This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, The Decorholic may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Every product here was picked to match a specific step in this guide.
By Stephanie, Designer & Writer at The Decorholic · Last updated October 2026
To redecorate your living room without wasting money, work in this order: clear the room, define its job, measure and map the layout, sort what you keep or replace, set the budget, choose a palette, buy the anchor pieces (rug, curtains, lighting, sofa), then layer in accents and edit. The order matters more than the shopping list. Most rooms that feel “off” were decorated out of order.
When you decide to redecorate a living room, the natural instinct is to start shopping. A new sofa, a rug you saved on Pinterest, a chair that caught your eye. That instinct is exactly why so many redecorating projects end with a room that still doesn’t feel right.
Here’s something I tell every client: one of the main reasons I get hired is overscaled furniture. A sofa that swallows the room, an accent chair that blocks the walkway, a dining set or bed that fit perfectly in the showroom and nowhere else. My message is always the same. Measure twice before you commit to any large piece of furniture, whether that’s a sofa, accent chairs, a desk, a dining table set, or a bed.
That one habit is built into every step below, and you can see it in action in a real Chicago client before-and-after further down. This guide walks you through how to redecorate your living room in the order a designer actually works, so each decision makes the next one easier instead of harder. Whether you’re doing a full redo or just want to update a tired room, start at Step 1 and don’t skip ahead.
What’s Inside This Guide
- The Clear → Plan → Anchor → Layer Method
- Step 1: Clear the Room
- Step 2: Define Your Living Room’s Job
- Step 3: Measure and Map the Layout
- Living Room Layouts by Room Shape
- Step 4: Keep, Replace, or Refresh
- Step 5: Set a Realistic Budget
- Step 6: Choose Your Color Palette
- Step 7: Anchor the Room
- Step 8: Layer, Then Edit
- The Designer’s Finishing Checklist
- Before and After: A Chicago Living Room
- How to Redecorate Your Living Room for $0
- The Renter’s Version
- 7 Redecorating Mistakes to Avoid
- The Designer’s Cheat Sheet
- FAQs
Already know what you need? Jump straight to the designer pick for each piece. Every pick sits inside the step that explains how to size it.
| Piece | Our Pick | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Sofa | Serta Durango 86″ Queen Convertible Sleeper Sofa (Wayfair) | Best for Hosting Guests |
| Rug | Latitude Run Lahjar Speckled Wool-Blend Area Rug (Wayfair) | Best Neutral Base |
| Curtains | Ebern Designs Goffredo Linen Blackout Curtains (2 Panels) (Wayfair) | Best for TV Rooms |
| Floor Lamp | Joss & Main Sylvia 67″ Tripod Floor Lamp (Wayfair) | Best for Dark Corners |
| Accent Chair | Ivy Bronx Aaisha Faux Leather Armchair (Wayfair) | Best for Small Rooms |
| Coffee Table | Honyee Tempered Glass Coffee Table (Amazon) | Best for Small Rooms |
| Side Table | 17 Stories Milone Forged Iron Square End Table (Wayfair) | Best Slim Profile |
| Table Lamp | Brayden Studio Buntin Table Lamp (Wayfair) | Best for Layered Light |
| Wall Art | Large Framed Abstract Wall Art (Amazon) | Best for Big Walls |
| Wallpaper (Renters) | AllModern Ama Abstract Peel & Stick Wallpaper (Wayfair) | Best Subtle Pattern |
The Clear → Plan → Anchor → Layer Method
Every good redecorating project moves through four phases. Each phase protects the next one: you can’t plan a layout around clutter, you can’t shop well without a plan, and accents can’t save a room whose big pieces are wrong. The eight steps in this guide sit inside these four phases.
How to Redecorate a Living Room, in Order
Never buy a big piece before you’ve finished the Plan phase. That’s the rule that saves the most money.
Step 1: Clear the Room Before You Redecorate
Redecorating starts with subtraction. When a living room is full of stuff, you can’t see its real shape: where the light falls, which wall is longest, how people actually walk through it. Clearing the room gives you an honest starting point.
