There’s a secret about living rooms that many people don’t know: beyond comfort, the living room sets the tone for the rest of the home; so, when something feels off, you’re probably feeling the same in other spaces.
Many of our clients want their homes to look complete, like a model home or a stunning design from a magazine. While furniture and paint colors play a big role, it's often the little details that truly bring a space to life. In this blog post, I spill all the secrets to making your home stunning and transforming it into a space that speaks to your lifestyle.
Before jumping into the content, make sure to download our complimentary guide:
Avoid These 7 Common Interior Design Mistakes To Instantly Elevate Your Home, where you’ll learn the seven most common mistakes we’ve seen after working in clients’ homes for years.
Why Your Living Room Feels Off—And How to Make It Look Finished
A well-designed living room increases the overall aesthetic and mood of your home.It makes it feel inviting and cohesive, and it’s the perfect space where function meets beauty: you get seating, entertainment, and sometimes storage solutions to keep everything organized.
Since the living room is often the first space guests see, it plays a major role in creating a warm and welcoming mood. But sometimes, many people feel their rooms feel incomplete, unfinished, or just bland. In our experience, three things are missing:
- Window treatments
- Art
- Accessories
Let’s explore each one in more detail.
1. Window Treatments
Many homes we walk into have blinds or plantation shutters for privacy and light control—and while those are great for function, they don’t always give a room that designer feel. The best way to elevate your space? Drapery panels or Roman shades.
Even if you keep your blinds, adding fabric window treatments softens the room and adds a layer of warmth. A simple set of side panels can instantly make a space feel more refined and intentional.
For our Refined Casual Living Project, our clients wanted their living room to be a place for family gatherings and relaxation. So, we added custom treatments for some texture and made their place more inviting.
How awesome is that blue detail for an extra touch of personality? I really love how this room turned out! To see the amazing before-and-after,
read more in our blog post here.
2. Art
Bare walls are one of the biggest reasons a living room is incomplete. Most people are afraid to hang art because they don't want to get it wrong. They can be indecisive regarding art, so they end up not doing anything and then wonder why their space doesn't feel finished.
We also see a lot of art hanging on the walls is either too small for the space or hung incorrectly, usually too high. When we select art for a client, it's an intentional decision. We want the client to like it, and it must fit the space, whether over a console table, sofa, bed, or anywhere else in the home. It has to relate to the room's colors, style, or vibe.
In our Modern Coastal Abode Project, we selected a piece of art to marry the living and dining space and remind my clients of their favorite vacation spot. The colors in this artwork transmit the peace and calmness of the ocean.
What do you think about this designer’s trick? Comment below!
3. Accessories
Every living room needs a few accessories. My philosophy is that less is more, which also means bigger is better in this case. Accessories are the cherry on top. They finish the room just like a pair of earrings finishes an outfit.
Some of my favorite accessories to style a room are:
- Plants or flowers: real or faux, every room needs them.
- Books: Stack them on shelves for an aesthetically pleasing look.
- Boxes and baskets are perfect for storage and keeping clutter out of sight.
- Candle holders and sculptural pieces add height and interest to surfaces.
- Pillows and lamps are perfect to layer in color, texture, and warmth.
In our More Fun Than Fancy Project, we created a focal point for the living room by adding custom shelving, which we filled with elevated decor to make it feel balanced.
We mixed textures and colors to reflect my client’s wants and lifestyle to create a modern and functional look! We included several of our client's personal belongings as well.
If you want to get all the details of this project makeover,
read it here! You won’t believe the before.
Ultimately, a well-designed living room is about the details. Try these three elements to make your space feel finished and truly yours, and you will be amazed at the transformation.
If you need help elevating your living room and adding unique touches, reach out to us today so we can help you transform your space into a magazine-like room!
Comment below with any questions you have and pin this article for later.
What’s your design style?
Find out what kind of interior design best suits your inner self. From Transitional to Modern, it's time to make your home a place you’ll love!
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I work with busy families to create beautiful and functional spaces by providing local design services in the Charlotte/Waxhaw area and beyond through online design.
What’s your design style?
Find out what kind of interior design best suits your inner self. From Transitional to Modern, it's time to make your home a place you’ll love!
You can opt-out at any time. Please note we do not share your information with anyone.
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