10 Living Room Interior Design Mistakes & How To Fix Them

Designing a living room that is beautiful, comfortable, and functional all at the same time can be quite challenging. From mounting your TV too high to overlooking the art of layering, here are the 10 most common living room design mistakes as well as my top tips and tricks on how to fix them. Pushing all of your furniture against the walls of your living room may seem like the default space-saving solution, but depending on the size and shape of your room, it is not always a good idea. You don't want your living room to look like you're parting the Red Sea. I always like to start with a sketch of the space. You can do this with pen and paper, or use software like Rayon, who is the sponsor of today's video. Rayon is a new generation of interior design software that allows you to draw floral plans quickly and accurately online. I've personally been on the lookout for an intuitive space planning tool that can be used casually and professionally, and this is the best I've used so far. The interface is really nice to work with, there's thousands of pre-made furniture blocks that you can easily drag and drop and customize on the floor plan, and my favorite part, you can easily change or customize the style of the plan to reflect your vision or existing finishes in your space. It is web-based and really easy to use, so you can spend more time planning and designing rather than navigating through clunky softwares. You can also share your plans and collaborate with friends or colleagues seamlessly through the comment and annotations feature. This makes it easy if you're a designer or architect working in a team, which you can then quickly export into a professional-looking document for your client without messing with a different software. This alone makes the workflow really efficient. Another neat feature is the ability to convert existing PDF or image files into an editable floor plan, which saves a tremendous amount of time. Of course, you can also import and export DWG and DXF if you use CAD softwares. And best of all, anyone can sign up to Rayon for free using the link in the description. Before I lay out the room, I always think about the desired use of the room, what function it needs to fulfill, as well as a focal point like a fireplace, window with a beautiful view, built-in shelves, or you can even make one like gallery wall or sideboard with beautiful arrangements. Start with a big piece like a sofa, and then group the supporting piece like armchairs and coffee table to create an intimate seating area. The last thing you want is for everyone to be shouting across the room. If you're unsure about the best way to arrange your living room, you should check out my video on how to arrange your big or small living room, as I go much more in-depth into the topic there. Another common layout mistake is overlooking traffic flow. Pay attention to the natural paths you take to move from one side of the room to the other, and also paths to access doors. Allow roughly 36 inches for major walkways, or 24 inches if you're in a smaller room. Arrange your furniture to avoid obstacles, both physical barriers like furniture pieces, as well as the width of walkways. It is not comfortable having to shimmy past objects when you move around. This is obvious, but it's important to be mindful of blocking doors. Take into account the swing of the door so there's no furniture blocking it. Mounting your TV too high is one of the most common mistakes that significantly impacts the overall comfort and aesthetics of your living room. Besides forcing viewers to their necks while looking upwards to watch TV, placing them way above eye level can disrupt a room's visual harmony, as it draws attention away from other design elements, which makes it difficult to create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere. Now, I totally understand that some of us are forced to do this due to the way the fireplace is positioned in the room. My suggestion is to either get a bracket, like a mantel mount, which allows you to pull the TV down, or something like a frame TV that blends in with the overall aesthetics if you don't watch TV as much. If watching TV in the living room is important, try to find a solution so your TV is at eye level when seated. Having a TV that floats way above the unit not only looks ridiculous, but will also lead to neck and back pain. You may be wondering what to do if you have a fireplace. If you have enough wall space, I'd suggest positioning your TV on the wall perpendicular to your fireplace. Otherwise, having it on the same wall but to the side can also do the trick. In a bigger living room, you can also have them opposite each other and zone the space accordingly. This will not only enhance the overall aesthetics of the living room, but also make for a more ergonomic and relaxing environment. Similarly with artworks, anything that is too high is going to look completely off. The general rule is to hang them at eye level, which is roughly 57 to 60 inches from the center of the artwork to the floor. This is a standard used by most museums worldwide, but you can always adjust them accordingly if your household is way under or above average height. When placed above a piece of furniture, they should be roughly 6 to 10 inches above the piece so they are connected and not floating on their own. Again, this is a general rule and you can have them higher depending on certain factors like ceiling height. Scale refers to the overall size of an object or space. While proportion is the relative size and balance of individual components in relation to one another. Many people often make the mistake of purchasing