Avoid These 9 Common Living Room Mistakes
Oh boy, we’ve got some hot takes today! The living room is probably the most used room in any house. Actually the kitchen might take the cake, but the living room is a close second. And because it’s one of the most used rooms in your home, it shouldn’t just be thrown together haphazardly. It should work hard for you and should reflect how you and your family lives, your hobbies and your personalities.
For instance, our living room has a deep couch because we’re so tall, a coffee table that’s not too precious because we are a put-your-feet-up family, a leather reading chair for David, plenty of lamps because I want to feel cozy and warm, and lots of bookshelves for our hundreds of books. Plus, the fabrics reflect the type of clothes we often wear: cotton, linen, denim. I was intentional in the layout so it feels open to the dining room and kitchen. The textiles I chose are all durable and washable since we are admittedly pretty hard on our furniture. All of these things add up to a space that feels like us.
Your living room should be a reflection of you. But with that being said, there are a few hard-and-fast mistakes that you should avoid no matter what. These aren’t meant to belittle you or make you feel guilty. It’s just information! They’re often easy to make and easy to fix.
Furniture is pushed against all the walls
Probably the most common mistake I see! And this isn’t to say that you should never push your furniture against the walls, but it often isn’t the best choice for the space. It takes a little effort, but think outside the box! Furniture that’s arranged closer together will feel cozier and more conversational. First, think about floating your furniture together over a rug. A large area rug will provide an important anchor for the space and helps the layout feel intentional. In our living room I did exactly that: our couch is centered in the room with a console table behind it, all on top of a large area rug. This was the best choice for our living room because we have a very open-concept living space, along with lots of windows, a fireplace and built-ins. This meant that it was almost necessary to arrange the furniture in the middle of the room.
Not enough drink surfaces
It’s important to think about how you will live in the space. If you’re often putting your coffee on the floor, or you notice your guests looking around for a place to set their wine glass, you probably are making this mistake. My rule of thumb? Every seat should have 1-2 flat surfaces within arm’s reach to set a beverage.
No ambience lighting
Chris Loves Julia invented the phrase “lamp o’clock”, which is the time of day when all the overhead lights get turned off and you turn on all your lamps and ambience lighting. I have since adopted it as my favorite time of day. It’s just so cozy! I prefer 2-3 light sources in each room. This means another couple light sources, in addition to the overhead lighting. Vary the type of lighting for a collected and cozy feel. Think: standing lamps, table lamps, sconces, and picture lights.
Rug is too small
Or no area rug at all. I consider an 8x10’ rug to be the bare minimum size you should purchase for a living room. You might even need a 9x12 or 10x14. Your furniture should have at least two legs, or even all four legs, on the area rug. A 5x8 or 6x9 rug sounds like a reasonable size, but your rooms are often significantly bigger than you realize. And look, I totally get the appeal: these size rugs are significantly cheaper. However, they instantly cheapen your living room and make it feel choppy. If you have a small rug that you love, try layering it on top of a large jute rug, which are very reasonably priced.
Matching furniture sets
Do you remember that scene in Schitt’s Creek where Alexis compliments Ted on his living room, and Ted responds that he bought it all off of the furniture showroom floor? Yeah, not the move, Ted. The goal should be a layered, interesting look when designing a living room. When your sofa, loveseat and armchairs all have the same fabric and silhouette, your living room will feel super boring. Vary the materials, shape and style of your furniture, and I promise you’ll love the result!
Scale is off
Scale is, in my opinion, the single most important factor in a well-designed space. I often see super huge furniture crammed into a tiny room, or conversely small IKEA furniture in a space with soaring ceilings. Our last house had 16 foot ceilings, and even average-sized furniture seemed tiny in a space with so much volume. I chose very large light fixtures and furniture to fill the space. But when we moved into this house, we had a different dilemma. This house has standard 9-foot ceilings, which meant that the scale of everything else needed to feel proportional.
Layouts that aren’t functional
This is along the lines as #1, but layout is so important. How do you enter the space? Make sure there is space to enter the seating area without too much trouble. Also consider how much space you have between furniture. You shouldn’t have to turn sideways to walk between your coffee table and sofa.
Art that is generic, too small, or hung too high
Guys, I have big thoughts on art. I talked a bit about it in this article about 5 of my favorite millennial artists. Like I said there, please please please stop buying art at Target or HomeGoods. Find artists you love and save up to buy an original piece. Or artists often sell prints on their website or on Etsy, which can be a great budget option. Also, be wary of art that is too small for a space. This can be a great opportunity to gather a few pieces or objects and create a gallery wall. PS: be sure you aren’t hanging your art too high. The center of the piece should be about 55-60 inches off the ground, or 4-6 inches above a piece of furniture.
Not mixing styles
This is a balancing act for sure. You don’t want so many different styles in a space that it looks hodge-podge and poorly executed. But you also don’t want so much of one style that it feels theme-y or boring. Maybe pick two styles you love and have that be the story throughout the space. Mix new, modern pieces with some vintage finds. I like to have at least one antique or vintage piece in each room. It helps your room feel like it’s been designed over time, rather than feeling flat and like it was all purchased at once.