7 clever narrow living room ideas

If you’ve found yourself trying to style and order a narrow width living room, you’ll know just how tricky it can be, especially when it comes to furniture.

You’ll likely want to make the space feel wider than it really is, which can be pretty difficult when you also want to make the room feel cosy and functional. 

But before you roll your sleeves up and attempt to push the sofa around the room for the 100th time, we've rounded up some clever ideas for narrow living rooms to help your space go from squeezed in to sensational. 

1. Clever floor plans 

When it comes to small, narrow living room ideas, there's more to it than just using different coloured paint on the walls. 

The key to a narrow living room layout is to use both sides of the room for furniture, rather than trying to keep everything to one side. It’s also a good idea to not shy away from using the middle of the room for furniture. This ultimately helps to make the room look less straight and narrow, and more inviting. 

2. Glass tables 

The rise in popularity of glass coffee tables, side tables and desks is back, and we couldn't be happier. Not only are they bang on-trend, but they're also great for smaller spaces. Keeping your coffee table books, drinks and decor pieces on glass makes the room feel more open and less cluttered thanks to their opacity. 

3. Natural light

It goes without saying that one of the best ideas for longer, narrow living rooms is to ensure that plenty of natural light can flood through. With this in mind, try to avoid heavy drapery or thick blinds and switch to lighter voile and sheer window treatments to keep an airy, more open feel.

If windows are few and far between, take a look at our guide on perfect lighting options for your living room. 

@feguimaraess with Model 02 Chaise Longue in Teal

4. Mirrors

This one's an age-old trick that's guaranteed to make your narrow living room feel much more open, and help to bounce light around the room. To totally transform your space, think about strategic placement of mirrors on the longest walls of your living room to create the illusion of a wider shape.

Mirrors work just as well with artificial lighting. In the evening, narrow living rooms can easily become dull, dark and stuffy. By putting your living room lamps and other lighting adjacent to your mirrors, you can control which spots get the glow.

Model 06 in Pumice

5. Creating zones

Zoning is a simple trick used by interior designers in open-plan spaces, however, it's also a great trick to use for narrow rooms. Using accessories and accent furniture like corner sofas can help to group pieces together to create a smaller zone- almost like a room within a room. This gives the space a variety of focus points for lounging, working, or anything else you use your place for.

Making a statement with an abstract piece of art, an overarching floor lamp or a large leafy house plant can be as simple as it needs to be. If you’re in the market for sprucing up your living room with plants and other greenery, our living room decor and plants guide may be what you’re after.

6. Sofas and armchairs

L-shaped sofas are another great way to zone your living room. The shape of the sofa automatically provides a snug space for lounging, whilst the back of the sofa offers a border into another zone. If you’re looking to fit a cosy corner and a dining space into the room, use an L-shaped sofa to divide the area into two. 

7. The minimalist approach

Just because you're working with a small space, doesn't mean it has to feel cramped. By making sure your place is free of clutter and adopting a more minimalist approach to how you decorate the room, you're helping create a calming space that exudes relaxation. 

Everyone needs somewhere for storage, so it's a good idea to think about where your belongings will go before you choose furniture. TV cabinets can double up as a more stylish place to store everyday items as opposed to storage boxes out in the open. Try to avoid storing items under or on top of furniture if you can, to make sure the space feels as open as possible.

So, arranging furniture in a narrow living room, while also making the space functional and cosy is no easy feat, but it can be done. If your current sofa or seating arrangements aren't quite working for your space, why not shop all Swyft sofas to find the perfect match.