If you are hosting this year’s Easter celebration or are just having a “Welcome to Spring” get together, you may be scrambling to find enough seats to accommodate all of your guests. When you live in a small space, you need to get creative on how you can add more seating for your visitors. Here are five tips we have for making sure even the tiniest of spaces has room for everyone to sit:
Buy Smart
If you are in the market for new furniture, look for those pieces that will work well when additional seating is needed. Invest in a multi-piece sectional where individual sections can be moved to create new seating areas or avoid sofas altogether and instead purchase smaller-sized furniture (think love seats and chairs) that give you more seating without taking up more space. Also, purchase multifunctional furniture like ottoman coffee tables.
Eliminate Small Tables
To make room for more seating, consider moving some of your smaller tables to other rooms. If this seems to limit your lighting options, consider adding floor lamps or sconces to the space to keep things well lit without the bulk of a table.
Invest in Folding Chairs
We know folding chairs don’t seem that glamorous or inviting, but when extra seating is needed, this is one of your best (and least expensive) options. You can now purchase folding chairs that are colorful (see these from Wayfair) or even design-worthy (we are loving this green design available from Overstock.com) or you can spruce up the chairs you already have by repainting them in colors that match your décor.
Create Floor Seating
Oversize floor pillows with lots of color and texture (we love this one from BrooklynLotus via Etsy) are a great way to add extra seating without sacrificing design. If you don’t have floor pillows, group multiple throw pillows together against a wall or sofa for inviting seating options.
Use Other Furniture
Coffee tables and ottomans work great as extra seating options (and can easily be moved where needed), but also look for not-really-furniture items such as milk crates or step stools. Again, a quick coat of paint can make even these items look like they fit in your space. There are more great ideas for things you can use for seating from thekitchn.com.
As we begin to move ourselves every so slowly towards the summer entertaining season, keep some of these great seating options on hand for last minute guests and visitors. Most of them can be stored in a closet or under a bed where they can be easily grabbed as soon as the doorbell rings.
Talk to us: What is your favorite way to add more seating to a small space?
image courtesy of flickr CC/Marjut