Common Living Room Decorating Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Besides perhaps the bathroom, the living room is arguably the most common of common areas in your home, and often people decorate this important room with that in mind. The fact that this room will be the most-visited by family and guests can end up being a lot of pressure when decorating a singular room, leading homeowners to overcrowd their spaces with their most prized stuff and sacrificing practicality and appeal in the process. Combat these four common living room decorating mistakes with our tips and tricks.

Mistake 1: Filling the room with all of your “favourite stuff”

Be it books, vacation memorabilia, photographs or home made sculpture work, you must pick and choose. The first commandment of decorating your living room, in fact the first commandment of decorating any room, is to not overcrowd. Instead, carefully select your favorites out of your favorites and give them space to shine. Keep in mind: people are more likely to appreciate what they see in a minimalist setting. And remember, nothing is set in stone. If you’re convinced that all your prized possessions simply must have the spotlight, rotate them every few weeks or months and give your room a refreshed vibe in the process.

Mistake 2: Putting furniture flush against a wall

Sure, shoving your couch into a corner technically gives you more space in the center of your room, but it’s also boring and can come off making your room looking cramped. Instead, consider “floating it.” This method, placing furniture items well away from the walls, perhaps even in a more centered area in your space, is effective because it encourages light and traffic flow in a more interesting way. Plus, floating a sofa is a great way to truncate your space, creating additional pathways for guests to maneuver, which can end up making your space feel bigger than it is.

Mistake 3: One stop shopping

We get it, you’re busy. Between work, kids and the gym, you probably don’t have time to run to ten different stores, casually browse, and only pick out the pieces that really speak to you. We get it, but we don’t approve. Try to avoid making one last minute, monster trip to IKEA and instead give yourself a long time frame to choose and buy your furniture and décor items so that you have the luxury to shop around. Not only could this end up saving you money, but you’ll end up with a living room that’s far from generic and totally you.

Mistake 4: Getting too caught up in matching

Once upon a time, matchy matchy everything was an indication of good taste, but those days are long behind us now. Today, having a room with too much matching can come off looking lazy and dated. Rooms benefit from a mixture of colors, textiles and patterns, and the right balance of variance will lend intrigue, dimension and personality to your space.