- 1Remove every small item
Pillows, throws, books, plants, decor, and anything sitting on a surface goes into a box or another room. Leave only the furniture.
- 2Sort as you go
Use three piles: love it, use it, or let it go. Anything in the third pile gets donated, sold, or moved before you buy a single new thing.
- 3Deep clean the bare room
Baseboards, windowsills, light fixtures, and behind the sofa. A clean, empty room is much easier to judge with fresh eyes.
- 4Live with it for a day
Notice what you miss and what you don’t. The things you reach for are the things worth keeping in the new plan.
Take photos of the empty room from each corner. Photos flatten a space and make awkward proportions much easier to spot than standing in it.
Step 2: Define Your Living Room’s Job
Before you think about style, decide what this room has to do. A living room that hosts movie nights, a home office, and weekend guests needs a completely different plan from one used mostly for reading and conversation. When the job is clear, half your decisions make themselves.
- ◆Adults only, or kids too?
- ◆Pets on the furniture?
- ◆How many people on a normal night?
- ◆TV and movies
- ◆Reading or working
- ◆Hosting and overnight guests
- ◆Fireplace or TV wall
- ◆A big window or view
- ◆A statement piece of art
Write your answers down in one sentence, like “a cozy TV room for two that also sleeps a guest.” That sentence becomes your filter. If a piece doesn’t serve it, it doesn’t come into the room. If you’re not sure what your style is yet, take the interior design style quiz before moving on.
Phase 2 · PlanStep 3: Measure and Map the Layout
When you redecorate your living room, this is the step most people skip, and it’s the one that costs the most when they do. Furniture that’s too big for the room can’t be fixed with pillows or paint. It has to be returned, resold, or lived with.
One of the main reasons I get hired is overscaled furniture. Measure twice before you commit to any large piece: the sofa, accent chairs, desk, dining set, or bed.
Stephanie, The DecorholicWhat to Measure
- The length of every wall, and the room’s full width and depth
- Windows (width, height, and distance from the floor) and every door, including which way it swings
- Outlets, vents, radiators, and light switches, since furniture shouldn’t block them
- The path in: front door, hallway turns, and stairs. A sofa that fits the room but not the doorway still doesn’t fit.
The Living Room Clearance Numbers
| Measurement | Designer Guideline | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Main walkways | 30–36 in. clear | Lets people pass without turning sideways |
| Sofa to coffee table | 14–18 in. | Room for knees, close enough to reach a drink |
| Coffee table length | About 2/3 of the sofa length | Keeps the seating group in proportion |
| Sofa to TV | Depends on screen size and resolution | Too close or too far both strain the room |
| Conversation distance | Seats within roughly 8 ft of each other | People can talk without raising their voices |
The Living Room Depth Test: sofa depth + 14–18 in. of leg room + coffee table depth + 30–36 in. of walkway = the minimum clear depth your seating area needs. Run this with your actual sofa’s depth, not a guess. Sofas vary more than almost any other piece of furniture.
Map It Before You Buy It
- 1Find the dimensions of anything you plan to buy
Width, depth, and height. Product listings always show them; write them down next to your room measurements.
- 2Tape the footprint on the floor
Use painter’s tape to outline the new sofa, chairs, rug, and coffee table exactly where they’d go.
- 3Walk the room for two days
If you’re stepping on the tape to get to the window or squeezing past a corner, the piece is too big or in the wrong spot.
- 4Check the height, too
Mark the back height on the wall with tape. A tall sofa back in front of a low window can block the light you were counting on.
A sofa that takes up more than about two-thirds of its wall usually reads as too big for the room. In small living rooms, choose pieces with visible legs and lower arms so the floor and wall show around them.
Living Room Layouts by Room Shape
Once you have your measurements from Step 3, match them to the shape of your room. The same sofa, rug, and chair work very differently in a small square room than in a long, narrow one. Find the card that looks most like your living room and use it as your starting layout before you redecorate.
Small Living Room
Every piece has to earn its floor space. The goal is one comfortable seating group with clear paths around it, not as many seats as will fit.
