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Why Do You Need Living Room Decor Ideas?

Guests may not see your bedroom when you invite them over, but they’ll likely see and spend time in your living room. You want your guests to enjoy their time while at your home, and creating an ambient space to gather in can ensure you start out on the right foot when hosting others. 

Also, with more and more people starting remote jobs, the bedroom may not be the best place for relaxing any more. If you work from a desk in your bedroom, by the time 5 o’clock rolls around, you’ll want to escape the confines of the room that has now become your bedroom/home office. Creating an ambient living room gives you a welcome reprieve from reminders of your job. 

What is “Ambiance?”

Ambiance is a special word that represents the mood and feelings that arise when in a space—you can think of ambiance as a “vibe” you get when in a room. You can control this vibe in any way that you want in order to create an ambient atmosphere that appeals to you. Ambiance varies from person to person and culture to culture. 

For instance, in Nordic countries, simplicity and functionality is at the core of the design of decorated rooms. Minimalistic colors and natural materials create a “hygge” feeling to the room. In contrast, warm, welcoming atmospheres in African countries are created through decorating ideas that implement bright colors, bold patterns, and other more maximalist styles.

Living Room Ideas For Room Ambiance

The ambiance you create will be unique to you, but overall, you can use the following tips to help guide your living room decor ideas and make a space that you feel comfortable lounging in. 

Pay Attention to Lighting

Lighting can make or break a room. Think about how you feel in a supermarket filled with stark, fluorescent overhead lights versus how you feel when in a spa lit with lanterns and candles. Lighting can influence your stress levels and how you’re able to relax in a space. Ditch overhead lighting and turn to something softer, like lamps and candles. This can also be an opportunity to showcase your personal taste. You can select lamps that fit your style, while also adding a personalized touch to the room. 

You can also consider having different colored lights. Orange lights can mimic a sunset, creating a feeling of relaxation and clarity. Meanwhile, red can ignite feelings of passion and creativity within yourself. The type of lighting in a living room is often an overlooked feature, but can be a key part in creating an ambient atmosphere that also matches your vibe. 

Our Favorites:

Image: Amazon

Glass Cordless Lamp

MJ Premier

Perfect for those areas where you don’t want an unsightly cord ruining the aesthetic.

Image: Target

Mushroom Accent Table Lamp

Nourison

Why not add a touch of mid-century modern to your living room table or bookcase?

Image: Amazon

Dimmable Industrial Floor Lamp

Torondo

An elevated option for a dimly lit room.

Image: Amazon

Hunts Floor Lamp

Martha Stewart

There’s just something about a gold and black combo that we absolutely love.

Curate Your Furniture

Furniture is often the focal point of any living room. Since it takes up a large bit of real estate, it’s important to select the pieces that you want wisely. Your furniture selection can make or break your room—after all, this is where you’ll be spending your time—so you’ll want to match your furniture choices to the ambient vibe you want in your living room. If you’re looking for a relaxed and cozy feeling, focus on comfort. Buy excess throw pillows and blankets, test out a new couch for comfort level, and focus on perfecting this aspect of ambiance. 

Conversely, if you’re going for a more Nordic aesthetic of clean lines, simplicity, and minimalism, comfort may not play a huge roll. In this case, pick more functional furniture pieces made of natural materials and sleek composition. The overall moral is this: buy furniture consciously and slowly to make the space into what you envision.

Our Favorites:

Image: Amazon

Mid-Century Tufted Low Back Sofa

Acanva

This might just be the perfect couch for when you just want to watch endless episodes of your favorite TV show.

Image: Amazon

Velvet Futon Sofa

Antetek

Sleek and versatile, this couch folds out for when you have guests stay. Perfect for a small apartment or studio.

Image: West Elm

Harmony Sofa

West Elm

This might be a splurge, but this might also be a couch you’ll never want to get off of.

Image: West Elm

Newport Chaise Sectional

West Elm

If you are looking for the perfect combination of comfortable and elegant, this gets our vote!

Incorporate Natural Elements

Bring the outdoors inside by incorporating elements of nature throughout your living room design. This is a crucial aspect of feng shui, a practice meant to help you create harmony and ambiance within a space. You can do this by adding natural wood furniture to your home, a tiny water fountain, flowers, plants, and other pieces of nature that function well inside. These elements can bring harmony and balance into your living room, thus promoting a more peaceful space. 

