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Wondering what to do with an awkward corner, second dining room, loft, or spare room? Consider transforming it into a lounge area.
Creating an intentional, lived-in lounge area in your home not only offers a place to unwind and connect with others, but it can also add major value to your home. Working with a tight budget? Here are some budget-friendly tips for creating a lounge that makes up for its small floor plan with its character and practicality.
Lounges are woefully underutilized and undervalued in homes. Often used interchangeably with “living room”, a lounge actually serves a distinct purpose.
So, what is the difference between a lounge and a living room? While living rooms are often used as the home’s entertainment and media hub, lounges are typically a smaller and more intimate space for conversation and relaxation. While living rooms can dominate a large fraction of the floor plan, lounges are often tucked into corners and nooks.
A nicely laid out, welcoming lounge adds value to a space for several reasons. This addition can make a space feel intentional and polished, with increased “livability”. It can counterintuitively create the illusion of more space in your home, as it delineates an entirely new area apart from the basics, like your bedroom and kitchen.
Finally, a lounge serves as a multifunctional space, whether it becomes your go-to place for hosting happy hours or working on homework with the kids.
Wondering how to furnish a sitting room when space is limited? You’ve got no room to spare, so it’s a must to choose furniture that is truly worth its footprint.
When you only have room for a select few pieces, select wisely! By choosing one piece of furniture that can be used in a variety of different ways, you’re ensuring that this lounge area will be equally multifunctional.
For example, a great storage ottoman can be used as a seat, a footrest, or a place to stash an extra throw blanket. Put a tray on it, and suddenly it’s a spot for snacks and drinks too. Nesting tables are a perfect and adaptable way to increase tabletop surface area as needed. The more functions a piece can serve, the better.
Floor space seems to disappear quickly as you begin selecting furniture pieces, but don’t forget about the vertical space at your disposal!
Think upwards while furnishing your space, such as tall, slim bookshelves for storage, decorative ladders, wall-mounted lighting, and so on.
Not only will this mindset help to free up floor space, but it’ll make your lounge area look bigger by drawing the eye up and emphasizing its height.
Just because you technically can fit a certain piece of furniture into your lounge doesn’t mean you should! Full-sized, bulky furniture can quickly make a small lounge feel overcrowded, monopolizing all of the physical and visual space you have to work with.
Instead, look for slimmer, more compact lounge furniture ideas that won’t overwhelm the space. These smaller pieces also have the added bonus of being easy to rearrange as needed in this multipurpose lounge!
Finding the perfect pieces for your particular space can require being a bit picky, but you don’t have to sacrifice your standards or tastes to stay within your budget. At CORT Furniture Outlet, you can find gorgeous, high-quality new and gently owned pieces for your small lounge at a fraction of their retail price.
Creating a defined space for your lounge doesn’t require a spare room or erecting new walls – in fact, you can create a “room within a room” with a few strategic design tricks.
Laying down an area rug is an excellent and easy way to define a specific area for your lounge, creating an anchor for your lounge furniture and making the space feel intentional.
This rug serves as a visual outline for your lounge and can make the space feel thought-out and cohesive.
Another way to separate your lounge from the rest of your space, particularly in a more open floor plan, is by adding specific lights in lounge room.
For example, adding a cozy floor lamp next to a small couch or sconces along the wall can create an entirely separate visual zone, while setting the tone that this area is for lounging, conversing, and resting.
Similarly to rugs and lights, wall decor is a thoughtful way to differentiate your small lounge area from the rest of your home. For example, creating a small gallery wall with lounge room art above your couch signals that this is an area intentionally set aside and curated as a lounge.
Mirrors can reflect light and make the lounge feel larger and more spacious. All together, adding art and decor can quickly make a space feel less happenstance and thrown together.
Figuring out how to decorate a small lounge is part of the puzzle, but arranging it in a way that makes the space feel lived-in and comfortable is another.
A common mistake that people make when furnishing a space is pushing all the furniture against the wall to maximize space in the center.
However, this often makes a room feel unnatural and lifeless. Instead, pull your furniture away from the wall to create balance and breathing room around every piece, and even consider angling them to add character and make the space feel more inviting.
Pro tip: A typical rule of thumb is to leave at least three to six inches between the wall and furniture, and about two feet of space around furniture to create room to walk.
Again, be careful not to cram slightly too large pieces into your small lounge. This is a surefire way to make the room feel overwhelming and infringe upon your walking space. Select smaller, less hefty pieces to naturally create space and flow in your room.
Sometimes, the best way to create flow in a room is to try several different options! Just because you had some specific lounge furniture layout ideas in your head doesn’t mean they are set in stone.
Use painters’ tape to outline potential arrangements before shopping, and don’t be afraid to tweak positions and arrangements if you’ve already selected your pieces.
A small lounge can still make a big statement with the right pieces. Shop sofas, chairs, accent tables, and décor at CORT Furniture Outlet—new and gently used items at up to 70% off new retail prices. Visit your nearest Outlet today and see how easy it is to style a lounge you’ll love without overspending.
