5 Worst Living Room Design Mistakes – Plus 6 Not So Good Ones
What are the 5 worst living room design mistakes that one can make? And what should I avoid when designing a living room? These are questions that people are asking on Google.
And with that, I wanted to create my own article that hopefully inspires you to create a living room design for you and avoid mistakes.
All in all, the one most important thing is that, you want to aim for a living room space with a meaningful interior design for you.
As an interior design consultant, these are the worst living room design mistakes that I was highlighting while working with clients.
Let’s jump into the article!
1. Don’t Copy The Pinterest Look
Avoid copying directly what you see on Pinterest and adding it to your own living room without asking yourself some hard questions:
- Will this interior fit my own home?
- Will this interior be functional as a layout in my home?
- What is it with this living room that I like?
- Do I need to go out and buy all new – or can I recreate?
Caroline
Focus on knowing what type of living room interior gives you inspiration. Avoid copying and pasting something that you see from someone else without understanding if that interior setting actually speaks to you and works for your life.
2. Forgetting About the Tactile Experience
Do not prioritize visual aesthetic over a tactile nice experience in the living room.
If you are for your living room imagining relaxation or being social playing some board games or seeing some TV – make sure that your fabrics when touched – gives you that feeling that you are after.
Think about, are you into softer or fresher materials? Do you prefer a mix of them?
How can you create a tactile experience that supports the mood you are after in your space?
3. Not Testing If The Layout Works For You
This might sound like an easy one, but very often when I worked as an interior consultant people came in without measurements and not knowing if the actual pieces would fit the flow in their own interior.
Test out your layout, not only drawing it – but use masking tape to actually tape it out in the room or ‘feel it’ somehow else.
There are plenty of interior measurement guides out there that you can of course read as well.
4. Adding Trendy Furniture Pieces Not Functional
While having stunning furniture pieces as art, I am not against, but make sure – if the furniture pieces are intended to be used – serves its function.
Just having something that is trendy, and that actually cannot be used, is not the best functional way especially if you are into Modern Scandinavian Interior or the Luxury Minimal Interior Design.
Credit: Alvhem
5. Forgetting To Add Cozy Vibes
Forgetting to add cozy (a la Hygge interior style) into your living room – being too focused on creating a living room to show off is a big mistake in my eyes.
Depending on how you use your living room, if it is only for guests or a space you use daily, this can of course vary.
But one mistake I have seen plenty of times is focusing on the living room space to show off to others, and not catering for those cozy movie nights or fun game nights – those nights that you crave.
Think; fluffy cushions, some nice blankets in different materials and thicknesses and possibly even some throw pillows to sit on the floor.
(Especially cozy when you have two large dogs and they do not want to share their stylish dog bed with you).
Credit: Styled by Emma Fisher and Annica Clarmell, photographed by Maria Sahlander Bjursfors via Coco lapine
Outside of these, here are another 6 bonus ideas on some of the worst living room design ideas that I would have shared with clients.
Include Armchairs Into Your Layout
Do not automatically go for a chaise lounge sofa, but test out a layout with a sofa and armchairs instead.
This type of idea works in many different design styles, example very suiting is for the Modern Mediterranean Interior Style.
A side tip is to try out to incorporate the more organic rounded furniture pieces which give the living room an organic and warm feeling.
Leave Space Between The Wall and Your Sofa
An interior designer’s pet peeve is knowing that most people always opt to push the sofa against the wall. Before even looking for other options.
Most importantly, if your space caters to it, leaving some empty room behind your sofa and the wall can make your space appear larger and more airy.
Getting Everything Out of A Showroom
While getting every living room furniture out of a showroom can be convenient – I get it, this is something I would completely avoid doing.
Not only will it lack story and meaning, but it will feel very forced and cookie cutter which removes the feeling of progress and creativity – which to me speaks a home.
With that being said, if for you, having a living room that is bought from the same showroom, gives you joy – then go for it!
This is why interior design is important – it is a way of expressing ourselves, and if this is your way of expressing yourself, then you should do what makes your space feel meaning to you 🙂
Credit: Alvhem
Too Big Size Of your TV
While the TV in a living room can for sure be the center of the room, especially if you enjoy looking at movies or shows, challenge yourself if you have the right size of the TV.
Too often your eyes will be too strained with having too big of a TV for too small of a space. There are some good guides online for this.
More Lighting Sources
The one area that is easily forgotten is making sure that the living room interior has enough lighting sources; different types at different levels of the interior.
Think about different levels of lighting from ceiling, walls, side tables etc. Also think of different brightness and moods, by having both task light for reading and mood lights for relaxation.
Not to be missed nowadays is the magic of using Smart lights like Philip Hues etc in order to be able to control the lights. And have some more moods to set.
See a good guide on different lighting for your living room from Homes & Garden here.
Design and Decor Your Living Room After The Climate You Are In
Lastly, design and decor your living room interior to reflect your exterior environment.
If you live in a warm climate most likely going to warmer sheepskins, might not be the way to go.
If you are into the Hygge Style then think about what you can add as cozy vibes that still suits your warm climate, example, bringing in more natural textures, focus on linen etc.
Credit: Alvhem
Let me know in the comments what you think are the worst living room design mistakes – advice you would give yourself or your friend 🙂
Follow along my journey to build a new home for my family over on @designstudio210.
