Sharing Designers’ Secrets: How to Maximize a Tiny Living Room

Whether your budget’s extra-tight due to frequent moves to wherever the work is, or you’re just starting out, you might be frustrated with your abode’s small square footage seemingly thwarting your design ideal for your living room. Well, we at Ivan Smith Furniture are here to say when there is a will, there is a way! Don’t fret. Our many years of outfitting homes just like yours along with the acumen of the many designers we’ve known have enabled us to offer you the following bits of free advice on how best to pick and place living room furniture for smaller rooms.

Embrace the Smallness: Intimate Space Is Good

Don’t think “cramped”; accentuate the positive by redefining this fact as coziness. No, we’re not in denial. An upbeat attitude in this planning process via clever design tricks will be conveyed to your guests. You might be tempted to make your space seem bigger. Don’t be, advise the top interior designers. Rather, accept your room’s character as is. One way to do that when choosing your living room’s seating is to keep all of it — sofa or loveseat, recliner, etc. — gathered together around the coffee table like you’re on the set of a TV chat show. Emphasize the unity of your living room furniture vision by placing a boldly patterned accent rug under it. Voilà: instant rapport among your guests.

Wow with Bright Light and the Right Hues

No, we don’t mean shining a light in your guests’ eyes so they don’t see your dinky room. We’re being imaginative here. Bright lighting strategically placed will make your cozy living room even more inviting. So go for it with beautiful accent lighting and mirrors to reflect that light. Also, consider painting your walls white or some other light color. A designer tip: show off your favorite paintings or photos in matching light-colored frames for an uncluttered but impressive art-gallery vibe. If your space is blessed with sunlight, choose bright or white window treatments such as curtains.

Go for the Cool Ottomans!

Maybe you can’t even squeeze a traditional coffee table onto your living room floor. Time to improvise! Two or more cool living room ottomans, ideally the storage kind that open on top, will ably do the table’s job, plus they double as seating if you need that.

To get a better idea which living room furniture and home accents might work best in your small space, stop by our Nacogdoches, TX store or any of our other locations for top brands all for a bargain.

For Peace at Home, Rearrange Your Furniture the Feng Shui Way

Feng Shui’s roots run way back to ancient China, where it was practiced to harness a room’s energy. Basically, it’s a glorified practice of decorating that places an emphasis on practicality and spaciousness. But if we take out the spiritual elements of Feng Shui and strip it down to its bare bones, we are left with some great ideas for furniture arrangement! 

Assess Your Living Space

Using Feng Shui to artfully arrange your home furniture can yield some great results, because you’ll end up creating a space that works practically and has a comforting feel. Think about how jarring it can be to walk into a place that has stuff everywhere – boxes on the floor, trash scattered about, silverware on tables, cups on TV stands, window sills with change on them, an unnecessary television – you get the idea. It can make you a bit anxious, right? Now, think about how nice it is to walk into a place that is open, neat, organized. It’s peaceful, isn’t it? 

Basic Feng Shui Rules

When shopping for your new living room sofa, TV, table or any other piece for your home, consider the following so you can maximize your space and get the most out of your furniture!

Get rid of the clutter! That goes for trash, clothes and anything that doesn’t belong in a living room. If you simply don’t have the space to put out-of-place things elsewhere, fret not. Just make sure they are neatly placed somewhere out of the way.

Optimize the amount of natural sunlight getting into your living room. So if you have stuff on your window sill, move it! And, at every opportunity, open those shades and blinds to wash your space in beautiful sunlight. 

Keep your furniture out of pathways – basically, don’t make it difficult to move around. You don’t want an obstacle course in the room where you relax. Think about the room’s entry and exit points when considering this.

Put your sofa and chairs against walls. These are your main pieces because you use them to rest. Having them “anchored” against a solid object will ensure you’ve got the most space possible to walk around. Also, if you can, make sure the people sitting have a line of sight toward the room’s main entry point. Why? Because it’s inviting to walk into a room and be greeted by the people who are already there. Plus, no one can sneak up on you!

Have a focal point, whether it’s a TV, portrait of your family or simply a candle on the coffee table. Build your room around it. Also, group objects that are related to one another. For example, don’t have a sofa on one wall and two chairs on the other; don’t put an end table next to the television, etc. 

We hope you found this useful. The next time you’re thinking about adding to or enhancing the Feng Shui of your living room, stop by our Carthage, TX store or any of our other locations. We have great deals on accessories, couches and everything else you need to create a comfortable living space on a budget!

How to Choose the Right Recliner for You

Just like there are many comfortable sneakers to choose from, not every reclining chair is right for every person. When you are shopping for a relaxing living room recliner to sink into after a hectic day, you must consider three factors: size, longevity, features, and style.

The Twofold Factor of Size

Size refers both to the chair seating you comfortably and the space you are working with. In a smaller living room, a compact glider and small ottoman are an option, if they fit your frame! Of the utmost importance when choosing the correct recliner is conformity with your body shape, offering enough support. Ask yourself: Can you easily adjust the recliner to relieve pressure on your knees? Are you equally comfortable sitting with the recliner folded up and extended? Will more than one person be using it?

How Long Do You Plan on Keeping Your Recliner?

Assuming you will use your recliner at least once a day, a reasonable life expectation for a recliner is about 10 years. Of course, if you pick a sturdier model and are careful handling it, you can stretch that for the most enjoyment and savings, so you won’t need to spend money again in only a few years.

What Recliner Features Do You Need?

If your body has particular needs, be sure to make a checklist before choosing a living room recliner. For example, you will likely be much happier in the long run with a recliner offering lots of lumbar support for your back. If a sore neck is a recurring problem, look into a recliner with an articulating headrest. For the ultimate recliner experience, check out chairs with built-in massage settings, so relaxing you will likely drift off to sleep!

Which Style Can You Best Live With?

Do you like your current décor so much that you expect your new recliner to match it forever? Fortunately for you, recliners now come in a variety of styles from traditional luxury to clean contemporary lines.

For an awesome selection of sizes, styles, and features in living room recliners at record low prices every day, count on Ivan Smith Furniture. Visit our Lufkin, TX showroom or any of our other locations in Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana soon!