How to make a small living room feel more open and cozy?

Hi everyone, I’m living in a small apartment and struggling to balance openness with comfort in my living room. The space feels a bit cramped, especially with standard-sized furniture, and I’m not sure how to arrange things better. I’d love tips on layout, lighting, or small design changes that can make the room feel more spacious without losing warmth. Any ideas or personal experiences would be really appreciated!

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Comments

DanielaAraya

Hey @Kiara1aq! Do you have any photos of your living room? Visuals are helpful to give us a feel for the space 🙂

sara77889

Less is more! If it's not plants, then more is more. I'm in the process of painting my own living room, sitting on my couch in the middle of the room right now, the mess is extreme.

The walls were light, and now they're dark. Ish. I used a color called dark kaki, ncs S-4005-Y. It's so cozy now!

Other than painting it darker, I recommend going for many light sources, placed on different levels. Floor, walls, on furniture, ceiling. Use soft and warm bulbs.

If you can, move the furniture and other things taking up most space to another room, the add one thing back at a time. Easier to see what feels best.

And go with a BIG rug if possible.

Sandre_04

Getting a large area rug always seems like an unnecessary expense but believe me it's worth it. Center it in the room/area then layer in furniture, side tables, lighting and plants. If you have an L-shaped room, try making part of the room into a reading or conversation nook, visually separating it from the heavier furniture. The area rug makes things seem coherent without bunching things up, giving you some needed visual space, and making it seem as if the room is larger than it actually is.

ehbuchan2048

I agree that a large rug should be your first purchase.
It should go at least a foot under your chesterfield and under any chairs.
Side tables are just as useful as a coffee table.
Standard or overhead lamps rather than table lamps.
Hanging any pictures at eye height and go with a few large pictures rather than a lot of small ones.