As challenging as working with less-than-average square footage, a small living room doesn’t have to sacrifice style or comfort to add some extra seating. Be able to entertain your family, friends, and acquaintances with enough places for everyone to sit. Naturally, you still want the ability to move around the room freely.
Any additional seating should not be in the way. Here are some ideas on how to add more seating to a small living room.
Form a circular design
You want your living room seating to be naturally aimed toward each other. This way, conversations can be had a lot easier. Some living rooms may create more intimate conversation areas with paired seating and little nooks.
We don’t recommend this in a small living room because they simply don’t have the space. Always face seating to each other.
Have an upholstered coffee table
In place of a traditional hard coffee table, an upholstered bench can provide additional seating when you need it. When you need it as a table, setting up a tray provides a hard surface for beverages and whatever else you need to lay down. Alternatively, you can also convert a wooden dining table for this purpose. It provides a stylish, unique look to your room.
As seating, an upholstered coffee table functions similar to an ottoman and allows guests to talk to others while still being able to get up with ease and move around.
Add poufs to your living room
Poufs are a sort of bean bag, slightly more sophisticated and handy in their design. They’re lightweight, so you can put them in a closet when they’re not in use.
Pull them out when you need them, and you’ll have some very comfortable seats to enjoy at your access. Pets love them, too, if you have a cat or dog looking for a seat to call their own.
Keep a set of quality-made folding chairs
While folding chairs are not very fancy, they’re easy to set up, use, and remove. If you have a closet where you’re living, folding chairs may be the optimal choice to add seating to a small living room.
If you know you only need extra seating once in a while, a sleekly-designed folding chair set is exactly what you want to grab.
Replace your couch with a sectional
If you have a couch and loveseat, consider getting rid of it and tapping into the space-saving charm of a sectional. The right sectional is configured to fit into the layout of any room and provides lots of seating.
Couches can be bulky and oversized – though not always – for a small living room. A sectional has covered you, and they’re available in all sizes.
Add a thin freestanding bench
A bench will add extra seating to your small living room in a very simple and straightforward way. You can push them up against the wall and have seating available whenever needed.
You may also wish to buy two or three benches if you have the space and use them on the perimeter. When a bench is not used for sitting, it offers plenty of areas to put whatever you need on it.
Opt for a futon instead of a couch
A futon is a space-saving alternative to a couch. When a futon folds out into a bed, it provides plenty of areas for people to sit. A futon can be a great choice if you’re having an intimate gathering or with close friends. Also, they’re often more affordable than your average couch or sofa.
Flip-down wall-mounted seating
Wall-mounted seating is another amazing option when you have limited space. When you need wall-mounted seating, you flip down the individual seats or bench, and it’s ready. When you’re done, flip up your seating, and suddenly, this extra seating is completely out of the way without any hassle.
Store small seats under a coffee table
Consider having some stools, or small seats tucked away if you have a tall coffee table or end tables under unused space. When you need them, slide them out; when you don’t, they’re completely out of the way. Any type of hidden seating is a smart move for smaller living rooms.
Hanging seats for awkward areas
Some living rooms are in living spaces designed a little funky. There could be curves, triangular perimeter cuts, or twists and turns that aren’t typical for a living room. It is difficult to include a couch, sectional, or anything similar.
For these awkward spaces, ceiling-mounted hanging seats are a major space saver and help create a very easy, relaxed atmosphere.
Use ottomans with hidden storage
Ottomans are easy to move around the room. They’re also a versatile storage solution. They’re perfect for small living rooms and can be set up against a wall so that they are entirely tucked away until you need them for sitting.
Furthermore, you can also set up an ottoman in front of your flat screen without obscuring the view.
