Summary
\nAvoid using furniture that sits directly on the floor.Choose sofas, armchairs, and furniture with visible legs to lighten up your layout.Don\u2019t crowd the room with excess furniture or decor for an airy feel.<\/p>\n
Smart design choices will make a small living room more functional and create the perception that it\u2019s larger than it is.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
Meet the Expert<\/p>\n
John McClain<\/a> is CEO and creative director of John McClain Design.<\/p>\n \u201cA small living room doesn\u2019t have to feel like you’re settling for less than great design,\u201d says interior designer John McClain. \u201cWith the right layout, smart scaling, and furniture that lets the space breathe, it can feel stylish, open, and totally pulled together. It\u2019s not about perfection\u2014it\u2019s about being intentional about every choice.\u201d\n<\/p>\n We asked McClain for his favorite trick to make a small living room feel bigger.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Choose Furniture With Raised Legs <\/p>\n Credit: <\/p>\n John McClain Design<\/a> \/ Photo by Zeke Ruelas<\/p>\n McClain creates visual lightness by choosing seating that is raised up from the floor.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \u201cI always opt for sofas and chairs with exposed legs, even if it’s just 4 to 5 inches\u2014no skirts or frames that extend all the way to the floor,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhen you can see under and around your furniture, it gives the illusion of more floor space, which instantly opens up the room.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Pair seating with raised legs with a glass, mirrored, or open-sided coffee and\/or side tables, \u201cand the entire space breathes a little easier,\u201d he says.\n<\/p>\n Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter<\/a> for the latest decor ideas, designer tips, and more!\n<\/p>\n Avoid Pieces That Sit on the Floor <\/p>\n Credit: <\/p>\n John McClain Design<\/a> \/ Photo by Michael Scott<\/p>\n Oversized furniture that sits directly on the floor\u2014whether it’s skirted or has a low, chunky base with barely-visible feet\u2014will visually weigh down the space, McClain says, breaking up the floor line and creating a boxed-in, heavy look.\n<\/p>\n \u201cWhen the floor gets chopped up by big, grounded pieces, you lose visual flow,\u201d he explains. \u201cYour eye has nowhere to travel, and the room feels more cramped than it actually is. Light, lifted pieces create the illusion of more space\u2014even if the square footage hasn\u2019t changed.\u201d\n<\/p>\n When you can see under and around your furniture, it gives the illusion of more floor space, which instantly opens up the room.<\/p>\n Pay Attention to Scale <\/p>\n Credit: <\/p>\n John McClain Design<\/a> \/ Photo by Zeke Ruelas<\/p>\n The secret to making this trick work is choosing furniture that is the right size, shape, and scale for your small living room layout<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \u201cEdit more than you think is necessary and always prioritize the scale of the pieces,\u201d McClain advises. \u201cInstead of a clunky, chunky sectional that visually eats the entire room, go for an L-shaped sofa with a chaise (and raised legs). It keeps the sight line open and unobstructed, minimizes the need for multiple furniture pieces, and still gives you that cozy feel.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Tips for Styling Furniture With Raised Legs <\/p>\n Credit: <\/p>\n John McClain Design<\/a> \/ Native House Photography<\/p>\n In addition to choosing a sofa without a skirt or hidden feet, McClain advises home decorators to avoid these common mistakes in order to make their small living room work:\n<\/p>\n Too many furniture pieces: “Trying to squeeze in every seating option just clutters the layout,” he says. “Fewer multi-functional pieces\u2014like an L-shaped sofa\u2014are more effective and make the space feel purposeful.”
\nA too-small area rug: “When your rug floats like a tiny island in the center of the room, it actually makes everything else look oversized and out of scale,” he cautions. “A larger rug<\/a> that at least fits under the front legs of all seating ties the space together and makes it feel more expansive.”
\nDark, heavy finishes everywhere: “Rich tones and heavy materials add unnecessary visual weight,” McClain argues. “Instead, use reflective surfaces, sheer textiles, and lighter tones to stretch the space.”
\nLack of vertical styling: McClain emphasizes the importance of utilizing vertical space. “Floor-to-ceiling curtains, tall lamps, and vertical wall art<\/a> help draw the eye up and make the ceiling feel higher,” he says.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Summary Avoid using furniture that sits directly on the floor.Choose sofas, armchairs, and furniture with visible legs to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":14380,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[76,354,355,49,48,356,75],"class_list":["post-14379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-design","tag-entertainment"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14379"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14379\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}