75 Beautiful Small Modern Living Room Ideas and Designs - March 2024 (2024)

Looking for Small modern living room ideas? Whether your living room is lacklustre, your lounge is limited in space, your sitting room is suffering from outdated decor or your front room is full of clutter, there are Small modern living room ideas and designs that will inspire you to breathe life into your living space. Discover small living room ideas to help maximise tiny spaces or modern layout ideas that will work with awkward shaped living rooms. Perhaps you’re struggling to decide on living room colours? Read on for help with colours, layout and design ideas, or find inspiration from the millions of living room photos on Houzz.

Modern Living room wallpaper ideas

A good place to start when it comes to redesigning your living room is with the walls. While paint may seem the simplest choice, and easy to change, don’t discredit the design opportunities of modern wallpaper in living rooms. There are tons of great living room wallpaper ideas, from modern geometric patterns to traditional florals, and loads of ways to use them – you don’t have to cover the whole room or go for the ubiquitous feature wall. You could wallpaper only above the dado rail (if you have one), either side of a chimney breast, or behind a shelving unit to give your displayed items a stylish backdrop. Discover more living room wallpaper ideas or if paint is more your style, there’s plenty of living room designs to discover when it comes to paint ideas; just browse through the huge selection of modern living photos and search for the specific paint you’re after if you really want to narrow it down.

Small living room ideas

When it comes to our living room design, we want it to feel as welcoming and personality-filled as possible, but that can be a struggle when we’re working with a small space. But not to fear, there are modern small living room ideas to help you make most out of what you’re working with. A couple of modern small living room ideas can include: working with the height you have – installing floor-to-ceiling bookshelves or drawing the eye to the top of the walls with wallpaper; choosing space-saving or storage-incorporating (or both!) furniture, such as corner sofas with storage space under the chaise longue section; and keeping things symmetrical – a central fireplace with seating opposite, or seats facing each other, can give the illusion of a larger, more grand room. When it comes to the best decor for modern small living rooms, you can either choose to keep things light and airy to open up the space, or embrace the cosiness of the smaller area you have by going for warm colours and filling the room with your favourite accessories.

Living room layouts and choosing the right modern living room furniture

When it comes to the layout of your modern living room, it will depend on what pieces of furniture you have – but how do you choose what living room furniture to add, whether you’re refreshing your living room design or starting from scratch? The best place to start is with the modern seating – one corner sofa will usually seat three to four people, and if that’s all you think you’ll need, then you can leave it at that. Placing your sofa along the longest wall helps to make the most of the space, but think about where you want the focus of the room to be, too. If you need more seating, look at modern armchairs that offer comfort but don’t take up too much space – cramming a room with too many large armchairs is something to avoid. But armchairs and sofas don’t have to be your only options – go for bean bags and floor cushions for an eclectic feel, pouffes and ottomans if you’re more traditional, and smart design chairs for contemporary living room ideas. Coffee tables are always handy, but you can always add a couple of modern side tables if you don’t want to clutter the central space in front of seating with anything. If you centre your living room design around a fireplace or TV, then you might want storage and shelving to feature around the focus of your room. There are plenty of style options when it comes to TV units, and you can even go for bespoke living room storage units to make the most of the space if you want a sleek, built-in look. Keep reading below for more living room storage ideas. Discover a huge range of modern living room furniture, as well as living room accessories, to help you finish your room design.

Living room design ideas

Struggling with what living room colours to choose, or what style to go with? While a grey living room design is popular at the moment, you might not want to go with the ubiquitous colour. Although, if neutral and contemporary are the living room ideas you’re after, a grey sofa or grey walls will give you a good base to work on. If you want to stay neutral, beige is not your only other option, either. Light yellows, taupes and soft greys will work. Why not try adding simple but plush cushions to your sofa and a rug in these colours to achieve a modern-traditional look? For contemporary living room ideas, dark blues and greens are on trend, but if you don’t want to dive straight into the dark wall trend, you could opt for a couple of pieces of furniture, or go for dark-hued living room accessories instead. Whites, woods and pastels could work well for Scandinavian living room designs. If an eclectic living room is what you’re after, you could go for large print wallpaper, a statement lighting piece, vibrant rug and lots of colourful book or ornament displays. For a country feel, rustic carpet, stone hearths, comfy armchairs and traditional patterns in creams, greens and browns will give you that cosy cottage feel.

Living room storage ideas

It’s natural that our living rooms tend to attract lots of items and belongings seeing as they act as multipurpose living spaces. Whether you love to read a book; watch a film; let your children play with their toys; practise a craft like knitting or drawing; play a musical instrument or play video games in your sitting room, there will always be a need for a few extra modern living room ideas that can help you with storage. Apart from the standard bookcases, side tables and TV units, there are a few other handy living room storage ideas you can invest in. As mentioned before, if you have the room and budget for it, a built-in storage unit could be the way forward. With a well-built unit you could hide your TV, DVDs, players, books, video consoles and all sorts away in one place. If you don’t quite have a large enough area for one, you could look at shelving – either side of the chimney breast is a great place to install shelving if you have one in your living room. And don’t forget modern living room furniture such as sofas, benches and ottomans that lift up to reveal hidden storage; providing seating and storing space at the same time. With the right storage solutions your modern living room design could open up and feel so much more spacious and stylish. Discover more living room storage ideas by browsing these photos. Once you have your modern living room storage, colours, design, layout and furniture sorted, all that’s left is to browse the millions of living room ideas on Houzz and save your favourites to an ideabook. If you’re still searching for specific living room ideas, check out the popular pages below:

  • Living room lighting ideas
  • Cosy living rooms
  • Grey sofa living rooms
75 Beautiful Small Modern Living Room Ideas and Designs - March 2024 (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my living room look modern? ›

Modern living room decor incorporates different contemporary movements like retro mid-century, clean minimalism, light-filtering Scandi, cosy bohemian, cool industrial or warm rustic. Think: abstract forms, geometric patterns, marble textures, metallic detailing, matte finishes and pops of colour.

