Design Ideas for Living & Dining Rooms

Five Living Room Essentials

When starting your living room from scratch, designer Jill Boothby recommends that you focus first on these key elements:

• Sofa
• Round Coffee Table
• Woven Rug
• Upholstered Chair
• Simple Window Treatments

Sofa, Coffee Table, and Rug

• Sofa: Make the sofa your number one splurge. Because of the price tag, this go-to comfy spot will probably stay with you the longest, and you want it to last. Give your choice plenty of thought. Jill points out that a good-quality, classic-style frame can be reupholstered again and again. (Montauk sofa (3229-02), from $1,499, by Clayton Marcus.)
• Round Coffee Table: With no hard edges, it will give a more open feel to your space. (Mercer coffee table, $475, by Sitcom Furniture.)
• Woven Rug: Choosing natural fibers keeps your room casual and relaxed. (Color-Bound Sisal Rug, $349 (8' x 10'), from Pottery Barn.) 

Colorful Throw Pillows

Decorating Tip: Choose neutral colors without a lot of pattern for the major items. “Use color and pattern in the throw pillows,” says Jill. “It’s so much less expensive to change those out.”

Take your time. “Don’t rush to fill your space,” Jill says. “Wait. You will change your mind along the way. By being patient, you’ll end up with items you really want.”

Upholstered Chair

A cozy chair is an ideal place to add a pop of your chosen accent color. “I had the upholstered chairs in the living room re-covered to change them from light blue and yellow to green and brown,” says Jill.

Tip: Reupholstering is often more cost-effective than buying new chairs, especially if you love the pieces you have but are just tired of the fabric. The same tip applies to secondhand purchases.

• Chair 0506SG, starts at $599, by Craftmaster Furniture.

Simple Window Treatments

White linen drapes give your room an airy, comfortable look.

• Peyton Drapes, from $79/panel, from Pottery Barn.

Dining Room

When your dining room is small and square, use Jill’s advice to visually expand the space:

• Keep the palette one color (the dining room wall paint is Bella Mint SR708 by Valspar).
• Choose a round table.
• Pick armless dining chairs.

Minimize Accessories

Apply fashion sense to your home design. “Get dressed and then take off one accessory,” she says, echoing the advice of French fashion designer Coco Chanel. That motto also applies to your decorating―less is often more.