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Furniture Ideas For Small Spaces
If your home is on the smaller side, you know that hosting, cooking and even sleeping can be tough. Crafting your dream space can sometimes feel impossible. That's why our home and style pros at Abt have collected some of our favorite furniture ideas for small spaces below. We walk through the living room, kitchen, dining room and bedroom to show you how to make the most of every square inch with our small room decor ideas.
Getting Started
No matter which room you're furnishing, one of the skills you'll actually be mastering here is illusion. You'll be making your space seem larger than it is just by choosing the right pieces. That's the bedrock for our furniture ideas for small spaces. We suggest playing with light, color, decor and focal points. We'll go into more detail below, but keep that in mind as you explore your options for furniture ideas for small spaces.
1
The Living Room
The living room is one of the first places guests see in your home, so you'll truly need creative furniture ideas for small spaces here. Whether you're hoping for more seating, extra room for storage or just the illusion of a larger room, we've got the furniture ideas for small spaces you need. Check out our tips:
- No overcrowding. You might immediately start thinking of how to fit everything into your living room. But when you're considering furniture for small spaces, overcrowding is your greatest enemy. Instead, you'll want to go after small room decor ideas and must-have pieces tactfully. A feature piece or two, a comfortable sofa, and a less crowded space will help your living room feel open and breathable.
- The best sofa, period. The largest thing in nearly any living room is a sofa or sectional, and it often becomes the focal point. That's why it's so important to pick the right one, especially one that can make your living room seem as large as possible. In our furniture ideas for small spaces, you've got several options—consider a sofa with a straight back that's flush to the wall. That way, you have no wasted space. Other sofa furniture ideas for small spaces? Slim, tapered legs that allow you to see the floor beneath for an uninterrupted view of your room. Choose the same style of leg for any armchairs and wing chairs you like as well. Alternatively, opt for a sofa with storage space hidden within. You can lift up these cushions to hide extra blankets and pillows for movie nights.
- Multifunctional furniture. One of our top small room decor ideas is to examine your expectations of what a room must have, then throw those expectations away. If you have limited space, you may be unable to afford the classic furniture arrangement: several wing chairs and a wide coffee table. But with the right furniture for small spaces, you'll still be able to seat guests and family. Start by choosing flexible furniture, like an upholstered stool that can double as a coffee table, footstool or even a seat. Poofs are a fun choice, too—pair a poof or upholstered stool with a wing chair to make a multifunctional arrangement that fits your style and space. These smaller seating elements can easily be moved across the room to fit your needs if necessary. Poofs can even be stacked on top of each other in the corner for storage. And for an extra-functional coffee table, consider something like a trunk for extra storage...or skip the coffee table completely.
- Doun't doubt decor. While we're focusing on furniture ideas for small spaces here, small room decor ideas can be just as important. Think about what goes beneath your living room furniture arrangement: a rug can really tie your space together perfectly. But instead of going for a small rug, look for one that's large enough to fit beneath your sofa and encompass your space; it will actually make your room seem larger in the process. Next, curtains. You'll want to go oversize with these as well to give the illusion of larger windows. All these elements combined will give your living room an airier feel—and extra style.
- Vertical storage ideas. If you're searching for more ways to store or show off belongings in your living room, think vertically. Instead of an entertainment center for your TV, mount it on the wall to clear up floor space. And instead of choosing the classic blocky bookcase, opt for ladder models that are open on the side and visible from all angles; not only will you have more space to store your favorite books and memorabilia, but you'll also be able to see it from everywhere in your living room.
2
The Kitchen & Dining Room
When it comes to kitchens, it's all about efficiency (something we covered in our article on small kitchen organization). And no matter how small your kitchen is, you'll want to make sure that any furniture is doing work for you, instead of slowing you down. While there's often less furniture to think about in the kitchen than in the living room, your furniture ideas for small spaces will have to be extra-functional. And in the dining room, it's all about seating as many as you need, comfortably and stylishly. Let's dive in.
- Again, no overcrowding. The same tenet comes first: you'll want to avoid adding too many stools or having a massive island here. And this is more than just an aesthetic preference. You'll want as much room as possible to maneuver around your kitchen as you cook. For that reason, you'll need to make sure you stay at least a couple of feet away from nearby cabinets when you're adding furniture like islands or tables.
- Opt for a round table. One of the top tips any designer will offer when it comes to furniture ideas for small spaces is going with rounded edges instead of square ones. You'll physically have extra room, both in your kitchen and at the kitchen table. If you're crafting a breakfast nook or the place where you'll dine for every meal, we suggest a rounded kitchen table.
- Choose your own island. While most small kitchens aren't large enough to come with a built-in island, you can always add one. Some dimensions to keep in mind when considering these furniture ideas for small spaces: make sure your new kitchen island is at least three feet tall and three feet away from your nearby cabinetry. Now you get to choose what you want to do with your island—are you going to have it as a tall table where you can get your meal prep taken care of? Will you opt for a shelf near the bottom for even more storage space? For a completely different spin on things, you can add a pair of tall counter stools to make it a multifunctional dining and prep space, too.
