For those who live in small studio apartments and small houses, the question is not just how to make the living room furniture layout work; it’s how to make it all work in order to let the room breathe and also be practical. A living room is the focal point of the house, but when you have a narrow one, choosing and arranging furniture can feel like you’re out of options. The good news is that you can make a narrow living room work by following our arranging tips.
Separate the zones
Who would have thought that long, narrow rooms could be a blessing in disguise? Why is that? Because they can serve as open-plan spaces. You can separate the area so you form different zones in one room: a living area, a den, a study area or even a breakfast nook.
You can create a traditional TV area, you’ll just need a comfortable sofa and a TV. The conversation nook can be formed by cozy chairs/armchairs and a table, surrounded by wall-to-wall bookshelves to really delineate the space. The zones can be separated by rugs of different colors or different kinds of lights.
Don’t place all your furniture on a single wall
If space allows you, try to avoid placing all your furniture on one side of the long wall. If you have the possibility to alternate the furniture in groupings, forming an S shape, you’ll avoid creating the impression that half your living room is just a straight hallway. Grouping your furniture in S shape allows you to use even more space.
Arrange the furniture cross-wise
It’s best to arrange things cross-wise when possible when working with a long space. This trick allows you to visually push the walls outward and the room will look wider.
Place the sofa in the middle, width-wise in the space, not against the longer wall. It creates the impression that the walls are pushed outward. On the far wall, you can place a long bookshelf, creating the same impression.
Use the middle of the living room
You don’t have to fill all the rooms with furniture just because it’s long. The space above centers the furniture arrangement in the middle, leaving the sides as open, but not dead, space. This is a great trick for a symmetrical room when usually the furniture is centered around a window or even the fireplace.
Buy an L-shaped sofa for a narrow living room
If you really want to use the space in a narrow long room, an L-shaped sofa/ corner sofa is the best choice, even more than one with a chaise. The furniture arrangement at the other end of the room (two chairs, a side table, and a console) mimic but flip the shape of the sofa, too.
Nobody wants to feel like they’re entertaining in a train carriage or watching TV in a hallway. Using these layout tweaks and visual tricks can help you love your long, but narrow living room. Try them and share your impression and photos.
