6 Styling Tricks Designers Use to Make Any Living Room Look Instantly Finished

If you’re feeling as though your living room is looking a bit incomplete, you may just need to add some finishing styling touches that will help to better tie the space together. By weaving in some thoughtful arrangements and decorative pieces, you will be well on your way to achieving a designer-worthy home in no time.

Read on for six useful tips straight from experts themselves below.

Say Yes to Lots of Texture

So that your living room doesn’t fall flat, be sure to bring in plenty of different textures as you accessorize, notes Eve Jean, the founder of Style My Space Design.

“Mixing soft and smooth materials creates depth and warmth,” she says.

Unsure where to begin materials wise? Some of Jean’s favorites include linen, glass, and wood. Other materials to consider include marble, lucite, wool, boucle, velvet, and brass. Combining a handful of these together will result in a storied, elevated look like what you see in magazines.

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Embrace Groups of Threes

When shopping for living room decor, don’t stop at just two candlesticks—grab an extra so that you’ll be able to cluster three together in your space. Styling pros swear by this tip when outfitting a mantel, coffee table, console table, and so on.

As Jean says, “accessories look polished and balanced when styled in odd numbers.”

Even better if you can vary the height a bit, too. Going back to the candlestick example, don’t be afraid to display one small, one medium, and one large candlestick in a group.

Display a Statement Piece

Don’t underestimate the power of a good statement piece in your living room, Jean shares. This might be a furniture item, accessory, or something else entirely.

“A bold artwork, sculptural coffee table, or standout light fixture anchors the space and makes the design feel intentional,” the designer says.

Bonus points if the piece you choose has some personal meaning or an interesting story behind it. It will serve as an instant conversation starter when guests stop by.

Bring in Some Greenery

You don’t have to go all out with plants in the living room, but weaving a bit of greenery into the mix is never a bad idea.

“Don’t skimp on the stems! More is more,” Laura Zuckerman, the founder of Wowed Home Staging, says.

No green thumb? You can pick up some convincing-looking fake stems and corral them into a solid vase (no one will be able to tell whether or not there’s water in there) in order to replicate this setup.

Use Coordinating Throw Pillows

A living room that contains coordinating throw pillows will look more styled and complete, according to Zuckerman. She suggests looking at any art hanging in the space when you’re determining what hues you’d like your pillows to feature.

By no means do your pillows have to break the bank, either, she adds, citing an array of inexpensive options on the market. If you have leftover fabric from a living room upholstery project, you may even wish to sew some of your own pillow covers for a charming touch.

Don’t Forget Window Treatments

Last but not least, you can’t consider your living room to be complete unless you have installed window treatments, according to Andrea Sinkin, the founder of Andrea Sinkin Design.

“Window treatments are not a need—they are a necessity,” Sinkin says. “Beautiful long curtains hung from floor to ceiling instantly give a room height a polished, cohesive look.”

Most interior designers will recommend that you purchase curtains that kiss the floor (as opposed to those that puddle, which is a more formal, dated look), which is important to take into account as you calculate drapery measurements.