Decorating a living room in an apartment can be challenging, but with some creativity and smart choices, you can create a space that is both stylish and functional. When designing an apartment living room, it’s important to make the most of the layout and square footage while keeping the space cozy and inviting. From choosing multipurpose furniture to using color and lighting to set the mood, there are many approaches to crafting a fabulous living room even in a small apartment. Here are some of our favorite tips and inspiration for designing a chic, modern, and cozy living room in an urban apartment.
Choosing the Right Furniture
Furniture selection is key when designing an apartment living room. Opt for pieces that serve more than one purpose, have a smaller footprint, and fit the proportions of the space.
Multifunctional Furniture
Look for furniture that can multitask, like a storage ottoman that provides extra seating when needed, or nesting coffee tables that tuck away underneath each other. Other great options include:
- Sofa beds and futons that convert into a bed for overnight guests.
- Storage benches and cube ottomans to stash blankets, board games, and more.
- A coffee table with lift-top storage for remotes, coasters, and TV accessories.
- Bookshelves that double as room dividers to help define the space.
Choosing multifunctional furniture is one of the easiest ways to add storage and get more use out of every piece.
Compact Pieces
Furnishings designed for small spaces, like apartment-sized sofas, chairs, and tables, are key for maximizing seating and surface space without overcrowding the room. Look for compact pieces with smaller proportions and footprints.
Some examples include:
- A loveseat instead of a full-size couch.
- A nest of tables instead of one large coffee table.
- Slipper chairs with narrow frames and low profiles.
- A mounted drop-leaf table to allow for extra dining space only when needed.
Measuring the room’s dimensions and mapping out ideal furniture sizes before buying anything is highly recommended. This helps ensure every piece fits and functions well within the allotted layout.
Multipurpose Room Dividers
Using the furniture itself to divide and define spaces is an excellent strategy for studio apartments or open concept spaces. Consider:
- A tall bookcase or cabinet to separate the living room from the bedroom area.
- Floating shelves mounted on the wall to act as a room divider and extra display space.
- Floor plants, screens, or curtains on rods to help delineate functional zones.
Dual-purpose rooms dividers maximize your options for decorating different areas in an all-in-one room.
Small Space Decorating Tips
When it comes to decorating a small living room, less is often more. Follow these guidelines to keep your apartment living room feeling open, airy, and cozy.
Limit Clutter
To prevent a crowded appearance, be selective about decorative objects and limit tchotchkes. A few meaningful art pieces or plants go further than cluttering up surfaces with misc items. Use concealed storage like baskets, cabinets, and shelves to stash essentials out of sight.
Lightweight Fabrics
Bulkier upholstery and heavy curtains can quickly overwhelm a small space. Opt for linen, microsuede, organic cotton, and other lightweight fabrics to keep the look airy and refined. Sheer curtains also help sunlight filter into the room.
Mirrors & Metallics
Strategically hung mirrors give the illusion of extra space by reflecting light and views. Metallics like brass, steel, and chrome have an airy, modern appeal that pairs well with neutrals and neutral fabrics.
Multi-Purpose Accessories
Versatile coffee table books, trays, and baskets prevent clutter while serving decorative purposes. Use trays to corral remotes, candles, and other items. Attractive boxes and baskets hold blankets, toys, or exercise gear when not in use.
Neutral Color Palette
Painting walls white or a very light neutral instantly makes the space appear larger. Layering in different neutral tones and textures adds cozy dimension while sticking to a neutral color scheme. Pops of color can come from accent pillows, artwork, and fresh flowers or plants.
Ideal Layouts for Small Living Rooms
Making the most of an awkward floorplan or small square footage comes down to arranging furniture in the most practical way. Here are some of the best living room layouts for small urban apartments.
Perimeter Seating
Positioning the couch and chairs along the walls of the room frees up valuable floor space in the middle. This creates an open flow and visible walking paths between seating areas and doorways.
Angle furniture slightly inward for easy TV viewing and to define the main sitting area while maintaining an uncrowded appearance. Using lower profile furniture makes the space feel more expansive.
Floating Furniture
Lifting upholstered pieces like sofas and chairs up on legs gives the illusion they are floating, which helps keep sight lines free underneath. Opt for a sofa or tables with tapered legs made of wood, steel, or acrylic for an airy, contemporary vibe. Keeping floors clutter-free also contributes to the floating effect.
Sectionals & Slipper Chairs
L-shaped sectionals are ideal for defining a main sitting zone while maximizing available seating. Nestle a couple of narrow slipper chairs nearby to create intimate conversation areas without hogging floorspace.
Circle the seating around a focal point like the TV or fireplace to create a cozy, communal environment.
Multifunction Room Zones
Dividing an open concept living room into separate activity zones helps it feel less crowded. For example, use an area rug and chairs to define a reading nook by the window. Set up media storage and the TV in the entertainment area over by the sofa. Add a compact desk or table in another corner as a work-from-home office zone.
