How to decorate living room:10 practical tips for beginners 

The living room is the heart of home decoration. Whether for entertaining guests or personal living, the first thing people see upon entering the house is the living room, which reflects the owner's unique aesthetic and artistic vision. The living room is one of the most important areas in home design and decoration.

If you have purchased a small apartment – ​​"small but perfectly formed" – then the living room design should match the apartment's layout, making the entire home design compact yet exquisite, better meeting your living needs. If you have a big living room,it offers more space and creative freedom, but also presents some challenges, as excessive space can make the entire living room appear empty, disjointed, or lacking a focal point. If you have any questions about living room decoration, you can find answers through EClife.  It features many renowned designers and their design philosophies, and you're sure to find a design solution that suits you.

1. Determine your renovation intentions

When you buy a house and prepare to move in, how do you plan to renovate it? Everyone wants their home to be warm and beautiful. If you are planning to rent it out, you can simply take care of basic cleaning, install basic furniture, and paint the ceilings and walls, leaving other decorations for the tenants to consider themselves; if you are living alone, then you can renovate according to your preferences and ideas, such as determining the overall renovation style, painting the ceilings and walls in your favorite colors, and then gradually adding your favorite furniture, buying some decorations and ornaments, and gradually perfecting the details, slowly transforming the bare house into the home you want. If you are buying a house as a newly married couple, you can set aside a nursery room in advance, choose bedding and furniture that suits both of your tastes, and slowly create a home that is uniquely yours.

2. Determine your preferred living room style

The style of the living room decoration must match the overall design style of the house and should not be drastically different from the design of other spaces. The design of a small living room emphasizes efficient use of space and focuses on visual effects. Therefore, when decorating a small living room, it's best to use light or warm colors and avoid dark colors or black, which can make the already small space feel even more cramped. You can choose a Mediterranean style with blue and white as the main colors, a warm style with wooden elements, or a simple and elegant style – it all depends on your preference.

3. Living room ceiling design

Ceiling designs can be chosen according to different style requirements. Common designs include flat ceilings, suspended ceilings, layered designs, and wavy ceilings. Flat ceilings are the simplest and most common design, suitable for modern and minimalist styles; layered suspended ceilings add a sense of depth to the space and are commonly found in European or modern luxury styles. Curved/wavy ceilings: The unique curved design is more artistic and suitable for grand modern or futuristic styles.

The material and color of the ceiling can affect the overall style of the living room. Different materials such as wood, gypsum board, PVC, and aluminum alloy can be used, and colors can be chosen from white, light gray, dark shades, etc. If you prefer a modern minimalist style, a white or light-colored flat ceiling is usually used, combined with simple recessed lighting. For European style, more complex suspended ceilings are commonly used, with materials such as gypsum board and metal. For a pastoral style, wood can be chosen to create a warm and natural atmosphere.

Considering the health and environmental friendliness of the home, when choosing materials, avoid the release of harmful substances such as formaldehyde. If you have children or pets, try to choose environmentally friendly and non-toxic materials!

4. Living room lighting

If you want your room to look spacious and bright, you can choose track lighting, which takes up less space and is suitable for living rooms with low ceilings or limited space, especially for modern minimalist styles or designs that require a more open feel. Track lighting provides relatively even light coverage, suitable for spaces requiring broad light distribution, avoiding uneven brightness in certain areas. Due to its simple shape, track lighting doesn't accumulate dust as easily as chandeliers and doesn't require frequent cleaning of intricate decorative parts.

If you prefer a unique decorative effect, or if your living room is large with high ceilings, a chandelier can provide a better ambiance and become a visual focal point.The final choice should consider the size of the space, style requirements, budget, and lighting function needs. If space allows, you can consider combining both, for example, using track lighting for general illumination and a chandelier for decorative purposes or to highlight specific areas.

5. Living room wall color and decorations

A versatile and foolproof color for the living room is white, which is the first choice for most families. Of course, if you want to highlight your personal style or create a specific atmosphere, the living room walls can be painted in other colors. However, for small living rooms, it's best to choose light or warm, bright shades, such as sky blue or bright yellow. If you prefer a warm industrial style, you could also paint the walls in a brick color.

6. the living room floor

Living room floors are typically made of wood or tile. If you want to create a natural and relaxing atmosphere, you can choose wooden flooring, which is also relatively comfortable underfoot and more suitable for laying carpets. However, the disadvantages are that it is prone to corrosion, not suitable for long-term use, and difficult to clean. If you prefer a modern and minimalist style, or don't want to bother with cleaning, you can opt for tile flooring.  It makes the space appear spacious and bright, and is also more durable and less prone to damage. In short, the flooring should match the overall home decoration style.

7. The TV background wall in the living room

The TV background wall in the living room is a crucial part of living room decoration, affecting not only the overall aesthetics but also the TV viewing experience. Here are some common material choices:

Latex paint is affordable, easy to apply, comes in a wide range of colors, and is easy to clean. However, it is prone to color variations and may fade over time.

Marble/stone materials offer a high-end and elegant look, are durable, waterproof, and easy to clean. However, they are more expensive, require complex installation by professionals, and are susceptible to cracking.

Wood veneer/wood is naturally warm, has a good texture, and fits well with modern and Nordic styles, while also being more environmentally friendly, aligning with current environmental protection trends. The drawbacks include the need for regular maintenance and the possibility of expansion or cracking due to changes in environmental humidity.

