As one of the most-used spaces in your home, your living room needs to not only look gorgeous, but it should also be comfortable, highly functional, and super-organised. And whether your home is compact or spacious, traditional or modern, you’ll need to make your living room a standout, swoon-worthy space. After all, its the room that gives the first impression of your home to your guests—and as they say, you’ll never get a second chance to make a first impression!
A tall order indeed, and as such, decorating your living room poses quite a challenge. Here’s our curated collection of living room setup ideas, designs and tips to give you some décor inspo!
No matter what your decorating style is, an accent wall is always a great idea in any living room. Choose one wall that can be your central point of interest, and give it some extra attention. You could choose to paint it a unique colour, as this home owner has done, or play around with textures, murals or geometrics. Whatever takes your fancy!
A gallery wall is another great way to grab eyeballs and enhance the look of a too-bare wall. Bring out your collection of vintage posters, crazy art, collage craftwork or much-loved prints. Mix and match them on one entire wall and don’t be afraid to go over-the-top with colours and styles.
For a really special touch, consider decorating the ceiling—your fifth wall! Whether it’s a fancy dropped POP slab, rustic wooden beams, wallpaper on the ceiling or a coffered slab arrangement, make sure that your ceiling draws as much attention as the walls.
Indoor plants are one of the easiest and quickest ways to enhance the look of any space. Go green with large Monstera ferns, pretty potted palms or lush hanging creepers in every nook and corner of your living room setup. You could even consider installing a vertical garden all along one wall, for a totally unique look.
Sustainability is trending these days, and for all the right reasons! You could choose to follow the eco-friendly route and incorporate rattan, wicker and jute in your living room. Look for anything that’s raw and edgy, and retains its natural look and sheen. This lovely living room gets it just right, with lovely rattan lamps, cane and bamboo pouffes and seating, and a medley of organic handloom cushions.
No living room setup is ever complete without some eye-catching carpets and statement rugs. Opt for something that’s not run-of-the-bill, and adds a lot of texture, colour of pattern to the room. We know a lot of designers who actually start with the floor coverings, and build up the colours and designs in the room based on the rugs!
If you’re thinking that you’ll have to choose a décor theme or colour palette and stick to it all the way, then think again. An eclectic theme is one that is all about experimentation and freedom, and allows you to mix and match furniture and furnishings from different periods, styles and cultures. Connect them all together with an underlying thread that creates harmony—it could be the colours, perhaps, or the fabrics in the room that work to create cohesion.
The industrial, minimalistic look is in. If you’d like to try it, then exposed concrete walls and ceilings and bare, stripped-down floors and windows should be your décor elements of choice. In this living room setup, the pairing of seemingly unfinished elements with the polished leather sofas creates a lovely contrast.
It’s amazing how, sometimes, just a single large piece of art can make such a stunning statement in the room. To complete your living room setup, choose a large, dramatic black and white print, or an original painting by a painter who is as yet unknown, but whose work captures your heart. Larger-than-life art can be all it takes to elevate your living room décor to the next level.
Living room couches must never be anything but comfy! Pile on the hygge element with a bunch of fleecy soft cushions in different styles and sizes. We love the way this homeowner has picked out variously textured cushions to go with the colours from the painting on the wall.
Playing around with textures can create the most interesting visuals. In this striking living room setup, velvet upholstery in deep jewelled tones on the seating creates a stunning impact. To create contrast, one of the sofas is done up in a modern chevron print in black and white; a very special touch that adds intrigue and interest.
There’s no doubt about it —working to create the perfect living room setup is always exciting! Putting together colours that you love, choosing furniture and furnishings that combine beauty with functionality, and investing in artwork that blends it all together is a lovely experience—but also one that requires a lot of care and thought.
Loving it, or finding it overwhelming? You know that the HomeLane experts are always at hand to help you with your living room designs! We’re just a call away, so let’s catch up over a cup of chai and work toward creating the home décor of your dreams.
No two living rooms are the same, and it’s never possible to create a cookie cutter design for a living room. Your living room must be uniquely you, and it should speak to your personality and your lifestyle.
Here are the steps to follow to create the perfect living room setup!
Whether you’re upgrading an existing room or doing up a brand-new house, the first step is always to start with a clean slate. Take measurements of the room to the nearest centimetre (or inch, if you’re more comfortable with that measure). Mark the positions of doors and windows.
Next, measure the furniture you will be putting into the room. Sketch out a plan and see how well the furniture fits. Use a rough-and-ready scale, with approximate sizing. There are plenty of online planning resources that are well suited for use by novices.
Keeping practicality in mind, map out the main areas in the room by function. These could be conversation areas, TV viewing area, and a reading nook.
Figure out the main traffic flow in the room, and leave at least a 3 foot clear walking path between doors that are entry points and exits.
Position the larger pieces of furniture first, and then add on the smaller elements in the room. Make sure that your room is not cluttered too much. Empty space is very important as it draws attention to the main elements that you want everyone to focus on.
Once you’ve positioned the main pieces of furniture, you can figure out where storage units, bookshelves, side tables, and accessories will go.
Make sure that all the elements in the room are well balanced, and there is a cohesive flow of form and function within the room.
EXPLORE MORE
EXPLORE MORE
Meet a designer online
By submitting this form, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of use
