If you're hankering after harmony, small living room Feng Shui tips will bring a flow of positive energy into your space.
We've spoken with interior designers and a certified Feng Shui practitioner to find out exactly how to usher in the ultimate zen in your small living room. From adding touches of greenery to positioning seating properly, there's endless potential.
When searching for small living room ideas, harnessing the ancient, yet effective art of Feng Shui will make designing your space a total breeze. It's the room guests hang out in most, too, so it's an important one to bring great energy into.
Small living room Feng Shui
Whether you're rearranging your small living room layout or just want to bring good vibes into your home, these expert-approved Feng Shui tips are worth having in mind.
As well as scoping out advice from the pros, we've also found beautiful buys to help you get your zen on.
The prices below were correct at the time of publishing this article.
1. Pick appropriately-sized furniture
Feng Shui design is all about flow — and this starts with picking pieces of furniture to enable better use of the space.
“Choose multipurpose or smaller furniture items such as storage ottomans and footstools,” says Daniella Menachemson, interior designer and CEO of StyleNations.
Daniella Menachemson is a interior designer, supplier and manufacturer of custom furniture at StyleNations. She specializes in designing, sourcing and manufacturing furniture for hospitality venues.
She continues, “These will fulfill several uses without taking up too much room.”
If you have a furniture piece you know is overwhelming the space, you could donate it to a secondhand store such as Goodwill.
It may be beautiful, but trust us — replacing this with something more suitable will be oodles better for your small living room Feng Shui.
Size (in.):
Made from: Jute, wood
Price: $96.99
2. Balance Ying and Yang energies
In order to create harmony in your small living room with Feng Shui, it’s important to complement different energies with one another.
“To create a balance between comfort and stimulation, use both angular, harsh edges, which will be the Yang, and soft, rounded curves which will be the Ying,” says Daniella.
You could do this by pairing a couch with rounded edges and rectangular coffee table together, or even having a small bookshelf and a rounded accent chair to create a cozy reading nook.
3. Position seating mindfully
Focus on function and the things you’ll be using the room for most, and design accordingly. You’re the one using the space, so it has to work for you best.
“For example, if you’ll mostly be watching TV and hosting small groups of friends, think about what seating and layout makes the most sense,” says Dr. Hannah Yang, certified Feng Shui practitioner and founder of Balanced Awakening.
Dr. Hannah Yang is a Certified Feng Shui practitioner and founder of Balanced Awakening. As Balanced Awakening flourishes in Chicago, and soon Miami, she loves to tap into her passion for design and Feng Shui to create fabulous environments for her team, clients and herself.
She continues, “You might want a couch you can sprawl out on to watch a movie, and also be comfortable for conversations with your friends."
For extra comfort, “Position the central sofa facing towards the entrance for added security,” says Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight.
Artem Kropovinsky is an interior design expert and founder of Arsight, an award-winning interior design studio based in New York.
4. Bring in plants
Bringing life and energy into your space is a key part of small living room Feng Shui — this is where indoor plants come in.
Daniella explains, “Greenery brings life and freshness into the room, promoting harmony and positivity according to feng shui principles.” You could place these on coffee tables or even drape them around the room.
“Tall plants and ones you can hang in some way from the wall are also great,” says Hannah.
If you’re shopping for new ones, our experts recommend looking for air-purifying plants. “Use oxygen-cleansing plants to give life energy into the room,” Artem says.
Our favorites are pothos plants, as they're easy to maintain and grow quickly, too.
Size (in.): H10 x W9 x L9
Made from: Natural materials
Price: $19.97
5. Regularly declutter
In smaller spaces, what you choose to have around the space really matters. This is why we recommend decluttering your home.
Hannah says, “Make sure everything in your small living room either serves a purpose or brings you joy.” She also recommends regular clutter clearing — perhaps even daily — so nothing unnecessary accumulates in the space.
“The real benefit of smaller spaces is they can be easier to keep tidy and you have to thoughtfully consider every new item you bring into the space,” Hannah adds. By removing any debris, you’ll have a clean space you can properly breathe in and relax.
A small living room can be the perfect place to spend time after a long day at work or recoup your creativity on the weekends.
Hannah finishes by saying, “As long as you keep in mind how you’d best like the space to function — and what about it will bring you the most joy — you can’t go wrong.”
If you want to good vibes flowing in other rooms, you can also use Feng Shui in your small entryway.
