Design mistakes to avoid while designing your living room

Merino Laminates, January 3, 2024 Updated On : March 6, 2025

Like the eyes are a window to the soul, the living room gives a glimpse of the decor of the entire house to the visitor who may not have access beyond that point. Not only does it showcase the design prowess of the designer but it reflects the lifestyle, aspirations and the aesthetic inclination of the home owners. Hence, the design of your living room is serious business! Lot of care must be taken to design this space as this gives the first impression to your guests and as the famous saying goes, the first impression is certainly the best impression and we must ensure that we are creating the right impression in the minds of our guests.

Not only that, our living rooms are also used to entertain friends, relax and bond together as family or to simply relax and unwind after a long day. Therefore, multiple factors must be considered while designing this space. Here are some design mistakes you should avoid while designing your living room:

1. If you have a handsome amount of space dedicated to creating a living room, it is ideal to break it up into a foyer and a living room rather than having one very large living room. Having a foyer helps create a more private living room, while also adding a layer of security against prying eyes into your home. It can be separated by a movable partition or a dainty one made using wood, laser cut metal or even glass.

2. While looks are important, it is all the more important to prioritise comfort and ease of maintenance when we are considering furniture for our space. Go for material that is easy to clean, comfortable to use while it looks perfect with the theme you have planned for your living room.

3. One common mistake made while designing our living rooms is the easy visual connection with the bedrooms. This must be avoided and the doors of the rooms should be placed in such a way that they are not directly visible from the viewing point of the guests. You can create a visual barrier in the form of partitions, storage units or you can create a bay for the doors to open into, away from the eyes of your people using the living room.

4. Instead of plastering the entire space with a mishmash of colours, textures and patterns, create niche focal points that will not only give the design its moment, but it will also help you create a serene and calm space. You can choose from a wide range of unique patterns available with Merino Laminates to create wall panels, niches, feature walls etc to add an element of drama to your space.

5. One of the biggest mistakes we make is the use of fluorescent lights that are simply placed all over the room. This is the worst thing to do, as it downgrades a space and makes it look drab and boring. Instead, layer your lights and have a mix of task lighting and ambient lighting. You can find elegant light fittings in every budget and for every decor theme, and using these instead of the old school lights can elevate your design and give it a unique character.

6. Elaborate false ceilings are a no go for a while now! Most homeowners are completely avoiding false ceilings or create minimal designs to accommodate any flushed lights hidden in the ceiling. Wooden detailing, paired with pendant lights and flushed LEDs is a trend that we see a lot now and you can try this if you wish to give your living room a look of opulence and luxury without burning a hole in your pocket.

We hope that design guidelines help you create a beautiful, functional and elegant living room that is not just a treat to the eyes of your guests but a delight for the inhabitants too. The challenge lies in creating the balance between looks and comfort as it has to cater to the day to day needs of the inhabitants, while offering a welcome space to the occasional guests. The right combination of materials, textures and colours can help you create your own signature style that reflects your aspiration and taste, while also ensuring that your space is optimised, user friendly and adaptable to the changing needs of the family.