furniture that is either too small or too large, creating a disproportionate space. Oversized furniture in a small living room can create a cramped and claustrophobic feel, while undersized items may make the space appear awkward and sparse. Achieving the right balance is crucial so that every element complements one another, making for a cohesive room. I always like to follow the golden ratio or two-third rule to make sure the spaces I design are proportionate and aesthetically pleasing. The golden ratio, denoted by phi, is a mathematical proportion that is considered to be inherently pleasing to the eye and is observed in natural phenomena like the swirls of fossils and unfurling of rose petals. The ratio 1 to 1.618 is quite complicated for everyday use, so it's been simplified to the In the living room, when you think about how large your sofa should be, think about two-thirds the width of the wall behind it. When you're looking for a coffee table, find one that is roughly two-thirds the width of your sofa. For an L-shaped sofa, that is two-third the horizontal portion. An artwork hung above the sofa should be about two-thirds the width of your sofa. A gallery wall or group of art is considered to be one. Similarly, your TV should be about two-thirds up to 80% the width of the piece of furniture anchoring it. I've seen too many TVs that are bigger than the unit under it, and it just looks completely off-balance. This is just a rule of thumb to get you started, but remember that it doesn't always have to be followed to the T. At the end of the day, the success of a space comes down to its lighting. It doesn't matter how well-decorated the living room is. If the lighting isn't right, it will look dingy and uninviting. I find this happens the most when people rely only on a single overhead light source. Instead, you need a combination of ambient, tusk, and accent lighting. This may seem confusing, but if you break it down, it simply means having a combination of ceiling, table, and floor lights, and where possible, a few decorative lights that illuminate things like architectural details or artworks. The goal is to mix different light sources at various different places in the room and at various different heights. Also pay attention to direct and diffuse light. In general, light sources that are diffused will reduce harsh shadows. This has a similar effect to a cloud going in front of the sun. When choosing a lamp or light, think about the function first and foremost. A lamp with a directed beam is best for a reading look, but a standard lamp with a shade is better if you want to illuminate a dark corner. My general rule is to have the majority of my lighting as diffuse and indirect light, with direct light sources for functional purposes such as reading or writing. While in the topic of light, you should also consider the temperature of the light bulbs that you currently have. I personally recommend anywhere between 2700 to 4000 Kelvin for the living room, although I personally prefer it warmer to wind down at night. Where possible, consider smart bulbs as it allows the flexibility to adjust temperature, or dimmers so you can have the perfect lighting intensity at all times of the day. If you want to learn more about how to properly light your home, I would highly suggest checking out my full video on how to light a space. Matching furniture sets may seem convenient, but they make your living room look like a showroom that lacks personality. Instead, mix and match new and vintage pieces, furniture of different styles, experiment with interesting shapes and colors, and inject personal touches like books and photos for a more inviting space. This approach not only breaks away from the cookie-cutter feel, but also creates a more unique and welcoming environment which resonates with your personal style and experiences. If you're unsure where to shop outside of the big retailers, then be sure to check out our mega shopping list, where we've compiled over 300 stores, many of which are places where top designers around the world source for their own projects. When it comes to mixing furniture pieces, the key is to look for common threads like material, style, or even color. A contemporary dining table mixed with vintage chairs is likely to go together if they're made of the same kind of wood. Objects of the same color or pattern can somewhat tie a room together despite being different material or style. Repetition is very important, so things look intentional and are not isolated. But at the same time, you want variety and contrast so your space doesn't feel flat and boring. One tip here is to not rush the process. Outside of the essentials like a bed, you don't really need to buy or have everything all at once. Take the time to source pieces that you actually like or will be useful to you, not something just to fill in the space. Have you ever stepped into a living room that is fully furnished yet still feel flat and quite lackluster? Oftentimes, it is due to not layering, which results in the lack of contrast and overall interest. Instead, you need to introduce different textures and materials, shapes, tones, and scales for depth and richness. The explosion of flat pack furniture does contribute heavily to this, as many rooms are filled with only square or angular furniture, and all the elements in the rooms are either MDF, polyester, or plastic, making things look flat and boring. Think about how you can contrast various elements like hard and soft, straight and curved, angular and rounded, dark and matte and glossy, large and small, opaque and see-through, and warm and cold. For example, you often see designers place a rough terracotta vase on a smooth