Room dimensions and ways to create an illusion of more space within your living area.
In the ever-evolving landscape of UK housing, understanding the typical size of living rooms can be crucial when planning interior designs or even purchasing a new home. Here, we delve into the various housing types and their associated living room sizes to help you make informed decisions.
Modern new builds have seen a significant shrinkage in living room sizes, with the typical living room now measuring around 17.1m² [1]. This is a stark contrast to the average living room size in UK new builds during the 1970s, which was approximately 24.9m² [2].
When it comes to apartments, these living spaces are typically the most compact, often part of an open-plan layout. Luxury apartments in London, for instance, offer more space per room—about 20-50% more than average apartments. A typical luxury 2-bedroom apartment living room might range roughly from 200 to 300 square feet (about 18-28 square meters) [3].
Terraced homes, common in UK towns, often have a living room and a separate dining room or kitchen-diner. These living rooms tend to measure between 15-20m² [1]. Semi-detached homes, which generally offer larger living spaces than terraced houses, might have living rooms around 200 to 300 square feet (18-28 square meters) [4].
Detached homes, the largest of common UK housing types, often have living rooms that can easily exceed 300 to 400 square feet (28-37 square meters) or more, depending on the total house size and design [4].
Interior designers also offer valuable advice on maximising the feel of spaciousness in living rooms. Cat Dennison, an interior designer at GoodHome, B&Q, suggests letting in as much natural light as possible to make a modest-sized living room feel bigger [5]. She recommends avoiding obstructing windows and using sheer blinds or lightweight drapes instead of heavy curtains.
To create a cohesive look, Dennison advises choosing a rug large enough that at least the front legs of sofas and chairs sit on it. She also suggests furniture with visible legs to create an open, airy feel. Additionally, she advocates painting walls, ceilings, and skirting in the same colour to blur the boundaries of a room, making it feel larger [5].
Danielle Le Vaillant, head of photography & film at Cox & Cox, suggests a well-placed living room mirror can reflect light and give the illusion of a much bigger space [6]. Layering light-filtering fabrics with blackout options can allow for privacy while still maximising daylight [5].
Embracing the bijou beauty of a small living room and making it feel warm and inviting is an alternative approach [7]. As a helpful rule of thumb, your living room should take up 10-15% of your total floor space [8]. To maintain a sense of space, Dennison recommends avoiding bulky, solid furniture and opting for slim-legged sofas, glass-topped coffee tables, and floating shelves [5].
In conclusion, living room sizes in the UK vary depending on the type of dwelling. By understanding these typical size ranges, you can better plan your interior design or make informed decisions when purchasing a new home.
| Housing Type | Typical Living Room Size (sq ft) | Approx. Size (sq m) | |--------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------| | Apartment | 150 – 300 | 14 – 28 | | Terraced Home | 150 – 250 | 14 – 23 | | Semi-Detached Home | 200 – 300 | 18 – 28 | | Detached Home | 300 – 400+ | 28 – 37+ |
These are approximate generalizations based on typical layouts and the space standards noted from luxury apartment sizes and descriptions of UK housing types [3][4]. Actual sizes can vary widely based on location, house age, and style.
[1] English Housing Survey, 2019 [2] Data from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) [3] Cox & Cox, an interior design brand [4] The Guardian, "The Great British Living Room," 2019 [5] Cat Dennison, interior designer at GoodHome, B&Q [6] Danielle Le Vaillant, head of photography & film at Cox & Cox [7] Content sourced from various interior design blogs and articles [8] Pete Tonks, award-winning architectural designer
- When planning interior designs or purchasing a new home, it's essential to factor in the varying living room sizes across common UK housing types.
- Modern new builds often have smaller living rooms, averaging around 17.1m², a significant decrease from the 24.9m² average in the 1970s.
- Apartments, common in open-plan layouts, usually have compact living spaces, ranging from 200 to 300 square feet (about 18-28 square meters) in a typical luxury 2-bedroom apartment.
- Terraced homes often have living rooms between 15-20m² and may include a separate dining room or kitchen-diner.
- Interior designers, like Cat Dennison, offer advice on maximizing space in living rooms, suggesting letting in natural light, using large rugs, and opting for furniture with visible legs.
- A well-placed mirror, layered lighting, and choosing the right flooring can help create a cohesive and spacious living room design, as suggested by experts like Danielle Le Vaillant.
- To make the most of small living rooms, one should maintain a sense of space by avoiding bulky furniture and embracing sleek, modern pieces, such as slim-legged sofas and floating shelves. Such strategies can help create a warm and inviting atmosphere in a small living room.
