A living room is the meeting point in every home. You want it functional to accommodate the family and guests, but you still want to show off your family’s taste. At the end of the day, it is your space and you should be able to cater to your own needs, to simply enjoy the space. A living room can be cosy, and familiar and still remain attractive. This guide will help you get there easily.

Measure space

To design the best living room no matter your budget, you have to know the size of the room. Other details that will affect the living room design are the size and the orientation of the doors, the windows, and the orientation of the room itself in the house. The room that is oriented to the north with windows will have a colder hue than the one oriented towards the south, whereas the size of the windows can also impact the importance of lighting fixtures.

Colour scheme

The next point you should consider is the overall colour scheme. If your budget is tighter start with the bigger pieces of furniture that you won’t change. Add the colours of the walls and floors that are in the same hue then add a contrasting colour for the details. The contrast can also be a larger piece in which case you need to add a few similar colours to connect the ends of the contrast.

Look for the style and design

The style of the living room will ideally match other rooms and the people who live there. You don’t need to go for trendy minimalism to have an attractive home. Try to match pieces from the same decade and style, pay in mind that details need to match while the bigger pieces don’t need to.

Walls play an important role in the design

Different colours are not the only thing you need to pay attention to when choosing the colour for the walls. Even a subtle change in tone – off-white or milky white instead of white for example, can make a difference. The warmth or the cold tones in the walls can emphasize the furniture and set the ambience of the room.

Flooring plays an important factor

If you are renting or have bought a property that has floors in good condition, they can help you with design. Wood texture adds warmth while tiles add the Mediterranean vibe. The tiles are also a great choice as they are sturdy but easy to maintain and even come with wood texture if you want that. The cities on shore look great with beach vibes, and design will benefit from tiles, in the case of Sydney for example.

The sofa is the most important piece of furniture

The living room’s main purpose in the house is to provide a place for leisure or activities where the whole family is involved. Thus the sofa makes the most important piece of furniture in every living room. Depending on the number of people you want to host, the sizing of the room and the involvement of children and pets can help you decide on the perfect seating spot. “The more, the merrier” as the guest approach requires sturdier furniture.

Add a right-sized rug

Carpets and rugs are often chosen based on their colour scheme and pattern. However, the most important characteristic of the carpet in a living room is its size. The rug can help divide the space into ‘islands’ for different activities, but shouldn’t be too small to be only under the table or too big to lose its styling purpose.

The perfect-sized rug will touch the pieces of furniture that should be used together, like sofas and coffee tables. The other use, for children specifically, can be the rug that touches the furniture where toys are.

Consider fabrics

The fabrics of the furniture can help a lot to create a style that goes great with each other, providing cohesiveness. On the other hand, some fabrics are sturdy against pet hair, spillage, or other damage that can be done if you host parties often or have active children. Some of the best pet-friendly fabrics include microfiber, leather, wicker, and velvet.

Add light with windows, mirrors, and lighting fixtures

Big windows, especially south-oriented, provide a wonderful natural light to the living room daily. If you have a darker corner and you wish to lighten it without the use of lamps, simply add the mirror that will attract light with the reflection. The lighting fixtures are an obvious source of light, but they don’t need to be boring or simple. Find vintage, colourful, or in other ways unusual pieces and add the spot with visual interest to your living room.

Invest in an art piece

Choosing an art piece for the living room is not easy but it doesn’t need to be too hard. Be consistent with the style and colours of details throughout the room, or go for the simple pieces in the colour similar to the walls. Similar colours will broaden the room and attract subtle attention to the walls. Whereas bolder and brighter pieces serve as an accent that attracts everyone’s attention to the furniture. If you want to add photographs, it might be a good idea to choose a print that has colours similar to the view from your window, thus creating an illusion of an additional window.

Play with smaller accessorize

The smaller details around the room should match the bigger pieces, don’t think otherwise. If you have many décor pieces of many colours, group them! Add the dedicated space where the décor will get the attention and group them by colours, size, or theme. If there are many books or pieces you might don’t want to be seen but need close, buy matching storage boxes, divide the pieces that go there and keep those as décor.

What is the first change you will make? Do you have another recommendation for living room style?