TV wall panels (such as aluminum alloy, PVC) are durable, stain-resistant, easy to clean, and have a simple design and easy installation. However, they may lack a high-end feel.

8. Living room curtain design

The style of the curtains should be coordinated with the overall decor of the living room. For smaller windows, a half-curtain design can add a sense of depth and is suitable for modern minimalist or Nordic styles. Choosing the right curtain rod is also important; metal or wooden curtain rods can enhance the decorative effect of the curtains. Adding accessories such as curtain rings and tassels can add a touch of detail. If you want better light-blocking effects, you can use two layers of different curtain fabrics: the outer layer can be a lightweight sheer curtain, and the inner layer a heavy blackout fabric. This ensures both privacy and light control.

9. Furniture arrangement in the living room

The arrangement of sofas, tables, and chairs is also a crucial part of living room decoration.  Their placement, orientation, and the choice of colors and materials significantly impact the first impression of the living room and the overall comfort level. If you have pets, choose durable materials that are not easily scratched; avoid leather sofas. Of course, the colors of the tables, chairs, and sofas should be coordinated, such as khaki with light beige, or brown with white. Adding a few pillows to the sofa can also enhance comfort. Furthermore, the size of the sofa should be appropriate for the size of the living room—for small living rooms (10-20 square meters), small sofas, two-seater sofas, small L-shaped sofas, or single sofas are suitable. Avoid choosing overly large or bulky sofas, as this will make the space feel more cramped.

10. Living room carpet

When choosing a living room rug, ensure that the rug is large enough to cover at least the area in front of the sofa, and that both the sofa and coffee table can be placed entirely on the rug.

Secondly, the color of the living room rug should coordinate with the colors of the walls, sofa, curtains, and other elements in the living room. If the living room has a rich color scheme, choose a light-colored or solid-colored rug to balance the visual effect; if the living room has a minimalist color scheme, choose a rug with rich patterns and vibrant colors to add vitality.

Finally, when choosing a rug, consider the ease of cleaning and maintenance. Different rug materials have different cleaning requirements, and the difficulty of daily cleaning and deep cleaning should also be considered.

When choosing a living room rug, in addition to aesthetics and style matching, you also need to consider functionality, comfort, and ease of cleaning. Choosing the right rug based on the size, style, color, and usage needs of the living room can effectively enhance the overall atmosphere and user experience of the living room.

Summary

Living room decoration is a crucial aspect of home renovation.  Its design not only influences the overall atmosphere of the home but also directly impacts the comfort and quality of life of the residents.

Choosing the right furniture, such as sofas, carpets, and curtains, as well as painting the ceilings, floors, and walls, and laying tiles, subtly enhances the home environment. This allows the living room to not only be functional but also to showcase personality and style, becoming the central space of the home.

Living Room Decoration FAQ

1.how to decorate a long wall in living room？

If there's a TV on the long wall, the TV background wall can be treated as a focal point for decoration.  Choose a wall-mounted TV and enhance its aesthetics with wall decorations, such as using built-in bookshelves or decorative shelves to separate the TV area from other parts of the wall.

To add some ambiance, you can install recessed LED strip lights or wall sconces above or below the TV background wall to create a soft lighting effect and add depth to the space. Additionally, you can install open bookshelves or display shelves on the long wall to showcase books, decorative items, photos, or artwork. With organized placement, this design is not only practical but also adds dynamism and richness to the wall.

If you need more storage space, consider installing some built-in storage cabinets. They can blend seamlessly with the wall, maintaining a clean and uncluttered look.

2.How to decorate a corner in a living room ？

Color is an effective means of highlighting key areas in a space. Contrasting or vibrant colors can be used to emphasize the central area. Using bold colors in the central area, such as bright red, deep blue, or gold, paired with lighter surrounding tones, makes it a visual focal point.

Additionally, using different wall treatments in the central area, such as stone, wood panels, wallpaper, or paintings/artistic decorations, can create a focal wall. For example, the TV wall in the living room can feature patterned wallpaper, wall panels, or a striking color. Hanging a large piece of artwork, an abstract painting, or a family photo wall in the focal area will immediately attract attention and create an artistic atmosphere in the space.

3. how to decorate a rectangular living room？

Green plants not only add vitality to the interior but also break the monotony of the space, especially suitable for rectangular spaces. Choosing some large plants such as spider plants or money trees and placing them in corners or in the center can add a sense of dynamism to the space.

Wall art and decorations: Choose wall art or decorations that suit the style of the living room, such as abstract paintings or natural landscapes. Appropriate decorative paintings not only beautify the space but also add personality.

Decorative item arrangement:  Placing some small decorative items, such as ceramics or books, can make the space more artistic.

The long layout of a rectangular living room often makes the space feel cramped, so a reasonable furniture layout is particularly important.

Zoning layout. Dividing the living room into two or more functional areas can make the space more layered. For example, one side can be set up as a relaxation area with sofas and coffee tables, while the other side can be arranged as a TV area. This avoids the monotony of the space. In addition, avoid placing all furniture against the wall: pull the sofa slightly towards the center to prevent the blank walls from looking too crowded, and at the same time make the entire space more flexible.