Moving from a smaller apartment or starter home into a larger space can feel like a dream — until the new living room is accessed, creating the wonder of why it feels empty, echoey, and strangely hard to furnish. If a transition to a larger living room is the case, this post will aim to cover some living room ideas on how to approach furnishing the upsize strategically.
Upsizing living situations, especially the living room, comes with a unique set of design challenges. What worked beautifully in 700 square feet can suddenly feel miniature, scattered, or awkward in 1,000+ square feet.
They work to solve the most common pain points along the way. The ideas will be straight to the point with usable lists. Let’s dive into it.
“Furnishings Look Too Small Now”
Root of the Pain:
The sofa, rug, and coffee tables feel lost in the new space. Each item can’t seem to meet at a point where it makes the space cohesive.
This makes the items look like furniture items that are too small for the space.
Two Design Solutions:
Scale up the living room with some intent.
Avoid randomly growing the space solely on the current décor. Instead of replacing everything at once, identify which pieces are visually undersized or underserving the space.
For instance, a small loveseat may need to be scaled up to a full-sized sofa or sectional. A sofa upgrade will only address a portion of the emptiness.
At this point, the ground-up approach is recommended.
A small living room can make do with a 5×7 rug. A new, larger space often needs upgrading to at least 8×10, or in larger living rooms, a rug size of 9×12 better serves the space.
If a tiny round coffee table commandeered the center, it can be swapped for a larger rectangular or oval option. This is a simple fix that does not need much thought, other than the color matching of the décor.
Establish a Stong Anchor
Anchoring with a substantial rug is critical to avoid having the furniture look small. A properly sized rug should allow at least the front legs of all seating pieces to sit on it. This visually “grounds” the room and prevents a floating look.
Also, it is one of the many living room ideas that help determine the best size of sofas, chairs, and coffee tables. A good balance of these items will make addressing space increase via wall options even easier.
More on how to use walls to design the living room below.
Another point to take into account is the sound vibe of the room. If the space is still underfilled, it will feel echoey. If that is the case, then a few more pieces can be added.
Remember, layer furniture thoughtfully. In small spaces, fewer pieces work. In larger rooms, layering creates cohesion and comfort.
Living area design is all about adaptability, and that includes sizing up.
“Arranging Furniture in a Big Room Impedes Living Room Ideas”
Poorly Done Living Room Ideas:
The upscale may have taken place, and the style looks scattered now. Too much freedom can feel paralyzing, leading to a scattered approach.
When this situation arises, the impediment can often lead to the solution.
The bright side is that placement can be manipulated to correct the situation.
Design Solutions:
The first way to fix this issue is by setting the right floating position (check out this post for more on floating).
Moreover, the floating move can be simply done by pulling furniture away from the walls. Measure the right spacing based on need and appeal, and set pieces to “float”.
When it comes to small living room ideas, pushing furniture to the perimeter makes sense. In larger rooms, floating furniture creates intimacy and better flow. It also helps cut through the scattered look.
Moving along, the use of a “conversation circle” concept can create order.
Arranging seating close enough to comfortably converse gives the living room an organized purpose. This is ideally achieved by placing seating options within 8 feet of each other.
Furthermore, it is important to balance the visual weight when it comes to living area design.
If one side of the room has a fireplace or media wall, balance it with a substantial bookshelf, artwork, or console on the opposite side.
“So Much Wall Space — What Can be Done with It?”
Aches of Empty Walls:
Let’s clear the air about some of the living room idea pain points. Blank walls often feel intimidating and an ache to the eyes.
But, a bit of an artsy approach with a mix-in of some furnishings can help clear this hurdle.
Design Solutions:
It’s best to go big instead of busy with the implementation of wall design. Wall art for a living room can start to look bad when it’s cluttered. This would only add a negative to a space that feels or actually is scattered.
Any properly implemented ideas to deal with a scattered space will be further impeded.
Alternatively, implementing oversized art an create a fantastic focal point without clutter. It will make wall decor for a living room easier to expand.
A few more art pieces or furnishings can round out the living room.
What are some good added furnishings other than art? Consider built-in fixtures or tall shelving. Large walls benefit from vertical structure, especially in rooms with higher ceilings.
A large living room may be well served by added architectural elements, if possible.
The following are some additional design elements that may be considered, especially for homeowners:
- Accent wall paneling – added texture to balance some art
- A statement fireplace surround – better for a living room with ample space
- Large mirrors to reflect light – room lighting can really set a good tone
Adding an accent wall, living room mirrors, and a fireplace statement can all be great ways to add design elements.
The only factor at this point will be the budget limit.
Factoring in Living Room Ideas for Good Design
Putting it all together, transitioning from tight gatherings to larger entertaining can come with some pain points. As mentioned above, too much space can be hard to deal with.
Also, choosing the wrong pieces can lead a disconnected space.
One good overall approach to start with is overall seating design. Designing the seating by clusters can make the lager space much more manageable. Instead of one large sectional, consider the following cluster options: Sofa + two accent chairs or Sofa + loveseat + armchairs
These clusters engineer the conversational elements of hosting.
It is also important to design with a clear flow of traffic. Larger rooms will have a natural open feel, so this element should not be obstructed. This can be done with at least 30–36 inches for walkways.
Lastly, accent wall ideas for the living room can create balance if the space is too large. Less permanent options, such as stick-on wallpaper or other non-permanent designs, can add texture. Also, some rooms can seem overwhelmed by one color.
An accent wall can cut through this. Furthermore, this post can help with accent wall ideas and implementation.
Living room ideas for a small space have the main goal of efficiency. In a larger space, the goal is intention. Trying to maximize every inch is not a concern; creating balance, proportion, and comfort is.