One never seems to have enough space but decorating
small living rooms is quite a challenge. The first decorating idea for a
small living room that you need to implement is to paint its walls and
ceilings in a 'cool' color such as many shades of blue and green. Paint
the ceiling in a color lighter than the walls to make the room look more
spacious. Stick to one color family for your small living room makeover
and create interest in the room by using combination of matte and glossy
paints of the same color. Paint the walls in the matte paint while you
can use glossy paint of the same color for window and door trims and for
moldings on the walls.
Hanging window treatments right from the ceiling add to the room's
height while soft fabric or drapery that extends to the ground and then
some more, add elegance and formal look to your room. Use of large-scale
objects is a modern trend in small living rooms and makes it appear
larger too. You may use an oversized screen, picture frame or pattern to
make the room look more spacious. Screens help you to create a personal
corner or a separate living space and are especially preferred in
apartments where there are not enough rooms for each member of the
family. Small decorating ideas can make a big difference to the look of
your living room.
Small living rooms are such a problem because of the multitude of
functions it is expected to perform and the number and amount of
facilities we would like it to accommodate. Traditionally, living rooms
have giant furniture pieces and oversized accents such as ten-section
couch, bulky armchairs and even a big-screen TV. Yet, all these are not
practical to use in a small apartment living room and one has to rely on
living big small size tricks for making the best and optimum use of your
small living space. Choose a decorating theme based on your favorite
color, patterns such as Oriental or French and style such as rustic,
formal, Victorian or contemporary.
You may choose a non-traditional and unusual living room decor and
infuse your individuality in it but be cautious enough to remain subtle
and not overdo it all. Magazines with your favorite superstar on the
cover page or a Barbie dressed in Madonna style displayed on your shelf
can be included in your living room decor to make it special and
welcoming for you. Look for small-scale furniture that can be easily
found these days. You may choose one large furniture item such as sofa
to be the focal point of your small living room. If you want to have a
sofa but want to shift your focal point too, add colorful or unusual
accent pieces to take away the attention from the larger item.
Too many small items can also cause clutter, so use only what is
absolutely necessary. If your living room has enough space, opt for
lesser number of larger items that greater number of smaller items such
as four chairs should be replaced by three loveseats and better still by
two large couches. For efficiency sake, you may use different scale of
furniture too. One tall cabinet, grandfather clock or a tall lamp in a
small living room where all the other furniture is small and low, add
height to the room and look interesting. Use combination of mirrors and
light fixtures to open up the space in a room. One large mirror with
ambient lighting or several small mirrors positioned strategically on a
wall can create an unique look to your living room.
