How to plan a small living room – 14 questions experts say you should consider to make the most of a tiny lounge

Whether you’ve just moved into a new place with a small living room or are looking to completely redo and redecorate your existing tiny living space in order to make it work better for you, this expert-approved check list of small living room design rules is what you need to know to make the most of your compact living space like a pro.

I find that the easiest and most useful way to take advantage of these rules is by turning them into questions that you ask yourself as you plan your small living room ideas. Because even though you’re dealing with a small space - and there are certain universal tips and tricks that apply to small rooms across the board - for the most part, no two small living rooms are the same and therefore, neither is the best way to treat them.

Your taste and preferences, as well as your lifestyle and the way you tend to use the space all come into play here and need to be carefully considered so that you are left with a living room that’s both functional and stylish. So let’s ask these burning questions…

1. What different purposes does the room need to fulfill?

Most living rooms have more than one function and are used in multiple different ways. So the first step you need to take is figuring out how you use your small living room.

‘Start by asking yourself how you really use the space,’ says Kelly Collins, interior designer and Swyft’s head of creative. ‘Is it primarily for lounging and watching TV or do you like to host & entertain guests? Once you know the purpose, it becomes easier to prioritise furniture, layout, and storage solutions that will truly work for you.’

Chris Cooke, design mentor at King Living, agrees, ‘Small living rooms often work hard. Ask yourself if the space will need to evolve from quiet reading nook to family gathering spot to overnight guest accommodation. This foresight determines whether you need modular or multifunctional pieces.’

2. How are you going to lay out the furniture?

Once you’re set on the ways your space needs to serve you, it’s time to start playing with layout. Make sure to start working out how to arrange furniture in your small living room before investing in any pieces of furniture.

‘People often purchase a sofa they love, then later realise the scale overwhelms the room. Always map the entire furniture layout before purchasing the first piece,’ Chris at King Living says.

The layout of your small living room can also aid in zoning the space and creating areas for various activities in the space. ‘Think in zones, not one box. Even a 3 by 3-metre room can have a lounging zone, reading corner, and media hub if you delineate them subtly with rugs, lighting, or angled furniture,’ Chris says.

And if you’re wondering whether a small living room should have a rug, the answer is a resounding yes, partly because it’s another easy zoning tool. ‘A small room can greatly benefit from the addition of a rug,’ says Claire Garner, director of Claire Garner Design Studio. ‘A well-chosen rug will anchor the space, define different areas, and make the room feel more cohesive. I recommend opting for a rectangular or round rug for a small living room, as these shapes can help define the space without overwhelming it.

'A rectangular rug works well for more traditional layouts, aligning with the room’s shape and creating a sense of order. Round rugs are excellent for adding a playful, dynamic touch and can make the space feel larger by breaking up linear lines.’

3. How does the foot traffic flow?

One of the crucial things to consider when creating the best layout for your lounge is the flow. In other words, you need to make sure that there is enough space around the furniture to allow for seamless movement and foot traffic. Giving your furniture enough room to breathe is also how to make a small living room look bigger.

‘Maintain a sense of flow,’ says Kate Palmer, creative director at The Painted Furniture Company. ‘Allow space to move between furniture and avoid overcrowding the room. Sometimes, editing out one or two less-essential pieces can make the room feel twice as spacious.’

Chris at King Living continues, ‘In a tight footprint, traffic flow is as important as furniture choice. Identify where people naturally walk through the space, and make sure your layout respects those invisible lines. Use fewer, larger pieces rather than lots of small ones; paradoxically, they make a room feel bigger. Don’t push every piece against the wall; sometimes floating a sofa or chair creates better depth and flow.’

4. What are the dimensions of the space?

It’s time to get the measuring tape out! Get all of the specific measurements of your small living room, note them down and refer to them when looking at furniture but also decorative pieces like curtains, artwork etc.

‘Start with measurements, but design with volume. Don’t just measure width and length. Consider ceiling height, window placement, and vertical sightlines. A tall narrow space needs a different strategy to a low-ceilinged one,’ Chris at King Living says.

