A living room is only as sophisticated as the things in it. You could have a fancy minimalist coffee table and a Ligne Roset sofa, but if everything else looks like it came from a last-minute supermarket sweep, the effect is lost. Elevating the space doesn’t necessarily mean tearing it apart and starting again. Often, it just means swapping the dull stuff for pieces with a bit of character – things that are functional, yes, but also interesting. Here are six ways to upgrade your living room decor, without resorting to anything drastic.
A signature fragrance
Every house should have a smell. Not a vague scent of detergent or whatever your neighbour's cooking, but a deliberate, recognisable aroma. The olfactory equivalent of a calling card. Choose one that feels warm and expensive: smoky, woody, possibly even a bit leathery. The kind of thing that lingers just enough to make people wonder what it is, but not enough to become cloying. A well-chosen, long-lasting fragrance makes a living room feel lived-in and looked after. Somewhere people want to stay.
An artistic coffee table
A good coffee table is a quiet show-off. It should draw the eye without trying too hard. Sculptural but sturdy, interesting without being impractical. Ideally, it does more than just support unread hardbacks and the occasional Negroni. Think of it as a centrepiece of your living room decor: the thing everything else in the room subtly orbits. Glass, stone, and richly grained woods all play well here, as do unusual shapes. It’s not about making a statement. It’s about setting the tone.
Aesthetic candles
Scented candles are the easy option, but the ones worth displaying work just as hard unlit. Treat them like objets d’art – forms in wax that bring softness, texture, or even a bit of humour to a room. Shapes that feel a little off-kilter, colours that complement the palette, vessels that are beautiful enough to keep long after the wick is gone. Bonus points for candles that smell like something other than a provincial gift shop.
A statement rug
Rugs have a thankless task. They get trodden on, spilled on, moved around, and ignored. Which is all the more reason to get one that demands attention. Whether it’s pattern, colour, or texture, a statement rug adds personality to a room’s undercarriage. It can anchor the space, divide it, or warm it up, depending on how you play it. Just avoid the generic grey shagpile unless you’re going for ‘furnished rental’ as an aesthetic.
Patterned throws
Most people think of throws as cosy extras, like house socks or Sunday roasts. But the right one can do far more than just fend off a draught. Patterned throws are a clever way to bring in colour, contrast, or texture to your living room decor without having to repaint the walls or commit to a whole new sofa. Fold one neatly over the arm of a chair and you’ll look effortlessly put together. Like you read design magazines. Like you have taste.
A good-looking magazine rack
Magazine racks are an underrated finishing touch. Functional, yes, but also a tidy place to stash that growing pile of New Yorkers you pretend to read. Choose one that adds shape or warmth – leather, metal, rattan – and it becomes part of the decor, not just somewhere to hide your clutter. And crucially, it keeps the coffee table clear for more important things. Like your drink.
A tidy tray
You know that vague collection of keys, coins, receipts and rogue cufflinks that gathers in the corner of every surface? A tray solves that, or at least makes it look intentional. It brings order to chaos, corralling life’s daily debris into one neat vignette. Choose one with weight and texture – marble, wood, maybe even leather – and it becomes a design detail rather than just a receptacle.
A sculptural object or two
Not everything needs to serve a practical purpose. In fact, your living room will look better if a few things don’t. Sculptural objects – abstract shapes, interesting forms, things with no clear reason to exist – add visual rhythm to a space. They’re talking points, if you want them to be. Or just quietly beautiful, if you don’t. Place one on a shelf, sideboard or coffee table and let it do its enigmatic little job.
An unusual mirror
A mirror, obviously, reflects light and makes a room feel bigger. But it can also act like art – especially if you pick one with an unconventional wavy shape, colour or frame. Think curved edges, asymmetrical forms, smoked glass. The aim is to make it feel deliberate rather than obligatory. Hung above a fireplace or leaned casually against a wall, it becomes a focal point. And on bad hair days, it can always be ignored.
Coffee table books
Yes, they’re a little performative. But that’s the point. A well-curated stack of coffee table books sends a message: I have interests, I have taste, I buy my meats and cheeses from the deli counter rather than the aisle. The subject matter doesn’t matter too much – fashion, architecture, brutalist bus stops – as long as it looks good and feels considered. Don’t overdo it. Two or three is enough. This is your living room, not a concept store.
Next up: 9 Of the best minimalist coffee tables.
