6 Small Living Room Layout Mistakes You Should Avoid, Pros Say

It’s time to start making the most of your living room, no matter how small it is in size. Here, interior designers share the top six mistakes that people make when it comes to laying out and decorating a small living room.

You’ll want to be sure to avoid these pitfalls in your own space—but don’t worry, the pros are also sharing the steps that you should take instead in order to design a small living room that you’ll want to spend time in all day long.

Not Embracing a Room’s Coziness

“If a space is truly small, stop trying to make it big—instead, embrace its smallness and make it cozy instead,” Erin Paige Pitts, the founder of Erin Paige Pitts Interiors, says.

She adds that it’s therefore imperative to use furnishings that are appropriately scaled for a smaller room as well as weave in cozy layers and textures.

To further enhance a room’s cozy factor, do not line the perimeter of the room with furniture, Mary Buford Guthridge, the founder of James Interiors, says.

“Instead, pull it in, float some pieces, and bring everyone into the conversation area for a more intimate feel,” Guthridge says.

Forgetting Multifunctional Pieces

Small living rooms can still serve many purposes—in fact, they may need to if you’re truly a small space dweller.

Wendy Mauro, the founder of Wendy Mauro Design, explains how you could place a small cocktail table in the corner that also serves as an eating area if you’re in an apartment to maximize its space. She also recommends trying a desk, dresser, or a bar area under the TV to create more function.

Incorporating an Oversized Sectional

Sectionals aren’t the solution for every type of living room. Carla Aston, the founder of Carla Aston Designed, explains how large pieces of furniture can be difficult to move around in a small room.

She recommends that people with small living rooms skip the sectional and opt for a combination of a more petite sofa and some accent chairs instead, so they can easily be maneuvered around.

Laying Down Too Small of a Rug

Just because your living room lacks square footage doesn’t mean your rug should be on the petite end. Whitney Durham, the founder of Whitney Durham Interiors, explains that the larger the rug, the more spacious a room will feel.

“If you go with a rug too small for the space, it will look like a stamp in the middle of the room,” Durham says.

She recommends buying a rug that allows for six to 12 inches of uncovered floor space between the walls. Durham suggests having the rug fully underneath all of the primary furniture in the space to make the room feel larger, warmer, and all pulled together.

Skipping Out on Color

Don’t fall victim to this common small space error that Callie Blanks, the founder of Callie Blanks Interiors, describes.

“With a small space, people tend to feel obligated to paint the room white and push all of the furniture against the walls with the intent of making the room feel larger,” Blanks says.

This can result in the room feeling uninteresting and cold. It’s recommended to take a more colorful approach by painting the room a moody color or creating an intimate ambiance by pulling the furniture off of the wall, Blank says.

Cameron Jones, the founder of Cameron Jones Interiors, recommends going all in with color in small spaces.

“Painting the walls and trim—and even the ceiling—the same color can help lead to less distractions visually so your eye can focus more on the furnishings, art, and accessories in the space,” Jones says.

Picking Accessories and Art Pieces That Are Too Small

Don’t be shy about weaving in larger-scale accent pieces into the living room.

“A large-scale piece of art, a big, bold lamp, or an oversized mirror could be just the dramatic statement piece a small room needs,” Jones says.

It’s important to choose one or a couple of pieces, so you can layer them throughout the room which will bring additional depth.