Living room design 20 sq m (120 photos) - the best ideas for your apartment

A living room of 20 m² is not uncommon in modern apartments. Not very large, but not tiny either, which remains the central room intended for relaxing and receiving guests. Often combined with a bedroom, library, study. You shouldn’t worry about the size of the room, because proper planning, arrangement of furniture, a good choice of style and design will allow you to implement all the intended functions, create a cozy corner, establish a special atmosphere, and preserve individuality.

Zoning options for living room 20 sq. m

An area of 20 m² allows you to provide the living room with several functions. Let's consider some zoning options depending on the purpose of each site.

Seating and dining area. A great idea would be to place a seating area in front of the fireplace. Of course, it is not always possible to install a real one, but there are a huge number of false fireplaces, many of which have a heating function. By placing armchairs, a small coffee table, poufs, a sofa near it, and laying down a carpet, we get a separate space where you can sit with a book and talk with loved ones. Accordingly, place a table in the dining area, chairs, cabinets and shelving around it. The unifying element will be a TV mounted in the middle, possibly on a rotating mechanism.
Living and work area. In a rectangular room, the division method can be a sofa, the use of different finishing materials, and lighting. Racks with through windows as partitions look good. By placing your work area by the window, you will save space, because... The window sill can be used as a table. All upholstered furniture will be placed in the main part of the room. You also need to place the TV there, because it is usually not needed in the work area.
The 20-meter living room allows, if necessary, to accommodate a bedroom. Zoning is carried out using lattice partitions, textiles, and color. You can play with the floor level: place the bed on a kind of podium, and organize additional storage space under it.

Pros and cons of a fireplace in the living room

Purchasing and installing a functional decorative element is not always a good idea. A modern fireplace in the living room interior has both advantages and disadvantages. There are more pros than cons.

The main positive side: the fireplace always looks elegant and aristocratic. It will give residents a sense of peace of mind and romance. Psychologists note that the sight of a flame has a relaxing effect on the human body. A fireplace is an excellent analogue of a medicinal sedative.

Using the device you can save on heating. In a private house, the structure can be either the main source of heat or an additional one. Another advantage of the heating element is that most of the heat comes through radiation. Not only the fireplace heats up, but also the room decorations. Even when the flame subsides, the walls will retain heat.

The last advantage is that you can cook food in the fireplace. This is rarely practiced in the modern world, but this is not a reason to remove this quality from its advantages.

Every subject has a negative side. The disadvantages include:

the cost of the device; purchasing a good fireplace will require a decent amount of money;
in most designs it is assumed that the fire must be maintained, this is not always convenient;
the firewood needed for the fire may leave behind debris.

Whether to install a fireplace in your home or not is everyone’s personal choice. If home owners have a need for aesthetic pleasure and pleasant impressions, then a functional element will not be superfluous.

Color solutions for a living room with an area of 20 sq.m.

The location and number of windows, layout, ceiling height, functionality - everything will determine the choice of color in the living room. It’s easy to decide if you know a few general rules:

light shades expand the space;
It is not advisable to decorate the entire room in bright colors; it is better to use them for emphasis;
in narrow rooms, use combined colors, for example, alternating light and dark vertical stripes, but it is better to do this on the end wall;
the choice of color depends on the style of the interior;
White color is absolutely not needed in everything; dilute it with dark shades.

Selecting color and style

When choosing the color design of the bedroom-living room, you should start from individual taste preferences.

An interior decorated in light or pastel colors will help maintain a calm, peaceful environment. You can diversify a bright room with decorative elements of a dark or bright shade.

Decorating a bedroom-living room in light colors Source my-dom.design

The predominantly gray design of the room can be diluted with upholstered furniture in blue or turquoise. A bright detail relieves a gray interior from dullness.

For chocolate-colored furniture, you can choose yellow or light green textiles. Warm colors will fill the room with harmony and comfort. The richer the shade, the less of it should be in the design of the bedroom-living room.

Bedroom-living room design Source novolitika.ru

Bright decor in the interior of a room, especially a bedroom, should be used in limited quantities. Otherwise, the design can quickly become boring.

Room design 20 sq. m. Source remontt.net

Not all styles can be used to decorate the interior design of a bedroom-living room. For some trends, for example, classic, a luxurious, pompous design is important, which is difficult to recreate in a small area. The interior of a bedroom and living room combined in one room should be functional.

Modern style is aimed at rational use of space; decor is relegated to the background. The result is a laconic and harmonious interior with increased functionality.

Bedroom-living room in a modern style Source worldluxrealty.com

Lighting

Lighting plays an important role in any room. A 20 m² living room is no exception. Spots and spotlights will distribute light evenly around the perimeter of the room. If the space is divided into zones, then it is necessary to consider the lighting in each area. Light a seating area with a sofa and armchairs with floor lamps on high legs. Above the sofa, small wall sconces, selected in accordance with the style, will look good. Highlight the dining area with a chandelier above the table. Here you can use bright light, unlike the bedroom or fireplace area, where dim lighting is more suitable, creating a special atmosphere of comfort, privacy, and mystery.

Useful tips

Designers share a few more tips that may come in handy when designing a room.

The color design of the bedroom area should be soothing; when choosing leading shades, you must take into account your own desires and preferences. Green, purple, brown shades can be a good solution.
Natural light is usually directed to the sleeping area. The recreation area should be brighter.
The living room should have more artificial light and a variety of lighting methods, especially next to the sofa.
When ordering folding furniture, you cannot save on materials for the frame and fastening.
Using modular furniture will make it easy to rearrange.
If possible, all partitions between the bedroom and living room should be functional (shelves, mirror niche). They should not be distinguished by color in any way.
The integrity of interior zones in one room is the key to success.

See alsoProvence style in the interior of a country house

Visual increase in space

Like any other small room, the living room needs to visually expand the space. Designers recommend using the following techniques that will further emphasize the effectiveness of the hearth:

More light. Properly selected and correctly installed lighting for all parts of the room, including accent lighting in the hearth area. This can visually expand the living room space.

More pastel shades. To prevent a bulky fireplace from occupying a good half of the room and reducing the volume of an already small living room, decorate the fireplace itself and the space surrounding it in the lightest possible or neutral shades.

Vertical accents, light and transparent materials, mirrors - this is not a complete list of solutions that can make the design of a small living room with a fireplace airier and lighter.

In general, the flight of imagination of designers is limitless, so it is important to find this fine line that separates style from bulky pretentiousness.

Living room with access to a large balcony or terrace

Simplicity and minimalism on a balcony or terrace means consistent use of the same materials, geometric shapes and colors, which can provide a very original effect. Architectural concrete, tempered glass or moisture-resistant wood are materials that will fit perfectly into the arrangement of a modern balcony or terrace. A modern balcony should avoid decorative elements that create chaos, such as ornate pots or excessive play of colors. Choosing the right plants will also be important. An excellent solution would be conifers, as well as creeping ivy, which will give a little life to a minimalist arrangement.