skip to main content
Sign In
Join as a Pro
History of Houzz
PHOTOS
KITCHEN & DININGKitchenModular Kitchen Dining RoomHome Bar
LIVINGLiving RoomHome TheaterHome Office Staircase
BED & BATHBedroomNurseryKid's RoomBathroom
OUTDOORGardenPatioTerrace & BalconyCourtyard
MORE ROOMSPuja Room Wardrobe ExteriorSwimming PoolView All
FIND PROFESSIONALS
DESIGN & RENOVATIONArchitects & Building Designers Interior Designers & Decorators Civil Engineers & Contractors Design-Build Firms Kitchen & Bath Designers Landscape Architects & Contractors Home Builders & Construction CompaniesPhotographersSpecialty Contractors
View All Pros
HOME IMPROVEMENT Furniture & AccessoriesFlooring & CarpetTile, Stone & CountertopBedding & Bath
View All Services
STORIES
LATEST FROM HOUZZ
Houzz ToursKitchen GuidesBathroom Guides Bedroom Guides
Decorating Guides Outdoors Architecture
HOUZZ TV
HOUZZ RESEARCH
ADVICE
HOUZZ DISCUSSIONS
Design DilemmaBefore & After PollsHome Decorating KitchensLiving Rooms
Bedrooms Dining RoomsExterior Lighting PaintBuilding a Home
Houzz Logo Print
Living Rooms
Living Rooms
30 Best Sofa Designs
Top Ideabooks
30 Best Sofa DesignsHow to Make Your Living Room Look Bigger12 Sofa Colour Combinations You Can Blindly TrustDesign-Forward Indian Living Rooms, Bedrooms & Kitchens on Houzz
Appears in
More Room Guides
Small Spaces
Small Spaces
7 Stylish Ways to Dry Your Laundry In a Small Apartment
Top Ideabooks
7 Stylish Ways to Dry Your Laundry In a Small Apartment4 Amazing Indian Homes Less Than 1000 Sq FtHouzz Tour: A Tiny, 600-Sq-Ft House Sits by the River9 Seating Arrangement Ideas for Small Living Rooms
Appears in
Decorating Guides
Decorating Guides
Decorating Guides
Busted! 5 Myths About Working With an Interior Designer
Top Ideabooks
Busted! 5 Myths About Working With an Interior DesignerCan Hiring an Interior Designer Save You Money?What Are the Benefits of Hiring an Interior Designer?Turn One Room Into Two With These Genius Ideas
Appears in
Recent Ideabooks
See also
Small SpacesDecorating IdeasFloorsColour GuidesLighting IdeasFestival Guides

How to Plan the Seating in a Small Living Room

Wondering how to pack in plenty of seating without crowding your room? Check out these space-smart solutions

Amanda Pollard
Amanda Pollard9 July 2021
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
More
If your living room is small, there are a number of simple design tricks you can use to ensure you pick the right seating. Follow these tips to help you choose suitable pieces and plan a furniture arrangement that will make your room feel spacious, comfortable and practical.
Cream & Black Interior Design
Fill the space
Use every centimetre of space in your tiny living room by choosing an L-shaped sofa. The right-angled design will fit neatly in the corner and fill the whole area.

It might seem counterproductive to go large, but, in fact, a sofa that fits the space won’t look oversized.
Bergamot Interiors
Double up
A symmetrical layout can give a small room a feeling of space and balance. If your living room is compact, invest in two matching sofas and position them opposite each other so the focus is on the open centre of the room.

The mirrored layout in this scheme creates a uniform, harmonious look that feels airy and cosy at the same time.

See these seating arrangements for small living rooms
Wickenden Hutley
Scale down
If you like the idea of sofas facing each other but space is just too tight, why not try the same idea with love seats? Big enough for two to squeeze on – if you’re good friends – and luxurious for one, they offer sociability while leaving room to manoeuvre.
Brittany Stiles Design
Mix and match
If you can’t fit larger furniture in your space, go for a variety of small seating options.

In this room, a couple of mismatched armchairs face the sofa. There’s enough seating for a few people, but with plenty of floor area. The mix of styles also encourages the eye to move around the room, creating the illusion of space.

Find an interior designer to design your living room
colour + shape
Think outside the box
In a small living space, it can be hard to find a functional layout, particularly when it comes to watching TV. The designers of this room have come up with a clever solution to create plenty of seating without compromising on practicality.

Rather than placing a sofa against the wall near the television, they’ve chosen a chaise longue instead. The homeowners can face each other to have a conversation, then turn around to comfortably watch a programme or film.
designcubed
Rethink dead areas
Your living room seating options don’t have to be limited to a classic arrangement of sofas and armchairs. Take a look around to see whether there are any unused corners of the room that could accommodate a seat.

A bay window, for example, is the ideal spot for a bespoke bench. Alternatively, an alcove could provide a place to create a cosy reading nook, like the one here.

