Maximising space in our homes is essential for better comfort, aesthetics and organisation. The living room is the heart of every home; it’s where we unwind after a long day, it’s the place to host gatherings with friends, and it’s where we spend quality time with our family. It’s important to design a living room space you love and where you are happy to spend most of your time. To do this, it needs special attention to get it perfect.
Even after decorating your home with ornaments, canvas prints and textiles, you may find that you are still not content with the results. Having a lot of essential items cluttering your floor and surfaces can become your focus, meaning you feel unsettled, claustrophobic and embarrassed in the room. If this is the case, or perhaps you just happen to have a smaller living room to work with, you may need to research and invest in ways to save space with innovative and decorative storage solutions. Here are 15 ideas to save space in your home that keeps it functional without compromising on the aesthetics.
Multifunctional Furniture
There are many items of furniture you can purchase that have multiple purposes, those being sofa beds, bookcases with desk space, coffee tables with hidden compartments and more. These serve to store away necessary items that are not desirable to have on show, like wires, games and spare blankets. Not only do these items help with your organisation, saving you space, but they also add a touch of sophistication to the room, making it more visually appealing. You can find these items and other storage furniture in designs suitable for many interior styles, including vintage, industrial and Scandinavian.
Shelving And Cabinets
A must-have item in smaller homes is wall-mounted shelves and cabinets. If you lack floor space, utilise the vertical space. Incorporating these into your living room provides storage solutions as well as making the space appear larger. You can add books, framed images, memorabilia and ornaments to these shelves for a cohesive look throughout the home.
Foldable Furniture
Some may have a living room that also doubles up as their dining room; if this is the case for you, you will likely have a dining table and chairs taking up space inconveniently. Opting for a foldable dining table and chairs that can easily be tucked away will both free up floor space and add a modern flair to your property.
Sleek Entertainment Units
Wave goodbye to the days of bulky, unappealing entertainment centres and say hello to the new trend of floating units. There is now a selection of wall-mounted units available to house your TV and media outlets that provide a daintier, seamless and contemporary look to compliment your interior. These units look great and still provide you with optimal storage, too.
Mirrors
The magical mirror trick that is loved and used by thousands and thousands of us with smaller spaces. Strategically positioning your mirrors, be that leaning against the wall or hanging as a centrepiece, in areas that reflect the most natural light creates the illusion of a more expansive room. As well as looking incredibly sleek and sophisticated, elevating the visuals of the room, you can also make your home feel more open and airy!
Ottomans
If you are looking for something to serve you as a coffee table, extra seating and storage all at the same time, you need to find yourself a stylish ottoman. These come in an array of styles to suit almost any interior look; these pieces provide discreet storage for blankets, books and board games while adding a decorative piece to your home that you can use every day.
Room Dividers
As mentioned earlier, some homes have living rooms that share a space with other areas like dining rooms or kitchens. If this is the case for you, you may wish to incorporate a room divider or have a sliding door installed to separate and open up that space as required. These dividers are a cheaper, flexible option that comes in an array of styles, colours and sizes to suit almost all homes and rooms; however, if you want a more permanent option that seamlessly blends into your home, you could invest in having a sliding door added to your property.
Rug Separation
Another way you can define multiple areas of one space is with the use of textiles, specifically rugs. Rugs can outline seating, office and dining areas if you have a room that operates as multiple things. This can work as a decorative floor plan, creating an organised and seamless space. If you use multiple rugs, ensure these all work cohesively, avoiding clashing colours and patterns (unless that is your style, in which case, go wild!) and keep the theme aligned with the same interior style as the rest of the room.
Bring The Outdoors In
Wall-mounted planters and hanging pots can not only add a touch of greenery and bliss to your home but also allow you to bring the outdoors inside without taking up any floor space with planters. Choosing low-maintenance plants that are hassle-free can still provide a bright, refreshing atmosphere in your living room.
Built-In Shelves
Some homes may have little alcoves and areas that provide inconvenient empty spaces that you struggle to use or fit furniture into. If you are faced with this issue, it is the perfect opportunity to have custom built-in shelves added to house your books, collectables, gadgets and entertainment. You can also keep these areas incredibly seamless and aesthetic to fit the rest of the room with decorative baskets and bins where you store cables, remotes and anything else that you want to hide out of sight. This method can eliminate the need for other bulky pieces of furniture while bringing awkward areas of the home to life.
Convertible Furniture
Yes, this really is a thing! We now live in a world where dinner tables convert into working desks and bookcases fold down into beds. These innovative designs are essential for those who want to maximise space in studio apartments or small living rooms while adding a fun, unique and contemporary edge to your home.
Natural Minimalism
To make your space seem less chaotic and crowded while sticking with a seamless aesthetic theme, you should opt for neutrals and minimalism. Choosing paints, wallpapers and furniture in whites, greys, and beiges will create the illusion of more space. Minimalistic furniture and decor will also save space, adding an extra touch of elegance.
Under Sofa Storage
A sofa is often overlooked when it comes to its possibilities. You can invest in sofas that not only provide you with great comfort and style but also provide optimal storage solutions. You can now find sofas in all styles with built-in draws and hidden compartments to store items, including your remotes, spare blankets, and other pieces you don’t need or like to have on display. This hidden storage keeps your clutter at bay while maximising your room’s functionality.
Furniture Arrangements
Rearranging your furniture to fit a modular arrangement will allow for more flexibility and flow. Create an open, cosy or intimate space with the positioning of your units, rug, furniture and decor that’s perfect for all occasions. You can also experiment over time with a few various arrangements, finally opting for one that suits your needs and preferences best.
Lighting
Make your living space the ultimate comfort zone with atmospheric, ambient lighting. Positioning lights strategically around your room to highlight corners, the back of your TV, artwork and places you want some more depth will add character and vibe to the space. Unlike bulky ceiling lights, lamps come in an array of sizes and styles, so you can select options that best align with your lighting preferences, be that cool, warm, yellow or white, as well as the style to align with your home.
Creating a stylish yet space-saving and storage-friendly living room isn’t as daunting as it sounds. By incorporating just a few of the 15 points discussed above, you can optimise your home to save space without compromising on aesthetics. Embrace your inner creativity, experiment with multiple layouts and options and ensure to let your personality shine through your choices. With these solutions, your living room will now not only look the part but practically keep you organised and relaxed, too, making it your new favourite spot to be.