The first thing your guests see when you welcome them into your home is your living room. The living room is where you mingle with friends before dinner or relax on a lazy Sunday. Since it makes one of your home’s first impressions, it’s easy to see why your living room is also one of the most important areas of your home to decorate well. You can get away with having a sparsely decorated bedroom or bathroom, but a badly-decorated living room is a no-no!

Here are four must-have items that every stylish living room needs right now:

Invest in a Designer Sofa

If you’re only going to invest in one piece of furniture, let it be your living room sofa. Beautiful designer sofas will form the centerpiece not just of your living room, but also of your entire home. As sofas are furniture items that are used very frequently, it’s better to invest in a more expensive and higher quality one then to cheap out on this essential piece.

Photo: Houzz

A higher quality sofa is not only easier on the eye but also much hardier, and you won’t find yourself having to replace them after a few years due to wear and tear. There are tons of places designers swear by when it comes to purchasing statement-making sofas. Z Gallerie, Horchow, and Thelongeststay are just some of the stores that carry the most gorgeous designer sofas for living rooms of all sizes.

Artwork Goes a Long Way

Bearing in mind that your living room is where most of the social interaction in your home takes place, you can really set the mood with the artwork you choose, so choose carefully. If you’re not sure what sort of art would suit your space, you might want to consult your interior designer to make sure the pieces you select are appropriate for the style and mood of your home. This can be tricky, as there’s more to think about than just the colour and design of the art.

Photo: Mi Casa

Put Thought in Your Lighting

The lighting you choose can completely transform the look of a space. Yellow lighting is generally recommended for living rooms as they tend to be warmer and more welcoming. Conversely, white lighting can come off as harsh and uninviting. Other than ceiling lights, you’ll want to consider the possibility of installing floor lamps or side lamps which can illuminate dark corners in your living room and also make reading more comfortable.

Photo: Leigh Olive Mowry Interiors

Cozy Up Your Space with a Carpet

Nobody likes cold floors, especially in winter. No matter what your climate is like, a carpet is essential in the living room. It not only instantly raises the comfort level of your family and friends, but also helps to anchor the look of your space and tie the various design elements together. The textures and patterns you choose largely depend on your climate and the style of your interior.

Photo: IBB Design Fine Furnishings

A lush animal skin rug would look great in a warm, woody interior, especially in an area with cold winters. On the other hand, an eclectic interior might benefit from a bright patterned rug that injects a dose of personality. Hot and humid climates would benefit from textured rugs made of lighter materials, as opposed to heavy materials like wool, which would wilt in the humidity.

Metallic Wallpaper

Designers are causing a stir over metallic decor accessories like metallic lamps, drawer pulls, faucets, and knobs. It’s fun to jump into new decor trends, but even better when you do it from a different perspective. Metallic wallpaper gets our seal of approval as one of 2016’s hottest decor trends. Just how glam does this turquoise kitchen look with this dazzling wallpaper and matching cabinets?

Photo: Sheila Bridges Design Inc.

Kitchen Chandeliers

Now this is an easy way designers make any kitchen look INSTANTLY more expensive and luxurious. Kitchen chandeliers aren’t even expensive to buy (home depot carries some lovely affordable ones) and they reflect light all over the place, lighting up every dark corner and making your kitchen look twice as big!

Photo: Tumblr

Nailhead Detailing

Nailheads make anything look chic! We’ve seen them everywhere from sofas to ottomans, even storage boxes and now they have made their way to our kitchen cupboards. You can buy nailheads on strips by the yard and easily glue or tack them onto the edge of your cupboards and counter tops for a glammed-up look that’s on a whole other level.

Photo: Thehighheeledhostess.com

Durable Wood-Like Flooring

Hardwood flooring in the kitchen screams luxury because as we all know, it’s super easy to damage and is very pricey! You can get the look of hardwood flooring in the kitchen using tiles that look exactly like real wood. To keep your kitchen looking elegant rather than rustic, choose light walls, cupboards and countertops like the granite and quartz ones from Mayfair Granite. Having these wood-like tiles stretch throughout your whole home makes it look expansive, luxurious, and very much like your dream kitchen!

Photo: Hallmark Floors Inc.

Waffle Ceilings

Having a wood waffle ceiling was long thought of as being uber expensive, sometimes even unnecessary, and a decorating style made for the rich only. Today there are tons of alternatives where you can get the look of a waffle ceiling for a lot cheaper! Styrofoam molds mimic the look of real wood, and when painted you can barely tell the difference.

Photo: John Kraemer & Sons 

Glossy All-Black Kitchens

Don’t shy away from black walls and cupboards, an all-black kitchen can make a huge statement room for your whole house! The trick to making black work as a wall color is choosing a glossy shade that reflects light rather than swallows it up. For your hardware such as drawer knobs, pulls, and kitchen faucet choose a brushed gold to amp up your new dream kitchen.

Photo: Style Me Pretty

Built-In Kitchen Appliances

An ugly fridge and dishwasher can really break your overall decor. What’s trending for 2016 is making your kitchen look as seamless as possible. This means dishwashers and fridges that are built-in and look almost invisible!

Photo: Pinterest