When you’re designing your living room, it’s important to think about every element of the space. Consider style, tone, color scheme, and most importantly, practicality. Be realistic about your living room use and lifestyle. For instance, if you love to watch TV, make sure you have one that’s in a focal and comfortable to watch space. Check out these tips for designing a living room.

Purchase a couch

The first piece of furniture you should get when designing your living room is a couch. The couch you get will set the tone for the room. Make sure the design is in-line with your home’s overall tone. For example, if you have mostly modern pieces throughout your home, going for a ranch-house-style couch might seem ill-fitting. Comfort should also be a focal point when sofa shopping. You’ll spend a lot of time on this piece of furniture so, it better be comfy.

Choose a rug

Once you have a couch, you can start the search for the perfect rug. Make sure you avoid the pitfall of buying the wrong sized rug. Too small and it will be what is referred to as a “flying carpet,” held down by nothing other than your coffee table. Too big and it will make your room seem tiny. A good rule-of-thumb for sizing your rug is making sure at least two legs of every piece of furniture sit comfortably on it when set up.

Look for tables

After situating the rug, you can look for tables. A coffee table should be as useful as it is stylish. Don’t hesitate to mix and match shades and shapes. Eclectic is a style of its own. For side tables, think about convenience first. When you’re holding a glass, where would you naturally go to place it down while in your living room? That’s where an end table should go. Another quick trick is to place an end table on either side of the couch, and one within reach of each chair or additional seating option. This could mean one in between two chairs or one on the left side of each chair. Go with whatever flows best with your room’s setup thus far.

Accessorize

Here comes the fun part: accessorizing. This is what can turn your living room from a plain, “show-room” living room to a space that’s neat but naturally lived in. Showcase some personality and style with your extra pieces.

Don’t forget throws

Here is where color, pattern, and accents can thrive. Once your entire base of furniture is picked out, you get to experiment with throw pillows. You should get comfy throw pillows and invest in custom pillow covers so you can make sure they are the exact right color and design for your brand new room. You can also get a fun throw blanket to keep on the back of the couch for added comfort and style.

Accentuate table-top décor

Many people forget about the style a set of coasters adds to a room. If you get coasters that stand out, they can become a conversation piece—plus, it will help encourage guests to always use one. You should also start thinking about what coffee table book you want to display. Some people go for a seasonal approach, while others go with a tried-and-true historical or educational one.