decorate my living room feature

If there's one place at home where we all spend a lot of time is the living room. Watching TV, hanging out with family, entertaining…it all happens in the living room! It goes without saying that getting your living room decor right is essential, and we're here with the answers to the big dilemma: "where should I start to decorate my living room?" Whatever your budget is, you can get great results with these tips from interior design experts. Keep reading for our top living room design ideas!

1. Start Decorating Your Living Room With What You Have

living room decor ideas decorilla designer tiara

Living room decor by Decorilla designer Tiara M.

Unless you're decorating your very first home (and if this is the case congratulations!) you probably have some pieces of furniture or accessories you want to keep in your new living room decor. This is one of the most affordable interior design tips since you're just repurposing what you already own. To start with, you need to get a clear idea of what they are. And then be sure you take them into account. There's nothing worse than imagining a beautiful design and then discover it just doesn't go with your existing sofa!

Need a little help when it comes to decorating your living room? Then, schedule your Free Online Interior Design Consultation to learn more about your design options today!

2. Think About Function When Decorating Your Living Room

contemporary living room decor ideas decorilla

Living room design idea by Decorilla designer Tera S.

Do you have plenty of friends over all the time? Or you and your significant other are the only people in the house? Do your kids do their homework in the living room? And do you have pets?

Living_room_decor10

These are the kind of questions you need to ask yourself before starting to decorate your living room. Because you certainly want to create a beautiful living room, but if that's not functional for your everyday life you will get tired of it very soon!

3. Decorating My Living Room: Color Coordination

living room remodel decorilla designer sara m

Decorilla living room design by designer Sarah M.

Be sure to choose your colors before you start decorating. Browse through Pinterest for inspiration and create a board with the colors you've chosen. Sometimes choosing a color palette can be overwhelming, so you can always enlist some interior design help as well.

Living_room_decor11

Colorful living room design idea

A cohesive color palette immediately gives a professional designer feel. And having a visual reference of your color palette at hand will guide you as you do your shopping and make that designer feel much easier to achieve in your own living room!

4. Define the Space

decorate my living room andrea t

Living room interior design by Decorilla designer Andrea T.

The first staple in living room design is a conversation area, that you can create with a sofa and two chairs, a sectional and ottomans or…you name it. But if you have more space available you can add a reading nook, or maybe you have your dining table in your living room. Whatever your furniture layout is going to be, remember to define the different areas using rugs, partitions or even just the way you orient your furniture!

5. Size Matters With Living Room Decor

modern living room design decorilla

Living room decorating idea by Decorilla designer Ilaria C.

Whether we talk about furniture, rugs or art…size matters! Especially when looking for small living room decorating ideas, we often notice that people tend to choose smaller sofas, small art etc. But the risk with going small is that your living room could end up feeling smaller and more cluttered, and we don't want that!

Living_room_decor12

Instead, a bigger sofa will ground the space and make it look bigger. And a huge artwork can be enough to create a wow factor! So don't be afraid to go big!

6. Think Long Term When You Decorate Your Living Room

decorate my living room angela s

Living room decor by Decorilla designer Angela S.

Good living room furniture can be expensive and you want to choose it wisely so it can last you as long as possible. As a general rule, stick to timeless designs for the basic (and most expensive) pieces. And if you think this is going to be boring…wait until we get to point 8!

7. Other Ways To Decorate Your Living Room: Light It Up

living room lighting corine m decorilla

Living room decor by Decorilla designer Corine M.

Light can add a lot of drama and character to your living room, and the key to get it right is layering. In particular, it's always a good idea to complement your overhead lighting with floor lamps, sconces and accent lights.

Living_room_decor13

The key to success lays in spreading different sources of light around the room to add interest. And don't forget you can use light to emphasize that beautiful artwork or molding you have!

8. Decorating Your Living Room: Accessorize

moody living room decor

Living room design idea by Decorilla interior designer Hoang N.

Last but not least, decor. Accessories alone can make or break a design, and you can have fun with them! Pillows, artworks, candles etc. can give a room a totally different vibe and add life to your timeless basics! Also, they're the easiest to change! So if you tend to get tired quickly, accessories are going to be your best friends in adding a touch of new without breaking the bank…talk about living room ideas on a budget!

Feeling inspired to decorate your living, but still unsure on where to start? Then, schedule a Free Interior Design Consultation with expert living room decorators today!

[Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]