Layout: Apartment-size sofa on the longest wall, one accent chair angled toward it, and a coffee table you can see through or under.
Rule: Keep 30–36 in. walkways and choose furniture with visible legs so the floor reads as one continuous surface.
Long, Narrow Living Room
Lining furniture along both long walls turns the room into a hallway. Breaking it into zones makes it feel wider and more useful.
Layout: Two zones: the main seating group at one end around a rug, and a reading chair, desk, or console at the other.
Rule: Place the sofa across the room or float it, never with everything pushed against the long walls.
Open-Concept Living Room
With no walls to frame it, the living area needs furniture and rugs to tell people where it starts and ends.
Layout: Float the sofa with its back to the dining or kitchen area, anchor the seating with one large rug, and mark the corners with lighting.
Rule: Every seat in the zone should have at least its front legs on the rug; if the rug floats alone in the middle, size up.
TV and Fireplace on Different Walls
Two competing focal points pull the furniture in two directions. Decide which one the room is mainly for before you arrange anything.
Layout: Face the sofa toward your main focal point and angle an accent chair or two toward the second one, so both stay in view.
Rule: Choose one primary focal point; if you watch TV most nights, the TV wins and the fireplace becomes the backdrop for conversation.
Step 4: Keep, Replace, or Refresh
Redecorating doesn’t mean replacing everything. Go through every piece in the room and give it one of three labels. This audit is where most of your savings come from, and it keeps the room from feeling like it came out of one catalog page.
| Label | What It Means | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Keep | Fits the room’s job, the right size, and you love it | A comfortable sofa in a neutral fabric, a quality rug, an heirloom piece |
| Refresh | Good bones, wrong finish or styling | A sofa that needs new pillows or a slipcover, a dated lamp that needs a new shade, a side table that could be painted |
| Replace | Wrong scale, broken, or fights the room’s job | A sectional that blocks the walkway, a rug that’s too small, a coffee table that’s too low or too high |
Be honest about scale here. If a piece failed the tape test in Step 3, it goes in the Replace column, even if you love it. That’s the most common decision my clients struggle with, and it’s almost always the right call.
Step 5: Set a Realistic Budget
Now that you know what you’re keeping, you know what you actually need to buy to redecorate your living room. That’s the only way to set a budget that holds. List every Replace and Refresh item, put a price range next to each one, and add a buffer for delivery fees and the small things that always come up.
Spend More On
- The sofa, because you use it every day
- The rug, since it sets the scale of the whole room
- Lighting you’ll use every night
- Anything you’ll keep through your next move
Save On
- Trend-driven accents and colors
- Throw pillow covers (swap the covers, keep the inserts)
- Side tables and small decor
- Art, which you can start with prints and upgrade later
Buy in the order of this guide, not all at once. If the budget runs short, it should run short on accents, not on the sofa or rug.
Step 6: Choose Your Color Palette
Pick your palette before you shop, and every purchase you make to redecorate your living room gets easier. Start with something you already own and want to keep, like the rug, a piece of art, or the sofa fabric, and pull your colors from it.
Dominant color (about 60%)
Walls and the largest furniture. Usually a neutral or a soft tone.
Secondary color (about 30%)
Rug, curtains, an accent chair. This is where the room gets its character.
Accent color (about 10%)
Pillows, art, a vase. The easiest layer to change seasonally.
Test paint colors on the wall in morning and evening light before you commit. A color that looks warm at noon can turn flat or gray after sunset, especially in north-facing rooms. Your palette should also connect to the rooms you can see from the living room, so the whole home feels intentional.
Step 7: Anchor the Room First
Anchors are the pieces that set the scale and structure of the room: the sofa, the rug, the curtains, and the lighting. Get these right and even simple accessories look intentional. Get them wrong and no amount of styling will fix it. This is where redecorating a living room actually starts to show.
The Sofa: Size It to the Room, Not the Showroom
Your sofa is the biggest commitment in the room, so it’s the piece that gets measured most carefully. Use the Living Room Depth Test from Step 3 and the tape outline before you order. If your living room also has to host overnight guests, a convertible sofa does two jobs without adding a second large piece.
