I'm an interior decorator. Here are 10 things I'd never have in my living room.

If the rug in your room is too small, it can seem like all of your furniture is floating around without something to ground each piece. A small rug can also make a room feel cramped since it's essentially at the center of a furniture cluster.

Think of a rug as a place mat rather than a centerpiece for your furniture. Extending beyond the furniture a bit expands the living-room area and makes the room feel more spacious.

As a general rule, choose a rug large enough to measure 6 to 8 inches beyond your sofa on either side and have at least two legs from each furniture item sit comfortably on the rug. 

Due to their functional, lightweight construction, futons are usually smaller, with narrower seats and firmer cushions than regular couches.

Since the living room is one of the most-used spaces in the home, I wouldn't sacrifice comfort or style for the occasional guest. Utilize a futon in the home office or flex space instead.

If you need to double your living room as a guest space, consider buying a more comfortable sleeper sofa that can transform from a couch to a bed instead.

Thin, vertical plastic blinds tend to bend and tear easily, and the strings and locking gears can be frustrating to operate.

Window treatments are crucial for privacy, light, and temperature control, but they can also elevate your interior decor. As an everyday-use item, quality blinds are an investment that can actually add value to your home.

Instead of settling with a plastic vertical version, opt for 2-inch wooden or shutter blinds or light-filtering shades. Adding quality curtains can also help with temperature control and incorporate personality.

If your living room is littered with paperwork and looming to-do lists, it might be hard to get out of the work mindset and into chill mode, especially if they both take place at your coffee table.

As more people work from home, it's important to create a comfortable work environment while maintaining separation between the workspace and living areas. If space is limited, split the room into separate zones for work and living so that when you clock out, you can move away from the workspace.

For example, you can set up a workstation with a dedicated desk that faces away from the wall and an open shelving unit or a set of drawers that divide the room.

Solely relying on overhead light fixtures can make your space feel dark and small. Conversely, if the room only has recessed lighting or white bulbs, it can feel too harsh.

To create a relaxing living room, spread the light around with a variety of fixtures at varying heights, control brightness with dimmer switches, and use light bulbs with a warmer color temperature to create an inviting glow.

Mounting your TV or installing plug-in wall sconces can elevate the living room, but exposed wires create visual clutter and can make a space look unfinished.

If you're unable to run your wires through the wall, installing a cord-concealing track that matches your wall color is a quick and easy option.

But more often than not, I recommend just keeping your electronics off the walls and using the opportunity to invest in a nice TV stand. There are a lot of cable organizer options that are attractive and inexpensive.

A beautiful piece, like a white leather tuxedo couch, can make your living room look like a magazine spread, but it may not invite people to get comfortable in your space. 

When investing in furniture, look at your lifestyle and family. For example, if you want guests to lounge in your living room, avoid couches with high-sided armrests and narrow cushion depth 0r rigid accent chairs with wooden arms and firm seats.  

Gallery walls are a scattering of framed posters, small artworks, and family photos typically placed on those huge walls you're not quite sure what to do with. Though it certainly fills the space, a gallery wall can appear as visual clutter if not mindfully curated.

I always recommend keeping small-scale art on table tops and bookshelves and opting for large-scale pieces for the wall to fill the space and make a bolder design statement.

If you love the gallery look, use the same kind of frame for all your pieces and try to incorporate repeating colors and patterns to create the effect that they're all one body of work.

Loose back cushions aren't attached to the couch and are often made with removable covers. Though they can be a good selling point for some individuals who want to regularly wash their covers, others will find that they create a frustrating maintenance routine.

When purchasing couches with loose back cushions, consider the weight and density of the cushions and what appeals to you visually. Lightweight cushions can be interior-design mistakes, as they will fall down and be easily pushed around the couch. On the other hand, heavy feather cushions will get squished and need regular fluffing.

If you don't want to deal with constant maintenance and fluffing, consider buying a couch with back cushions that are attached to the piece of furniture.

Nothing is more disappointing than cuddling under a fuzzy blanket just to have your toes poke out. Though typical throws are usually about 40 by 60 inches so they won't take up too much space draped over your couch, the size also means you probably won't be able to stretch out underneath.

Instead, find a blanket that's marked as a twin-size or oversized throw blanket. A good throw blanket, especially in a knit fabric, can add a gorgeous cozy texture to your space, fold up tightly, and serve as a versatile piece for you and your overnight guests.

This story was originally published on July 3, 2023, and most recently updated on December 6, 2024.