12 Savvy Living Room Corner Ideas for Small Spaces
Tired of staring at that empty, wasted space in the corner of your small living room? Those pesky corners may seem impossible to decorate, but they hold so much potential. With a little creativity and smart design, you can transform lifeless living room corners into functional, eye-catching focal points.
From cozy seating nooks to storage solutions, lighting accents to greenery, there are many savvy ways to make the most of an awkward living room corner. Read on for 12 brilliant corner ideas guaranteed to make a stylish statement even in tight spaces.
Creative Corner Seating Ideas
An empty corner demands a comfy chair! Deck out your unused living room corner with cozy seats tailored to its unique angles. Creative corner seating carves out a quiet spot to curl up with a book, enjoy a cup of coffee or just kick your feet up after a long day.
Cozy Corner Bench
Make the most of an empty corner by tucking in a space-saving bench. Built-in or freestanding corner benches maximize seating capacity without overpowering a small living room. Upholster the bench in soft, inviting fabrics like velvet or linen. Then pile it high with plush pillows and throws to create an ultra-cozy vibe. Add a floor lamp or pendant light overhead to complete your new favorite reading spot.
Corner benches work especially well under corner windows. Flank the bench with lush potted plants on staggered shelves to bring the outdoors inside. For quick and affordable DIY options, use wooden crates or cubbies for shelving. Top with succulents, trailing ivy and your favorite houseplants.
Statement Armchair
An accent armchair with loads of personality easily holds its own in an empty corner. Choose an armchair with sculptural lines or an unexpected silhouette like a swivel barrel chair. Opt for on-trend colors like forest green, rich velvets or eye-catching patterns. Then complement your statement chair with decor that enhances the corner vignette.
Add an arched floor lamp behind the chair to amplify the lighting. Fold a cozy throw blanket over one arm for pure comfort. Complete the look with corner shelves holding books and plants overhead. The chair steals the show while the carefully curated decor transforms the once-empty space.
Corner Banquette
Banquettes maximize seating in a small living room without dominating the space. Tucked into a corner, a banquette's clean lines and minimal footprint free up floor space. The cozy bench seating also invites guests to gather for conversation. Choose a banquette with storage underneath the seats to stow books, blankets and board games out of sight.
Play up the softness with a feather-filled cushion and plenty of plush pillows in coordinating colors and patterns. Drape the banquette with a hand-knit throw or fur blanket for extra coziness. Lastly, take lighting into account - a pendant fixture or sconces ensure the banquette stays bright and inviting day or night.
Smart Storage Solutions
Corners tend to turn into clutter catch-alls over time. Counteract the clutter before it starts by incorporating smart, dual-purpose storage ideas. Well-designed corner storage not only corrals belongings but also maximizes every inch of available space in a small living room.
Corner Shelves
Floating corner shelves or mounted corner shelf units transform wasted vertical space into a display area. Corner shelves come in a variety of sizes, finishes and designs to suit your needs. Narrow, staggered corner shelves work well for highlighting decor items and greenery. Opt for wider shelving to hold stacks of colorful coffee table books, vases and baskets.
When installing corner shelves, pay attention to clearance - leave enough room up top to comfortably walk beneath without bumping your head. Also consider the thickness of the shelves themselves. Thin, floating shelves have a lightweight, streamlined look. Thicker shelves can handle heavier items like speakers, amplifiers and media equipment.
Compact Corner Cabinet
A floor-standing corner cabinet or wall-mounted corner cabinet hides clutter while adding storage space. Tuck away odds and ends like remote controls, chargers and tech accessories. For a seamless look, choose a corner cabinet with the same finish and style as your existing living room furniture.
Maximize vertical storage with a floor-to-ceiling cabinet complete with adjustable shelves. Opt for cabinets with built-in wine racks, glass door fronts or shelving with dividers. Add clever yet functional details like pull-out drawers, hanging racks or magnetic knife strips inside cabinet doors. The storage options are endless with a well-designed corner cabinet.
Multi-Purpose Corner Desk
Who says a desk belongs only in the home office? Repurpose a small corner desk to create a workspace, reading nook, hobby station or bar area. The compact footprint allows the desk to slip right into an empty living room corner without overcrowding.
Add task lighting, storage and organization. Under-desk drawers or a shelving unit offer concealed storage for office supplies, craft materials or bar essentials. Top the desk with a table lamp, chair and accent pieces suited to your needs. A corner desk adapts easily - use it for working from home, wrapping gifts, playing board games and more.
Clever Corner Accents
Draw the eye and breathe new life into lackluster living room corners using decor accents. Carefully chosen lighting fixtures, wall art, greenery and furnishings transform plain corners into polished focal points.
Statement Floor Lamp
Floor lamps make a spectacular style statement without hogging precious floor space. Arc floor lamps and swing arm floor lamps feature joints that adjust to direct light where you need it most. The long, slender designs are ideal for tucking into corners.
Choose stylized floor lamps with sculptural bent-metal arms or optic glass shades. Pair a brass torchiere floor lamp with a midcentury armchair for a retro living room vignette. For industrial edge, try a matte black caged floor lamp. Any style floor lamp will cast your corner in a flattering new light.
Gallery Wall
Showcase your favorite art and photos by mounting a gallery wall in that awkward corner. Start with a focal piece like an oversized painting or mirror. Complement it with a cluster of artfully arranged frames. Mix and match pieces with different sizes, colors and subjects for lots of visual interest.
Stick to a cohesive color scheme or theme. Black and white photography projects an elegant, timeless vibe. Grouped botanical prints and nature subjects bring outdoorsy tranquility indoors. For bohemian living rooms, try a mix of vintage signs, tapestries and macrame pieces. The design options are endless with a living room corner gallery wall.
Greenery & Flowers
Lend freshness to lifeless corners by bringing in lush greenery and seasonal blooms. Towering potted palm trees make excellent living sculptures. For lower maintenance, hang a macrame planter filled with trailing pothos or ivy in the corner. The cascading vines soften hard angles.
Keep it fresh by rotating in new flowering plants like orchids and bromeliads. Hydrangeas, peonies and lilies also perk up corners when blooming. No space for live plants? Faux boxwood topiaries, eucalyptus stems and floral arrangements add natural beauty without maintenance.
With a dash of creativity, even the most awkward living room corner can be converted into a functional focal point. Cozy banquettes, smart storage solutions and eye-catching lighting transforms useless spaces into personalized living room features.
Bring your small living room corners to life using these 12 savvy decorating ideas. From built-in corner benches to flower-filled corners, the possibilities are endless. Reclaim that empty corner dead space and enjoy a living room layout that maximizes both style and functionality.