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Designing a living room can be tricky. This is why many mistakes occur during that process. Interior designers share mistakes you should avoid while working on your sitting room.

Furniture

According to Andrew Mbabazi, an interior designer with Ayodele Interiors, a beautiful sitting room must have a nice sofa; not too big or too small for the space. Mbabazi says, an oversized sofa or couch will make the room appear cramped and unbalanced while a small one makes it look awkward and empty. He recommends taking measurements of the room first to avoid buying the wrong furniture. When it comes to arranging your furniture, avoid pushing it against the wall. Even in a small room, floating it off the wall will help create an illusion of space, making the room appear larger than it actually is.

According to Andrew Mbabazi, an interior designer with Ayodele Interiors, a beautiful sitting room must have a nice sofa; not too big or too small for the space. (Courtesy photo)

Hanging art and pictures

A living room with plain or bare walls looks empty. It doesn’t matter that the paint and furniture are expensive. Walls too, need some treatments and you can never go wrong with beautiful artwork. But on the flipside, Prosper Byamungu, a built environment designer says hanging art wrongly is a common mistake. Make sure all pieces are at eye level for a balanced look and the best place to display your art is the wall behind the sofa.

Don’t hang curtains too low

Another common mistake is hanging the curtain rails too low, or the curtain bottoms too short. These errors will make the curtains look cheap and messed up. Mbabazi recommends hanging them at least three to eight inches above the window frame. This will add height and open up the space.

Which rug do you have?

The bigger the rug, the better. A small rug appears lost in the room, yet rugs should be visible. It should be large enough to place the front legs of your furniture on it. Mbabazi says, small rugs only work if you are using them to hold the centre table.

Visual appeal

Mix different shades of colour to create harmony. For example, if the walls are white and sofas black, add green curtains and a yellow accent chair for a pop of colour. That room will appeal to the eyes. You can also take it a notch up by adding layers.

Choose the right paint

Paint greatly impacts the overall look and feel of your living space. Imagine a black or dark purple sitting room. It feels too dark just like the bright red one might prevent you from relaxing.  The same applies to bright yellow. If you really love those colours, use them on a feature wall not entire room.

According to Andrew Mbabazi, an interior designer with Ayodele Interiors, a beautiful sitting room must have a nice sofa; not too big or too small for the space. (Courtesy photo)

Lighting

Having a single source of light in the living room is a big mistake. Aside from the main light, Byamungu suggests adding spotlights, pendants and dimmers that can be used at different times. Also, add lamps and candles.

The ceiling

The ceiling is sometimes overlooked while decorating the living room, according to Byamungu. Yet it plays a pivotal role in the overall style of this space. One of the easiest ways of sprucing it up is to paint it in a different colour. It will create a striking contrast against the walls.

Misplacing the TV, storage

Where you place or mount your TV can ruin or elevate the beauty of your space. In other words, the size, design and location of your TV should match your room layout. The TV should be installed at an eye level from where the viewers are seated. Placing it too high will strain the neck.