure, ruler, paper, card and scissors.
That's a fab idea!