Our Favorites:

Image: Amazon

Rustic Glass Coffee Table

COZAYH

This coffee table brings in the natural look of wood, but the glass keeps it from feeling heavy in a small space.

Image: Amazon

Rattan Console Table

COZAYH

Rattan is very on-trend right now, but the delicate mesh also gives a natural finish to an otherwise average entryway.

Image: Amazon

Natural Edge End Table

Welland

This is as close to a real slice of the outdoors as you can get.

Image: West Elm

Mid-Century Art Display Coffee Table

West Elm

Clean lines make this wood and glass coffee table a winner in our book.

Image: Wayfair

Tall Block End Table

Mistana

This end table surely makes a statement.

Image: West Elm

Willow Round Coffee Table

West Elm

A light wood can make a dark space feel lighter and more open.

Add in Textures

Textures and patterns can add an extra layer of dimension to your space. Even if you have carpeted floors, consider adding in a rug that has a texture you enjoy. Rugs and other soft fabrics—like throw blankets—can make your space cozier and more inviting.

Also, visually interesting wallpaper, throw pillows, and other items with unique textures or patterns can add a wealth of depth to your space. Again, you don’t have to be a maximalist to add a bit of flair to your room; these little touches can create the vibe you want your space to have with minimal effort. 

Our Favorites:

Image: Target

Hand Woven Chunky Jute Area Rug

Jonathan Y

A great option if you are looking to layer rugs or in a high traffic area.

Image: Amazon

Southwestern Bohemian Round Rug

Hauteloom

A plush rug can be the perfect optional to warm up cold rooms, especially in winter.

Image: Amazon

Fleece Throw Blanket

Bedsure

Who doesn’t love a throw that feels silky soft to the touch? This blanket also comes in a variety of sizes (even large enough to fit a king size bed!), so it can be used throughout your home.

Image: Nordstrom

CozyChic Throw Blanket

Barefoot Dreams

The viral favorite of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, these blankets have a loyal following. The stretchy, soft fabric makes these blankets a worthy addition to your home (but we say, wait for the NSale to snag them on sale).

Image: Target

Oblong Pleated Velvet Throw Pillow

Threshold

Not only are these pillows bright, bold colors, the velvety texture adds dimension to your room. For added style, mix and match the pillow shapes to add variety!

Image: Target

Modern Farmhouse Lumbar Throw Pillow

Rizzy Home

A simple striped pattern like this can match any living room decor and brightens a space with a unique, minimalistic design.

Image: Etsy

Fleece 2-in-1 Packable Throw & Pillow

Candinie

Did someone say two in one? Yes, we did! This fleece packs down into a square pillow, but when you’re ready, open it up for a cozy necessity for a Netflix marathon.

Add Artwork

An easy way to express yourself in your space is to incorporate artwork that you enjoy. This doesn’t mean that you have to commission expensive pieces of art or even purchase large amounts of basic artwork from popular chains, like Target. Instead, find prints of artwork or media that you like online, purchase from small businesses (a farmer’s market often showcases local artists in your area), or head to a local thrift store.

Spend time picking out frames that fit the print—consignment stores, estate sales, and vintage antique shops are great places to discover unique options—and hang them up in your living room when you’re finished. You can even make a gallery wall that showcases all of the artwork you love! This simple decor can easily add dimension to your space and provide an interesting talking point for guests that come over. Plus, what better way to support artists and your community while also finding one-of-a-kind items?

Our Favorites:

Image: Etsy

Gallery Art Print Set

Eva Art Prints

Take the stress out of compiling your own prints by choosing a variety of shapes and sizes from this small business.

Image: Etsy

Basket Wall Set

Coastfully Yours Co

Another trendy piece of wall decor, you can easily create your own look by thrifting, too.

Image: Etsy

Mountain Panel Wood Art

Lilium Wall Art

Give your living room decor an added dose of texture with this custom handmade wood art.

Image: Etsy

‘Thanks For Coming’ Art Print

GS Print Shoppe

We can’t be the only ones who feel this way, right?

