Looking for design inspiration for your studio apartment – 80+ helpful small living room ideas

by John Griffith
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Recently, more and more people seem to find the advantages of buying or renting a small apartment, or an open plan studio apartment. Not only is it much cheaper, but, really, how much space does a person actually need. If you don’t have a family yet and you are a young up and comer in a big city, a studio apartment is a perfect option. When it comes to decorating a small apartment, there are a few tricks and hacks to use, in order to optimise your space. In this article, you will find more than 80 helpful small living room ideas. What’s more, we’ve gathered  some hacks for designing the perfect studio apartment.

What is a studio apartment?

A studio apartment usually consists of one large room, plus a bathroom. Usually this open plan room should contain your living room, kitchen and bedroom. Nowadays, however, there are some versions of a studio flat on two levels. Very tall ceilings usually allow for a small staircase, leading to a separate bedroom.

Small living room ideas – get creative with different shapes

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How to decorate a small living room?

How small is a small living room. Well, that varies, of course. Furthermore, if you have an unfurnished open plan room, how big you living room is, is entirely up to you. For example, if you love spending time on the couch, in front of the TV, leave more space for a living room. If, however, the kitchen is your oasis, then make it bigger. In order to be able to decorate a small living room, there are a few hacks to use to optimise your space in the best way possible.

  1. Use lighter colours for your walls – the lighter the colours on your walls, the bigger your room would look. Use accent furniture, instead. If you think light colours are bland, get a statement couch, or a centrepiece. What’s more, you can always add a beautiful accent wall, just choose the smallest one.
  2. Make sure each space is separate. There is a big variety of room dividers you can use to separate your “rooms”. Glass dividers are perfect, but a bit more expensive. Instead, you can always use curtains or even bookshelves to separate your bedroom from your living room. You can also add a kitchen island or a bar to separate the kitchen from the living room.

Let your sofa do the talking

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3. Use space-saving furniture. Pull out couches, hollow ottomans, wall mounted shelves, make sure you optimise your space as much as possible. That way, not only will your flat be clutter free, but you will have extra storage.

4. Use proper lighting. If you have tall windows, don’t cover them with dark curtains. Let the natural light flow right in. Use wall-mounted, or hanging lights and chandeliers. And be sure to light up the darker corners of your flat, as much as you can.

Small living room ideas – natural light is the perfect remedy for small spaces

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5. Use your carpet to your advantage. The bigger the carpet, the larger the room will look. What’s more, if you opt for the light coloured walls, a colourful carpet is sure to bring some character to your tiny apartment.

6. Hang curtains from the ceiling to the floor. They will create the optical illusion of a taller ceiling and therefore make the whole room look bigger.

Bedroom separated with a curtain and an office separated with a bookshelf

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How to arrange furniture?

When it comes to small apartments, the furniture you choose are very important. People have gone to great lengths to come up with ingenious space saving furniture. Like the example below – a whole pull out bedroom, hiding behind your wall. These are truly a lifesaver. As we’ve already said, optimise your space. If you don’t have a lot of space, opt for a smaller sofa, or an ottoman, instead of a large armchair. Small coffee tables are also a good idea for saving space when it comes to furniture. Floating shelves and under-bed storage are always a plus.

The ingenuity of space saving furniture

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Two-level studio apartments are a great option

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Separate your levels with different colours

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Statement furniture bring character to your tiny flat

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Add some colour for a bolder look

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Don’t be afraid to use a darker colour for an accent wall

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Room dividers can be very helpful for an open plan apartment

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Let the sunshine in

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Small ladder can lead you to your bedroom

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Here are a few renter friendly decorating tips, in case you are renting

Keep scrolling to find more small living room ideas

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Minimalist living room design

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Cosy living room furniture layout

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Living room furniture for small spaces

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Living room furniture for small spaces

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What do you think of this living room setup

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Bed hanging from the ceiling – brilliant small room decor

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Small apartment living room ideas

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Modern minimalist living room design

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Small apartment decorating ideas

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John Griffith
John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.

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