How to style a living room on a budget

Most living rooms don't need new furniture. They need the furniture moved, one decent lamp, and something on the walls that isn't a canvas from 2014.

Work in this order: layout, light, walls, soft furnishings. Buying a sofa first and then working out where it goes is how people end up with a room that never quite settles.

We don't sell furniture - we make prints, postcards, pin badges and cards in house, printed in the UK. So this is a straight guide, plus the print and the card that go with it.

Free fixes to do first

• Pull the sofa off the wall by ten centimetres - the room instantly reads as deliberate rather than a waiting area.
• Group seating around a focal point, not around the television by default.
• Clear every surface completely, then put back only what you'd miss.
• Move the rug so the front legs of the sofa and chairs sit on it. A rug floating in the middle shrinks a room.
• Take one thing out. Nearly every room is one item too full.

Where the money actually goes furthest

• Two lamps beat one ceiling light, every time, and second-hand lamps are everywhere for under twenty pounds.
• A larger rug. Undersized rugs are the single most common mistake and the most expensive to fix later.
• Curtains hung wide and high - the fabric can be cheap, the pole placement is what matters.
• One large print rather than four small ones, which costs less and looks calmer.
• Cushion covers, not cushions. You already have the inners.

What to buy second hand

• Solid wood side tables, sideboards and chests of drawers - better made than new budget equivalents.
• Lamp bases, which you can rewire or just re-shade.
• Mirrors, the bigger the better, which do more for light than paint.
• Dining chairs, then reupholster the seat pads yourself in an afternoon.
• Skip second-hand mattresses and upholstered sofas unless you know the source.

Common mistakes

• Everything pushed flat against the walls.
• Art hung too high - centre it at eye level, not picture-rail level.
• One overhead bulb doing all the work at night.
• Too many small objects and not enough large ones.
• Buying the accessories before the layout is settled.

Shop cards

Prints for the wall

Designed in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Do the layout before you buy anything.
• Two lamps, warm bulbs, both on at night.
• Hang curtains high and wide, not tight to the window.
• Remove one item from the room and see if you miss it.

Where to shop next

• How to hang wall art properly
• How to build a gallery wall
• Choosing furniture for a small flat
• First home checklist: what to buy first
• Lighting a room properly
• Colour schemes that actually work
• Seasonal decor without the clutter
• Posters and prints
• Postcards
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

What should you spend money on first in a living room?

Lighting and a properly sized rug. Both change how the whole room feels, and both are cheaper than replacing furniture.

How do you make a cheap living room look expensive?

Fewer, larger items. One big print instead of four small ones, one large rug, two lamps instead of a ceiling light, and clear surfaces.

How big should a living room rug be?

Big enough that the front legs of every seat sit on it. If that isn't possible, go bigger rather than smaller.