1. Create Designer Seating For Less With Ikea Slipcovers
If you're looking for a designer living room sofa at an affordable price then covering an Ikea sofa in a bespoke cover could be the solution. Swedish company Bemz offers slipcovers for Ikea sofas and chairs in a huge array of fabrics from relaxed cotton and linen to cozy wool and luxurious velvet. Here Ikea's KARLSTAD sofa in Pistachio textured boucle fabric is the perfect blend of comfort and timeless style.
2. Combine Closed And Open Storage
Fitting cabinetry floor-to-ceiling is a great way to maximize storage space – consider mixing closed with open storage as this will provide space to conceal the clutter alongside space for decorative displays.
3. Think About Flexible Furniture Options
When furnishing a small living room, or a living room that serves multiple functions, Kimberly Kronberger, business leader for living room seating at Ikea US advises to 'be mobile by using products that are easy to move away and put back depending on your activity. Think about products on wheels and casters that can quickly free up space.'
4. Create The Illusion Of Space With A Floating Cabinet
Having too many freestanding pieces of furniture can make a room feel cluttered, so if space is at a premium consider wall-hung small storage ideas to open up the floor area. Choosing a door design to match the tone of your walls is another clever trick that will give the illusion that the space is larger than it is – perfect if you're wondering how to make a living room look bigger. Here the Ikea BESTÄ cabinet has been updated with light grey wood doors from Fronteriors which bring subtle texture to the space without the piece feeling heavy.
5. Mix It Up
If you're looking for living room makeover ideas on a budget try fitting standard self-assembly Ikea cabinets with bespoke doors and designer hardware. To bring added interest and texture to a neutral living room try mixing different door styles with metallic hardware as done here where cane doors from Norse interiors have been fitted to Ikea's BESTÄ cabinets.
6. Save Space With Clever Furniture Buys
If space is at a premium and you're looking for small living room ideas for apartments, 'choose items that can extend, stack or fold to save space when not in use,' suggests Kimberly Kronberger. 'Think nesting coffee and side tables, hanging shelves or products with drawers or drop leafs.'
7. Hack A Billy Bookcase
An iconic Ikea piece, the customizable BILLY bookcase has reached cult status within the Ikea hacking community with many DIYers sharing their unique ways of upcycling the piece on social media. Here, Kaari Sommer of The Sommer Home teamed four Billy bookcases H79″xW31.5″xD11″ with eight Ikea Oxberg Doors and some sheet MDF to achieve a bespoke cabinetry look for a fraction of the price.
8. Make The Most Of Wall Space
When designing a small living room it's important to think carefully about how you can maximize useable space stresses Kimberly Kronberger. 'Utilize unused space – use every inch! Look under, above, inside, behind, in between, and on top of! Think vertically and work with height to maximize the use of your walls and ceiling height – raise things up that you do not need every day and free up space below for your everyday items – space can be created just about anywhere!'
9. Try An Ikea TV Stand Hack
With a bit of creative thinking, even the most basic of Ikea items can be transformed into stylish living room furniture. In this ingenious Ikea hack, we fixed a wardrobe door pair of Ikea BEKVÄM step stools and added a piece of MDF through the middle to create a stylish TV stand idea. Not only is there space for the TV but the shelving is perfect for displaying coffee table books and house plants.