When I asked all of you what you wanted to see more of on the blog this year I got an overwhelming response for more decor posts in general, but specifically to break down rooms. I want to offer more design boards and show you how I approach layering a space whether it is your living room, bedroom or tiny entry.

There is a method to the madness and I hope it can help if you are starting over in a new space or want to refresh a room. I definitely want to change up some things in our living room this year so this design is inspired by the direction I want to go in.

Interior Design is all about layering. Without this key step rooms can fall flat and often feel like they are missing something. I always say good layers bring life to a room

FIND YOUR FOCUS

For me the anchor for any room is the rug. It is crucial that you choose the right size or you will end up cutting the room off and making it look and feel smaller. I tend to go by the motto bigger is better while still keeping in mind the proportions of the room. I like to have my furniture partially on the rug and make sure it always goes under the sofa at least 6-8 inches. The rug is also a great place to layer if you like a larger natural fiber with a vintage rug or something soft like a sheepskin on top. The rug can set the tone for the entire room and often becomes the focal point. I like to pull pillows and accessories from the tones in the rug.

IT IS ALL ABOUT BALANCE

The living room is the perfect setting to really layer in the details because it tends to be the room with the most decorative accents. For me no living room is complete without a bevy of gorgeous coffee table books, a great tray and lots of candles. This is where it can get tricky for some. Instead of having a bunch on little decorative objects that can look cluttered you want to seek a balance and purchase items that feel proportionate. If you have a large lamp on one side of a console – grab a stack of pretty books, layer a tray on top and add in fresh flowers or a small plant so the lamp doesn’t feel awkwardly tall. I noticed such a big difference when you build up the layers instead of having a very one dimensional room.

BRING THE OUTDOORS IN

I have said it before, plants are the finishing touch in interior design. If you ever look though a bunch of styled interior shots, no matter the room you will see a perfectly placed plant. Greenery adds so much life to a room and offers such a beautiful texture. Even if you don’t have space for a large plant you can place smaller options on a shelf or accent table. You can see some of my favorite plants in this post.

DON’T FORGET YOUR WINDOWS

No room ever looks complete without proper window treatments, yet they can often be forgotten about. Even if you live in a rental that comes with cheap blinds you can remove them and add a nicer woven shade or soft drapery. A room can instantly look more tailored by incorporating nice window coverings. I will be doing a full post about this really soon because I get a lot of questions about my drapery and there are so many options for windows.

Essentially I feel like any room should truly be a collection of items you love. I see a living room (or family room) as a gathering space. We live in a small apartment so the living room is the main hub for everything. Adding in intentional layers gives a home character so now I gravitate towards special pieces that dont seem as off the shelf. Of course I still love accessories from Target or Home Goods, but I try and balance that out with some investment pieces and always add in new layers to keep it fresh.