Regardless of size and style, most living spaces have design challenges, and Branson apartment living is no exception. If you are a renter and you love your apartment but have a small living room, there’s no reason you can’t still find a way to be content in the smaller space. 

If you don’t enjoy comfort and convenience due to limited space, don’t worry. Here are some easy and effective ways to improve your small apartment living room.

If your apartment has a small living room and is short on windows, it may make you feel like you’re living in a box. When you want to be happy with Branson apartment living even though yours might be limited on space, try to create focal points. Use wallpaper, boost light, and add color by papering a wall and hanging a mirror in between. If you can place the mirror across from a window, the better – as the mirror will reflect the outdoor view, giving the impression of a bigger room. Make an impressive layout of your living room – place the love seat on the papered wall, flank it with a pair of matching side tables and lamps.

When your apartment has limited space, you need to use furniture with built-in storage to limit clutter. Ottomans are not just for putting your feet up. They are functional to use as extra seating, you can use it as a coffee table, or if the style is right, you can even use it for extra storage. Another effective way to improve your small living room and make the most of the space is to place a small chest of drawers where you might normally use a console table, in order to give you more room to store things in it.

Choose small furniture instead of full-size sofas and bulky armchairs. You can find small-scale furniture at most antique shops as the average size of a room was typically smaller during the last century. You can also look for small settees, love seats, and chairs that will look great in your small living room. Modern furniture also often has cleaner lines, that may take up less space.

You can make an impressive layout of your small living room by placing the love seat in front of the window with small tables on either side. You can place a pair of Louis XVI armchairs opposite the sofa, and place a coffee table in between. 

If the apartment has a small living room but is blessed with high ceilings, take advantage of the vertical space. While the extra vertical space doesn’t help squeeze in any extra seating, looking up at the extra space can help give the impression that your room is far bigger and grander than it would otherwise seem. There are many things that you can place vertically, like adding shelves or artworks.

Filling a room with too much “stuff” can make it look cluttered, but if your living room is really small, sometimes staging it with just one large piece of furniture can make the room feel bigger. A generously sized sectional in the room can make you feel comfortable and can seat many guests – but because it reads as just one piece, it can help make the room feel larger and clutter free. A modern sectional in your room with clean, straight lines works better in a small space than an overstuffed version of the same piece.

You can create a good design layout of your small living room if you position a sectional sofa in one corner, with a pair of folding stools that can be pulled to form a conversational group. If you have enough room, you can even add an armless chair to the group.

In some living spaces, especially when small, it’s not advisable to put a full-size sofa. Instead, try a slimmed-down loveseat or a petite sofa that suits a small living room. Choose the one with clean lines and exposed legs, making it easy for you to clean the underneath.

Use a small sofa that floats in the middle of the open-plan space, facing a media center on the wall. An upholstered ottoman and an armchair can double as storage and an extra seat.

When the apartment you are renting has a small living room, using multi-functional furniture can make a big difference. Use ottomans that don’t just work as storage but can also work as a coffee table or extra seat. It’s also good to use nesting side tables that can be moved around as needed or little stools to use when all seats are occupied.

Anyone can enjoy their Branson apartment, even if they are renting a smaller space. If you follow these effective ways to improve your small living room, it will look and feel bigger and you will feel more comfortable in your living space.

If you’re looking for a Branson apartment - big or small - call Thousand Hills Realty today at (417) 337-8081. We are Branson’s premier property management company and we look forward to the opportunity to work with you.