This post is all about long narrow living room layout ideas.
If we’re ranking living rooms in order of layout difficulty, the long narrow living room is #1.
Below, I’ll show you how to arrange furniture in a long narrow living room in the best possible way.
When it comes to decorating and furnishing, I’m a more visual person. I prefer looking at real living room examples to floor plans.
If you’re like that too, below, you’ll find some great narrow living room examples to take inspiration from.
Narrow living room layout examples:
- 10×12 layout (a small living room)
- 7×10 layout (tiny living room)
- 6×12 layout (narrow living room)
Arranging furniture in a narrow living room
OK, why not start this post with a visual example my own narrow living room.
My living room is a good example of how to arrange furniture in a narrow space while still keeping it functional, airy, and inviting.
Here are some useful takeaways and tips based on my layout choices.
Related: NYC Apartment Living Room: Have A Look Inside My 1 Bedroom Apartment
1. Anchor with a Rug
The natural woven rug defines the seating zone, keeping all the main furniture grounded in one cohesive area. In narrow rooms, rugs help prevent the space from feeling like a “hallway” by visually unifying the furniture.
2. Keep the Sofa Against the Long Wall
Placing the sofa flush against the long wall maximizes walking space and avoids blocking windows or doorways. This choice also creates a strong anchor point in the room without eating up too much square footage.
3. Balance with Lightweight Chairs
Instead of another bulky sofa, two slim-profile chairs face the couch. This keeps the layout open and flexible while still offering extra seating.
Narrow rooms benefit from furniture with exposed legs or lighter frames (like these mid-century chairs), since they allow sight-lines to pass through.
4. Use a Narrow Coffee Table
The slender, rectangular coffee table fits the proportions of the room. Oversized tables can overwhelm narrow layouts, but this piece offers surface space without crowding circulation paths.
5. Leverage Vertical Space with Plants
The hanging plants and tall greenery near the windows draw the eye upward, making the room feel taller and less constrained. Vertical accents are essential in narrow rooms since floor space is limited.
6. Keep the Desk Tucked to One End
The small desk near the windows fits neatly into a corner without interfering with the main living area.
In a long, narrow room, it’s smart to dedicate one end to a secondary function (like a workspace) instead of trying to cram everything into the center.
7. Opt for Neutral, Light Colors
The off-white sofa, cream rug, and pale walls bounce light around, keeping the space airy and open. In narrow rooms, lighter tones help prevent the space from feeling cramped.
Ok, so now that we dissected my layout choices for my own living room… let’s look at some different visual examples and layout ideas.
Layout example of a tiny and narrow living room:
Now let’s look at some real examples of how to furnish and decorate a narrow living room.
Long narrow living room layout ideas
1. Place your couch on the longest wall
The couch usually is the biggest piece of furniture in a living room. That’s why it’s wise to place it on the longest wall. That way, you create the most optical space.
2. TV opposite the couch
…or ditch the TV altogether ;). The best way to arrange a TV in a living room with limited space is by hanging it on the wall. That’s how it obstructs your view the least, making the room feel bigger.
The picture below is a great example of how you can carefully work the TV in your living room without too much space.
3. Pull the space together with a rug
Adding a rug to a small living room might seem counterintuitive. But especially in narrow spaces, doing so helps structure the room. Clear ‘visual zones’ make the room feel more spacious and organized.
Below you see a living room with rug placement in the couch area. You can see here the effect of creating ‘zones.’
I know this is not the smallest or narrowest living room, but it’s a great example of what the proper rug placement can do.
Recreate this:
4. Be intentional about your decoration
More specifically, stick to the set of 3 or set of 5 rules for decorating.
Why uneven numbers? Because somehow it works better for home decor!
Group decor items of varying heights and lines to create an interesting but clean look.
You want to avoid grouping more than 5 items in a small living room because usually that makes the place look smaller and even cluttered.
Because visual examples are more powerful, let’s have a look at this:
As you can see, I immediately break my own rules. Remember, home decor rules are only there to give you guidelines. If you find something that works better, always go for it.
Here’s what’s great about these pictures:
- They maximize space by placing an entry table behind the couch.
- Using varying heights (photo frames, flowers)
- Mixing neutral colors for an interesting visual touch
5. Opt for round-shaped furniture
Look, I don’t know what’s the science behind this. But round shapes in small places create the optical illusion of more space.
If it works, I’m all for it. Think of a round-shaped side table, round mirror (we’ll get to that next), ottomans, and even a round coffee table if your space allows it.
I adore this living room. It just hits all the right notes. The L-shaped couch, clever rug placement, and beautiful round shapes make the space appear bigger than it is.
Recreate this:
6. Add a mirror
A large, preferably round mirror is a great way to get the most out of your narrow living room.
You’ve probably heard this before, but mirrors are THE item to help you create the optical illusion for a bigger space.
Mirrors aren’t only great for making your living room appear bigger, but they’re great decor.
Ensure that the mirror’s color coordinates with the other color accents in your room for more unity.
Recreate this:
7. Thin legs everything
You want to avoid robust furniture that takes up lots of visual space in a narrow and small space.
If you want a bookshelf, go for one with thin legs and openness.
Recreate this:
If you’re considering adding some gold accents to your living room, I can’t recommend this bookshelf ladder enough!
It’s super sleek, yet it has plenty of space for (carefully curated!) decor and books. Read the reviews and see for yourself.
This ladder bookshelf also comes in a ton of different color combinations. So pick what fits best with your living room color palette.
8. Curved lamps to save space
This might seem weird, but many great small living rooms have curved standing lamps. And it just works.
As shown in the picture below, this curved lamp looks super elegant, but it doesn’t take up much space.
If you’re looking for a standing lamp for your living room, keep this idea in mind!
Recreate this:
9. Use a narrow console table
Traditionally we see console tables being used for the entry, but they’re much more versatile.
Because chunky dressers don’t work in a long, narrow living room, console tables are an excellent alternative.
You can use a narrow console table for decor, beneath the TV, or another spot where you have free space.
The space beneath the table is perfect for baskets to sneak in extra storage for throw blankets, board games, and other living room items you might want to keep around.
Below is a great example of how you could style a narrow entry table in your living room.
Recreate this:
10. Be mindful of keeping open spaces
My last tip for making the most of a narrow living room is to keep enough open space.
Open space on the walls and the coffee table; you want the room to breathe!
Another smart tip that this picture demonstrates perfectly is that 1 big artwork works better in a small space than, let’s say, a full-fledged gallery wall.
The placement of art above the couch also makes a big difference: make sure the art is close to the sofa. According to Martha Stewart, the ideal distance is 8 to 10 inches to the couch.
Get ottoman:
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