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ToggleOnly Use Secondhand Pieces

In this garden cottage designed by Alison Giese, the homeowners filled the living room with secondhand finds. If you want your home to be filled with more character, follow the rules of slow decorating and search thrift stores and antique shops with intention.
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Get Creative With the Lighting

In this large, open great room designed by Giese, the towering vaulted ceiling is brought down to “human height,” as the designer puts it, with the eight-foot-long pendant lights. Both the actual lighting of a space and the individual light fixtures can completely change the feel of a room, so you should be thoughtful in how you use them.
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Decorate Around One Detail

In this very purple living area by Betsy Wentz, the designer based the entire tea room around one detail: the botanical wallpaper. It was the first thing the homeowners purchased, and it sets a regal mood for the space.
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Choose Your Complementary Decor Carefully

Wentz chose a graphic pattern in a light tone for the rug in this living room, complementing the wood paneling throughout the space. Though the wood detailing is stunning, it darkens the room quite a bit, so balancing out that deep tone with muddy pastels is a beautiful way to design the space.
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Reuse Fabrics and Prints That You Love

Jenna Gross of Colordrunk Designs loved the Manuel Canovas pattern that covered her banquette seating, so she used it on the wall insets in her living room as well. Reusing patterns and textiles that you love throughout your space makes your home feel truly custom and filled with much more character.
Find a “Natural” Focal Point

In this historic and colorful living room, Hilary Colia of Fort Design Studio says the space “starts and ends with the fireplace.” When you have a piece as beautiful as this in your home, it’s best to showcase it in its best light so it remains the statement of the room.
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Lay Out a Bold Carpet

In this gorgeous and warm living room designed by Sarah Stacey, the space truly comes alive thanks to the colorful carpet. The vivid rug was designed by a tattoo artist and is highlighted by a striking snake pattern for the centerpiece.
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Create Some Separation

If you have an open floor plan, create some separation in the living room to better differentiate the individual areas. In this vibrant living room by Sawyers Design, wood slats were put up to provide “a hint of separation” between the kids’ playroom area and this space, says Kevin Sawyers.
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Put Your Sofas Back-to-Back

If you want to create two living spaces in one, do what designer Alexander Reid did in this living room and put two sofas back-to-back. This created two distinct spaces in this room, which is great if you have a big family or love to entertain.
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Find Inspiration in Unique Places

Designer Alexander Reid looked to the vaulted ceiling for inspiration in this living room, as it reminded him of a birdhouse. So he covered the walls in Pierre Frey Bengali bird wallpaper to emphasize the airy feel.
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Emphasize Comfort and Coziness

Heather French, half of the French & French Interiors duo, loved the size of this lofty living room, but to make it feel cozier and quieter, she used 80 yards of fabric for the drapes. She placed the valances and blinds below the beams to bring down the scale of the open room.
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Don’t Be Afraid to Mix Patterns

There are so many different patterns present in this den space, yet it doesn’t feel like too much because Heather French kept the same color palette for each textile and anchored the room in a deep blue. Though so beautiful, this room is actually the informal gathering space for her family.
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Go for a Rich Hue

In this living room designed by Hannah Ozburn, the designer decided to go with a rich hue for the walls to make a real statement. She balances out the bold color by layering neutrals and tones opposite on the color wheel, creating a stunning, warm space.
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Get Creative With Storage

Designer Serena Dugan installed shelving above the window in this colorful family room. It adds more color to the room while using the space efficiently so there isn’t clutter as people hang out.
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Invest in Performance Fabrics

Serena Dugan designed this living room with both style and practicality in mind, opting for performance fabrics on every sofa to ensure durability and comfort. If custom upholstery isn’t within your budget, consider planning ahead to find a couch pre-upholstered in a performance fabric to achieve a similar balance of functionality and elegance.
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Provide Ease of Outdoor Entertaining

Whether you live in a climate that’s temperate all year round or you’re just really proud of your backyard, design an easy way to go from your indoor living room to your outdoor one. Suzanne Kasler made sure this open-area living room opened up to the backyard and pool area for easy entertaining.
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Choose a Relaxing Color Palette

Designer Amber Lewis chose to bathe this TV room in a color “you wouldn’t pick” just by looking at a sample or swatch because the hue promotes relaxation. “When the entire room is that color, it’s really lovely,” Lewis says.
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Design Conversation Areas

Because this living room is extra long, Amber Lewis designed two different conversation areas around each fireplace. One is anchored by a velvet sofa, the other by an English-inspired corner banquette.
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Add Furniture That’s Easy to Move

Breegan Jane wanted a living room that could accommodate any type of get-together, so she chose furniture that was lightweight and easy to move without sacrificing comfort. Whether it’s her group of girlfriends stopping by for an informal catchup or her son’s friends coming over to play video games, this living room can accommodate them all.
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Don’t Shy Away From Living Room Meals

“We wanted to create a house that could bend the rules about eating and drinking,” designer Janie Molster says. She used performance fabrics on the sofas that are easy to clean, so if any food or drink does get spilled on them, it should be easy to clean up.
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