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If your home or apartment is tight on square footage, space-saving living room furniture can play a critical role. An ottoman lid can lift up and double as a storage spot for blankets, and an entryway table might moonlight as an alternative place to hide games and shoes. You just don't want to add more than you need-less is more.
But that doesn't mean you should give up on your dream couch or tufted ottoman. We tapped interior designer Sarah Stacey to get her tips when shopping for space-saving living room furniture, and where to start.
"Always do a furniture layout on paper as well as proper measurements to determine exactly what size pieces are needed for the room," Stacey tells Real Simple. "Make sure to allow sufficient room to circulate around furniture, especially if you're working with a small space."
To help guide the search further, we dove into Amazon's Small Space Solutions hub and combed through its Small Space Solutions Living Room section-both great jumping off points when focusing on pieces that serve double-duty.
Ahead are the 15 best bets, including striking multi-level consoles with hidden storage, space-saving light options, and compact cabinets starting at $18.
Don't underestimate the power of a console with a small footprint. This one's nice and narrow, measuring 15 1/2 inches deep, and can be placed in multiple areas. "Anything can be multi-purpose in your living room," says Stacey. "[Consider] a console table that can double as a desk when placed behind a sofa."
If you tend to accumulate tchotchkes, look for something with drawers or baskets big enough to stash them all. One Amazon shopper loves how this coffee table is easy to assemble (taking them only 30 minutes) and has two giant rattan storage baskets underneath. "The baskets were pre-assembled and they fit my board games (even the big Battleship box)."
Consider this your entryway workhorse piece that has three roomy drawers and one large cabinet spacious enough to hide books, games, or photo albums. Clutter will run and hide with this console's storage solutions.
This rustic entryway piece is genius. Multi-level shelving offers ample display space, and the top shelf holds up to 300 pounds-that means sculptures, large lamps, and potted plants will all work. The piece is over 50 inches wide, so there's lots of room to spread things out.
Think outside the ottoman. "Your square-footage and floor space are precious, so using pieces in multiple ways is ideal," recommends Stacey. Not only does this ottoman double as a footstool, but the top is removable, making it a great spot to toss a thin blanket, toys, remotes, or books. As a seat, it can hold up to 300 pounds.
On-the-wall lighting? Brilliant, if you ask us. "Sconces are always a space saver as they free up room on side tables," recommends Stacey. This one is copper with a Scandinavian aesthetic, and comes in seven earthy shades.
Work from home but don't have a single wall dedicated to a desk? Meet the coffee table of your professional dreams. It looks like a rustic coffee table, but that's just the beginning. Lift up the top and you'll find a floating work surface hiding inside, perfect for a laptop. When you're done, slide the surface back in with a quick push. Pieces like this are one of Stacey's favorite transformative tricks. "Think outside of the traditional 'desk' box. Look for pieces that can be used as a desk but can be used as something completely different during the weekends when you aren't working."
"When you are shopping, especially online, you can get distracted by a pretty photo or design element and forget about the pure functionality of the piece," notes Stacey. "Make sure to either measure yourself or look up the measurements [first]." At just a little over 31 inches wide, this round table is large enough to fit a basket for keys and mail on the top shelf, yet the round design keeps it out of the walking area. Hang a mirror above it and create a truly dynamic living room area.
If less is truly more, then entertain the idea of replacing a fixed side table with this handy sofa attachment. The bamboo tray table is adjustable and folds over each side of the couch armrest, instantly transforming it into a sturdy surface for a cup of coffee, the remote, a wine glass, your phone, or anything else. It also lies completely flat so you can use it as a table. It can be especially handy for breast- or bottle-feeding parents who have a lot of items to place next to them.
A floating shelf-or in the case of this product, three floating shelves-can be the answer to all of your micro-apartment needs. The idea is simple. Items you'd ordinarily store in a bookshelf can now live here, freeing up floor space and making the room feel larger. This shelving trio has more than 11,000 five-star ratings on Amazon from shoppers who found these easy-to-assemble and sturdy-each one holds up to 40 pounds. Choose from five neutral-toned wood finishes.
If we're using Stacey's guiding principle to look for dual-purpose products, then this multifaceted end table has the potential to be a living space game-changer. It's sleek and thin, coming in under 12 inches deep, making it the perfect end table to slide in next to a couch. It also features an innovative flip-top drawer with four hidden plugs (two are standard outlets, two are USB ports).
Is it a lamp or is it an end table? In reality, it's both. This hybrid piece is 52 inches tall, but designed to take up as little floor space as possible. With no lamp base, you have access to the entirety of the table's surface (16 inches by 12 inches), plus an additional smaller shelf. And if that wasn't enough, there is a USB and a wall plug built in.
Minimalist design enthusiasts will appreciate this no-fuss contemporary loveseat. It's compact (measuring just 55 inches wide), ideal for two people, and it's been updated with modern necessities, like two discreet USB charging ports on the right side and a slim profile pocket underneath for devices.
If you don't have the actual real estate to devote to a traditional coffee table, a fabric storage ottoman might be your best bet. It functions as a footrest, but flip the top up and discover tons of room for magazines, games, and more. It's over 51 inches long, so if you don't have that space in front of the couch, you can also set it against a wall for seating. Wherever you put it, rest assured it can house a ton of things, er, blankets. One happy shopper wrote, "I have three king size blankets and a throw in there and could fit another couple of throws if I really wanted to."
When it comes to transformative solutions for small spaces, modular pieces (those that can be moved around to create new furniture) are especially interesting because they can accommodate your fluctuating needs. This set of 16 ¾-inch wide side tables are made of renewable bamboo and designed to sit side-by-side with space in between, but they can also be stacked one on top to create a single, tall end table. They can even be pushed together to form an impromptu coffee table when guests show up.
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