marble countertop. You can also create a layered feeling through bringing together furniture and objects from two different styles to create a sense of juxtaposition. For example, you could put antique chairs alongside a contemporary dining table. Similarly, you can create a layered look through color. Contrast between dark and colors is one of the most noticeable forms of contrast, and it adds a lot of visual interest to a space. This is one of the reasons why indoor plants are very popular in the design world. They have an organic shape, add a variation of color, they bring the nature in, which is always a nice bonus, and they add texture. It takes all the boxes and is often very affordable. Remember to also pay attention to height. If all your pieces are of the same low height, you will look off as they are very bottom-heavy. Tall lamps and plants, artwork, sconces, and curtains are easy fixes to add some height. If you're having trouble with this, I've written the 9 secrets to a beautiful home and a decorating checklist which you can access for free in the description below. Tick the boxes as you're decorating to help improve the look and feel of your home. Tailoring your living room designed to fit your lifestyle ensures that the space is not only beautiful, but also truly functional and enjoyable for your daily life. It is no secret that furniture is really expensive, so before you go buy anything, evaluate your lifestyle and needs. Ask yourself some of these questions. How will I use this furniture? Does my furniture need to be kid or pet friendly? Which materials will complement the overall aesthetics of my room? Do I need more storage, and will this piece impede traffic flow in the space? Doing this ensures that your purchases will not only align with your current preferences, but also stand the test of time, and more importantly, budget. Everyone values items differently. Some people splurge for an armchair, others splurge for a desk. Not every piece in your home needs to be expensive or show-stopping. This leads on well to my next point, that you shouldn't prioritize looks over comfort. A white sofa may look spectacular, but you may be too scared to sit on it in fear of getting it dirty, or you may have small children that will get their grubby little hands all over it. Ottomans may be great to use as additional seating on rare occasions, but they're not comfortable to use every day or have as your only seating option. Leather couches may look luxurious, but if you live in a very hot or humid climate, you'll have to peel yourself off the sofa as they get so sticky. Bubble sofas may look very cool and sculptural, but they're not that easy to sit down in or get out of. If you take anything from this video, it is to not choose a piece of furniture purely because you like its appearance. It also has to work with your lifestyle and it has to be comfortable for you. The only exception to this are pieces that are purely there for aesthetic reasons. Besides sofas, rugs are one of the largest elements of a living room, so you want to get it right from the get-go. The most common mistake is getting an avia rug that is too small for the space. This usually happens because people want to save a bit of money, so they buy a slightly smaller rug. Unfortunately, the payoff never adds up as rugs that are too small instantly make living rooms look unbalanced and disproportionate. When it comes to rugs, you want to get something that is at a minimum big enough to place the two front legs of your sofa and armchairs on, or fit all four legs of your sofa and armchair. As for width, get something that is at least 6 inches wider than your sofa on both sides. If you have made the mistakes of buying a rug that is too small, but you love the design, there's one way that you can rectify this, by layering your rugs. Place a larger plain rug like jute beneath the smaller one. You can rectify the size discrepancy and still enjoy the desired aesthetic. It does not matter how beautiful your living room is if it is full of clutter. Clutter is the number one enemy of a well-decorated space. One tip I found from storage expert Lu Wei, the author of the Chinese book Making Your Small Home Feel Bigger, is the 2-8 principle. It is the idea that visual noise of a home can be minimized by putting away 80% of your things in closed storage, and only leaving 20% on view. Sure, it may be a bit of a stretch for some people, especially if you have kids, but the main idea is to have a well-designed, easy-to-reach storage. When it comes to adding more storage to your living room, there are loads of options. I've always liked the idea of using long units, whether that's a DIY setup with IKEA modular like the Vesta or Plaza units, or if it's a custom joinery piece made to fit your space. They're multitasking champions, perfect for storage, acting as a sideboard for coffee and drinks, or doubling up as a comfy bench. The possibilities are pretty much endless. If you live in a smaller space, think vertically rather than horizontally. This will not only make your space feel taller, but will also maximize your storage space. Also think about how you can put void space to work. Do you have space under your sofa? You could use that as a spot for a roll-out container. You could even invest in a storage sofa that have cushions that lift up to rebuild storage space. By avoiding these common living room design mistakes, you can create a space that reflects your style, enhances comfort, and fosters meaningful connections. If you enjoyed this video, be sure to check out my video on living room layouts and how to elevate your living room. Otherwise, thanks for watching, and I'll see you in the next one.