I had a similar setup that always felt awkward and I finally figured out how to fix it over the past couple of months. My room isn’t exactly like this but the general advice should remain the same. Get a straight couch (not L shaped) and pull it away from the wall a bit. It feels counterintuitive but leaving even just a few inches of space behind a couch can really open up a space. It’ll also give your curtains some room to breathe so they don’t look like the couch is crushing them so much. It’s hard to tell from these photos but if you have space I’d get a small cute chair in a different fabric from the couch. I’d either put it where the ottoman is now or on the opposite side of the room if it’ll leave you enough space to walk between the doorways. I’d also put a side table next to the couch. Maybe a cute vase and some coasters on it. This isn’t layout related but I’d also recommend replacing those cube shelves with a proper TV unit. It’ll look a lot cleaner. I recently bought a few IKEA Besta units and I’m very happy with them. They’re simple, clean, customizable, and most importantly very affordable. They were on sale when I bought them and I did a full 12’ wall of Besta units for about $300 IIRC. Answer from itsnottommy on reddit.com
House Beautiful
housebeautiful.com › room ideas › living + family rooms › 15 clever seating ideas for small living rooms that designers swear by
15 Clever Seating Ideas for Small Living Rooms That Designers Swear By
August 29, 2025 - The easiest way to increase seating in a small living room without taking up too much space is by simply adding an ottoman. For the living room of an old Atlanta home, designer Melanie Turner placed a circular, deep coral-red ottoman across ...
Room & Board
roomandboard.com › ideas-advice › design-your-space › living › seating-ideas-small-living-room
Seating Ideas for a Small Living Room - Ideas & Advice - Room & Board
Browse our design ideas about how to choose the best furniture for small living rooms, then shop small space seating like sofas, sectionals and chairs.
Videos
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How To Decorate Your Small Living Room🤩 - YouTube
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NEW LIVING ROOM MAKEOVER | DECORATING IDEAS | SMALL LIVING ROOM ...
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HOW TO ARRANGE A SMALL LIVING ROOM | Home Decorating Ideas - YouTube
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BEST Small Living Room Layout Ideas 2024 | Space-Saving Design Tips!
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10 Small Space Mistakes Making Your Room Feel Tiny - YouTube
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How to Elevate Your Living Room on a Budget | Designer Hacks You Need!
Ashleyfurniture
ashleyfurniture.com › c › furniture › small-spaces › living-room
Small Space Living Room Furniture | Ashley Furniture HomeStore
If you live in a studio, use shelving to create partitions between your small space bedroom and a “living room” type area. The shelving can be used to store books, photos, decorative items, etc. while also serving as an ad hoc wall. If you don’t have enough space for a dining or small space living room set, use your coffee table as a dining table and gathering place when you have friends over. Maximize seating by having some comfy cushions (which can double as couch pillows) for your guests to rest on.
Better Homes & Gardens
bhg.com › decorating › small-spaces › strategies › small-living-room-furniture-arrangement
15 Small Living Room Layout Ideas That Maximize Space
October 13, 2025 - Repeated pops of blue add crisp contrast and dimension against the white elements, while warm beiges and natural textures ground the room and visually expand the floor space. ... Multi-functional furnishings are another clever way to make a small living room layout work harder. Here, a large upholstered ottoman, which can be used as a comfortable footrest, doubles as a coffee table when a tray is added to provide a flat surface for drink glasses or a vase of flowers. During large group gatherings, the ottoman can additionally serve as overflow seating, giving it three practical uses in the small space.
House Beautiful
housebeautiful.com › room ideas › living + family rooms › 62 clever small sitting room ideas that designers swear by
Designers Say This Is the "Perfect" Seating Arrangement for Small Rooms
November 17, 2025 - If you’re looking for ways to make your small living room feel less cramped, choose neutral decor to bring some light to the space. However, don’t think this means you need an all-white living room. Designer Hannah Ozburn displayed this idea perfectly in a colorful space by using neutral but patterned, Roman shades.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/designmyroom › small living room ideas?
r/DesignMyRoom on Reddit: Small Living Room Ideas?
December 12, 2024 - If you’re putting something in front of the windows keep it small like a chair or bench seating. It’s hard to tell from the photos what the adjacent rooms are but that little nook in the back is great how you have it, for a Christmas tree or a bar cart or desk.
The Spruce
thespruce.com › small-living-room-layouts-8663432
17 Small Living Room Layouts That Will Maximize Your Social Space
August 14, 2024 - Desiree Burns Interiors chose a solid rug in a pale hue that complements light wood flooring, adding soft texture rather than pattern or color to the living room portion of the space. ... In a smaller space, concentrating art and decor objects primarily on a single wall will create a cozy feel that isn't cluttered. Interior designer Maite Granda chose a straightforward layout in this compact space, with a sofa facing the fireplace wall, a single armchair in one corner, and a floor pouf the other to provide extra seating without cramping the space.
Real Homes
realhomes.com › rooms › living rooms
6 seating ideas for small living rooms — designers love these looks for snug spaces
January 19, 2024 - She adds that they’re a fun way to add extra seating to a small space, creating a relaxed feel for guests to sit around and chat. Talk about a smart boho small living room idea.
