Living in a small apartment comes with its fair share of difficulties. But, with some interior design tricks, you can make any small room feel and look larger. Choosing the right color for the walls, relying on smart furniture to save space, and learning how to trick the eye into seeing a more expansive living room can transform your small room into a spacious environment. Here are 10 interior decor ideas to transform your small modern living room.
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1. Monochromatic Aesthetics for Space
Photo from Laure Nell Interiors by Anthony J. Rayburn.
One way to open up the room and make it feel bigger is by sticking to a specific color pallet. “We like to keep the palette light and monochromatic to keep the space feeling airy and clean,” says Laetitia Laurent, interior designer for Laure Nell Interiors. “We pay particular attention to the vertical lines, making sure the coffee and side tables line up with the sofa, so your eye can travel freely in a small space. By keeping the colors unified and the proportions to the right scale, we create a sense of softness and coziness in tighter spaces,” she explains.
2. Flowy Curtains to Let Sunshine Through
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Curtains play a significant role in the living room. They can add color, texture, and comfort. But they can also play with how big or small a room looks. Avoid bulky or dark shades and choose lightweight fabric curtains instead. They let more light come into the room and increase its brightness, giving it a more spacious appearance.
3. Use Vertical Space Wisely
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When decorating a small living room, vertical space is key. Use ladders, wall shelves and other elements to make the most use of your walls. Additionally, you want to add upright plants and vertically arrange your wall decor. The idea is to keep most accessories up to distract the eyesight from the floor, instantly giving the illusion of more space.
4. Save Spacer With Media Units
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When you have a small living room, it can be challenging to organize everything that you need. A media console or media unit can be a great space saver. Not to mention, it also helps keep things organized. When you get rid of clutter, you also free up floor space making the room appear larger.
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5. Keep Decor to a Minimum
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A modern, small living room can get inspiration from the minimalist aesthetic. Keep decor to a minimum, so there’s not much that interferes with the eye. Add bold elements like plants and colorful accents, but keep most walls free of decorative elements to let the eye focus on the furniture instead.
6. Merge Different Rooms
An open space layout is the best way to make any small living room appear larger. Merge different rooms by keeping the same color palette, styles and aesthetic. When the living room and dining area combine, it instantly makes the rooms seem more spacious.
7. Don't Be Afraid of Bold Colors
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While most small living rooms will keep walls white or neutral colors, an accent wall can help them appear more spacious. Using a bold color for the wall behind the sofa will separate the living room from the rest of the house and give the illusion of more space. Any solid color such as blacks, blues, oranges and reds will help make your living room appear larger.
8. Use Mirrors and Glass Elements
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Glass is see-through, making it ideal for decorating small rooms. Glass coffee tables and side tables let the eye see through them, giving the appearance of more space. Likewise, mirrors can brighten up the space, reflecting other areas of the room, instantly making it seem larger. Interior designers often recommend placing large floor mirrors opposite a window to maximize its effect and capture as much light as possible.
9. Use More Low-Profile Furniture
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Choosing low-profile furniture is one easy way to decorate a small living room with a modern aesthetic. Sleek furniture takes up less visual space while maximizing the area. Leaving much of the eye-level surface free of clutter gives the illusion of a bigger space. Opt for light-color and leggy furniture in a small living room. Furniture pieces that let the eyes scan the floor make the room seem less constricted and trick the eye into believing there’s more space.
10. Make It Multifunctional
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If you lack the luxury of space, you have to make the most of every inch of the room. Rethink the living room area, and don’t be afraid to incorporate pieces like a small bistro table that can double as a desk or dining table. Small elements like these can complete the living room and make this space feel more functional.
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THIS IS AN ADVERTIsem*nT AND NOT EDITORIAL CONTENT. Please note that we do receive compensation for any products you buy or sign up to via this advertisem*nt, and that compensation impacts the ranking and placement of any offers listed herein. We do not present information about every offer available. The information and savings numbers depicted above are for demonstration purposes only, and your results may vary.
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Choosing the Right Color for the Walls
One of the interior design tricks mentioned in the article is to choose the right color for the walls. In small rooms, using a specific color palette can create a sense of openness and make the space feel larger. The article suggests keeping the palette light and monochromatic, which helps create an airy and clean atmosphere. By unifying the colors and paying attention to vertical lines, such as aligning coffee and side tables with the sofa, you can create a sense of softness and coziness in tighter spaces.
Flowy Curtains to Let Sunshine Through
Curtains play a significant role in the living room and can affect how big or small a room looks. To make a small room appear more spacious, the article suggests choosing lightweight fabric curtains instead of bulky or dark shades. Flowy curtains let more light come into the room, increasing its brightness and creating a more open and spacious appearance.
Using Vertical Space Wisely
In a small living room, utilizing vertical space is crucial. The article recommends using ladders, wall shelves, and other elements to make the most of your walls. By adding upright plants, vertically arranging wall decor, and keeping most accessories up, you can distract the eyesight from the floor and create the illusion of more space.
Saving Space with Media Units
Organizing everything you need in a small living room can be challenging. The article suggests using a media console or media unit as a space-saving solution. Not only does it help keep things organized, but it also frees up floor space, making the room appear larger.
Keeping Decor to a Minimum
A minimalist aesthetic can be an inspiration for a modern, small living room. By keeping decor to a minimum, you reduce visual clutter and allow the eye to focus on the furniture. The article suggests adding bold elements like plants and colorful accents while keeping most walls free of decorative elements.
Merging Different Rooms
To make a small living room appear larger, you can consider merging different rooms. By keeping the same color palette, styles, and aesthetic, combining the living room and dining area can instantly create the illusion of more space.
Using Bold Colors and Mirrors
While most small living rooms tend to have white or neutral-colored walls, using an accent wall with a bold color can help create a sense of spaciousness. Solid colors like blacks, blues, oranges, and reds can make the living room appear larger. Additionally, incorporating mirrors and glass elements can enhance the sense of space. Glass coffee tables and side tables create a see-through effect, while mirrors can brighten up the room and reflect light, making it seem larger.
Choosing Low-Profile Furniture
Opting for low-profile furniture is another way to decorate a small living room with a modern aesthetic. Sleek furniture takes up less visual space and leaves the eye-level surface free of clutter, giving the illusion of a bigger space. Light-colored and leggy furniture allows the eyes to scan the floor, making the room feel less constricted and creating a perception of more space.
Making the Room Multifunctional
If you have limited space, it's important to make the most of every inch. The article suggests incorporating pieces like a small bistro table that can double as a desk or dining table. By adding multifunctional elements, you can complete the living room and make it feel more functional.
These are just some of the interior decor ideas mentioned in the article to transform a small modern living room and create a more spacious environment. Remember, the choice of decor ultimately depends on personal preferences and the specific needs of the space.