Wayfair
Best for Hosting Guests
Serta Durango 86″ Queen Convertible Sleeper Sofa
If your living room has to host overnight guests, a separate guest bed is one more large piece to fit. This queen sleeper folds out from the sofa you already sit on every day, and its wall-hugger design is made to sit close to the wall, so check its open length against your tape layout from Step 3.
Will it fit? 86″ W × 42.1″ D × 34.3″ H. By the two-thirds rule, it suits a wall of about 11 ft or longer. Check the opened bed length on the listing before ordering.
Skip it if guests rarely stay over; a standard sofa gives you more seating choices.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best for Flexible Seating
Iroomy Convertible Sectional Sofa
Need more seating than a standard sofa, but not a sectional that eats the walkway? A convertible sectional lets you adjust the shape to the room. Measure its full footprint, including the chaise or extended position, before you order.
Will it fit? Tape the listed width and depth on your floor before ordering, including any chaise position (Step 3).
Skip it if your main walkway is already under 30 in.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →The Rug: Bigger Than You Think
A rug that’s too small is the most common living room mistake I see. It makes the furniture look like it’s floating and the room look smaller. If you want texture without a busy pattern, a speckled wool-blend rug like this one from Wayfair is an easy base to build on.
- Front legs on: the front legs of the sofa and chairs should sit on the rug
- Wider than the sofa: the rug should extend a few inches past each end of the sofa
- Leave a border: keep a strip of bare floor visible around the edges of the room
- Common sizes: an 8 × 10 works for most living rooms; 5 × 8 is usually only right for very small rooms or layered on top of a larger rug
Wayfair
Best Neutral Base
Latitude Run Lahjar Speckled Wool-Blend Area Rug
A busy pattern can fight with your sofa and art. This speckled wool-blend rug adds texture without competing, which makes it an easy secondary color layer for the 60-30-10 palette in Step 6. Choose the size that lets your front furniture legs sit on it.
Will it fit? Pick the size where your sofa’s and chairs’ front legs land on the rug; 8 × 10 fits most living rooms.
Skip it if you want the rug to be the room’s statement piece.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best Statement Rug
Safavieh Abstract Collection Handmade Wool Rug
If your living room feels flat, a rug with a soft abstract pattern brings movement to the floor. This handmade wool rug from Safavieh’s Abstract collection works as the room’s starting point when you pull your palette from it.
Will it fit? Pick the size where your sofa’s and chairs’ front legs land on the rug; 8 × 10 fits most living rooms.
Skip it if your sofa and pillows are already patterned.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →Curtains: Hang Them High and Wide
Curtains are one of the cheapest ways to make a living room feel taller and more finished. The placement matters more than the fabric. For a TV room, I like linen-look blackout panels such as these double-layer curtains, which cut glare without looking heavy.
- Mount the rod well above the window frame, closer to the ceiling than the window
- Extend the rod 8–12 in. past each side of the frame so the open panels don’t cover the glass
- Panels should just touch the floor; avoid curtains that stop above it
- Choose panel width so they look full when closed, roughly 1.5 to 2 times the window width combined
Wayfair
Best for TV Rooms
Ebern Designs Goffredo Linen Blackout Curtains (2 Panels)
Want the relaxed look of linen but need to block glare on the TV? These double-layer linen panels give you both. Hang them close to the ceiling and wide of the frame so the room reads taller and the windows look larger.
Will it fit? Measure from where your rod will hang (close to the ceiling) down to the floor, then choose that length.
Skip it if you want daylight to filter through when they’re closed; blackout panels block it.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best Easy Upgrade
MIULEE Blackout Curtains
Short curtains that stop above the floor make a room look unfinished. Order a length that reaches the floor from a rod mounted high, and these blackout panels finish the window while controlling light for movie nights.
Will it fit? Measure from where your rod will hang (close to the ceiling) down to the floor, then choose that length.
