Small Living Room Makeover

Before: In an effort to make this living room feel large, it was kept free of furniture, other than a blue sofa and tall shelving units, a wooden chair and TV. The effect? The room felt unwelcoming and, with the front door opening right into it, not much more than a passageway into the rest of the house.

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Before

After

The room now has a warm colour scheme and accessories to liven it up

After: The trick was to make this room welcoming and comfortable without making it seem crowded with furniture. How was this achieved.

Stretch Space With A Neutral Scheme

This small room was made to feel larger with a neutral scheme throughout the room – to increase the feeling of space – and touches of red were added to make it feel warmer and more welcoming. The long thin mirror over the armchair helps exaggerate the width of the wall, making the room seem wider. For more on making small rooms feel larger, see our feature.

Don't Over Co-ordinate

The trick with co-ordinating a scheme in a small room especially is not to overdo it. Here, the cushions pick up the various patterns within the curtain fabric, while the subtle pattern of the wallpaper adds interest to the scheme without making it too busy – a good choice for a small room. Otherwise, the room is otherwise free of the design.

Define The Space

In a house where the front door leads straight into the living room, it's important to define the space carefully so that the room doesn't feel like a glorified hallway. Here, this trick is achieved by pulling the sofa forward to divide the living area of the room from the hallway part.

Build In Storage

Built in storage either side of the chimney breast makes the room smarter and more streamlined, The front door opens straight into the living room so, inevitably, some storage would be needed. Here, it’s been subtly incorporated into the scheme and, with a seating area on top, it’s a practical buy. For more storage ideas and buys, see our gallery.

More Living Room Design & Planning Help
- More Living Room Design Ideas
- Real Life Living Room Makeovers
- Living Room Planning Advice
- How To Decorate

Pictures: Ginette Chapman

Styling: Dilly Orme