One of the common problems homeowners face is a small living room. For utility purposes, bedrooms, kitchen, hallway, bathrooms and other ‘functional’ spaces take up more room, leaving the living room very compact. But the living room serves many purposes, from being the place to relax and unwind, read, watch TV, and spend time with family, to being the space for hosting guests, so you cannot afford to neglect it. The living room is literally the heart of all activities, so it cannot feel shabby despite structural space constraints.
With the help of a few decor tweaks, you can give your living room the illusion of a ‘bigger’ space. Mrudala Indur, founder of Diksuchi Design Studio, walked us through a few decor hacks that create the illusion of a larger space, elevating a compact living room for better functionality and visual appeal.
According to Mrudala, the answer is in textiles, which can bring in depth. “Textile variety comes in curtains and upholstery to rugs and soft furnishings; the right textile choices can visually open up a room, making it feel lighter, taller, and more cohesive,” she opined, remarking how textiles create the ‘illusion’ of a bigger room.
Here are her smart hacks which you can easily implement in your home if it suffers from a similar small living room problem:
1. Create visual continuity with light, tonal fabrics
- The room appears larger when the eye can move seamlessly across surfaces. The problem happens when high contrast textile breaks this flow, breaking the space visually into smaller sections.
- Go for light, tonal fabrics, like soft beiges, warm greys, or muted pastels, that blend effortlessly with wall colours.
- When upholstery sits within the same colour family as the walls, boundaries soften, and the room feels more expansive.
Example: A taupe sofa against a beige wall reads as one continuous visual plane, while a dark, contrasting sofa can feel heavy and space-consuming.