5. What kind of furniture works best for the space?

Only after doing all of that first should you even start looking at specific pieces of furniture. And it’s not just about getting the best sofa size or a coffee table with the right dimensions, it’s also about getting furniture that works as hard as possible for your small living space.

‘Think about function first, then style. Multi-use pieces, like ottomans with storage or modular sofas, are invaluable in small spaces as they give you flexibility without overwhelming the room,’ Kelly at Swyft says.

King Living along with Swyft both have some of the best modular sofas – a style of sofa that works particularly well in small living spaces due to their flexibility. And if you ever move to a place with a larger lounge, you can always buy additional modules to add to your existing ones.

Kate at The Painted Furniture Company agrees, ‘In a smaller footprint, every piece needs to work harder. Consider furniture with built-in storage, such as coffee tables with drawers or sideboards with shelving, to keep the space tidy and clutter-free without sacrificing style.’

As for storage coffee tables, some of my favourite ones come from Dunelm, like this Fulton Extendable Coffee Table, as do storage ottomans. However, don’t make any rush purchasing decisions before you’ve asked yourself all of the design rule questions.

6. What is the centrepiece of the room?

When you’re working with a small space, it’s important to keep the look very streamlined and intentional. And choosing one piece with a design that will anchor the space and become the focus centrepiece of the living room is key.

‘Decide early what will be the hero of the room and design around it. It may be a modular sofa, a sculptural chair, or even an artwork. In small rooms, hierarchy is key to avoid visual clutter,’ Chris at King Living says.

7. How can you incorporate more storage?

Including plenty of small living room storage ideas is important because clutter is what usually gets in the way of small living rooms looking expensive and elevated rather than their actual size.

‘A common mistake is not factoring in storage. Clutter is magnified in small spaces, so incorporate clever solutions like storage ottomans or furniture with built-in compartments,’ Kelly at Swyft says.

And going for built-in solutions is often a worthwhile investment and the best way to go. ‘Clever storage is key in smaller spaces. Keeping potential clutter hidden and displaying styled objects can instantly elevate your room. This is an opportunity to be innovative with joinery. Creating bespoke cabinetry to fit your items, including your TV, always adds a premium feel to your space. Custom built-ins can provide tailored storage solutions that blend seamlessly with the room's design,’ Claire Garner says.

8. What colour scheme will work in the room?

Light, soft shades and neutral or pastel tones are among the most highly recommended small living room colour schemes. But try to stay away from bright white as it’s (perhaps surprisingly) one of the worst colours for small living rooms. Opt for off-white and cream shades instead.

‘White is often recommended for small spaces, but very bright whites can make a room feel flat and boxed in,’ says Marianne Shillingford, creative director and colour expert at Dulux.

Claire Garner confirms, ‘Stark whites can feel clinical and uninviting in a compact space.’

But if you love colour, you can also lean into the cosy feel of the small space and celebrate it with a darker shade than a pastel, ‘One of the biggest mistakes is sticking rigidly to the idea that small rooms must be painted in light neutrals. While they do help open up a space, you don’t need to shy away from richer tones. Warm colours like burnt orange, sage, or even deep browns can make a space feel inviting rather than cramped. Pair darker walls with a lighter ceiling to keep the balance,’ Kelly at Swyft says.

9. What is the lighting situation?

Your choice of a colour palette should also be informed by the amount of natural light your small living room receives on a daily basis, as well as which direction the room faces – if it’s a south-facing living room, you can opt for shades with cooler undertones, while north-facing lounges should go for colours with warmer undertones.

But small living room lighting ideas are also key players in small living room design. ‘One of the biggest mistakes we see in living room design is overlooking the importance of good lighting,’ says James Kendall, operations director at KES Lighting & Home. ‘Lighting is so much more than just a functional necessity as it has the power to shape the atmosphere and enhance décor making a space truly feel like home.’

'A common pitfall is relying solely on a single overhead fixture, which can create a flat and uninviting environment. Instead, we always recommend layering different types of lighting: ambient lighting for general illumination, task lighting for focused activities like reading, and accent lighting to highlight artwork or architectural features.

