Good morning! Figuring out how to decorate a long or narrow living room is one of the most common design challenges faced by homeowners, so in today’s post I’m sharing some simple tips on how to design and arrange furniture in a long, rectangular, or narrow living room.
If you’ve been following along for a little while, you know our living room is not only narrow, it’s a small space with doorways on three sides.
Since I know what it’s like to decorate a narrow rectangular living room layout, I’ve gathered all sorts of tips, ideas, and inspiration on this topic, and today I’m sharing everything I’ve learned about decorating a long, narrow, or large living room or family room.
You’ll find ideas for decorating a living space with a fireplace, living rooms with an attached dining area, images of spaces showing how to arrange furniture in a long narrow room, places to shop for living room furniture, and more.
If you’re looking for simple tips for decorating a rectangular room, I hope you’ll find some great ideas and inspiration in this post.
How to Decorate and Arrange Furniture in a Long or Narrow Living Room
Below, you’ll find some easy ideas to help you make the most of a long narrow living room, including tips for choosing the right furniture arrangement, decorating a long living room dining room combo, beautiful inspiration photos showing how to arrange furniture in a narrow living room with a fireplace, spaces with an open floor plan, and more.
And, if you live in a small home, apartment, or condo, most of these tips can be applied to a small living room, as well.
1. Create zones
If you have enough space, my first tip is to divide a large space into distinct areas for different activities, such as a seating area for lounging, a TV watching area, a spot to work, or a reading nook.
This will help break your living area into smaller spaces at each end of the room, making it feel a bit more defined and manageable.
2. Use furniture wisely
When choosing the right furniture for a narrow living room, it’s always a good idea to opt for slim furniture that won’t take up too much floor space, such as streamlined sofas, love seats, rectangular coffee tables and side tables, and narrow accent chairs.
Also, furniture arrangement is key. I recommend pulling your furniture toward the middle of the room, allowing for some empty space between the furniture and walls.
Not only does bringing the furniture inward make a long rectangular living room layout look more balanced, it creates a more inviting, intimate space–perfect for cozy conversations!
Julie Howard for Timber Trails Development
In a small living room, you might want to use a sectional sofa that can be arranged to fit the length of the room, rather than trying to fit in multiple separate pieces.
Pure Salt Interiors – similar sectionals here, here and here – similar coffee tables here and here
In this long living room with multiple entry points, a large sectional, rectangular coffee table, small end table, and accent chair beautifully define the space and provide plenty of seating.
3. Take advantage of vertical space
If your living area has a vaulted or high ceiling, make the most of the vertical space with architectural details, bookcases, shelves, statement lighting, or large artwork.
You can also use tall floor lamps and trees to draw the eye upwards.
Here’s another view of this beautiful space, showing the fireplace and TV wall:
4. Add a mirror
Mirrors are a great way to create the illusion of more space and make any room feel brighter and airier.
Studio McGee – Striped Pillow Cover – Chair – Mirror – Lamp
You can also try hanging a mirror on one of the long walls to reflect light and make the room feel more balanced and spacious, as shown in this beautiful modern coastal living room from Pinteresting Plans:
5. Play with texture
Textured elements, such as area rugs, curtains, and throw pillows, add a bit of visual interest and help break up the monotony of a long, narrow space.
In this chic boho coastal living room, a bold striped rug adds both texture and visual interest, drawing the eye away from the narrow proportions of the room.
Not only does this open concept layout have abundant texture via the brick, wood beams, accent chairs, and pillows, it’s a great example of how to arrange furniture in a large room that serves as a living room, dining space, and kitchen combo.
I love how the dining table is positioned off to the side, rather than right behind the sofa.
A touch of velvet on the armchairs, as well as a fabric ottoman, bring interest and texture to this small, narrow family room.
6. Put the focus on lighting
The right type of lighting is essential to making a long living room feel more cozy.
Try using a combination of overhead lighting, floor lamps, and table lamps to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
Leclair Decor – chandelier – similar chair – coffee table
Twin woven pendant lights bring a sense of drama to this beautiful living room design.
