Golden rules in living room decoration

The living room is a precious space in the home—the place for movie marathons, late-night conversations, and special celebrations. So it makes sense to decorate it accordingly.

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From furniture placement to decoration arrangement, there are some core principles that professional designers follow when working with living rooms. Are you ready to renovate your living room? Here are the golden rules of living room design shared by experts .

"Breathe life" into the living room

Your living room doesn't have to be the place to fill it with fancy antiques and hard-to-clean furniture. Everything needs to be practical and useful first, this isn't a museum, says Malka Helft, founder of Think Chic Interiors. For sofas and other seating, choose fabrics that can withstand some wear and tear - and skip dry-clean-only whites if you have kids and pets. Everything needs to be useful - the fabric needs to be practical, easy to clean and wipe down if something is spilled.

Harmonious furniture coordination

Rosanna Bassford, founder and principal designer of Memmo Interiors, says all-in-one living room furniture sets may make shopping easier and less time-consuming, but they can make your living room feel boring and dated. The idea that you have to buy living room chairs in sets is no longer true. Living rooms are much more visually interesting when you mix and match chairs with different styles or colors of furniture.

So feel free to pair that sleek modern sofa with a classic, moody blue chair to create a distinctive design.

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Arrange furniture away from walls

It may seem counterintuitive, but it's best to arrange your room so that at least some of your furniture is away from the walls. Never place furniture right up against the wall, as this always makes the room look smaller. As soon as you move your sofa away from the wall, even slightly, you get the illusion of depth, as you can see that there's more behind it. You don't take up any more space by moving it away from the wall, but the difference is really surprising.

Use rugs to demarcate living areas

A rug not only adds elegance to your living room, but it can also help frame the conversation area and make it feel cozier. You should arrange seating entirely on a 2x3 or 3x4 m rug. If the furniture is further apart, you will feel uncomfortable standing far away from others to have a conversation. You don't want to shout, right?

Create a focal point or focal point

Creating a focal point by arranging the room so that everyone's eyes are drawn to a beautiful piece of art is a great idea. A TV can also work even if you have a living room.

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Flexible seating available

When arranging your living room, consider how many people you plan to have gathering there on a regular basis. Make sure you have seating for at least your family and a few guests. For larger gatherings, consider adding some easily accessible seating to your living room design. If you have a console table, place stools underneath it. They can be easily moved around and used as part of a conversation area.

Kareem Winters

Update 07 February 2025