53 Best Living Room Ideas

Update an unattractive, outdated light fixture with a few coats of paint, round bulbs and pom-pom fringe for a whimsical touch. Strong colors overhead pull together the room’s eclectic vibe.

Refresh your storage by taking the jackets off old books (load up at yard sales) to expose the stitching or covering your collection with coordinating papers.

For a laid-back look on your mantel, rest a sturdy style against the wall – no hammering required.

SHOP MIRRORS

Fill any underused nook or corner with a big, ol’ houseplant and it can instantly become the personality-packed focal point of the room. Tuck the pot in a cute basket for an extra punch.

SHOP PLANTS

Update an old-school brick fireplace (or wood paneling) with a coat of cream paint like this sunny home. Take that, ’70s-era decor.

Mix metallic accents (we see you, adorable end table) with traditional wood pieces for added depth to your living room decor.

SHOP COPPER TABLES

It’s not as much about where you put your furniture as it is about the types of pieces you choose. “In each room I design, I try to include at least one round piece, such as a coffee table, that people can walk around without bumping their knees,” says interior designer Katie Rosenfeld. “I also add a few armchairs and a versatile piece like a garden stool that can be used as a stool to sit on or as a table for a drink.”

SHOP ROUND TABLES

Don’t let your primetime viewing habits impede your style. “Go for a slim TV (mine is a Samsung), and use a thin mount that lets it sit flat against the wall,” says lifestyle blogger Carley Knobloch. “Then have the wires threaded through the wall so it looks uncluttered.”

Setting up a booze station on your bar cart is a no brainer — but using it as an end table (especially when space is limited) to display blooms, art and coffee table books is just genius.

SHOP BAR CARTS

Short pieces, like this tufted couch, keep an open floor plan cozy. Use area rugs to define individual “rooms” within the space.

Your style may be posh, your furniture can still be cozy. Plush sofas and armchairs rule the roost in Ellen Pompeo’s L.A. home. “It’s fancy in a cool way, not in an ‘I can’t sit there’ way,” she says.

Save square footage without sacrificing seating by using dining chairs in the living room. A rattan-and-cane perch takes up less real estate than a traditional recliner.

Yep, white furniture can work in a house with kids. Just choose durable fabrics (a leather couch) and surfaces (the plastic rocker, the lacquer table) that wipe clean easily.

SHOP ROCKING CHAIRS

The key to subtle color lays at your feet. A patterned carpet plays up the neutral furniture in a New Jersey home, while a similarly-hued pillow adds another punch to the armchair.

SHOP BOHO RUGS

Makeover a room by rethinking the pieces you already have. Use up leftover wall paint on the frame of an old chair or refresh curtains and pillows by sewing fancy trim along the edge.

SHOP POM-POM CURTAINS

The quickest way to let light in starts at the source. Replace heavy fabric curtains with gauzy ones, making sure the panels go all the way to the floor. To accentuate a tall ceiling, mount the drapes about a foot above windows and doors.

Change up tired decor with this quick DIY. Add old wood planks to a coffee table as a bonus shelf. And skip painting — the weathered finish has more character.

SHOP FARMHOUSE COFFEE TABLES

Look to the opposite end of the color spectrum to tie everything together. A moody blue grounds a windowed living room by Sarah Richardson without overwhelming it.

Don’t forget to punctuate color with natural texture. Sarah Richardson used wicker baskets, a wood-frame mirror, and an antique pine dresser to warm up this rustic cabin.

SHOP WICKER TABLES

Measuring just 250 square feet, a tiny guesthouse copies a staple of Scandinavian style. Bright white shiplap creates the illusion of added space.

HGTV host Emily Henderson uses a “hero color” throughout every room to pull it all together. In her Los Angeles home, blue with gray and olive accents creates a casual, layered look.