Skip it if you’re after sheer, airy curtains.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →Lighting: Plan Three Layers
A single overhead light flattens a room. Designers plan lighting in three layers so the living room works at noon and at 9 p.m.
Ambient
General light: a ceiling fixture or a tall floor lamp that bounces light around the room.
Task
Focused light where you read or work, like a floor lamp beside a chair or a table lamp on a side table.
Accent
Softer light that adds mood: a small lamp on a shelf, picture lights, or candles.
Spread light sources around the room at different heights instead of grouping them in one corner. Warm bulbs make a living room feel calmer in the evening.
Wayfair
Best for Dark Corners
Joss & Main Sylvia 67″ Tripod Floor Lamp
A dark corner makes a living room feel smaller at night. A tripod floor lamp fills that corner with light and adds a sculptural shape at the same time. Place it beside a chair to double as reading light.
Will it fit? Tripod legs take more floor than a single pole; check the base width against your corner.
Skip it if the corner is tight or sits in a walkway.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best Renter-Friendly Light
Hammered Metal Boho Floor Lamp
If your room relies on one ceiling light, this is the easiest second layer to add. The hammered finish brings warmth and texture, and it plugs in anywhere, which makes it a renter-friendly lighting fix.
Will it fit? Plugs into any outlet; place it within reach of one so the cord doesn’t cross a walkway.
Skip it if your style is strictly minimal; the hammered finish adds texture.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →Step 8: Layer, Then Edit
With the anchors in place, the supporting pieces are what make the room yours: accent seating, tables, lamps, and art. Layer them in this order, then take something away. The edit at the end is what separates a designed room from a decorated one.
Accent Chair: It Doesn’t Have to Match
An accent chair adds seating and breaks up a matched look. Choose a chair that shares one thing with the room, like a color, a wood tone, or a material, rather than one that matches the sofa. Check it against your tape layout. Chairs are one of the most common overscaled purchases. At just under 31 in. wide, this faux leather armchair is one of the easier sizes to fit in a small living room.
Wayfair
Best for Small Rooms
Ivy Bronx Aaisha Faux Leather Armchair
A matched sofa-and-chair set can make a room feel like a showroom. A faux leather armchair adds a different material next to a fabric sofa, and at about 30.75 in. wide it’s sized for living rooms where every inch of walkway counts.
Will it fit? 30.75″ W × 28″ D × 28.63″ H. Leave a 30–36 in. walkway beside it.
Skip it if your sofa is already leather; mixing materials looks more designed.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best for Guest Seating
Modern Upholstered Accent Chair
Need one more seat for guests without adding bulk? An accent chair fills a corner and creates a conversation spot. Check its width and depth against your tape outline before you buy, since chairs are one of the most common overscaled purchases.
Will it fit? Tape the listed width and depth on your floor before ordering (Step 3).
Skip it if the spot can’t fit the chair’s depth plus a 30 in. walkway.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →Coffee Table: Function First
Remember the numbers from Step 3: about two-thirds of the sofa length and 14–18 in. from the seat. Then decide what it needs to do. Hidden storage helps in small rooms; glass or slim frames keep a crowded room feeling open. If clutter is your biggest problem, a sliding-top coffee table with hidden storage solves it in one piece.
Wayfair
Best for Storage
Millwood Pines Walnut Coffee Table with Sliding Top & Hidden Storage
Clutter on the coffee table undoes all the work from Step 1. A sliding top with hidden storage gives remotes, chargers, and magazines a home, and the warm walnut tone pairs well with most sofa colors.
Will it fit? 47.2″ W × 27.5″ D × 12.9″ H, extending to 81.8″ W with the top open. Proportioned for a sofa around 70–80 in. wide.
Skip it if you need to walk past the side where the top slides open.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best for Small Rooms
Honyee Tempered Glass Coffee Table
In a small or crowded living room, a solid table adds visual weight. A tempered glass top lets the rug and floor show through, so the seating area feels more open while you still have a surface for drinks and books.
Will it fit? Tape the listed width and depth on your floor and keep 14–18 in. between it and the sofa.
