15 Simple Small Living Room Ideas for Minimalist Style (2024)

Just because you have a small living room does not mean you have to skimp on style when it comes to decorating. Case in point, the following 15simple small living rooms. Each one offers ideas for how to pack a lot of style and function into a small space using only simple things, but without making things feel crowded or uncomfortable.

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    Use a Monochrome Palette

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    Creating an insanely chic small space is a cinch if you stick to a monochromatic palette as shown in this white living room featured on IKEA Ideas Lab. A few tricks keep this space from feeling cold and stark. Beautiful greenery enlivens the space with color. Natural wood and wicker accents add a dash of cozy, rustic style.

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    Add Interest With Texture

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    When square footage is exceptionally tight, make the most of your living room with small-scale furniture as shown in this space by Boston based Jamie Keskin Design. A love seat carves out a cozy spot for two. Two end tables that double as shelving whip up a spot store books. Textural elements like the wicker coffee table and ribbed ceramic lamps punch up the neutral color scheme.

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    Include Luxe Accents

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    You do not need a lot of stuff to make an elegant statement. In this lovely space spotted on the Decoist, furnishings and decorative accents in a mix of luxurious materials and chic colors elevates things. The marble coffee table is an attractive focal point. The green leather pouf and blue velvet side chair offer up eye-catching seatings. A plush Scandinavian inspired rug feels fantastic under bare feet. The starburst mirrors add sparkle without going overboard. The fiddle leaf fig tree, shown on the right brings a touch of nature.

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    Add a Cozy Sectional

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    A minimalistic, "L" shaped sectional sofa is a great way to maximize seating in a small living room. A pitch-perfect example is shown in this space by Los Angeles based interior designer Haley Weidenbaum.Zero square footage goes to waste with the three-piece nesting coffee set. Not only do they provide extra function when needed but the two smaller tables instantly disappear when tucked under the large one. A leather woven chair is both a stylish and compact touch that does not add visual heft. The potted plants bring balance, beauty, and character.

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    Mix White and Dark Hues

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    Dark furnishings add depth to this white, small living room by Havenly, an online interior design service. Gobs of natural light keeps the gray sofa and cognac side chair from weighing the space down. Got high ceilings? A tall fiddle-leaf fig tree, as shown on the left, will contrast beautifully with crisp white walls. The rug on the adds a dose of room warming orange color while unifying the room's color scheme.

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    Choose Tiny Furniture

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    When square footage is minimal, go for extra cozy small-scale pieces like the plush sofa in this space spotted on Haus Modelle. Colorful nesting side tables work as an expanding coffee table. A tiny bentwood stool from IKEA adds an extra seat.

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    Mix Design Styles

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    IDF Studio, an interior design firm out of San Francisco created this small living room, which is a mash-up of California causal style combined with Scandinavian inspired décor. The pale color palette gives the space it's tranquil and relaxing vibe. Notice the backward books? Facing the pages out works with the room's color scheme.

    15 Scandinavian Living Rooms to Spark Ideas

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    Play With Scale and Color

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    Here is another example of how playing with scale works in a simply designed small living room. Here the interior designers at Labl Studio based in New York City combine a mini Chesterfield sofa with what appears to be a giant-sized desk lamp. The layered rugs on the floor lend visual texture and bold color. The clear acrylic side table on the left adds function without the visual heft that comes with furniture that is not see through.

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    Add Lush Greenery

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    Natasha, the blogger behind Candy Pop, skimps decorative featureslike a gallery wall in favor of small houseplants in her small living room. She says it makes times spent at home feel like summer 365 days a year.

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    Dress Up the Corners

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    Make a small living room that feels stuffed in a tight corner feel more welcoming with these simple decorating tips from this space spotted on Homepolish, a decorating service that matches homeowners with interior designers.The rug on the floor carves out the nook. The window is the central focal point. The sofa below it anchors the area. The gallery wall on the left further defines the space. A small-scale marble coffee table and midcentury side chair bring practical function.

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    Use Black for Depth

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    Black walls add depth to this small living room by Utah based interior design firm, Studio McGee. Loads of sunlight and the tall white storage unit on the left keeps the space from feeling cramped or dreary. An inexpensive striped rug anchors the room. The plush sofa makes things extra inviting. The armchair adds a pop of colorful interest. The oval glass topped coffee table takes up very little visual space.

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    Paint an Accent Wall

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    A bright yellow feature wall carves out a small living room in a pint-size one bedroom apartment by French interior designer Marion Alberge. Two pieces of small-scale furniture in soft colors, a sofa, and an armchair, bring comfort. The tiny, leggy coffee tables do not hog precious square footage.

