17 glorious living rooms that prove that living tiny doesn't mean 'cramped'

The tiny house movement sweeping across America has, according to Tiny House Giant Journey, houses ranging in space from 100 square feet to 500 square feet. With homes this small, trying to fit in your furniture and not feel cramped can be quite the challenge. Fortunately, many have found ways to take the limited space that comes with a tiny home and apply a little ingenuity, with the end result being the feel of wide open space.
The Every Girl shares 10 different ways to take a tiny space and make it feel large. Techniques can include using light colors on the walls, no window treatments, and having a monochromatic palette. Using mirrors to reflect space gives the illusion of more where there is less. Using furniture that folds up and out of the way is wise. Placing one large piece of furniture as the central focus in a room can give the feeling of the small space having more room than it actually does. Below are 17 different tiny homes that have made their living rooms "large," proving that tiny doesn't have to be "cramped."
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Bruce Porter's tiny home is 550 square feet and is an off-the-grid style home. The living room incorporates the use of "large furniture" in the couches to give it that spacious feeling. A wise use of built-ins keeps the space uncluttered.
2. Liberation Tiny Homes' living room idea:
Liberation's home uses its 8-foot by 7-foot space wisely by lining the sides with a couch that can also act as a bed. The light hues and drop-down table join in helping create the open feeling.
3. Kim Lewis' tiny living room:
Kim Lewis' 400-square-foot home uses the technique of a dark ceiling with white walls to give the illusion of more space. The dark ceiling pulls the eyes up to the color and makes it feel taller.
4. Vacation home living room:
Dumping window treatments, using high ceilings, and keeping an open floor plan make this vacation home feel spacious. Although it only has 400 square feet, guests don't feel cramped.
5. Lucy tiny home living room:
The Lucy is a 186-square-foot trailer. The designers use a dark ceiling and light walls to make it feel spacious. Keeping the inside uncluttered is another key to making a small space feel large, and Lucy does that quite well. Lucy does come with window treatments, but they are light, not heavy.
6. The Wedge living room:
The Wedge by Wheelhaus boasts 399 square feet. The house is a square design which allows the living room to be square in shape and more open in feel. The open floor plan, light hues, dark ceiling and large key pieces of furniture come together to make a spacious great room.
7. Amalfi Edition living room:
This tiny home on wheels uses a fold down table hung on the wall, storage compartments built into the stairs, and light hues on the walls to keep the small space feeling large. Keeping the space uncluttered is critical.
8. Margaret Simpson's tiny living room:
Simpson's tiny house is on wheels. She designed and built her tiny home, incorporating many space-saving techniques. She has shelves built next to the steps and built-in book shelves.
9. Wildwood living room:
Wildwood from West Coast homes is 600 square feet total including the loft. The great room uses some large pieces to draw the eye, no window treatments to keep the room light, and high ceilings to accomplish a large feel in the room.
10. Jessica and Carson's living room:
This living room makes use of the loft area to provide some extra sitting space. The other couch is across from the kitchen. Light hues keep the home from feeling cramped.
11. Glamping living room:
This tiny living room uses the non-cluttered approach to creating a spacious feel. Light hues and "large" pieces in the couch complete the affect.
12. Magic Dream Life tiny living room:
The use of light color opposite of warm wood helps make this tiny home a cozy Airbnb. The clean lines, uncluttered space and creative use of shelving helps open up the tiny abode.
13. Tiny Canal Cottage living room:
Whitney Leigh Morris designed this 362-foot-space using light hues and some large pieces. The geometric layout of the room and high ceiling contribute to the illusion of space.
14. Mendy's living room:
Mendy's home uses the contrast of dark and light to give a large, but cozy feeling. The light hues, untreated windows and the large central piece of furniture open up the space. The use of dark wood on the floor makes the room cozy. 
15. California living room:
Trying for a cozy feel, this builder has natural wood walls. Built-ins make the most of valuable space, and one central piece of furniture draws the eye and keeps the space feeling clean and open.
16. Ana White's living room:
White is the queen of using space wisely. Her living room has a built-in bookshelf, a couch that converts to a bed, hidden storage and a ladder all in one unit. The light walls with dark ceiling makes the space feel larger than it is.
17. Summerhouse living room:
This lakeside summerhouse was built by Linda and David Kilburn. Kilburn uses light hues and a relatively monochromatic palette to help keep the space open. A lack of clutter and tastefully placed pieces keep the space from being cramped.
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Just because you want to go tiny doesn't mean you have to live in a claustrophobic space. Many have found creative ways to deal with small spaces. Tasteful use of light and color and key pieces of furniture can come together to make your tiny space a spacious villa.
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