Skip it if you have toddlers; glass shows fingerprints.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →Side Tables and Table Lamps
Every seat should have somewhere to set down a drink. Keep side tables close to the height of the sofa arm, and use them to bring in your task and accent lighting from Step 7.
Wayfair
Best Slim Profile
17 Stories Milone Forged Iron Square End Table
Every seat needs a place to set a drink. This forged iron end table with a glass top has a slim frame that won’t crowd the sofa, and it gives your table lamp a home at arm’s reach.
Will it fit? 20.87″ W × 20.87″ D × 24.8″ H. Works best beside a sofa or chair arm of similar height.
Skip it if you’d rather not wipe fingerprints off a glass top.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best Next to a Chair
Modern Side Table
If your accent chair is floating without a surface beside it, a small side table finishes the spot. Aim for a height close to the chair or sofa arm so it’s comfortable to reach.
Will it fit? Check the listed height; aim for within a couple of inches of your chair or sofa arm.
Skip it if it sits much lower than the arm it’s next to.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →
Wayfair
Best for Layered Light
Brayden Studio Buntin Table Lamp
Table lamps are what make a living room feel warm after dark. Set one on a side table or console to add light at a lower height than your floor lamp, so the room is lit in layers instead of from one spot.
Will it fit? Check the shade width against your side table so it doesn’t overhang the edge.
Skip it if it would be your only light source; one lamp won’t light a whole room.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best for Warmth
BOBOMOMO Natural Table Lamp
A room full of cool, hard finishes can feel cold. A table lamp with natural materials softens the space and casts a warm glow, which is exactly the job of an accent light.
Will it fit? Check the shade width against your side table so it doesn’t overhang the edge.
Skip it if your room is already heavy on natural wood and rattan.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →Wall Art: Hang It at Eye Level
- Center art about 57–60 in. from the floor on open walls
- Above a sofa, leave about 8–10 in. between the sofa back and the bottom of the frame
- Art over a sofa looks best at about two-thirds the sofa’s width, as one large piece or a grouping
Wayfair
Best Neutral Pick
Signleader Geometric Abstract Neutral Framed Canvas
Small art on a big wall makes the room feel unfinished. This framed neutral canvas works with almost any palette, so it’s a safe anchor above the sofa. Hang it at eye level using the numbers above.
Will it fit? Above a sofa, aim for art about two-thirds of the sofa’s width.
Skip it if it’s going over a very long sofa; size up or hang a pair.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best for Big Walls
Large Framed Abstract Wall Art
Struggling to fill the wall above the sofa? Large framed abstract art covers about two-thirds of the sofa width without the work of planning a full gallery wall, and it’s an easy way to bring in your accent color.
Will it fit? Above a sofa, aim for art about two-thirds of the sofa’s width.
Skip it if your sofa wall is short; large art can crowd it.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →The Final Edit
- 1Bring accessories back slowly
Pillows, throws, books, and plants come back in one surface at a time, not all at once.
- 2Group in odd numbers
Groups of three with varied heights look more natural than pairs lined up in a row.
- 3Remove three things
When you think you’re done, take three items out. Almost every room looks better for it.
- 4Check it at night
Turn on only the lamps and look at the room. Dark corners mean your lighting layers need another source.
The Designer’s Finishing Checklist
When the edit is done, walk the room and look for these six things. Most rooms that feel “almost there” are missing one or two. You don’t need to buy anything new for most of them; check what you already own first.
- ✦A vintage or thrifted piece, a family heirloom, or a worn wood tray. One aged piece keeps a new room from looking like a catalog.
- ✦Brass, chrome, glass or a mirror. A little reflection bounces light around and makes matte fabrics look richer.
- ✦A plant, branches in a vase, stone, rattan or raw wood. Nature softens straight lines and adds life.
- ✦Bouclé, chunky knit, linen or leather. Mixing textures is what makes a neutral room feel layered instead of flat.
- ✦Art you chose, books you’ve read, travel finds or a framed photo. This is what makes the room yours and not a showroom.
