Not a lot of homeowners are blessed with large homes. Some face the daily challenge of working and moving around a small living room. And when it comes to one of the areas in your home where you probably spend most of your time in, buying the wrong furniture sets will pose a huge problem.

But that's not the only thing you should factor in. A small area may also lead to more clutter especially if you're cramped on storage. And we hate to point out the obvious, but it's no fun spending time in a space with too much clutter. But being endowed with a small house isn't a bad thing. You just have to combine a bit of strategy, careful planning, and smart decision-making to choose the perfect small-scale furniture sets.

Read on as we tell how limited space can have its benefits, how to choose furniture for cramped living rooms, and how to arrange them to make the most out of your area.

 

Pros and Cons of a Small Living Room

Since the recession from 2007 to 2009, the housing market in the U.S. has slowly recovered. And with this pandemic, the sales had dropped 40 percent as of mid-April this year. This figure is significantly higher from April of 2019.

Though the pandemic has taken a direct hit on the housing market in America, this business continues to thrive. In fact, there are over 1.12 million housing units for sale in the United States. After this pandemic, when companies start to get back up on their feet, prices for housing may also rise. With hefty rent and higher home value, homeowners look into smaller homes to pay affordable market prices.

And with small homes come small living rooms. But this dilemma can be easy to deal with a receptive mindset. Whether you're planning to purchase a tiny home or already in one, here are some pros and cons that will make you realize it's not all that bad.

 

Pros:

 
  • Less maintenance. Think about it. A homeowner's painstaking routine of cleaning an entire house is sometimes not the most fun thing to do. But with a limited area, you don't have to spend days cleaning it thoroughly. Having a small-scale room means you can do more stuff for play and pleasure.
  • Not so much clutter. With tiny spaces, you'll be more attentive to where you put your things. That's because when stuff starts piling up, the pile gets easily noticed because there's not a lot of room. If you take the time to consider storage-centric furniture items, then you can stow away unwanted things quickly.
  • Lower utility bills. With a huge house also comes huge responsibilities. So when you have a tiny house, expect that you'll also have fewer furniture for living room spaces. With fewer furniture pieces, you won't be shelling out a lot on electricity. More importantly, when you're using less electrical equipment, you also contribute to an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
  • Better life quality. Some homeowners have attested to the higher quality of life from having tiny homes. As Marie Kondo would say, if it doesn't spark joy, then let it go. When you know you don't have too much space to welcome furniture pieces, you gear your choices towards minimalism. And with fewer possessions, you'll have fewer worries in your life.
  • More savings. The most obvious benefit of living in a tiny area is more savings. You'll end up buying fewer furniture, gadgets, equipment, and paying lower bills. In turn, you'll have more saved up for the rainy days.


Cons:

 
  • Not so much freedom. Well, don't take this negatively. We don't mean the freedom to do anything. You can still do whatever you like in your limited space but don't expect to do anything people in bigger homes do. For instance, you won't be able to have sectional sofas if you living in a tiny space. Plus, that tall bookshelf would probably have to wait until you renovate to make your home bigger.
  • Can't accommodate guests. Another drawback of living in a tiny space is not being able to accommodate as many of your friends and family. This is a dealbreaker with
  •  especially if you frequent hosting parties and get-togethers.
  • The organization is crucial. Working with limited space can bring out the OCD in you. You have to ensure that your area is always free of clutter so your home isn't an eyesore to look at. But this last concern won't be a problem for neat freaks.

 

How to Choose Living Room Sets for Small Spaces

Choosing the right living room set would be a challenging process especially if you're extremely meticulous. There might be pieces you love aesthetically but don't come in smaller versions. Or you might be left to choose smaller pieces that aren't quite exactly what you're looking for in terms of appeal.

When choosing a living room set for your humble abode, you can always merge functionality, style, and even aesthetics. Here are a couple of tips to help you choose the best appliances for your living room.

 

Light Colors Living RoomGo for Light Colors

The easiest way to make your tiny space seem spacious is to purchase a light-colored sofa, table, end tables, couches, chairs, and basically any furniture type. Light hues undeniably make your space seem bigger, without having to lift a finger in arranging and doing major renovations. If you do, however, already have big appliances, don't fret. You can always go for light-colored room decor and accent pieces.

 

Use the Wall

If you're cramped on space, try to push furniture against the wall. Better yet, you can buy furniture that can be hinged to the wall to save space. For instance, a pull-out desk can be a good addition to your space. Or you may also install hinged shelves if you can't afford to display a bulky corner nook or accent table for your picture frames, trinkets, or collectibles.