Small Living Room Ideas by Apartment Layout
Certain living room layouts and shapes lend themselves better to different furniture arrangements and decorating approaches. Here are some layout-specific examples.
Long & Narrow
A lengthy galley-style living room looks best furnished along the length of the space, keeping walking paths open. Arrange the sofa facing the TV on a media unit along one long wall. Across from it, incorporate a console table and accent chairs floating in the room perpendicular to the couch.
Hang elongated artwork and sconces vertically on the walls to draw the eye upward and emphasize the vertical dimensions. Plants of varying heights also help fill floor space without crowding the room.
Square
Square footage calls for square, symmetrical furniture arrangements. Place identical sofas or loveseats across from each other with a square coffee table in the center.
Flank a TV stand centered on one wall with two identical cabinets or shelves. The repetition creates balanced sightlines on all sides.
L-Shaped
For an L-shaped room, break up the space into multiple zones. Use a sofa as a partition to define one area of the room. Then add a couple of swivel chairs around a round cocktail table to utilize the remaining space.
Floating shelves mounted at the junction of the two walls help tie the separate seating areas together.
Small & Windowless
Lack of windows and natural light requires some clever workarounds. Paint one accent wall a bold, saturated color to add visual interest. Install recessed lighting and stylish floor and table lamps for plenty of ambient glow.
Multifaceted mirrors help bounce the light around and create the illusion of more space. For a micro living area, a compact sectional can be arranged in a U-shape facing a wall-mounted TV, lending a cozy vibe.
Stylish & Modern Design Choices
For a contemporary look, update traditional elements with modern lines, materials, and colors. Here are some chic ideas for any apartment size.
Minimalist Style
Embrace minimalism by paring down to only essential furnishings in sleek, modern silhouettes. Choose solid colors over patterns. Lean into simple decor like geometric art, vases, unadorned table lamps and curtainless windows. The result is an airy, uncluttered aesthetic.
Mid-Century Mod Touches
Incorporate quintessential mid-century modern features like peg legs, clean lines, tapered legs on furnishings and an organic, neutral color palette. Sculptural lighting, abstract art prints, and lush potted plants give this style a current twist.
Scandinavian Design
Scandinavian style also pairs perfectly with small urban apartments. Light-colored wood furniture, natural textiles, and abundant plants evoke the laidback elegance inherent to Nordic design. Add warmth with sheepskin throws, woven wall hangings, and rattan or wicker accents.
Industrial Chic Elements
Exposed brick, distressed wood, galvanized metal finishes, and pipe furnishings are the hallmarks of industrial style. Neutral, earthy tones keep the look refined. Punch up the palette with pops of bright colors in accessories and artwork.
Color Schemes & Paint Ideas
Color wields immense influence over the ambiance of any space. Follow these tips for choosing an appealing, multifunctional color scheme.
Neutral Foundation
A subdued, neutral palette creates a soothing backdrop. Shades of off-white, beige, gray and brown work for walls and larger furnishings like sofas or sectionals. Crisp white trim prevents blandness.
Accent Colors
Splashes of vibrant hues in accessories, artwork, pillows and occasional chairs provide pops of interest against neutral foundations. Navy blue, emerald, burnt orange and mustard yellow offer rich personality.
Dynamic Duos
Pair two complementary colors like navy and blush or slate gray with amber yellow. The contrast makes each shade “pop”. Mixing matching tones in different finishes also adds appealing dimension.
Multifunctional Neutrals
Choose paint colors like warm grays, creamy whites, or soft blues that flow seamlessly from day to night ambiance. Then layer in accent lighting, candles, textiles and decor to transform the mood for evening relaxation.
Lighting Tips & Ideas
Proper lighting sets the tone of a space both functionally and aesthetically. Use a combination of natural and artificial lighting to make a small apartment living room feel warm and welcoming.
Maximize Natural Light
Take full advantage of any available windows and daylight. Supplement with ample mirrors, reflective surfaces, and bright white paint colors. Sheer curtains diffuse sunlight while still letting light beams shine through.
Ambient Lighting
For overall illumination install recessed can lights, track lighting or pendant lamps. Table and floor lamps with dimming capabilities provide soft ambient glow in seating areas. Wall sconces flanking a sofa or sectional offer directional task lighting.
Accent Lighting
Use targeted lighting to highlight displayed items and architectural details. Try picture lights above artwork or wall-mounted display shelves, or install under-cabinet fixtures to illuminate curios. Sconces flanking a decorative mirror visually expand the space.
Evening Ambiance
As the natural light fades, lamps, candles and accent lights transform the room for evening. Dimmer switches allow modifying the brightness and mood. Clip-on reading lights next to chairs provide solo illumination without sacrificing overall ambiance.
Tech-Forward Solutions
Incorporate tech-savvy lighting options like voice-controlled bulbs, color-changing LEDs, and smart panels or strips that offer complete customization. Sync lamps and overhead lighting to smart home systems for uno
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