- Try out caster wheels. If you're adding an island to your kitchen and know you may need to get around it at times, consider an island with caster wheels (or try adding caster wheels to your furniture yourself). That way, you'll be able to move your furniture out of the way when necessary. If you're adding your own caster wheels, look for models with a locking mechanism; that way, you'll be able to roll your island out of the way when necessary, then lock it back down.
- Transform your dining room table. Moving into the dining room and out of the kitchen, our favorite furniture ideas for small spaces are the same. Instead of a perfectly square or rectangular table, you'll likely want one with rounded edges or even a classic drop-leaf table. The most extreme drop-leaf tables can go from pretty small to extra large.
- Exchange dining chairs for benches. Benches are the perfect seating for smaller dining rooms, especially if you need to seat many people at once. Since you aren't looking at the backs of multiple chairs, your eye perceives the space as larger than it really is. And instead of isolated chairs, there's always a little extra room to fit one more person at the table. If you have a traditional rectangular table, you'll be able to tuck these benches right below your dining table once the meal is over. Looking for different furniture ideas for small spaces? To really integrate your own eclectic style, opt for a bench on one side of the table, and a mix of your favorite dining seats on the other side, or just at the ends of the table.
3
The Bedroom
Bedrooms are very different from kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and any other spaces in a small home. This area is meant to be your sanctuary. While many of our other furniture ideas for small spaces have been focused on extra functionality and even hosting, these tips are going to be on how to make the most of a space that is dedicated just to you, or just to you and your partner. And when it comes to small bedrooms, you'll want to truly rely on the power of illusion to make the room seem as large as possible.
- The bed may take up the whole room. If you've got a teeny bedroom and the bed takes up much of your space, work with that as both your statement piece and your comfortable furniture. One way to manage that is with a statement headboard—the perfect furniture for small spaces. Consider one that really encapsulates your style, or something that's tall. Height can sometimes give the illusion of added space.
- A statement bed frame. If you're looking for even more decor in the tightest bedroom around, consider pairing your decorative headboard with a bed frame that matches (or make your bed frame the star instead). Explore different furniture ideas for small spaces that will match your vibe, from industrial-style grays to brighter whites. Many bases come with the headboard built in—you can choose these for an all-in-one solution.
- For the smallest of studios. If you have a studio apartment, furniture for small spaces is a must-have. You'll want to get creative with your furniture to break up your space visually: try framing your sleeping space with low dressers and chests to give your "bedroom" a bit of separation without making your space seem even smaller. If you're hoping to separate your "bedroom" from the rest of your studio entirely for more privacy, try using stylish curtains.
- Rethink your nightstand. Sometimes the best furniture ideas for small spaces involve removing furniture. One of the greatest ways to open up a bedroom and let it breathe involves eliminating unnecessary nightstands. Instead, opt for a floating shelf or even mount lights on the wall behind your bed to remove the need for a table lamp. You'll have all the functionality of a nightstand, all while adding some breathability. If you want multifunctionality instead, chairs and stools can easily double as nightstands.
- Go for foldables. While large vanities and desks aren't in store for many with small bedrooms, you can still have all the functionality of these desks with foldable models and foldable stools. You can tackle your morning routine or do a bit of work on your laptop here, then fold everything away to bring extra square footage to your bedroom. If you prefer a classic vanity, place it sideways along the side of your bed and use a stool as a seat, then move the seat beneath the vanity when not in use. Keep in mind that it may be a tight squeeze.
Which Furniture Ideas are Right for My Small Space?
While we've listed some of our favorite furniture ideas for small spaces, keep in mind that all of our picks won't work for every home. Consider the room you're furnishing, your dimensions, your needs and your style. It's always fun to play with trends and small room decor ideas, so think about which of these tips might work best for you and your space. But sometimes you just need the touch of an expert—to speak with Abt's furniture specialists, call us at 800-860-3577. We can help with picking out the right furniture for small spaces, from comfortable beds to decor that matches your personality.
Furnishing Small Spaces FAQs
How can I make my small living room look better?
A softer color palette can make a small living room look bigger and brighter. Take advantage of vertical storage like shelving units, which keeps the space free of clutter that can make it feel cramped.
What is the best way to layout a small bedroom?
To start, consider the positioning of your bed; often times, it makes the most sense to have your bed against the wall to leave space for other furniture. This is another instance where a lighter or softer color palette will make the room feel brighter and airier. Invest in items like floating shelves to keep your stuff off the floor.
What is the best table for a small dining room?
Round dining tables are popular in small dining rooms thanks to their smaller size than oval tables, and lack of corners like square or rectangular tables.