 

Choose Modern Furniture

Try to deviate from overstuffed sofas and chairs. They tend to draw the eyes in and can dominate a small living room. A modern living room set is relatively smaller, sleeker, and more compact in size which is perfect in your tiny home. Plus, modern furniture pieces have cleaner lines that let the eyes explore the other design elements in the room.

 

Consider Furniture Materials

This is one crucial factor if you want more space-friendly living room sets. For instance, choosing light wood over dark wood is recommended as the latter can tend to look overly bulky in a cramped space. You want to make your area cozy, so go for acrylic or glass instead as they give the impression that it's taking way less space.

 

Multi Purpose FurnitureBuy Multi-Purpose Furniture

Try to steer clear of buying furniture types that only serve one purpose. If you can, always pick the pieces that also double as storage, chairs, stools, and more. You want to make sure you have a few but functional furniture and appliances.

 

How to Arrange Furniture in a Small Living Room

When you have the whole shebang, like sofas tables, and chairs, how do you create a convenient layout in your tiny living room? The first option that might come to mind is squeezing them all together to make everything fit. But before you go this route, there are other tips and tricks to make living room sets look good in a tiny room. Here's how.

 

Buy essential furniture pieces

Before you go scrambling for the first rustic or contemporary furniture, sit down and plan your furniture shopping first. Assess your lifestyle and think of the necessary pieces you need. Do you really need that chaise lounge? Would an end table and a cocktail table be necessary? Do you need that sing-seating power recliner in addition to your sofa?

Deliberate on the most essential furniture and only buy those. You don't want to buy everything and end up having no space to put them. If you can, buy only the basic pieces and purchase the others bit by bit.

 

Small FurnitureOpt for small-scale furniture

If you're cramped on space, it's easier to arrange small-scale sofas than getting bulky and full-sized ones. When you have a five-seater sofa, display them in front of the window. When complimenting your sofa with tables, choose petite ones so they don't dominate the other parts of the room.

If you have two small armchairs, put them opposite of the sofa to create visual balance. Then you can connect both with a small coffee table in between.

 

Give way to movement

One crucial dilemma when working with a tiny space is foot traffic. And the living room is one of the most high-traffic areas. Always prioritize movement by putting your tables at the very end of the area. This is to give way to free-flowing movement. You don't want your end tables, coffee tables, and cocktail tables to obstruct convenience.

 

Hang a mirror

Although this tip might not have something to do with furniture, it's by far the easiest to make your space seem bigger. Hang a mirror on the wall across the window. This way, it will reflect the light outside and illuminate the entire space.

 

Corner Living RoomFill a corner

If you can't afford to showcase a sofa in the middle of the area, then try filling a corner. This might be the last furniture arrangement on your mind but displaying a perfectly shaped sofa like an L-shaped sectional can make the room appear bigger.

To balance it out, you can place ottomans or slipper chair in front to transform it into a somewhat conversational area. This set-up can seat up to eight to 10 people. Moreover, if you're not too fond of sectionals in your tiny space, you can go for modern sofas instead. They are more compact with cleaner lines that aren't very heavy to look at compared to overstuffed sofas.

 

Wallpaper for depth

If you want to add depth and life to your area, you can plaster a stunning wallpaper to add depth to the room. Another option for sofa placement is to display it in front of the wallpaper with two side tables. If you can consider wallpaper with vertical stripes to make the room taller, and horizontal stripes to make the room wider.

 

Keep spare seats at bay

The drawback of having a tiny space is not being able to choose a living room set that can seat more than 10 people. But don't fret, there is a way around this and it's easy. All you have to do is grab a couple of folding chairs, stools, or cushions and keep them at bay. Keep those additional seats close by so you can easily grab them when you have company.

 

Library wall

Strive for a vertical scope

If you can't make the room appear wider, then you can give the impression that the room is high-ceilinged. Leading the eyes upwards makes the room seem like it has more space. Why do you think mansions and castles are so grande?

To create vertical space, you can display a tall bookcase, art gallery, or library wall. Choose furniture pieces that are relatively taller than all the others.

 

Add lush greenery

Another tip that doesn't involve furniture but adds depth to your tiny area is adding lush greenery. Adding hanging or standing plants is an excellent way to add a bit of an element that's soothing to the eyes. Plus, some indoor plants also act as air purifiers, which can prevent toxins from sticking to your upholstery.

 

Final Thoughts

Any living room set will have a place even in the tiniest home. By simply choosing the right shape, size, and style and trying these simple arrangement tips, you can make your area look spacious. You might not have a lot of room to work on, but the important thing is that you make it cozy, comfortable, and stylish.