Decorating a living room doesn't end at buying an attractive set of furniture, though that's a great beginning. Rather, it's all about how you arrange the furniture and enhance it with accent pieces. In fact, you can even make your living room look professionally decorated without having to make that investment. No matter the size of your living room, adhere to some design basics for a pleasing décor style.

Choose Timeless Furniture that Fits your Room

There are two rules at work here. First, choose living room furniture that will stand the test of time. It needs to be sturdy and well-constructed with durable upholstery — cotton and synthetics are good fabrics for durability. Since you're making an investment, you'll also want to ensure your living room furniture is in a classic style that you'll love for years. That said, make sure the proportions of the furniture fit the space. You don't want too-small pieces receding in the background or too-large pieces taking over the living room.

Choose an Arrangement Style

Once you have the furniture set itself, you'll need to choose an arrangement style. This depends on what you want to emphasize in your living room. If you want a magazine-worthy room, consider choosing a design focal point and arranging around it. For instance, you could arrange the furniture to enhance a view out the window. Conversely, you may want to facilitate conversation. In that case, you'll arrange the pieces so they face each other and have tables handy for drinks and snacks.

Utilize an Area Rug

An area rug is ideal for pulling living room décor together. First, choose one that fits the style and color palette of the rest of the décor. You can use a patterned rug to drive the palette, or you could choose a solid-colored rug within a palette. The rug also needs to be large enough to create a sense of connection between the furniture pieces. Ideally, the furniture should fit completely on the rug. However, at minimum, the front feet of the sofa should fit on the rug with chairs and tables sitting completely on it.

Hang Artwork

You don't want bare walls. Invest in a few art pieces to give your living room wow factor. This can be traditional prints, framed photos, or even curios such as a ship's wheel or textile. When it comes to hanging the pieces, The Spruce suggests hanging them so the center is between 56 to 60 inches up and there's between four to eight inches of clearance over the sofa.

Create a wow-worthy living room by choosing key pieces and arranging them according to décor principles. Visit a site like FurnitureInAFlash.com for more help.