The living room is the gathering place in many homes. Your living room also serves many purposes, from entertaining guests, to enjoying a night in with your family, to spending some quality time on your own. Because of this, many want a living room that stylish while remaining functional, although the perfect blend can be hard to achieve. When it comes to decorating a living room, many end up falling short. For the perfect look, you might want to consider finding an interior designer who can do living room design in Houston, TX

Decorating is a difficult skill to master, so many mistakes can come up when decorating. Here are four of the most common mistakes to try to avoid when decorating a living room. 

Not understanding what sizes work

No two living rooms are created equal. Many living rooms are either stuffed and crowded or awkwardly sparse. If you don’t have a trained eye for design, the size of your furniture, and the size of your room might not be that obvious. However, when you see a room with ill-fitting furniture and that same room with the right furniture, the difference is clear. While it can be hard to envision in your own home, many people don’t consider the size. They often end up with a couch that overwhelms the room, or a rug that’s too small for where it’s placed. This leaves you with a room that both looks wrong, but can also feel uncomfortable. When you get furniture that works with the size of your living room, you’ll be able to feel the difference immediately. 

Making the television the focal point

Television indeed takes up a lot of most people’s free time. This has caused many people to dedicate their living room to their TV. The truth is, even the most expensive televisions are an eyesore in living rooms. Living rooms can have a television, but that shouldn’t be the most important piece there. When all the focus is on a TV, furniture is often moved to cater to that, rather than in a way that encourages conversation. Instead, draw attention to a fireplace or artwork that you love. If you prefer to have a formal living room, this might even be something you should consider moving out of the room altogether. 

Using the wrong lighting

Overhead lighting is the killer of many otherwise stylish rooms everywhere in houses. Getting rid of any overhead lighting might not be feasible, but it doesn’t mean you only have to rely on that every day. Incorporating table and floor lamps is a great way to soften the lighting in your living room immediately. You can also try testing out different light bulb tones to see which compliments your style. Ideally, during the day, you can avoid lights completely and open all the curtains in the living room and use only natural light. For more ambiance when you have guests over, try replacing some of your artificial lighting with candlelight instead. 

Having items match too much

Buying furniture and decorations that match perfectly might seem like the easy way to tie your room together. Rooms, where everything looks as if it were made to go together, might be nice in showrooms, but it doesn’t hold up in real life. In reality, this often makes a room look dull. Few people’s personal styles fit neatly into one type, so this can often be a poor reflection of someone’s tastes and interests. The best-designed living rooms have a variety of styles. This includes mixing patterns and textiles, as well as taking inspiration from different periods.