5 Tips For A Living Room That Never Goes Out Of Style

It's tempting to chase the latest color or furniture trend, but the living rooms that age best are built on a few timeless decisions rather than a season's worth of trends.

Start with a neutral base for large, expensive pieces — sofas, rugs, and curtains — and save bold colors for cushions, art, and accessories that are cheap to swap out later.

Invest in good lighting layers: ambient, task, and accent. A room lit only by one overhead fixture will feel flat no matter how nice the furniture is.

Choose furniture proportions that suit the room, not just what looks good in a showroom. A sofa that's too large makes a room feel cramped; one that's too small leaves it feeling empty.

Finally, leave room to breathe. A few well-chosen pieces with negative space around them will always look more considered than a room packed wall-to-wall with furniture.