The living room is a welcoming room where we like to spend time. When we decorate it, we try to make it a pleasant, cocooning room where life is good. In order not to exaggerate and clutter up this space, you have to succeed in finding the right balance between too much decoration and not enough.
For a successful living room decoration, some mistakes should be avoided! Quickly find out how to have a trendy and elegant living room!
1. Stick all the furniture against the walls
A good layout is essential when it comes to furnishing an interior. Obviously, there is no question of sticking all the furniture to the wall unless you want a museum atmosphere … icy. The idea will be to give rhythm to the room by alternating large pieces of furniture glued to the wall and small distilled ones here and there.
Here, and because space allows, the two velvet sofas are placed in the center of the room, lengthwise to visually accentuate the depth of the space. The good tip that works in (almost) all rooms : a side table in a corner, on which you place a table lamp and why not a pretty bouquet of fresh flowers.
2. Choose furniture that is too small or too large
Proportions are very important in decoration . Too much large furniture in a small room will lead to a feeling of suffocation. On the contrary, an accumulation of small pieces of furniture in a large room will cause a feeling of emptiness. The first solution: measure the space and take your time to make the right choices . The second solution: mix imposing furniture and occasional furniture for a balanced interior.
Here, the living room adopts the perfect proportions. And to bring rhythm, an XL wall light that gives rhythm to the space in addition to highlighting a nice height under the ceiling.
3. Buy everything in one or two stores
Practicality requires or a matter of habit, some people tend to buy everything in one or two shops. Be careful, mixing styles and eras allows for a decoration that is embodied and meaningful . Flea markets and trips for example allow favorites where we did not expect them and a decoration that is 100% fun . Also think about family furniture steeped in history.
Here, China is felt and mingles with more current elements such as the desk lamp. Taking the time to find the piece that will make us fall in love, that’s also decoration. A reflection of good memories, unexpected finds and discoveries.
4. Abuse of accumulation
Accumulate mirrors on a wall, okay. It’s a good idea to accumulate baskets on a shelf. Accumulate vases on the windowsill, validated. Be careful, it’s either one or the other, especially in a small space. Accumulation is a recognized and trendy decoration technique, provided it is well dosed.
Here, the accumulation is played out in the kitchen, with several distilled vases on the shelves, the table top and the central island. On the other hand, the rest of the room borders on the minimalist and that is precisely the strength of the space. One highlights the other and vice versa. Perfect balance.
5. Choosing a bad trompe-l’oeil
Disaster in sight. The low-end brick-wall-effect wallpaper, the half-sticking imitation cement tile sticker, there are many examples. Know that a trompe-l’oeil that does not deceive is an (almost) unforgivable decoration error . Unless you come across the perfect illusion, which is quite rare, prefer a classic or patterned wall covering.
Here, the patterned wall and floor covering fully fulfills its role. Elegant and trompe-l’oeil, it brings a Mediterranean touch to the dining room. Remember: opt for the same model on the wall and on the floor for a sophisticated room.
6. Overload the space: install too much furniture or calibrate them incorrectly
We tend to believe that putting a lot of furniture in your living room is synonymous with a thoughtful interior, but be careful, think about traffic. Whether the living room is small or large, it is necessary to remain reasonable in order not to overload the space.
The solution is to adapt the dimensions of your furniture to your room: neither too big nor too small. Do not buy a sofa or table, for example, while thinking about your future big house if you live in a small apartment. It will always be so much to sell your small sofa adapted to your current apartment when you move into your big house. It is important to choose furniture of a similar size in order to create a harmonious space. If the coffee table is larger than the sofa, the result will be disappointing.
7. Standardize the color of all your furniture
Having all of your furniture the same color makes the vibe look sad and even (whether it’s a dark color or a light color).
The solution is to give volume and relief to your living room by mixing colors and furniture materials. It gives character and character to the room.
8. Forget how natural light enters your room
The circulation of natural light is very important and to complement it with artificial light you need to understand how it enters your room. Also pay particular attention to the exposure of your living room (North, South, East or West). This will give you information on the colors and finishes to use.
The soultion is, play with natural light by positioning mirrors to reflect it throughout the space of the room.
9. Install curtains too low
We tend to install the curtain rod flush with the window because it’s easier to be straight. In general, we have to hem because the curtains in supermarkets are quite long.
The solution is, I strongly advise you to keep the maximum length and position the rod at the highest. It will certainly enlarge your windows and give amplitude.
10. Abandon the cushions
Cushions are a powerful “weapon” in decoration. Don’t underestimate their power.
The solution is, play with the curtains: materials, colors, graphics…. do not hesitate to mix them. Like the curtains, have a set of cushions for the summer atmosphere and a set for the more cocooning atmosphere of winter. It changes everything!
