A Small Living Room Can Be Decorated Just As Effectively

Decorating the interior of a small living room requires you to consider the space available so that the room when completed looks airy, bright and cheerful. In modern day homes, the high cost of real estate has led to rooms in apartments being smaller and this in turn restricts the sort of designs that you can execute for the living room.

So whether your interior design is modern or contemporary you need to keep in mind the area available and come up with an interior design that makes the best use of materials and colors and allows the final effect to be still be one of space and lightness.

Treatments to windows should not be bulky and use huge pelmets, jambs or sills that take up space. Heavy furnishings for a window in a living room that has restricted space could have the effect of making the room look smaller. Using blinds with the thinnest possible slats would help to give a feeling of space.

Furniture in small living rooms should be minimal and multifunctional. Floor space occupied by the furniture needs to be restricted so that the living room area looks as if it has enough circulation area. This can be done easily by seeing that the supports for the furniture occupy very little space on the ground. Open spaces below furniture can actually help to create the feeling of openness and space which is so important for small rooms.

Interior design of a living room would naturally include the colors on the walls. A small room would take more kindly to a single color or slight changes in the shades of individual walls. Having a number of colors can make a room actually look smaller, especially if some of the colors are of the darker hues.

A smaller living room calls for a lot of attention to be paid to the lighting. The limited light available that comes in from the windows can be accentuated with strategically placed mirrors or other reflecting surfaces. Use of a semi-gloss paint opposite the window can also help to increase the natural light in the room. When you decide on the lighting fixtures make sure that you do not use very elaborate shades, as these could further cause your room to look crowded.

Smaller spaces have as much potential as larger ones, when it comes to ideas for decorating. Even when placing decorative pieces around the house, limit them to just one or two on a table or shelf. Placing too many items on surfaces could make the room appear crowded. Decorating a small living room need not be too daunting a task if you consider all these aspects.

Living Room Decorating For Small Spaces

Many Americans are downsizing their homes due to the bad economy. This presents new design challenges to people who may not be used to living in small spaces. "Where am I going to put all my stuff?" is at the forefront of many people's minds. Living room decorating for small spaces is all about making use of every nook and cranny of the home to make the most of the available square footage.

Traditionally, homes are made up of bed rooms, bathrooms, dining rooms, kitchens, and living rooms. People may be inclined to decorate these spaces for their original purposes, but think outside the box and determine which spaces do not get much use. If you are a person who eats their dinner in the living room then a dining room is probably unnecessary most days out of the year. In this case, you can move the home office out of the living room and into the dining room. Get rid of anything in the living room that you can to maximize the use of the space.

Determine a focal point and design the rest of the room around it. Depending on the home, this could be a fireplace, a large window with a view, or even the television. When you have a focus then you know where to place the furniture and accessories. This creates a flow within the room that is important for the overall aesthetic and practical use of the space.

Consider creating a room within the room. If there is no other place in the home to create a workspace, then make a designated area in the living room to serve this purpose. Use a small rug to define the area, and use vertical space for storage. For example, hang floating shelves above a small desk and place boxes of paper, writing utensils, and other office supplies on them.

Creating a sense of unity through similar or complimentary colors pulls everything together. In a small space this is a simple way to create the illusion of spaciousness. The use of mirrors is another way to trick the eye into thinking a room is bigger than it actually is because it captures and reflects light.

Living rooms are a place for family and friends to gather. Make use of all the available space in a small room to make it comfortable, functional, and a reflection of your personal style. Living room decorating for small spaces is a challenge, but these ideas and tips make it easier for anyone downsize.