Tips for decorating long and narrow rooms

Not all rooms are easy to decorate. Some are odd shapes or have alcoves and nooks that require special consideration. Here are some handy tips for decorating a living room that is narrow and long.

1. Furniture placement

A long and narrow room is tricky and it’s easy to arrange furniture so it feels like you’re living in a bowling alley. Avoid the temptation to place furniture on each of the walls so foot traffic must go down the middle, breaking up the space. Instead, consider placing a sofa against one wall with chairs close to it in front, so the walkway can be behind the furniture.

1. Try not to push furniture against walls

By creating this tunnel effect with furniture, you are just amplifying the narrowness and length of the room. Consider creating a more circular effect with furniture placed towards the centre of the room and not around the edges. This creates a warmier, more intimate space and takes the focus away from the narrow space. The focus of the space then becomes the cosy nature of the furniture and not the walkway space through the middle.

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1. Circular furniture

Try to avoid using furniture that is oblong or rectangular in shape as this will only serve to emphasize the awkward shape of the room. Consider round tables, a circular coffee table in the centre, rounded soft lampshades and even rounded or circular artwork and mirrors on the walls. This helps people to see a rounded softness instead of straight lines and angles.

1. Paint

In terms of colour choices, it’s best to choose lighter, pale but warm shades. Choosing anything too dark will only serve to close in the space even more. Lighter colours give the impression of space and airiness, so focus on opening up the space and not making it feel smaller. For walls that need some TLC before painting, consider a Plasterer Gloucester and visit pure plasterers.

1. Divide

For rooms that are extra long, a useful trick can be to divide the space into different sections. Consider creating different zones that can be marked by area rugs, for example. You might choose to have a seating area, a dining area or a section for a home office. Sectioning the space like this draws attention to the different aspects of the room and not its shape.

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1. Vertical Attention

Another way to distract from a narrow or long space is to draw the eye upwards. Consider hanging artwork close to the ceiling, installing a tall bookcase or using vertical striped wallpaper to increase the visual height of the room. Impressive light fixtures are a useful way to draw attention upwards as well. Perhaps a chandelier that is wider than it is long might look amazing in your space?

1. L or U Shaped Sofa

If your sofa does need to go against one wall, consider an L or U shaped set up which has the effect of creating a cosy, welcoming place to relax that won’t emphasise the length of the room too much.