How to Make Your Living Room Look Like a Million Bucks

The living room may be the most essential part of your home. It’s where you watch tv, host game nights, eat late dinners, read good books, and much more. It’s where life happens, which is why your living room needs to invite you to connect with others AND to relax well. While functionality is essential to living rooms, aesthetic qualities allow for a deeper appreciation and utilization, so today, we will look at how to make your living room look and feel like a million bucks.

Plan Your Layout Well

If everyone would plan the layout of their living room first, I’m convinced most living rooms would be immediately elevated. A good design is essential to a living room because large furniture makes poor layouts extra obvious. If you’re frustrated with your living room, first look at your space and how you want it to function, then move some of your furniture around to fit the room’s purpose. If your living room is a place to watch tv, plan a layout that accounts for that, but if this is a place to connect with people, ensure your seating is facing each other. Make a plan, but be flexible, and always keep the room's primary purpose in mind.

Embrace Mixing Furniture 

Maybe you’ve been influenced by the idea that a beautiful living room must include a matching furniture set, but I’m here to tell you this is not the case. This is excellent news for the large group of people who want a beautiful living room but don’t want to buy a furniture set! While you should aim to have all your furniture follow the same design style, mixing furniture is perfectly acceptable and enjoyable. Use accent chairs to add color or dimension to the room, and mix side and coffee tables to create an aesthetically pleasing contrast. 

Use Throw Pillows

Here’s the deal: throw pillows are very rarely a bad idea. They are a great way to introduce colors and textures into a room with little money. Yes, good inserts can add up initially, but once you have them, they’ll last for years with little issues. Throw pillows are a great way to brighten up your room while adding a touch of coziness to it as well. Plus, if you get bored with your living room colors, switching the throw pillow covers will be a cheap way to introduce a new color palette to your room. (Hint: Order a pillow cover one size down from the insert size to achieve a fluffy and filled look!)

Style Your Coffee Table

If you have a coffee table, then you need to use it. And if you don’t have one, I highly recommend adding one to your space (if your layout can accommodate it). A coffee table is the perfect place to combine functionality and beauty in your living room because you can play board games and place drinks on it, but you can also add a few pieces to incorporate it into your room’s design. Use a tray to add dimension to your coffee table and contain the decorations that need to be moved occasionally. Consider adding a plant or some flowers, a few books, or a candle to make your living room feel like a place to relax and enjoy. 

Artwork, Artwork, Artwork!

We’ve already talked about the importance of artwork in the dining room, but it’s just as important in the living room. The living room can be a great place to hang sentimental photos, but it can look tacky and outdated if not done well. I recommend mixing artwork and pictures and creating a collage wall. Using the right frames and artwork that compliments the colors in your photos well, you’ll make an elevated focal point with sentimental value. Just like in my last blog, I recommend thrifting or creating your own art pieces, following the living room's color palette, to save some money. 

Get Some Houseplants

There’s no better way to add life to your living room than to integrate some houseplants. If you already have a couple around the house, consider adding some to a corner shelving unit or a bookshelf in your living room. Even putting a plant on your coffee table can go a long way to making the whole room feel more homey. If you’re new to plant parenting, try a succulent or pothos. And, of course, if you have furry friends in your house, make sure the plants are either non-toxic for animals or out of the animal’s reach.

Bonus Tip: Thrift, Sand, and Paint

If you’ve decided you need new furniture but don’t want to spend a fortune, thrifting furniture and giving it some TLC is a great solution. Hunt through thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, estate sales, and yard sales to find furniture that matches the style of the room. Then, sand and paint or stain. It may be harder to thrift a couch you love, but wooden pieces are often readily available. This tip requires significant time and work, but I think you’ll be surprised how easy it is to bring your vision to life.

Conclusion

While some may argue the kitchen is the heart of the home, I can almost guarantee the living room gets more attention. You don’t have to do much to make a living space beautiful, but it takes some planning and intentionality. Seeing your vision come to life will be rewarding, so rearrange some furniture or update your artwork and photos soon!