- ✦A single pop that isn’t in your palette: a red lamp, a green vase, an ochre pillow. It makes the rest of the room look intentional.
Skip the themed room. If every pillow, sign and print repeats the same idea (beach, farmhouse, Paris), the room reads like a store display. Let the theme show up in two or three pieces, and let the six items above do the rest.
Before and After: A Chicago Living Room
Here’s what this order of operations looks like in a real room. This is a living room I designed for a client in Chicago, IL. It started as an empty space with concrete floors, white walls, and a full wall of windows and French doors: beautiful light, but nothing to anchor the room.
Client project · Chicago, IL · Designed by The Decorholic
Anchored the floor first
A large textured rug defines the seating area on the open concrete floor, with the sectional and chairs grouped on it.
Curtains high and wide
Floor-length navy panels hang from a rod mounted near the ceiling across the window wall, so the windows read even taller.
Seating floated off the walls
The white sectional sits off the wall and faces the windows, with a leather sling chair creating a conversation group.
Lighting in layers
A globe table lamp on the console and a slim floor lamp beside the windows add light at two different heights.
Layered last
Textured wall art, a round marble coffee table, pillows, and two large plants finish the room once the anchors were in place.
Nothing in the after photo is complicated. It works because the big decisions came first and every piece was sized to the room.
Get a Similar Look for Your Living Room
These are pieces from this guide that recreate the feel of the Chicago room. They are similar picks, not the exact items from the project.
How to Redecorate Your Living Room for $0
Not every redecorating project needs new furniture. If you want to update your living room without spending much, these moves use what you already own. They follow the same order as the full method, just without the shopping.
- 1Clear every surface
Do Step 1 in full. Removing clutter alone changes how a room feels more than most purchases do.
- 2Pull the furniture off the walls
Floating the sofa even a few inches off the wall, or grouping seating around a rug, often makes a room feel more intentional.
- 3Shop your own house
Lamps, art, baskets, plants, and books from other rooms can look brand new in a different setting.
- 4Rehang art at the right height
Most art in most homes hangs too high. Bring it down to eye level using the numbers in Step 8.
- 5Raise the curtain rod
If your curtains are long enough, moving the rod higher and wider is a free way to make the room feel taller.
- 6Restyle the shelves
Fewer objects, more breathing room, and books stacked both vertically and horizontally.
The Renter’s Version: Redecorate Without Losing Your Deposit
Renting doesn’t stop you. You can redecorate your living room without losing your deposit; you just swap permanent changes for removable ones. Always check your lease, and get anything unclear confirmed by your landlord in writing before you start.
| Instead of… | Try… |
|---|---|
| Painting an accent wall | Peel-and-stick wallpaper on one wall |
| Hardwiring new fixtures | Floor lamps, table lamps, and plug-in sconces |
| Drilling for curtain rods | Tension rods or no-drill brackets where your window allows |
| Nails for every frame | Removable adhesive hooks for lightweight art, or leaning art on a console |
| Replacing dated flooring | A large area rug that covers most of the floor |
Peel-and-stick wallpaper sticks best to smooth or lightly textured walls. On heavily textured walls it’s more likely to lift at the seams, so test a small piece first.
Wayfair
Best Subtle Pattern
AllModern Ama Abstract Peel & Stick Wallpaper
Can’t paint? One wall of peel-and-stick wallpaper gives you the impact of an accent wall that comes down when you move out. A soft abstract pattern works behind a sofa or TV without overpowering the room.
Will it fit? Measure the wall’s width and height and add extra for pattern matching.
Skip it if your walls are heavily textured.
See Dimensions & Price on Wayfair →
Amazon
Best Bold Pattern
Safiyya Abstract Geometric Removable Wallpaper
Plain rental walls make every room look the same. A removable geometric wallpaper adds pattern to one wall or the back of a bookcase. Test a small piece first, especially on textured walls.
Will it fit? Measure the wall’s width and height and add extra for pattern matching.
Skip it if you want a calm, quiet backdrop.
