Our Top Tips For Styling A Living Room

The living room is the heart of many people’s homes and through my interior design services my clients have learnt a lot about how we can create a cosy, welcoming and comfortable space for them and their families. The living room should be a space to unwind, relax and create joyful memories and it is essential your furniture, decorative items and styling create the perfect backdrop for this. Today I am sharing my top tips for designing a living room, where to start and the finishing touches to bring it all together.  

Layout Is Key

The layout for the living room is essential in creating a calm, beautiful and functional space. The first step is to determine what the room will be predominately used for and create a layout with your sofa, occasional chairs and ottomans around that. Will it be focused on the tv as this is where you will be watching television every night? Or should the room be set up to encourage conversation and will be the backdrop for many games nights at home? Once this is determined then you can work out the amount of seating required and what sofa, chair and ottoman options will suit best.

Colour Palette

When selecting the colours to use in your living room I recommend thinking of the room as a whole and how you want the space to feel. My suggestion is to usually opt for neutral for the larger items such as the sofa, rug and coffee table to allow you to have fun with colour on the smaller, more interchangeable items. Keeping in mind the sofa will take up most of the visual space in a room, so I recommend not going too dark with this. Often a medium tone in a neutral beige, grey or tan is a great option when it comes to selecting the colour of your sofa for an overall visually pleasing look. By selecting neutral tones for your larger items, this allows you to have fun with soft furnishings, home décor and artwork and encourages you to switch things up seasonally if that is your preference. I love to choose an artwork that has an array of colours and drawing inspiration from this when selecting the cushions, throw blankets and decorative accents.

Soft Furnishings

Soft furnishings are a key element when it comes to styling a living room and they are often the finishing touch in tying the space together. Soft furnishings include items such as cushions, blankets and rugs that add a softness to the space and create a cosy and ‘lived In’ feel. Cushions should be added to each corner of a sofa and to each occasional chair for a pop of colour, patten or texture. I recommend draping at least one throw blanket over the sofa for a styled look in a contrasting colour and texture to the sofa material. Here at Eliza Grace Interiors, I believe that no living room is complete without a rug and the biggest size you can go in the space, the better!

Decorative accents

When styling a living room, taking into consideration height, shape and focal points is essential to creating an interesting and complete space. This can easily be done through a variety of decorative accents in a living room that create a layered look. I recommend adding a floor lamp for height in the corner of a living space or a side table with a beautiful table lamp next to the sofa. Greenery brings any space to life, so I always add either a tall floor plant or decorative plant to the coffee table when completing a living room design for my clients. Other decorative accents that complete a living room are items such as coffee table books, vases and candles on a coffee table and beautiful artwork on the walls.

Designing a living room is all about layering, starting with the larger pieces and working your way up from there. Eliza Grace Interiors offers a range of interior design services to suit your living room, from full service interior design to e-design. Simply head to the services tab on our website to find out how we can create the living room you have been envisioning today.