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    Follow a Theme

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    We love this palm springs inspired living room by interior designer Michelle Gage based in Villanova, Pennsylvania. Plants everywhere and botanic wallpaper both give the simple living room an enormous wow factor. Furniture in soft colors allows the greenery to pop.

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    Create Areas

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    If you are working with a small open floor plan, creating a little separation between your different living areas is an efficient way to maximize square footage. In this home by California based interior designer, Haley Weidenbaum a sofa doubles as a space divider. The blue patterned rug anchors the living room. An upholstered coffee table doubles as a comfy footstool.

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    Choose Colorful Accents

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    When it comes to creating a simple living room, you can get mighty creative with color. To make it this idea work, keep your walls and ceiling bright white. Here, the interior design duo at California based firm, Taylor and Taylor took this room to the next level with colorful furnishings in contrasting bold and pastel shades.

How to Choose a Sofa Color

15 Simple Small Living Room Ideas for Minimalist Style (2024)

FAQs

How to decorate small living room with simple things? ›

  1. Use Plants in Your Living Room Decor. ...
  2. Rearrange the Furniture in the Living Room. ...
  3. Use Paint to Refresh Your Living Room on a Budget. ...
  4. Decorate Your Living Room with Old Portraits. ...
  5. Make a Statement with a Few Furnishings. ...
  6. Use Fairylights to Brighten Up. ...
  7. Lamps to Add Aesthetic. ...
  8. Cushion It Up.

How do you simplify a small living room? ›

How to make a small living room look bigger
  1. Simplify your colour scheme.
  2. Don't rule out darker colours.
  3. Create a focal point.
  4. Leave some breathing space.
  5. Say yes to multifunctional pieces.
  6. Scale down furniture.
  7. Ditch the overhead pendant light.
  8. Avoid an overload of pattern.
Feb 3, 2023

What is less is best decorating? ›

The Less Is Best Philosophy

Less is best decorating is all about opening up space in your home. Space goes hand in hand with light. The idea is to have a space that is free from clutter and light and airy! In a less is best interior, the use of space allows for visual clarity.

What is the best color for a small living room? ›

Opt for warm-toned neutral colours like off-white, beige and cream. If you want to introduce more colour, choose calming light shades of blue, green, yellow or pink to bring a fresh, airy feel to small living rooms.

What color furniture makes a room look bigger? ›

When in doubt, you usually can't go wrong with neutrals — and that includes taupe. One of the lighter neutrals, taupe has a unique ability to make rooms feel more expansive than they are, adding in just the subtlest hint of color in the process.

How do you arrange a small living room with a desk? ›

Pop it Behind the Couch

You can pop a thin desk behind your couch in order to carve out a workspace. Put a small area rug underneath and add in a table lamp to make the space feel slightly separate from the rest of the room. Then, to help it blend into the space, you can layer the desk with more furniture.

What is a pass through living room? ›

Sometimes these could be situated in between two major rooms such as the dining or living room; at other times they can look much like small hallways, (but wider and with more walking area). They're often cramped, cluttered, overlooked, or simply uninteresting.

How to design living room for beginners? ›

Start by rearranging the furniture to play with your living room's layout and change the way it looks. Get a few frames and upgrade your art wall decor using family photos, prints, and easy-to-find posters. Add greenery with house plants to elevate the space, and think about painting a wall or two to create more depth.

Does a couch have to be centered in front of TV? ›

The perfect layout is the one that keeps everything organized, leaves space to walk around and gives you comfort while watching the TV from the couch. So, consider all these factors and if they are met, the layout is perfect. So, a couch does not necessarily need to be centered in front of the TV.

How do you decorate a boring living room? ›

Layer in Loads of Texture

The living room is meant to feel cozy, so don't skimp on plush fabrics. Here, blogger Amanda West brings in neutral textures and subtle patterns with throw pillows, blankets, ottomans and curtains.

How do I make my house look minimalist? ›

How to Create a Minimalist Home
  1. 1 Simplify your home one room at a time.
  2. 2 Get rid of anything you don't need.
  3. 3 Discard any duplicates.
  4. 4 Donate your items regularly.
  5. 5 Clean your home often.
  6. 6 Scan paper files into digital copies.
  7. 7 Hide any unused items in storage.

What does minimalist decor look like? ›

Minimalist interior design is very similar to modern interior design and involves using the bare essentials to create a simple and uncluttered space. It's characterised by simplicity, clean lines, and a monochromatic palette with colour used as an accent.

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