CORT
blog.cortfurnitureoutlet.com › home › inspiration › creative ways to maximize seating in a small living room
8 Ways to Maximize Seating in a Small Living Room | CORT Outlet
June 18, 2025 - Rounded furniture is easy to tuck into a corner, whereas straight edges on accent chairs or tables can lead to wasted space and limited arrangement options. Better yet, find a chair tailor-made for tight corners for comfortable, compact seating. Just because you’ve always had the couch in one place, it doesn’t have to stay there! You may find that rearranging your living room furniture gives you a new perspective and fresh ideas on maximizing the space.
Pinterest
pinterest.com › bettyleeray › small-sitting-areas
77 Best SMALL SITTING AREAS ideas
Small Living Room · Home Decor Bedroom · Modern Living Room · Decoraciones De Casa · Living Room Designs · Family Room · Cool Ideas · Idee Arredamento Soggiorno · Design Interior · Rustic Farmhouse Decor · Cosas De Casa · My New Room · Entryway Decor ·
Architectural Digest
architecturaldigest.com › ad-it-yourself › living room › 51 small living room ideas for a cozy common area
51 Small Living Room Ideas for a Cozy Common Area | Architectural Digest
August 28, 2025 - Instead of a ho-hum corner, Kate Hartman of Kate Hartman Interiors in Vail, Colorado, introduced large-scale artwork that is counterbalanced by petite stools for extra seating (placed perfectly in view of the piece). “A single oversized piece of art creates an immediate focal point, bringing personality and drama to the room without taking up valuable floor space,” says Hartman, who finds that small-scale pull-up stools are an easy, unobtrusive way to add seating when space is limited.
Pinterest
pinterest.com › explore › home decor › room decor › living room › seating ideas for small living room
Seating Ideas for Small Living Room
Discover Pinterest’s best ideas and inspiration for Seating ideas for small living room.
Mare Blu
mareblufurnituredirect.com › news › top living room furniture ideas that maximize small spaces
Top Living Room Furniture Ideas That Maximize Small Spaces | Mare Blu
April 28, 2025 - By using transparent furniture, you can reduce visual clutter and create a more open and airy atmosphere in your living space. Maximizing seating with sectionals is a smart small living room idea.
HGTV
hgtv.com › home › decorating › living and dining rooms
30 Small Space Living Room Ideas for 2025 | HGTV
July 28, 2025 - In a living room short on square footage, this coffee table can double as an ottoman and additional seating for guests. ... Photo: Kyle Born. From: Michelle Gage Interiors. 19 / 31 · This colorful living room's major components (the walls, the molding, the mantel, the shelving, the area rug, the chairs … you get the idea) are white. The lesson here? Even if you crave color via accessories, keeping your base monochromatic will help cultivate a sense of space.
Houzz
houzz.com › discussions › 5716052 › i-need-seating-for-6-people-in-my-tiny-living-room-i-m-stumped
I need seating for 6 people in my tiny living room, I'm stumped!
Place the sofa against the long wall, preferably in a balanced position related to the window(s). Place the loveseat against the front window wall. A narrow sofa table behind a sofa or loveseat gives the seated people some space away from the wall.
Jack Cooper
jackcooper.com › home › 19 small living room layout ideas that work best
19 Small Living Room Layout Ideas That Work Best - Jack Cooper
November 6, 2025 - A built-in bench or window seat adds both style and function to a small living room. It creates extra seating without taking up floor space and offers hidden storage underneath for blankets or books.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/homedecorating › ideas for additional seating in small living room?
r/HomeDecorating on Reddit: Ideas for additional seating in small living room?
May 2, 2019 - 1 or 2 accent chairs and a small storage ottoman. Can be useful as a footstool, extra seating for guests and a table when needed. Extra storage is a bonus for small spaces. ... I have such a small living room.
Ballard Designs
ballarddesigns.com › home › small living room design ideas to make the most of your space
Small Living Room Ideas for More Seating and Style
December 27, 2022 - This post about small living room design ideas was updated in December 2022. Just because you have a small living room doesn’t mean it functions any different from a large one. No matter the size, your family room needs to accommodate movie nights, sleepovers, the big game, and all manner of gatherings. How can you get the most of your living room space? We’re sharing our best living room design tips for adding more seating to a petite space plus other great small living room ideas.
MyDomaine
mydomaine.com › small-living-room-ideas-4767875
35 Designer-Approved Small Living Room Ideas
July 29, 2024 - ... Instead of an armchair, try a built-in bench. This window seat creates a cozy nook, but doesn't intrude on any floor space, leaving the walkway between the couch and the television open and airy.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/smallhome › need ideas: small living room, creative ways to add seating
r/SmallHome on Reddit: Need ideas: small living room, creative ways to add seating
March 16, 2024 -
Hello!
I’m helping my friend redecorate his small home. The living room connects to the kitchen and is tiny. We’re trying to find creative ways to add seating. I’ve looked up things like coffee tables with seating underneath and small sofa chairs. Does anyone have any helpful seating tricks/things they’ve purchased they found useful and functional for seating?
Top answer 1 of 2
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I've seen people use ottomans as both a coffee table and seating in a pinch. There's even ottomans that can be pulled apart and make 4-6 extra cube seats.
2 of 2
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If you have comfy dinning chairs or barstools, those work, as that's what we use. The ottoman idea s a good one, especially if it has storage in it as well.