4 Furniture Arrangements to Maximize a Small Living Room

Image source: Apartment Therapy

1. Sofa + Chairs + Table

This set-up works well for condos, skinny townhomes and semis. The key is to keep bulk to a minimum by choosing furniture with low, no or skinny arms. This track-arm sofa and wood-framed armchair are perfect examples. The narrow leggy table feels light while providing ample surface and storage. You could add one more arm chair to the mix like this:

Image source: Elle Decoration

2. Two facing sofas

If socializing rather than TV-watching is the main activity in your living room, the two sofa layout is a friendly option that is more flexible and space-saving than an L-sectional. Pull furniture away from the walls into the centre of the room and anchor the two sofas with a good-sized area rug. At a minimum, you'll want the front legs of both sofas to comfortably sit on the rug but it's preferable to a rug large enough to fit the back legs too.  

To determine if this layout will work in your space, calculate the depth of both sofas + the width of the coffee table + legroom space between table and sofa. A comfortable distance from coffee table to sofa edge is 15" - 18" on both sides.

It takes a lot of confidence to pull off two different sofas in the same space, but this gorgeous photo shows how to do it well. Keeping the sofas of a similar scale and arm style is the key here. The leather chair is a unifies the whole thing. 

Image source: Home Info

3. Love seat + Cubes

Seating with no or low backs means you can still place a TV behind them. These cubes look low enough to actually fit under the table if extra floor space were needed. Upholstered cubes are often available with hinged or removable lids - a clever way to sneak in extra storage. 

Swap the boxy cubes for wood stools or Moroccan poufs if that's more your style; the principle is the same. Here's another approach:

Image source: Cup of Jo

Image source: Cup of Jo

4. Prioritize Comfort

This living room space belongs to a Vancouver family of four who are stylishly and cozily living in a mere 600 square feet. 

I like how comfort was the main goal with deep, lounge-y furniture. How cuddly and inviting!