Think About Scents

You’re probably thinking of a friend or family member whose home hits you with a wonderful (signature) scent as soon as you walk in the door. Experiencing an aroma that you enjoy can bring forth a moment of clarity and happiness, so why not incorporate these scents into your living room? This could be a familiar smell—such as vanilla—that you constantly have if guests are over. Or, if you’re relaxing in a room, you might choose a calming aroma, such as lavender or eucalyptus. You can also change out the fragrance, depending on the season or mood you’re in. Think more about what your senses—other than simply sight—feel when in your living room, and you’ll take your ambiance to a whole other level. 

Our Favorites:

Image: Target

Vanilla Cupcake

Yankee Candle

One of the most quintessential fragrances, Vanilla Cupcake brings us right back to our childhood.

Image: Nordstrom

Signature Volcano Candle

Capri Blue

We love a great smelling candle that has a glass container that we can also reuse.

Image: Nordstrom

Jasmine Midnight Blooms Candle

Voluspa

For the lover of neutrals, this candle not only smells great, but matches the aesthetic, too!

Image: Nordstrom

Lazy Sunday Mornings

REplica

Love lazy Sunday mornings? Why not enjoy it in your house with a candle and on the go with a personal fragrance?

Organization is Key

We’ve talked about selecting furniture that works for your style and taste, but setting it up in the space can be a completely different, and challenging, endeavor. Consider arranging your seating in a way that invites conversation and connection. A good chat with friends can elicit a warm, comfortable feeling, so finding a configuration of furniture that enables this conversation is crucial.

Make sure everyone can see one another when sitting on chairs and couches in your living room. This promotes connection, which overall enhances the atmosphere and ambiance of the room. 

Our Favorites:

Image: Amazon

Woven Jute Beech Chair

Soohow

This chair is another way to bring a natural aesthetic into your living room decor.

Image: West Elm

Cozy Swivel Chair

West Elm

Modern, but comfortable. The two things that we love in our living room.

Image: Amazon

Swing Egg Chair with Stand

Sunnydaze

While you could also use this on your patio, we think it adds a bit of interest into your living room furniture, too.

Image: West Elm

Carlo Mid-Century Chair

West Elm

This accent chair is the ideal place to sit and listen to records or read a great book.

Add in Mirrors

If you have a small living room, interesting mirrors of various shapes and sizes can open up the space by creating an illusion of space that you don’t actually have. If possible, avoid placing the mirrors at eye level of guests sitting down— this can distract from the conversation. However, don’t be afraid to add a few higher on the wall!

Our Favorites:

Image: Target

Brushed Round Metal Mirror

Project 62

Simple and elegant, this mirror can go anywhere in your home, not just your living room!

Image: Target

Traditional Arch Wall Mirror

Kate & Laurel All Things Decor

An affordable alternative to the viral Anthropologie mirror!

Image: Anthropologie

Gleaming Primrose Mirror

Anthropologie

This ultra-popular Anthropologie mirror comes in a variety of sizes to fit just about any space.

Image: Etsy

Asymmetrical Wooden Frame Mirror

Woodbury Mirror

If you’re a fan of maximalist or eclectic design, this asymmetrical mirror fits right in!

Clear Out Clutter

You won’t be able to relax in a space that’s consumed with clutter. When decorating your living room, pick out pieces intentionally and avoid buying things on impulse. Not only does excess spending prevent you from making eco-friendly and sustainable choices, it can lead to frivolous (and expensive) purchases that you may regret later. Plus, clutter can stack up quickly and become burdensome.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy a maximalist living room with bright colors, patterns, and little accessories that speak to you—simply make sure that everything has a place in the space. 

Clutter can create a suffocating, overwhelming feeling, which is the last thing you want in a peaceful, ambient living room. Take a hard look at what you already own and how you can make those items work for you before going down a rabbit hole of buying a ton and ultimately, liking little. These impromptu decor hauls are what will create clutter that take away from your space, not add to it. 

Make a Space You Enjoy

Overall, the ambiance of your living room will come together as you pick out furniture, lighting, accessories, and other decor pieces that speak to you. Take into account the tips we’ve laid out and see what works best for your taste. Don’t force yourself into fitting a certain aesthetic or mold. Stick to your individual taste to create a space you truly love to be in. Then, curl up on the couch and enjoy!