7. Keep it simple
In a long living room layout, try to keep decorative items and accent pieces to a minimum.
This creates a light, airy feeling and helps prevent the space from looking too busy or cramped.
8. Make a statement
Any statement piece, such as a bold piece of artwork, coffee table, or a large plant, will add visual interest to your space and help draw the eye away from the room’s narrow proportions.
Kate Marker Interiors – lantern pendants
A fireplace can also act as a focal point for your space, helping define your living area and determine furniture placement.
9. Add a pop of color
Choosing a neutral or light color scheme makes a room feel light and airy.
Or, add a pop of color via furniture and/or walls, to create a bold statement.
from my post, How to Get the Restoration Hardware Look in Your Home
This beautiful space incorporates almost every tip for decorating a long narrow living room with a fireplace: the use of a mirror, statement lighting, color, texture, a narrow coffee table, pared-back decor, and strategic furniture arrangement.
10. Incorporate storage
In a narrow living space, it’s always a good idea to make use of every available inch of space by incorporating creative storage solutions such as a console table, storage ottoman, or built-in cabinets and shelves.
11. Use multi-functional furniture
I also recommend choosing living room furniture that can serve multiple purposes, such as a coffee table or ottoman that doubles as extra seating or a small stool that can function as both a side table and place to sit.
The small ottomans in this beautiful space add additional seating and visual interest without taking up a lot of floor space.
Pure Salt Interiors – similar sectionals here, here and here – similar coffee tables here and here
12. Let in the light
Finally, make the most of natural light sources by keeping your window treatments simple and choosing light-filtering options, such as sheer curtains, linen draperies, or roller shades that tuck away neatly at the top of the window frame.
Or, if possible, leave your windows completely uncovered to maximize the amount of light in your living space.
I hope you found this post helpful and were able to gather some creative ideas to help you decorate your large, long or narrow living room, family room, or living room dining room combo.
Pure Salt Interiors – pendants
Let me know if you have any questions about decorating your living room or any other tricky spaces in your home. Have a wonderful day! xo Jane
Where to Shop for Living Room Furniture and Decor
Investing in living room pieces, regardless of furniture style, doesn’t have to break the bank.
Below are a few of my favorite places to shop for living room furnishings, rugs, lighting, artwork, and decor:
Wayfair
Pottery Barn
Serena & Lily
McGee & Co.
Arhaus
Dear Keaton
Ballard Designs
Lulu & Georgia
Birch Lane
West Elm
And here’s a selection of living room sofas, chairs, coffee tables, area rugs, decor, and more in different styles and price ranges:
Sofa and Sectional Ideas
Living Room Chair Ideas
Coffee Tables
Living Room Area Rug Ideas
Living Room Lighting Ideas
Living Room Decor and Pillows
Artwork Ideas
Looking for more living room decorating ideas, interior design styles, and home trends? Here are a few favorite related posts from the blog:
Modern Living Room Decorating Ideas and Trends for 2025
Modern Coastal Living Room Ideas for 2025
How to Add a Touch of Nancy Meyers Style to Your Kitchen and Home
A Simple Guide to Decorating with Transitional Style
Modern Coastal Decorating Ideas for Your Home
What is Coastal Grandmother Style? (and why I’m loving this trend)
Modern Kitchen Pendant Lighting Ideas
2025 Kitchen Design Trends and Decorating Ideas
2025 Bathroom Trends, Design Ideas and Inspiration for Small and Master Bathrooms
A Simple Guide to Mixing Metals in the Bathroom
2025 Colors of the Year: Top Home Color Trends
California Casual Interior Design Ideas
Small Living Room Decorating Ideas and Design Inspiration for 2025
Interior Design Trends for 2025: Beautiful Home Decor Ideas to Try Now
2024 Home Decor Trends and Design Styles You Will Love
Modern Bedroom Design Ideas and Trends for 2025
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