For many people, the living room in the most important part of their home. It is a place where you can go to relax and unwind, escape from the stresses of modern life and spend time with the people who you care most about. When it comes to living room design, there are a few basic do’s and don’t which can help you to create a space that really enhances the room as a whole. Whether you are looking to completely redesign your living room or just give it a bit of sprucing up, here are a few of the basics that will hopefully give you a helping hand.

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A great living room should have a great focal point - a place where the eye is naturally drawn that allows all the other items to work around it. This may be something natural like a big fireplace or window with a great view or alternatively, it may be something that you have specifically designed to be the focal point like a particularly striking piece of art. The focal point should face the entrance to the room so it captures people’s attention straight away.

When people come to creating a living room, many think that they have to start by choosing the paint colour and making everything else work around this. But the truth is that paint is affordable and you can always change your mind if you aren’t completely happy. Instead, you should go for the larger furniture and decorative items and then choose the paint colour that best fits in with what you have chosen.

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Many people go for hardwood flooring in their living rooms, but remember that carpeting is always an option as well. Check for Carpet One flooring stores which provide a wide range of options. If you are going for the hardwood floor option, you should also make sure that you don’t choose an area rug which is too small as this is a common mistake that people make. And also ensure that you choose one so that the furniture fits on comfortably - or at least just the front legs.

You may be tempted to push your furniture up against the walls in order to create a larger space in the middle of the room, but this also means that people will be seated very far away from each other so you have not created an ideal social setting. Instead, you should position furniture within a reasonable distance of each other and try to place it so people can easily interact regardless of where they are sitting in the room.

Within your living room, you want to be able to alter the lighting depending on the mood. When you have a number of guests over, you will probably want plenty of light so everyone can clearly see each other, but when you are sitting back and watching a movie, you will want the lighting to be more intimate. So, you can go for a combination of overhead, ambient and task lighting so you can easily alter the mood. Position lamps in strategic places where the light doesn’t reach.

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Throw pillows are a great addition to the living room space, but you don’t want to use too many of them or they can become a nuisance as you have to throw them off the couch every time you want to sit down. So, when it comes to choosing them, go for ones that enhance the look of the furniture and allow you to put your own personal stamp on the living room. Carefully chosen throw pillows can have a big impact on the space.

In your living room, the big ticket item is likely to be your sofa so make sure you take the time to invest in one that is high quality and will provide you with years of good service. The minimum length of time that you are looking for on a sofa of average quality is 10 years and you should even be looking for upwards of 25 years. It is also worth investing in more durable items such as coffee tables as these will last you for a good deal of time as well.