Long Narrow Living Room Design Suggestions

Designing a long, narrow living room presents unique challenges. With limited width to work with, it can be tricky to avoid a bowling alley effect. However, narrow living rooms also offer opportunities to get creative with layouts and make smart use of the elongated floorplan. The goal is to craft an inviting, functional space tailored to your lifestyle and design aesthetic.

With some strategic planning and innovative ideas, a narrow living room can be transformed into a stylish and welcoming oasis.

Measure and Plan the Space

Before selecting any furniture or decor, take detailed measurements of the room's length, width and ceiling height. Use these to create a simple floorplan sketch, either by hand or with an online room planner. This allows you to experiment with furniture arrangements in scale to visualize how everything will fit together.

Consider the natural flow of traffic when determining furniture placement. Avoid blocking entrances and exits, and ensure main pathways are wide enough for comfortable movement. Arrange seating to promote conversation, and leave enough space around tables and chairs to prevent a crowded feeling.

Choose Multifunctional Furniture

Opt for narrow, space-saving furniture scaled to fit the room's proportions. Items like ottomans and nesting tables take up minimal floor space. Floating shelves and sconce lighting conserve wall space, compared to bulky cabinets and floor lamps. Lightweight chairs and sofas with casters allow flexibility to roll pieces around into different configurations.

Long, low profile consoles are ideal anchors for narrow living rooms. They provide surface area without dominating the space. Console tables behind sofas double as extra seating when entertaining guests.

Maximize Vertical Space

Use walls from floor to ceiling for visual impact. Hang artwork and photos across the entire length of the longest wall. Add built-in bookshelves and cabinets to hold items. Incorporate exceptionally tall plants into the design. Install curtain rods high and wide to exaggerate window height.

Strategically placed mirrors also effectively widen space, reflecting light and views. Position across from windows when possible so the mirror multiplies the greenery or sky outside.

Rugs and Floors

Visually widen a narrow living room by sticking with light, solid colored floors. Medium to large area rugs help define seating spaces while adding color, pattern and texture. Anchor furniture on top of rugs to keep groupings together.

Using similarly shaped area rugs layered across the room creates cohesion. Repeating colors from rugs onto sofas and accent pillows also helps spaces flow. Keep rugs narrow in width so they don't overwhelm the limited floor space.

Creative Lighting Solutions

Take advantage of wall space when lighting a slender living room. Install sconces or attach adjustable track lighting on side walls to cast ample light without taking up floor area. Layer in ambient lighting with several table and floor lamps of differing heights and bases for visual interest.

Pendant lights are ideal over dining tables and kitchen islands, while accent lighting illuminates display shelving. For overall luminance, add canister or rope lights along the ceiling and behind crown moulding.

Accessorize Creatively

Strategically placed accessories prevent a narrow living room from feeling sterile and empty. Incorporate lush green plants and flowers to add organic elements. Floating shelves nicely display treasured items without taking up tabletop space. Billowy floor length curtains soften hard edges and add movement.

Foldable furniture like poufs and ottomans pull double duty as extra, movable seating. Cozy textured throws and an abundance of patterned toss pillows make slender sofas feel plush and inviting. Candles, trays and bowls add decorative details throughout.

Clever Layout Ideas

One idea is centering identical sofas facing each other with a rectangular coffee table in the middle to promote conversation. Shelving units or room dividers behind the sofas add visual interest and separate space. Another option is dividing into two separate seating areas with different rugs and lighting defining each zone.

Placing the television on a narrow end wall keeps the focus at one concentrated area. Angle furniture facing the TV to avoid craning necks. Floating media consoles and wall mounted TVs conserve space below.

Colors and Textures

Paint walls light, airy colors like pale blues and grays to make a narrow living room feel open and expansive. Add warmth with blonde wood tones and natural textures like jute, cotton and linen. Incorporate lush green plants and floral patterns. Use an accent wall with bold wallpaper or color to anchor the room without overwhelming.

Complementary color schemes, like navy blue with burnt orange, make a stylish statement. Neutrals keep the space calm and airy, while pops of color in rugs, pillows and art add vibrancy. Layer in natural materials like stone, wood and marble for organic texture.

Evaluate the room's existing obstacles such as multiple entry and exit points, doorways slicing the space in half, attached entryways or a full wall of windows. Design the layout around these permanent fixtures. Float furniture to divide areas without fully blocking openings. Leave enough space around focal points like fireplaces and doorways.

Long, narrow living rooms often try to fulfill many functions like entertaining, family gatherings, media rooms, home offices or game spaces. Zone areas for each use, defining them with area rugs and distinct furniture groupings. This allows multiple purposes without completely disrupting the open floorplan.

While narrow living rooms present unique design challenges, they also allow for creativity and character. Embrace the elongated layout and have fun designing a stylish, functional space that works perfectly for your lifestyle and needs.