The living room is one of the most popular and frequently used spaces in a home. It’s a place for relaxation, fun, entertainment, long conversations, movie marathons, workouts, dancing, board games, reading, children’s creative activities, or pet play.
Creating a space that accommodates multiple functions is undoubtedly challenging. Furniture, lighting, decor, colors, and materials play key roles in creating a harmonious living room atmosphere. By considering and connecting all these components, you can create an interior that’s not only comfortable for you and your loved ones but also visually pleasing.
Let’s explore step by step what to consider when creating a beautiful, functional, and comfortable living room. If you’re wondering how to style a living room and seeking some living room design tips, these recommendations will guide you through the process.
Step 1: Define Your Living Room Style
This may not be obvious, but it’s a crucial step since the style will influence furniture arrangement, lighting placement, decor choices, color palette, and material selection.
Your chosen style should not only appeal to you aesthetically but also complement your home’s architecture. There’s no point in forcing shabby chic into an open-plan former factory space or trying to create an Art Deco living room in a typical Lower East Side studio.
Another important criterion when choosing a style is its implementation complexity and cost. If you’re planning to make changes without professional help, or if professionals aren’t available in your area, focus on simpler and more budget-friendly styles. If your budget and local craftsmen’s expertise allow, you can opt for more complex and expensive decorative styles.
Visit myStofa to learn more about different interior styles and take a Quiz to find the style that suits you best.
Step 2: Consider Your Living Room Functions
After determining the style, decide how you’ll use the living room and what you need for these activities.
List everything you typically do in the living room—alone, with friends, family, children, pets—whatever applies to you. The list can be extensive or modest. Try to remember as many activities as possible and note down what each requires.
Here are some ideas for reference:
- Watching movies and series: You’ll need a large, comfortable sofa, footrest, side or coffee table
- Reading: You’ll need a bookshelf, armchair, and directional floor lamp
- Playing board games: You’ll need a table, sofa or chairs/poufs, and storage for games
- Socializing/sitting by the fireplace: You’ll need two armchairs, a blanket basket, and a side table
- Hosting cocktail parties: You’ll need a sideboard, buffet, and plenty of open space
- Children’s creative activities: You’ll need a kids’ table and chair, plus storage for art supplies
This list will help you understand required furniture and functional zones, making it easier to plan the room layout and understand how to furnish a living room effectively.
Step 3: Create a Layout for Living Room
If you’re still asking yourself how do I design my living room in a way that balances both comfort and functionality, start by mapping out your layout and zoning the space for different activities.
Before selecting and purchasing furniture, sketch your living room plan on paper or using online software. Start by placing all necessary functional zones—TV viewing area, reading book, pet play area, etc. Zones can overlap, that’s normal, just don’t forget anything.
Then place necessary furniture within these zones. Use measurements—they’re crucial. Walkways between furniture and walls should be at least 31.5 inches (800mm), distance between coffee table and sofa should be at least 12 inches (300mm), and TV viewing distance should correspond to screen size.
If this seems overwhelming, don’t hesitate to consult professional interior designers.
Step 4: Choose Colors and Materials
With your layout complete and furniture placed, it’s time to select y our color scheme and materials.
Your chosen style will guide you, as each style has characteristic color palettes and materials. You’ll just need to select suitable base colors—lighter or darker—and accent colors if desired.
Material selection will also be dictated by your color palette. Bright colors typically work well with glass, plastic, and ceramics, while earthy tones are characteristic of wood, natural stone, and linen.
Your chosen palette and materials will guide furniture, lighting, and decor selection.
Step 5: Select Furniture, Lighting, and Decor
With your layout plan, furniture dimensions, and color scheme decided, it’s time to select furniture.
Find stores specializing in your preferred style to minimize time spent searching for suitable pieces. Consult professional designers and store managers if needed.
The same applies to textiles, decorative items, and plants. Study what decor, art, textiles, and plants are characteristic of your chosen style and select accordingly.
Important tip: For a balanced interior, combine warm and cool/textured and glossy materials. If you have lots of wood and soft furnishings, add coolness through glass, plastic, metal, or natural stone coffee tables. Temperature contrast can also come through light fixtures—available in glass/metal or fabric/wood/rice paper. Remember, the most beautiful living rooms balance warmth and coolness.
Step 6: Select Lighting
When choosing living room lighting, consider both design and function. Light can be directional or diffused, and your needs will determine the appropriate source.
For reading, you’ll want directional light focused on the pages for maximum comfort. The same applies to board games or other activities requiring reading/writing/drawing. Directional light comes from opaque shades made of metal, plastic, stone, wood, or other non-transparent materials.
For general ambient lighting creating a relaxed atmosphere, use diffused light sources or bounce light off walls or ceiling. Diffused light comes from semi-transparent shades made of fabric, opal glass, rice paper, or other translucent materials.
Some light sources combine directional and diffused light, good for both reading and ambient lighting. The LAUTERS floor lamp from IKEA is a popular example.
Multi-level lighting combining ceiling, wall, table, and floor lights transforms the living room at night and creates coziness. Different lighting scenarios make the room more functional.
What Not to Do When Designing Your Living Room
Don’t approach the process chaotically or make impulsive purchases if you want your living room to be functional and visually satisfying.
There’s nothing wrong with mixing styles, adding color accents, having lots of decor and plants or none at all—everyone can find their suitable interior style with characteristic features.
However, if purchased items don’t serve their function or help make your life comfortable and convenient, the living room will feel unpleasant and always seem uncomfortable and unattractive, regardless of how expensive the items are. Now you know how to decorate and create your dream living hall. Start with small steps in