11. Forgetting to put plants
Bring personality and life to your living room by opting for an ultra green decoration: shrubs or potted plants, ferns or hanging succulents or flowering plants or simple branches in a Jeanne lady!
It is often forgotten, but plants bring freshness and cheerfulness to your interior. And above all, choose depolluting plants to ensure clean air in your interior.
12. Do not apply upholstery
To assert a decoration, the most effective is to put wallpaper on at least one wall in your living room. Avoid walls with windows, but otherwise trust your instincts.
Like PVC coverings, the wallpaper patterns are endless and installation is so easy thanks to non-woven wallpapers. No need for a tapestry table, we glue the wall directly with a roller and we glue the tapestry. Honestly, it has become child’s play (it is better to be two) and at such an affordable price (rolls from 10 euros for about 5m2). Jungle, graphic, retro, floral, Scandinavian atmosphere… there is something for everyone. This gives you an interior archi decoration at a lower cost.
13. Disproportionate furniture
Not all the pieces of furniture you fall in love with at first sight correspond to the surface area you have in your living room. The size should be chosen according to the room above all. It is also necessary to ensure that each piece of furniture harmonizes perfectly with the others. A table that is too large in front of a small sofa will do nothing and above all the whole will not be successful.
14. An overflow of furniture
The more you clutter up your space with a lot of furniture, the more it will be illegible, but also stuffy. In addition, your living room will appear much smaller. If in addition, you want to opt for a rather modern atmosphere , it is above all necessary to purify and de-clutter. It is the first reflex to have to sublimate your living room and not to overload it.
15. A living room that is too colorful and motley
In a living room, the patterns bring a little originality and the colors of fantasy and cheerfulness. However, we must remain vigilant and avoid multiplying them, overdoing them at the risk of sacrificing elegance. You have to stay measured.
16. Beware of too dark colors
As much as a midnight blue wall can be gorgeous and very stylish, the buildup of dark hues can bring sadness and dramatically reduce the space. Do not overdo it and highlight your living room with very light shades elsewhere and especially on other walls.
17. Too much white
The total white look does not lack charm, but in a bedroom it is best to avoid it. If all the walls, furniture and decor are white, this can quickly sanitize the room, which will lose its warm appearance. White is perfect for playing with light, but without overdoing it. However, you risk losing charm. So adding a few touches of color is necessary.
18. Forget the light
A living room that is poorly lit is dark and depressing, in addition to being sad. For a very cozy living room, garlands, lamps, ceiling lights help to create a pleasant atmosphere. In addition to playing with the lights, you can multiply the mirrors that will reflect them, if you place them correctly.
19. Forget the windows
The windows of the living room will be sublimated and again, you have various solutions. This allows you to finish decorating this space. Either you dress the windows with pretty curtains or blinds, or if you don’t like it, you decorate your windowsill nicely. Plants, a collection of vases, pretty trinkets… create a pretty composition.
20. Overloaded walls
This mistake is too often made and it is understandable since it is a family place and the main room. Therefore, it seems normal to you to put together a collection of family photos alongside valuable paintings, the poster for your favorite movie… The problem is that all this mixture tends to be clutter.
You need to have benchmarks so that your walls do not seem too loaded and therefore unsightly. The walls where the windows are located do not necessarily need to be decorated. Favor a certain harmony so that your decoration remains coherent. The living room walls are a space to use… don’t leave them empty either, they won’t give the room any character.
21. A show like a catalog
If you love decorating, don’t fall into the obsession with recreating a catalog page in your living room, you might end up creating too cold a space. Add color and life to it!
22. Too disproportionate
It is important to choose furniture of a similar size in order to create a harmonious space. If the coffee table is more imposing than the sofa, the result will not be successful.
23. Too sad
If you choose dark colors, be careful not to overdo them. Indeed, they plunge the room into a sad and depressing atmosphere.
24. The mess
For a pleasant living room, storage is essential!
25. Empty vases
The empty vases are very sad in the decoration. It is preferable to add some plants, branches or foliage to give them life.
26. Too dark
A poorly lit living room will be dark and depressing. Play with mirrors, light fixtures and wall colors to have a bright living room.
27. Neglecting lighting
For a small cozy living room, we multiply the light sources. Lamps, garlands, ceiling lights will help create a pleasant atmosphere.
28. Few accessories
For a successful salon, you have to find a middle ground: neither too much decoration nor not enough.
29. Opting for a rug that’s too small
In the living room, the carpet helps to structure the space. If you choose it too small, you create a stuffy and unfriendly atmosphere in the room. The rug should never be smaller than the sofa.