'This not only adds depth but also allows you to adapt the mood to suit different occasions. It’s also crucial to position lighting thoughtfully. Lamps and fixtures should support how the room is used, like placing a floor lamp beside your favourite reading chair.’

10. What style are you going for?

‘Always balance practicality with elegance; multifunction doesn’t mean compromise on style,’ Chris at King Living says.

Before picking out your furniture and decor, it’s important to settle on a particular style and aesthetic that you’re looking to go for in the space, which should be one that you particularly like. To arrive at the best style for your small living room, try to create mood boards - Pinterest is perfect for this - of spaces and things that you naturally gravitate towards and look for common themes.

11. What textures and materials will expand the space?

Certain materials and finishes can help visually expand a small living room. But as with most things, it’s best not to go overboard with the variety of textures so as not to confuse the eye with too much going on.

‘A small space can’t support too many different textures. Choose two dominant materials (for example, timber and fabric) and one accent to keep the palette cohesive. If light is limited, consider mirrors or reflective finishes that can redirect it to create an atmospheric environment. But while mirrors can expand a sense of space, one large reflective surface may feel like a trick. Instead, use subtle reflection through glass tables, metallic finishes, or artwork with gloss accents,’ Chris at King Living says.

12. How do you want to decorate the walls?

While you can, of course, stick to painted walls, if you love pattern and texture, there are certain small living room wallpaper ideas that can also work. In fact, interior designer Sophie Robinson has a trick up her sleeve that’s perfect for a tiny lounge.

‘With a small room, I'd put a patterned wallpaper up,' Sophie begins. 'And I know that's counterintuitive, but sometimes patterns create more depth. I've got quite a small kitchen and I've got wrapped wall-to-wall wallpaper in there. And everybody says it makes the room feel bigger because your eye travels through the pattern and beyond. Small rooms need a bit of punch. Do all the walls. This isn't a feature wall thing – all the walls so that you get that full immersive feel.’

And there are several other ways to decorate small living room walls – hanging up artwork, installing floating shelves with a decorative object display or putting up vertical panelling all work. ‘Vertical elements, such as vertical panelling, draw the eye upward and make the room feel taller,’ Victoria Foster, interior stylist at ScS confirms.

13. Do you need a TV?

Going back to question no. 1 - what functions does the room need to serve? - if film and TV show watching was on the list, you will need some clever and/or aesthetically pleasing small living room TV idea to avoid the eyesore most televisions represent. Opting for an art-displaying TV like like The Frame TV from Samsung, available at Amazon, is the best way to actually make it look good.

‘To make a TV feel more integrated, surround it with wall-mounted gallery-style artwork,’ says Paige Holt, interior trend writer at ScS. ‘This helps the screen blend into the room rather than dominate it. Also, consider a TV with a frame-style design – it can double as digital art when not in use, enhancing the room’s aesthetic rather than detracting from it.’

14. What finishing touches will make the room look expensive?

And finally, it’s all in the finishing touches that will make your small living room look and feel expensive. You can use curtains to make a small living room look more expensive and rugs work a treat, too.

‘Floor-length curtains can make a small living room look more luxurious and spacious because they draw the eye vertically, creating the illusion of height,’ says Debbie Leigh, design manager at ILIV. ‘By extending from the ceiling or near-ceiling to the floor, they emphasize the room’s vertical lines, making the walls appear taller. This elongating effect can help balance the proportions of a compact space, giving it a more open, airy feel.’

Claire Garner continues, ‘It adds a layer of warmth and texture and can create the illusion of a larger area by drawing the eye across the floor, adding depth. Opting for a lighter colour or a subtle pattern can further enhance this effect, ensuring the space feels open and airy rather than cluttered. Ideally, place the rug under the front legs of your sofa and chairs to anchor the seating area and choose styles with lighter colours or subtle patterns. This will help to enhance the sense of space and avoid visually overpowering the room.’

Who says you need an interior designer when you can be one yourself?