Living in a home with a tiny living room is challenge! You really have to be creative with the furniture you buy and the way you lay out your space.

I had recently written a blog post on Small Home Storage Hacks (that you can read here) where I briefly touched on coffee tables, poufs, footrests, and ottomans.

Today I’ll be going in-depth on this topic and sharing more space-saving, storage friendly options out there. After all, coffee tables and ottomans are essential pieces of furniture you’ll find in every living room, big or small.

So let’s see what’s out there!

1. The Repurposed Picnic Basket

I might be a little bit biased here, but this is actually what I use for a coffee table/foot rest.

We found this vintage picnic basket at a yard sale for $5. It’s very light-weight, very handy for storage, and the 2 handles make it quick and easy to move out of the way when needed.

This old basket certainly still needs a little bit of TLC, and my husband’s next little project is to add a padded surface to the top of the lid to make a comfier foot rest.

But all in all, if you’re looking to make your own DIY coffee table or footrest with storage, then I highly recommend taking on a little project like this!

2. The Vintage Luggage

I’m absolutely in love with this concept for anyone looking to repurpose old items for that extra unique touch in their living room.

The most exciting part is that you get to seek out a size that fits your living room – small suit cases exist and would look so cute in a little living room!

A quick search on Marketplace has shown me tons of mid-century and antique suitcases in my area… and now I’m afraid I have to buy one and add a new project to my list.

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So those were two examples of coffee tables & footrests you can DIY. But maybe you’re not into DIYing (which is perfectly OK), or you just don’t have the time right now (which is also OK). So here are 5 more ideas that are available on Amazon:

3. The Rounded Coffee Table With Lifting Tray

For photo source and link to coffee table CLICK HERE

If you’re looking for something a little more fancy that serves multiple purposes, check out this lifting tray table with hidden storage.

With positive reviews online, this coffee table allows you to turn your living room into your own little workspace (or dinner tray when watching your favourite show) while also containing multiple storage shelves. We’re all about multi-functional spaces when we’re living in a small home! And if you’re interested in reading more on multi-use living rooms, check out my blog post on how I styled my living room here.

But be warned – several Amazon reviewers commented on the fact that the table was a little larger than expected. We all have different definitions of what a “small living room” is, so be sure to double check the measurements to see if a table like this will work with your little living room.

4. The Flip Top Rounded Coffee Table & Footstool

For photo source and link to coffee table CLICK HERE

Once again, we’re highlighting a multi-functional piece of furniture (there’s nothing I love more than functional furniture)!

The lid can be flipped to show either the cushioned side when you need a footrest, or the hard side when you need the functionality of a coffee table.

It has a sleek, compact size and shape which means it won’t take up a large amount of room visually – this it key in a small living room.

With very happy reviews on Amazon, this small piece of furniture is proving to take up little space while providing storage options for small living rooms.

5. Narrow Lift Top Coffee Table With Extra Drawer

For photo source and link to coffee table CLICK HERE

Now the length of this coffee table is a little longer, but this shape is great for those of you with narrow or long living rooms.

Similar to the round lift top coffee table featured above, this one has an extra pull out drawer for added storage, on top of the hidden storage compartment if you need some extra room for your belongings.

Once again, it serves the multi-functional purpose of also acting as a workspace. With positive reviews on Amazon, this style provides a modern and minimalist appearance, which is perfect in a small living room.

6. The Classic & Affordable Padded Ottoman

For photo source and link to ottoman CLICK HERE

Trying to style your small living room on a budget? No worries! The classic padded foot rest with extra storage has been around for a long time – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

What that means is that this ottoman does it’s job, and it does it well. That’s why they’ve been in demand for years.

It has positive reviews on Amazon which is paired with it’s very affordable price range. This means it’s perfect for that subtle addition to a small living room.

Bonus points: this is a great option if you have pets! If you have a cat that likes to scratch furniture, or a dog that sheds, it’s almost a relief to buy a cheaper piece. That way, you don’t have to stress too much about a cat scratching a very expensive product!

7. The Self-Folding Ottoman With Storage

For photo source and link to ottoman CLICK HERE

Sometimes when you live in a small home, you need your furniture to be extra compact and flexible to move around. That’s why this collapsible ottoman with storage is a great option for those seeking added flexibility to their living room arrangement.

When you don’t need the ottoman or the extra storage, you can simply fold up the ottoman and tuck it into its own lid to put away.

There’s something so cozy about the fuzzy material as well – very cute not only for a little living room, but for a bedroom or dorm room as well! It also comes in six colours and three different shapes too.

When you’re not using it as a footrest, you can also use it as a little coffee or side table by placing a food tray on top, such as this Rustic Wooden Coffee Table Tray. Because again – multi-functional furniture is so important in a small living room!

I’ll add that although the majority of the reviews for this collapsible ottoman were positive, a few reviewers stated that it was not sturdy and would collapse in on itself when in use. A different reviewer mentioned that others were forgetting to insert an inner seal in the base of the foot rest which keeps it securely in place. Just keep that in mind if you like this design!

Key Takeaways

Overall, a small living room needs furniture that serves multi-functional purposes. Whether that allows you to have both a coffee table and a footrest, or a table and workspace, these types of products will really help you create a living room layout that doesn’t feel chaotic.

And of course… storage is critical! Any and all furniture you get for a small living room should have some sort of extra storage built into it.

I hope these ideas help you and inspire you on your own journey in styling a little living room. I would love to see what you come up with for your own small spaces!