While the exciting part of designing your living room might be getting new furniture, there is a lot to keep in mind before you get to that part. Not ready to hire an expert, yet curious how to style a living room like a pro? These tips can help you design a space that suits you and your family’s needs while being cozy, well-thought-out, and expressing your own style.

Measure your space

First things first, measure your living room space to determine its square footage before making any significant decoration selections. Taking accurate measurements can guarantee that you choose the right size for your windows, furniture, and rug. This can save you money and time—it can be a pain to order stylish furniture and accessories and then have to return them because they don’t fit the space you had planned for!

Determine your aesthetic

Decide on the style you want for the room before you begin shopping or even creating a vision board. This will guarantee that the finished design is cohesive. The area doesn’t have to be completely themed, but deciding on a general design direction will be helpful in limiting the options for the area.

Establish a focal point

A focal point is essential for drawing a room together and helping determine the best types of furniture, lighting, and decor. Some rooms may have structural elements such as a kitchen counter, bay window, or fireplace that organically decide the focal point.

In other areas, you can artificially create the focal point by placing the furnishings in a specific and deliberate way. For instance, a huge couch against a wall with seats spaced evenly across from it can clearly define the purpose of the room.

Select a harmonious color scheme

Make deliberate decisions that connect all the design elements, giving them a resemblance and cohesiveness. Every aspect of the design, from the general concept to the minute details (such as color and furniture selections), should flow together harmoniously. 

Consider how decisions about colors, materials, patterns, textures, and other elements might result in coherence. Even in situations when they seem to be defying convention or violating laws, the best interior designers are able to make seemingly random selections appear unified and interdependent. 

Invest in a good quality sofa

Always get the best sofa you can afford at the moment. We spend a lot of time in our living rooms, and the majority it is spent on the sofa. So, be sure to choose the most comfortable one possible. Trust me, you won’t regret. You might also want to stretch out your furniture purchases over time, as they can be somewhat expensive.

Design for functionality

Provide livable, functional, and enjoyable human spaces. In addition to interesting and welcoming colors, art, and other decor, you can meet human needs by providing plenty of naturally positioned seating options that are comfortable.

Keep in mind that people require freedom to move around and that adding natural routes across rooms, around furniture, and around decorative accents will make the area safer and more user-friendly.

A key takeaway

Remember that less is more when it comes to decorating your living room. The secret to beautiful interior design is to strike a balance between form and function rather than adding more.