See Dimensions & Price on Amazon →7 Redecorating Mistakes That Make a Room Look “Off”
- 1Buying the sofa before measuring
Overscaled furniture is the number one problem I’m hired to fix. Measure twice, tape it out, then order.
- 2Choosing a rug that’s too small
If no furniture legs touch it, it’s too small for a seating area.
- 3Pushing every piece against the walls
Seating that faces each other around a rug feels more inviting than furniture lined up along the edges.
- 4Relying on one overhead light
Plan ambient, task, and accent light, spread across the room.
- 5Hanging curtains and art too low or too high
Curtains go high and wide; art goes at eye level.
- 6Buying everything from one collection
A fully matched set reads like a showroom. Mix finishes and keep a few pieces you already love.
- 7Accessorizing before the anchors are right
Pillows and decor can’t fix a layout problem. Finish Step 7 before you shop for Step 8.
The Designer’s Cheat Sheet for Redecorating
- ◆30–36 in. clear for main paths
- ◆14–18 in. from sofa, about 2/3 its length
- ◆Front legs on, wider than the sofa
- ◆High and wide, 8–12 in. past the frame
- ◆Centered 57–60 in.; 8–10 in. above a sofa
- ◆60% dominant, 30% secondary, 10% accent
Redecorating Your Living Room: FAQs
Start by clearing the room, not shopping. Remove the small items, decide what the room needs to do, then measure and map the layout. Only after you know what you’re keeping and what fits should you set a budget and buy anything.
Designers notice scale and layout first: whether the sofa and rug fit the room and whether you can walk through easily. Next is lighting, because one overhead light makes any room feel flat. Then they look at how the colors connect between rooms, and whether the room has personal pieces instead of only matching store-bought decor.
Buy the anchor pieces first: the sofa, the rug, the curtains, and the lighting. They set the scale and structure of the room. Accent chairs, side tables, art, and accessories come after, once the anchors are in place.
Clear every surface, pull furniture off the walls, move lamps and art in from other rooms, rehang art at eye level, raise the curtain rod, and restyle the shelves with fewer objects. These changes use what you already own.
Tape the piece’s footprint on the floor and live with it for a couple of days. If you have less than 30 to 36 inches for main walkways, or the sofa takes up more than about two-thirds of its wall, it is likely too big.
Choose a rug large enough that the front legs of the sofa and chairs sit on it and it extends a few inches past each end of the sofa. An 8 by 10 rug works for most living rooms.
A no-spend refresh can be done in a weekend. A full redecorate usually takes a few weeks to a few months, mostly because of furniture delivery times. Working through the steps in order keeps you from waiting on pieces you later have to return.
Edit out clutter, choose a simple palette, use pieces with clean lines and visible legs, layer your lighting, and hang larger-scale art. A modern living room depends more on restraint and good proportions than on buying new trend pieces.
Redecorate in the Right Order
The secret to redecorating a living room isn’t taste or a big budget. It’s sequence. Clear the room so you can see it, plan before you buy, anchor it with the right-sized pieces, and only then layer in the details. And before you commit to any large piece of furniture, measure twice.
If you’re ready to redecorate your living room, start with Step 1 this weekend. You’ll be surprised how much the room changes before you buy anything at all.
If you want the full formulas, spacing rules, and layout math from this guide (and every other room in your home) in one place, grab The Designer’s SECRET Cheat Sheet — it’s the shortcut version of everything a designer checks before calling a room finished.
Get the Cheat Sheet →And if you want more of this in your feed, come find us @thedecorholic on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest for more room-by-room styling breakdowns like this one.
Stephanie writes room-by-room decorating guides for The Decorholic, built around real measurements and the scale mistakes she’s hired to fix most often.
About The Decorholic →CATCH THE LATEST IN HOME DECOR TRENDS:
Accessorize a Small Living Room: 7 Genius Styling Secrets
How to Make a Small Room Appear Bigger
How to Make Your Home Look Expensive
GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL THE INSPIRING DECOR TIPS:
Best Fireplace Makeover Ideas
How to Make a Gallery Wall: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide (Even If You’ve Never Hung a Picture)