How can I make my home beautiful with simple things? ›

There are plenty of 'affordable' finishing touches which can make your home look and feel more luxurious – some of which can actually be free!
  1. Paint a feature wall. ...
  2. Go big with wall art. ...
  3. Redecorate / paint. ...
  4. Use colour cleverly. ...
  5. Declutter. ...
  6. Decorate with candles and mirrors. ...
  7. Add house plants and flowers.
Feb 7, 2022

What is a modern living room? ›

A modern living room is simple, sleek and elegant. High ceilings, layered lighting and minimalistic furniture are all essential aspects in creating a modern living room for everyday enjoyment and relaxation.

What is the best color for a small living room? ›

Opt for warm-toned neutral colours like off-white, beige and cream. If you want to introduce more colour, choose calming light shades of blue, green, yellow or pink to bring a fresh, airy feel to small living rooms.

What is the best color to paint a small living room? ›

For an instant refresh of a compact space, bright white always works well. If your living room receives very little natural light, it's an easy way to open things up. If your living space is particularly small, a coat of Brilliant White will work particularly well.

How to decorate a living room like a pro? ›

Things to consider when decorating your living room
  1. Mix Light and Dark Colors. It's important to have a mix of both bright and dull colors when decorating your living room. ...
  2. Contrast Your Neutrals. ...
  3. Play With Texture. ...
  4. Work in Some Wood. ...
  5. Mix Up Your Upholstery. ...
  6. Choose Practical Fabrics. ...
  7. Add a Dash of Color.

How do you make a room look timeless? ›

Mix old and new

Combining finishes, furniture, and features of different eras and styles can help to create a timeless space. That's because your interior will not dominate a particular period or a design style that may be reminiscent of an old trend. Don't be afraid to mix the old with the new.

How can I make my sitting room look beautiful? ›

Layer in Loads of Texture

The living room is meant to feel cozy, so don't skimp on plush fabrics. Here, blogger Amanda West brings in neutral textures and subtle patterns with throw pillows, blankets, ottomans and curtains.

What makes house looks cheap? ›

11 Things That Make Your House Look Cheap, According to Designers
  • Design is personal, and your home is a reflection of your personal style aesthetic. ...
  • Bland Substitutes. ...
  • Outdated Lighting. ...
  • Furniture Sets. ...
  • Too Many Colors. ...
  • Out-of-Scale Design. ...
  • Popcorn Ceilings. ...
  • Mass-Produced Art.
Oct 9, 2023

How can I make my house look nice without money? ›

How can I make my home look better without buying anything?
  1. Curate a talking point with objects you already own. ...
  2. Use leftover paint cans to add color to trims. ...
  3. Rearrange bedroom furniture to aid sleep. ...
  4. Take the rule of three to your houseplants. ...
  5. Swap rugs from room to room. ...
  6. Create conversational seating.
Apr 3, 2023

What is modern style home decor? ›

In interior design, the Modern Style creates functional spaces with a delightful aesthetic. The Bauhaus philosophy and architecture inspire the style, highlighting the use of clean lines, geometric form, and natural materials. Modern style in interiors evokes a simple yet elegant lifestyle.

What does a modern interior look like? ›

Modern-style furniture is characterised by low, horizontal pieces and clean lines, usually made from natural materials such as wood or leather. Surfaces are smooth with little to no ornamentation or decoration. Geometric shapes are often used. However, there are no intricately detailed pieces and very few curves.

What is a glam living room? ›

A glam living room can range from comfortably chic to formal and sophisticated. The constant in this style is shiny elements like brass, gold, and silver; luxurious fabrics such as faux fur, silk, and velvet; and an inherent feminine flair.

How do you make a small room look luxurious? ›

7 Design Tips For Making A Small Space Feel More Luxurious
  1. Don't Be Afraid Of Color. Once you start with a neutral design scheme, you can go ahead and add color. ...
  2. Install Wallpaper. Wallpaper is a major design trend that isn't going away any time soon. ...
  3. Add Architectural Wall Embellishments. ...
  4. Hang Luxury Window Treatments.
Sep 2, 2021

How can I make my small room look nicer? ›

Small Bedroom Decor
  1. Make a focal point. ...
  2. Hang art high to trick the eye. ...
  3. Separate space with an accent wall. ...
  4. Play with proportions. ...
  5. Layer your art. ...
  6. Accessorize away. ...
  7. Bring in some houseplants. ...
  8. Open up with bare white walls.
Dec 13, 2023

How do interior designers make small rooms look bigger? ›

Can't knock down a wall? Try an optical illusion to visually expand your space.
  • 1Paint the entire room the same color.
  • 2Hang oversize art.
  • 3Add reflective surfaces.
  • 4Draw the eye up.
  • 5Choose the right scale — and right amount — of furniture.
  • 6Don't shove all your furniture against the wall.
  • 7Keep sightlines open.
Feb 7, 2023

How do you make a small living room look less cluttered? ›

How can I make a small living room look less cluttered? 9 must-know solutions
  1. Think scale. There are two elements key to ensuring a living room doesn't look cluttered. ...
  2. Reposition furniture. ...
  3. Direct the gaze upwards. ...
  4. Edit accessories. ...
  5. Swap two tables for one. ...
  6. Size up. ...
  7. Plan the window treatment. ...
  8. Choose the right rug.
Sep 14, 2023

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