If Your Living Room Feels Cramped, Designers Say to Swap Your Coffee Table for One of These First

Image of a white living room with a white sofa, a white rug, a few plants, and a brown suede storage ottoman.

A hard truth of designing a small living room is that it can quickly feel cramped. It's hard when you have big design dreams and small square footage. But even in larger spaces, it's alarming how quickly stuff can pile up once you're really living in it. Cozy throws, extra pillows, games to bring out when guests are over — these aren't necessarily things you want on show all the time, taking up visual space. But here's a little secret I've uncovered: storage ottomans work a little design magic when the living room starts to feel too cramped.

"When you're working with a smaller living room, every piece of furniture should earn its place," John O'Leary, design director at Swyft Home, tells me. Sure, something like a coffee table is a must in a living room, but the idea of furniture 'earning its place' is about considering what else it could be adding to the room. A storage ottoman gives you the functionality of a coffee table while also providing hidden storage and, when needed, even extra seating or a footrest.