Check out these built-in seating ideas
Chris Snook
Slot in a multi-tasker
Furniture that does more than one job is a brilliant space-saver in a compact room. A simple idea is to use a footstool or pouffe as your coffee table, and pull it out to the side to use as a chair when an extra perch is needed.

Here, the upholstered stool can be moved sideways to accommodate guests, or placed between the sofas to be used as a footrest or, with the addition of a tray, a coffee table. Look for a design on castors to make it even more portable.
Karin Payson architecture + design
Take the edges off
To avoid cluttering up a small room, consider choosing seating without bulky additions. Go for a low back, for example, or opt for a design without arms.

The sofa and chair in this space are roomy enough to be comfortable. However, the minimal design – low-level and arm-free – means they take up less visual space than more fussy items would.

Read more:

How to Arrange Furniture & Boost Space in a Small Living Room

Tell us:
Do you have any ideas on how to get the seating right in a small living room? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
Explore Related Topics
Living RoomsSmall SpacesDecorating Guides
Read Related Stories
30 Best Sofa Designs30 Best Sofa Designs
By Rashmi Haralalka·1
Photo Books
How to Make Your Living Room Look BiggerHow to Make Your Living Room Look Bigger
By Neila Deen·41
Decorating Ideas
12 Sofa Colour Combinations You Can Blindly Trust12 Sofa Colour Combinations You Can Blindly Trust
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari·1
Decorating Ideas
Design-Forward Indian Living Rooms, Bedrooms & Kitchens on HouzzDesign-Forward Indian Living Rooms, Bedrooms & Kitchens on Houzz
By Shristi Nangalia·0
Indian Homes
Which False Ceiling Material is Better: Gypsum or POP?Which False Ceiling Material is Better: Gypsum or POP?
By Pooja Khanna Tyagi·8
Most Popular
9 Seating Arrangement Ideas for Small Living Rooms9 Seating Arrangement Ideas for Small Living Rooms
By Vaishnavi Nayel Talawadekar·5
Small Spaces
5 Best Colours for Small Living Rooms5 Best Colours for Small Living Rooms
By Vinita Kunnath·1
Colour Guides
Remarkable Pairings: 40 Gorgeous Living Dining CombosRemarkable Pairings: 40 Gorgeous Living Dining Combos
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari·3
Dining Rooms
Contemporary Chic: How to Design a Modern Rustic Living RoomContemporary Chic: How to Design a Modern Rustic Living Room
By Victoria Harrison·2
Decorating Guides
What Colour Curtains Go With Cream Walls?What Colour Curtains Go With Cream Walls?
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari·1
Colour Guides
4 Indian Homes Show How to Lay Out Open-Plan Living Rooms4 Indian Homes Show How to Lay Out Open-Plan Living Rooms
By Shristi Nangalia·0
Indian Homes
9 Lessons to Learn From Formal Drawing Rooms9 Lessons to Learn From Formal Drawing Rooms
By Becky Harris·29
Decorating Guides
8 Clever Ways to Glam-Up the Living Room8 Clever Ways to Glam-Up the Living Room
By Neila Deen·13
Decorating Guides
9 Stunning Wall Treatments for Living Rooms9 Stunning Wall Treatments for Living Rooms
By Vinita Kunnath·3
Most Popular
This is How Designers Decorate Double-Height Living RoomsThis is How Designers Decorate Double-Height Living Rooms
By Pooja Khanna Tyagi·0
Living Rooms
People who liked this story also liked
30 Best Sofa Designs
30 Best Sofa DesignsFull Story
How to Make Your Living Room Look Bigger
How to Make Your Living Room Look BiggerFull Story
12 Sofa Colour Combinations You Can Blindly Trust
12 Sofa Colour Combinations You Can Blindly TrustFull Story
Design-Forward Indian Living Rooms, Bedrooms & Kitchens on Houzz
Design-Forward Indian Living Rooms, Bedrooms & Kitchens on HouzzFull Story
Which False Ceiling Material is Better: Gypsum or POP?
Which False Ceiling Material is Better: Gypsum or POP?Full Story
9 Seating Arrangement Ideas for Small Living Rooms
9 Seating Arrangement Ideas for Small Living RoomsFull Story
5 Best Colours for Small Living Rooms
5 Best Colours for Small Living RoomsFull Story
Remarkable Pairings: 40 Gorgeous Living Dining Combos
Remarkable Pairings: 40 Gorgeous Living Dining CombosFull Story
Contemporary Chic: How to Design a Modern Rustic Living Room
Contemporary Chic: How to Design a Modern Rustic Living RoomFull Story
What Colour Curtains Go With Cream Walls?
What Colour Curtains Go With Cream Walls?Full Story
  • India
  • ABOUT
  • MOBILE APPS
  • PROFESSIONALS
  • BUTTONS
  • FAQs
  • CAREERS
  • ADVERTISE
  • Terms
  • © 2023 Houzz Inc.