15 Clever Seating Ideas for Small Living Rooms That Designers Swear By

Ensure you’re equipped with cozy seating with a single-seat sofa in a calming neutral. Nearby, add a distinct armchair in a fun pattern, as designer David Frazier did in this New York apartment. The extra seat is not only statement-making, but it’s perfect for hosting guests or catching up on a good book.

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In this ladies’ lounge, designers Marita Simmons and Krysta Gibbons of Kipling House created a custom peacock-blue banquette to maximize the room’s square footage and seating. In between the banquette and additional chair is a wall-mounted, swing-arm drinks table, which really takes floor space-saving to the next level.

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Expand your seating options while enhancing the room’s character by playing with seat back heights and textures, as designer Christina Salway did in this Brooklyn home. The brown leather Chesterfield sofa features seats recovered in sapphire blue mohair fabric. The tall wingback chair boasts a lively Pierre Frey fabric, and the two small armchairs were recovered in Guy Goodfellow striped sacking.

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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 from a sofa in a similar shade. The gold coffee table adds shine and complements the nearby armchair.

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Dedicate the corner of a small living room to a cushy lounge chair for the ultimate relaxation zone, like designers Mallory Robins and Elizabeth Bennett of Kobel + Co did in this Missouri home. Elsewhere, the duo placed double cowhide stools for intimate gatherings.

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Mix up your seating arrangement with a pair of club chairs, which offer plenty of personal space for comfortable sit-downs. In this Texas home, designer Julie Bradshaw chose two camel-colored leather armchairs that pop against the color-drenched walls, matching green sofa, and a soft rug.

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While the chair in this home by designer Alison Giese might be a bit low for some sitters, this furnishing choice allows for more seating without obstructing the view beyond the windows. Plus, it fills out the room more without making it feel cluttered.

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If you’re struggling with a seating arrangement in a living room with a fireplace, use the feature as a focal point. For this living room inspired by Downton Abbey, designer Caitlin Wilson placed matching stools directly in front of the fireplace and behind a glass coffee table. Two pairs of different but complementary armchairs flank the central furnishings for ample seating.

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Or if you’re after a sleeker option, consider a pair of wood chairs with natural caning. In this living area of a Washington D.C. home, designer Tina Ramchandani employed two with a black finish. She color-drenched walls and ceiling in a deep blue to complete the moody look.

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Buying a sofa and armchair is already a daunting task, but don’t let that deter you from going all in on fun colors. For this living room, designer Hannah Ozburn mixed an olive green sofa with a red-and-white striped armchair and pink-and-red-patterned ottoman.

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Nothing makes a small living room, or any room for that matter, feel cozier than a nook. Case in point: This showstopping area by designer MA Allen, which features a custom daybed, a pedestal side table that transforms into a game table, and petite stools for multiple game players. The cherry-red, built-in bookcase is the icing on the cake.

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If your main priority is comfy furniture that you could easily fall asleep on, invest in a big L-shaped sofa as your single source of seating. For this living room in a New York home, designer Alexander Reid went the custom route to fill out two walls in the high-ceilinged space.

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Soften up the room with curved furniture. Here, designer Ali Budd used a custom, white sofa to accentuate the Calacatta Verde marble fireplace. Circular nesting coffee tables further fuel the room’s snug atmosphere.

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