5 Things to Consider When Designing Your Living Room | Wayfair (2024)

Standing in an empty living room in your new home creates a daunting feeling. With so many options for decorating with furniture, accessories, and decorations to choose from, it is not always easy to know how to furnish your space with decor. Start by addressing these five key elements for living room design success. From living room sofas to window coverings and lighting, these considerations will help you decide what kind of decor you do and don’t need in your home.

Focal Points

Focal points can dictate a room's orientation. For most homes, a beautiful coffee table, a great view, large piece of artwork, fireplace, or television is the focal point of the living room. From television stands to entertainment fireplaces to full entertainment centers to eccentric coffee tables, the options for decorating your television in your living space can be endless. Choose a media console that blends with your room decor while providing all the functionality you need. If you desire a more hidden look, try decorating with a television armoire or other concealable living room ideas that will conceal your television behind doors when it is not in use.

Walls

Walls are the backdrop to a cohesive living room aesthetic. Wall color for this multipurpose room should provide a flexible backdrop to the ebb and flow of a variety of activities. Minimizing the contrast between trim, fireplace, and walls has a way of “calming down” a space and making it seem larger. Artwork placed above a sofa, over a fireplace, or flanking windows can add interest and personality to your space. Consider large canvases, a gallery of family photos, or even mirrors as wall decor for your living room.

When you are considering your living room backdrop, don’t forget the floor and ceiling! The ceiling can be an incredible blank canvas for architectural detail. Try coffered details or exposed beams to express your design style. Area rugs add texture and dimension to a space while also serving a function. Typically, you'll want to choose a rug that will complement your color scheme and can be placed in the center of the room underneath the coffee table. A good rule to follow is that the rug should be large enough so that at minimum the front legs of your furniture are on it, and the rug should be at least 12 inches away from the baseboards.

Furnishings

This is by far the most important category of living room decor. Living room sofas tend to be the largest and most expensive decor pieces you will buy; not to mention everything else in the room tends to revolve around the sofa and its supporting pieces. Therefore, the sofa is a good place to start decorating with a coffee table and other living room furniture in order to set a benchmark for both budget and style.

Start by taking a look at how many people you plan to accommodate with your sofa. If you have a large family or like to entertain, decorating with a sectional sofa might be the right living room design for you. If you are a bachelor or couple living in an apartment, a smaller, solid piece may be a more appropriate living room design for you. If you have pets, children, or host a variety of parties, performance fabric selections will also be important for your living space. Once you have found a few options for sofas that meet your functional needs, ask yourself whether the living room design suits your home. Remember that most sofas are kept between five and 10 years, so try to think long-term vs. trendy.

Lighting plays a big role in living rom ideas. Is there a lot of natural light? Is there a fireplace? Where will overhead lighting be needed? Having a cohesive, layered living room idea and lighting plan will effectively keep the room illuminated throughout the day. Put can lights, chandeliers, art lights, and floor and table lamps on dimmers when possible to effortlessly set a certain ambience when desired. Don't hesitate to mix and match finishes to create a unique living room idea that is all your own.

Window Coverings

Window coverings are the key element to a perfectly put-together space – and living rooms are no exception. Use roller shades, woven woods, shutters, or drapery panels as a living room idea to add character to your living room. Try a material or color that flows with your wall color or a subtle pattern or texture that blends with the rest of the room's decor while controlling light and privacy. Windows and natural light will also affect design choices like paint color, flooring, and furniture placement.
Whatever you use this room for, creating a comfortable and inviting space is key to making the most out of your living room.

With over 25-years of experience, Kerrie Kelly is creative director for Kerrie Kelly Design Lab, an award-winning California interior designer, author and contributor; product designer and multi-media consultant, helping national brands reach the interior design market.