Contributed by Aurora LaJambre, Catalogs.com Top 10 Guru

The living serves a range of purposes in a home.

For some families it’s a place to unwind, others use it to entertain, play games and watch movies. However you use yours, it’s a hub of activity, which can make for a tricky place to design. A bit of decorating magic is needed to create a space that expresses your style, while still making guests will feel comfortable.

These top ten living room ideas are inspired by both practical considerations and creative inspiration.

10. Wall Stickers

Wall stickers may not sound very grown up, but this relatively new product is an ingenious way to add detail to a room without making permanent changes. If your home has a whimsical feel, you can find several pattern sets to complement the décor, including flowers and a world map. To add a subtle surprise in a mostly neutral room, set black and white images in a decorative wall frame stickers.

9. Gather ‘Round the End Table

Situating furniture around a nice end table positions seating so guests can easily talk while allowing their eyes to wander around. This also opens up the rest of the room to establish a clear visual focal point, like a fireplace. Use patterned throw pillows against a solid slip cover or bold solid pillows on a patterned couch.

8. Mix Textures and Patterns

Textures bring tactile interest to a room, and patterns please the eye – so use both! Pair a solid plush couch with a boldly patterned rug for a contemporary feel, or a braided wool rug for a traditional look. Rugs protect your floor and feel soft and warm against your feet. Consider wool and cotton rugs with striped, floral and other classic patterns.

7. Unify the Color Scheme

If your seating, rug, table, lamps and shelves vary in color, choose a window treatment that will unify the whole room without blending in with the walls. Shop a range of draperies as well as elegant curtain rods with embellishments. An easy way to make the ceilings appear higher is to hang the window treatments higher than the actual window.

6. Multitask Clutter

If you have book lovers in the home, you’ve noticed they leave a trail of books wherever they go. Real Simple magazine offers a fantastic living room idea tip to turn these piles into an instant end table. Stack carefully and avoid putting the book you’re reading at the bottom of the stack. Assume someone will use the “table” and leave a coaster on top to prevent coffee rings.

5. Create the Illusion of Space

The coffee table has the annoying habit of making a small room feel even smaller, but without a coffee table you’re kicking over drinks and constantly asking guests to hold the cheese tray. Save yourself (and your guests) the trouble and get a glass table. Glass tables transmit light and add a modern living room touch. Sometimes we don’t need as much space as we think we do, we just need the open feel.

4. Scale Furniture & Decor to the Room

Living room furniture should be scaled to the size of the room. If you’re working with a small space, choose smaller, cozy pieces with plush material. For a large, grand space, choose long couches, tables and rugs so the room feels welcoming not empty. Big living rooms can be an ideal spot to feature an ornate mirror, matching tapestries or hang a crystal chandelier.

3. Go Eclectic

Design junkies and flea market lovers often have a collection of gorgeous individual pieces of furniture. Embrace your eclectic tastes. HGTV suggests using a few distinct pieces that work together. Keep the accents and patterns to a minimum so the focus is on the shapes of the furniture.

2. Judge Lamps for Their Looks

Living room lamps illuminate at night, but they’re seen by day as well. As you brainstorm living room ideas, keep in mind that every object should serve a purpose and add to the aesthetic. By shopping a lighting collection of contemporary, traditional and artsy lamps that offer both style and function you will find fixtures that compliment function and coordinate with each other.

1. Let Art Inspire You

Designing your home should bring you joy, but it’s not easy when you’re trying to please others as well as yourself. Take a breather and if you don’t already have a piece of artwork that makes you breathe more calmly, browse a comprehensive online art collection for a treat. Art becomes a mood-setting focal point in a living room, and a conversation starter. Use the dominant colors in the art to guide your selection of pillows and other accents.