30. Leaving the walls empty
The living room walls are a space to use. They dress the room and sublimate it. To do this, opt for posters, posters, wallpaper, frames, photos … Do not leave them empty.
31. Putting the TV in a Corner
If the television is used weekly, it is best to place it in the center of the living room so that it can be viewed by all. Be careful not to position it facing a window, at the risk of being dazzled and not seeing anything.
32. Not leaving space between the sofa and the coffee table
Between the coffee table and the sofa, you have to leave enough space so that you can move around without bumping into each other. If you are short on space in this room, choose a smaller coffee table model.
33. Forgetting the storage
To fight against the everyday mess, don’t forget the storage in the living room: shelves, TV units, consoles with drawers…
34. Skipping the curtains
Decorate your windows and opt for light colored curtains to let in natural light and create a bright atmosphere.
35. Multiply patterns
Do not overuse too many patterns in the living room so as not to overload it. Try to find two or three patterns to tone down the neutral trend, but no more.
36. Having a tidy living room
Poorly stored things can often make the room too small. But that’s no reason for the living room to appear cold and stoic. Be spontaneous: accumulate a stack of beautiful books on the floor and pull out your best throws to create a beautiful organized mess!
37. Not using all spaces
Spaces under the stairs, above the doors, under the sofa: do not neglect them! You can store some accessories, shoes or even cram a pouffe! Neither seen nor known ! © Pinterest
38. Ignoring light
If you don’t have a lot of opening, don’t cover your windows too much. This may further darken your living room.
39. Not putting carpet
The carpet is one of the key pieces in the living room. It brings a cocooning dimension to this living space. So don’t forget it!
40. Having too many decorative objects
Don’t take out all your decorative items like in a museum. The best thing is to have key elements.
41. Curtains with the wrong dimensions
Curtains that are too long or too short are not very pretty! The tailor-made is to be privileged.
42. Put more than 3 colors
The more colors you have in your living room, the more it will give the impression that the room is overloaded! So we absolutely avoid.
43. Neglecting the TV cabinet
Don’t forget to decorate the TV cabinet! Cacti, candles, photo frames … You can even paint a section of the wall in the color of your choice to make the TV area stand out!
44. Having a coffee table that is too big
For the sake of comfort, make sure that the coffee table is at the same height as the seat of the sofa. Avoid disproportionate furniture!
45. Not decorating the fireplace
Add style to your fireplace by decorating it! Arty vase, dried flowers, green plants, photo or illustration frames or even golden mirror to enlarge the room: you are spoiled for choice!
46. Buy oversized furniture
It is not a good idea to go shopping without taking the measurements of the room! Because as Martine Bourdon emphasizes, “furniture often looks smaller in showrooms”. It is therefore necessary to measure your space well if you do not want to end up with a huge sectional that hinders circulation in the living room. Providing a minimum clearance of 36 to 42 inches (91 to 106 cm) around the sofa also helps to better assess the available surface. The decorator also suggests establishing the number of people who will be seated there both on a daily basis and when we receive visitors. Also pay attention to the respect of proportions! A coffee table more imposing than the loveseat will have the effect of creating a visual break.
47. Omitting to structure the space
More and more, the living room is being built in multifunction mode, hence the importance of subdividing the room into activity zones so that everything fits together harmoniously. Thus, the relaxation and work spaces should be completely detached, and not put side by side. Martine Bourdon recommends “putting an armchair area and an office area behind it so that when you are in the armchair, you get a bit off the hook”. She then suggests “making psychological divisions between the armchair and the desk, either by a glass panel screen, or by an open bookcase”. Providing built-in storage also helps to create a vacuum in the room and in the head!
48. Having too many points of attraction
Scattering is not conducive to relaxation. The eye needs to keep its attention on a single point of interest. It is better then to direct the arrangement according to the punch of the room. For example, the television and the fireplace benefit from being placed either on the same wall or at the same angle. We avoid putting them opposite each other.
49. Fill all the corners of the room
In our homes, we tend to absolutely want to put something in every vacant corner. However, there is no obligation to fill a room, on the contrary! Whether the decor is minimalist or not, it is indeed essential to let it breathe.
50. Abuse of motives
Wanting to bring a touch of originality to the living room is a good idea. And patterns are undoubtedly a good way to print your personal signature. Except that overdoing it in the same room will result more in a colorful decoration than a brand of character! A sofa covered with a striped fabric, cushions with floral patterns, a patchwork rug , a country plaid throw : all together, it makes you dizzy! The cure ? Moderation, of course! Ideally, we stick to two different reasons. To create visual links, they are chosen in a common color cast. And if we want to harmonize everything, we combine the patterns with other matching plain fabrics.
