There is great beauty in what is small. Rather than trying to make your small living room appear more spacious, you can enhance its cozy character by fully embracing the cocooning trend. Here are some furniture and decor tips for creating a haven of peace that is both warm and welcoming.
Furniture for a cozy small living room
Just one sofa or several armchairs?
Creating a peaceful place to relax and reflect starts with somewhere to sit. Different strategies are available to you, depending on the room’s purpose.
A loveseat or an adequately sized sofa is suitable for family TV evenings or cozying up in twos. Think bigger and get inspired by the “pit couch” effect by arranging a modular set or a sectional sofa to encourage conversation during drinks with friends.
Alternatively, achieve a studious or formal ambiance by placing two identical armchairs facing a key feature of the decor, such as a fireplace or a coffee table. The trendy bouclé fabric and harmoniously integrated armrests of the Evella models naturally lend themselves to this configuration.
Add bookshelves
Shelves filled with books, decorative accessories, and green plants invite calm and soft speech while allowing you to utilize vertical space. Choose shallow models that will provide more freedom of movement in the room or intriguing shapes to pique curiosity. For example, the Edward bookshelf with its distinctive geometric design offers three shelves to showcase your favorite objects… and two practical drawers to hide the rest.
Opt for a breezy audio-video cabinet
If the room includes a television and audio system, avoid bulky furniture that could suffocate the space. Instead, mount your screen high on a wall bracket or opt for a low audio-video cabinet to declutter the area. With its rounded corners, beautiful natural finish, and minimalist Scandinavian-inspired design, the Naema model in Suar wood is a perfect option.
Our selection of TV and entertainment units for a small living room
Cozy decor and style
Choose warm and bold colours
It is well known that light colours give the illusion of a larger room. If you want to create an intimate and cozy atmosphere, do the opposite: opt for rich and deep colours. Warm and earthy shades of red, purple, orange, and yellow are particularly suitable.
If you’re worried about feeling cramped in your small living room, consider painting only the back wall a bold colour and keeping the others a more neutral shade.
Prefer natural fabrics and materials
Imagine your small living room is a warm blanket you want to wrap yourself in, then choose objects that evoke that same feeling. Combine cushions and throws favouring natural materials such as wool, cotton, linen, and velvet. Furniture and accessories in leather, raw wood, rattan, and fabric also help to warm up the atmosphere.
For example, a Wess fabric accent chair with plush padding, enhanced with an Isabella knit wool throw and an Evella “sheep’s wool” look cushion, offers a cozy corner to snuggle into at the end of the day. Add an Evella bouclé fabric ottoman to rest your feet and enjoy total relaxation.
Place a large rug
Laying a large rug in a small living room helps to consolidate the decor and create a muffled atmosphere. The softness of the fabric underfoot also becomes a source of comfort and relaxation in cold weather. To better visualize the space your rug will occupy, mark its boundaries on the floor with masking tape.
Warm and Welcoming Lighting
Filter natural light
Unless you need total darkness—for example, if your small living room doubles as a home cinema—opt for diaphanous and light curtains that will let in sunlight to warm the room.
Combine multiple forms of lighting
Having access to a multitude of lighting sources allows for more flexibility depending on the desired ambiance.
First, plan for a ceiling light, chandelier, or recessed lights for overall lighting, then integrate complementary fixtures depending on the effect you’re after. For example, wall sconces can highlight frames, canvases, and decorative objects, while floor or table lamps provide lighting conducive to reading.
The Nowy floor lamp does all that at once: its three shades on rods can be adjusted to direct light where you want it, and its satin brass finish adds a chic and warm touch to the environment.
Also, plan for candles: not only do they emit a pleasant soft light, but the simple act of lighting them proves to be a soothing ritual.
Choose lighting that radiates warmth
Select light bulbs and fixtures that offer dimming capabilities and emit a gentle, warm glow. A subtle yellow hue from these lights can foster a cozy and welcoming atmosphere, perfect for unwinding.
The modest dimensions of a small living room make it the ideal place to dive into a captivating book, watch your favourite shows, and chat for hours in good company. Carefully choose your furniture, decor accessories, and lighting to highlight the warm and welcoming character of this space.
