A small living room needn’t be a barrier to living in style and comfort. It’s a room that plays a central role in the home; a place where we gather to relax, socialise, and be entertained. It may also serve other purposes as a place to work, read, study or pursue hobbies and interests. 

With some creative planning and design, it is possible to find the perfect balance between style and functionality for a compact living room. Here are some suggestions to bear in mind for clever space and storage solutions. 

Consider floor to ceiling units

Built-in floor to ceiling units maximise the use of space and can accommodate awkward nooks and angles that would otherwise result in wasted space. They make full use of the height of the room, unlike freestanding units which will always create dead space above and to the side of them.  

Bespoke fitted units can be customised to a range of purposes, including book shelves, glass-fronted storage cabinets, storage cupboards, TV units, desks, and more. This creates a sleek and contemporary look that reduces the need for multiple items of furniture and means that you will always have somewhere to hide clutter.

Multipurpose items of furniture

Make your freestanding furniture work hard by using them for multiple purposes. For example, an ottoman footstool can be used to store magazines, blankets, or children’s toys, and is also a useful surface to place drinks trays or even use as an extra seat when you have a full house. 

Look out for sofas with built in storage systems such as a divan base, or a surrounding frame with drawers and surfaces that can be used as table tops for lamps, books, TV remote controls, cups, and so on. Coffee tables can be combined with hidden under-storage space. 

Use colour coordination to create harmony

In small spaces, using a single base colour for both the walls and shelving units can help to make them feel less intrusive. Stick to a limited palette and add interest with an accent colour for smaller items such as cushions, rugs, and lampshades. 

Light colours can help a compact space feel larger, as can using large wall mirrors and plenty of reflective surfaces such as glass-fronted cabinets. However, if you want to emphasise the cosiness of a smaller space, then bolder colours can work well. 

Keep on top of clutter

Cluttered spaces are visually unappealing and difficult to keep clean. Studies have shown that messy rooms can even affect our mental health and add to feelings of stress and anxiety. Therefore have regular decluttering sessions and keep anything you do not use on a daily basis out of sight. 

Bins or baskets that can be tucked under tables and floating shelves are useful ways of adding to the storage in a smaller room. 

If you want more help with space solutions in Aberdeen, please contact us today.