6 Things You Don’t Need in Your Living Room, According to Designers

Aside from the kitchen, which many refer to as “the heart of the home,” your living room is one of the most important spaces to spend a little time getting the decor right, as it’s a hub that also serves multiple purposes. It’s a place for lounging after a long day, a gathering space for watch parties and movie nights, and a quiet retreat for opening a good book. Therefore, it’s most people’s goal to create a living room that’s both cozy and functional, two adjectives that don’t always go hand in hand. ,You’re likely to start your decorating journey by thinking of certain elements that feel necessary for a living room, like a comfy couch, a soft rug, and probably a TV — but what about the things you
don’t need? I asked three interior designers what to skip in a living room; their answers might surprise you and also be the key to making your space look even bigger and better than it already is. ,A surefire way to make a tiny space (or even a large one) feel smaller is by putting down a rug that’s too little. For that reason, a miniature carpet is not something you want in your living room. “Area rugs should go past the bottom and sides of the furniture by at least 24-inches,” says New Jersey-based designer Beth Diana Smith. “Taking the right measurements is important in order to fit the space perfectly.” ,Of course, you want to be tactful about your brand of maximalism if possible. Some tricks for successfully incorporating more things into a small living room? “Start by propping a large floor mirror against the wall,” Carmona says, because “this helps reflect the room back on itself, making it feel bigger and giving it a great ‘line-of-sight’ illusion.” Plus, you get the added benefit of more light being bounced throughout the space. To compliment the added light in the room, Carmona also suggests opting for glass accent furniture, which helps “fill the room without it feeling cramped.” ,