What does it cost to fully furnish a living room? Well, that answer depends on a lot of factors. The living room is often the largest room in the house and frequently hosts the most furniture (and guests). Your investment amount will depend on the size of your room (and other factors we'll dig into below). Put simply - the larger the living room, the larger the budget.
It's also worth splurging on a well-made sofa, since you'll spend most of your sitting (and napping) time there. And remember that final pricing also depends on fabric or material selection. Scroll through to see our pricing estimates for various categories in a living room design!
What Does It Cost to Furnish a Living Room?
Did you let out a gasp seeing those numbers?
Us too - it's a lot! But remember this: typically you aren't purchasing everything for a space at one time. You buy a piece here, and another a year later - pieces are collected and evolve and change over time.
But we challenge you to go to any retail website right now and put a living room together and add it all to your cart (or multiple carts at multiple retailers). And then, if possible, add in the customization that we designers would be implementing for many of those pieces - those numbers aren't that far off from a retail situation considering the level of customization we use for our clients!
SOFAS - CHAIRS
At the beginning of a full service design project, we send out a detailed questionnaire and an interactive budget template where we ask very targeted questions including, "What do you feel comfortable spending on a sofa?" Answering this honestly is crucial to setting expectations, and we can talk through what is realistic to expect for that price point.
While sofas and chairs may look similar to the naked eye, the construction of the piece is most likely to be the reason for drastically different price points. 8 way hand tied springs as the foundation of the seating support is the gold standard of the industry, but is very labor intensive and material heavy. Sinuous springs are a more affordable alternative.
The fabric or leather choice and cushion fill can also contribute to the vast range of pricing listed above. Also, think about how much of a frame you can see - sometimes a slipcovered piece can be less expensive than a wood frame chair that must look beautiful from every angle, for example... but that's not always the case! Also, fabric selection plays a huge role in cost too!
COFFEE TABLE - ACCENT TABLES
Materials are everything here - are marble, hardwood lumber, or welded metal involved in the tables you choose? Are you choosing tables with storage? Raw material costs, extra material needed for storage, and the extra labor all contribute to the price range listed above. And again, type of construction and overall quality of that construction are a deciding factor and contributing factor in cost.
LIGHTING
There is a balance between functional use and choosing a lighting fixture because it's just the most beautiful piece of art you've ever seen and you want that to be a focal point in a space. Lighting is the jewelry of a space, the perfect finishing touch, and you can definitely tell the difference between a knockoff and a perfectly crafted fixture with an immaculate spray job on the finish.
Weight of material, clarity of glass, quality of shade material, and the construction of the fixture all factor heavily into the cost of interesting light fixtures. Don't skimp here, we beg you!
AREA RUG
Our post about choosing the best rug for your space will give you some things to ponder.
How rugs are constructed and whether it is hand-knotted or machine-made will factor highly in the cost. Material choices, as always, will make or break a budget here - wool rugs are going to be more expensive than a polypropylene or jute rug, for example.
ART & ACCESSORIES
Not only is this category a question of volume, but also what is important for you to invest in. Craftsmanship and artisanal work takes much more time, material, and creativity, and prices definitely reflect that, and really should. If you appreciate the effort, time, craft, and skill that comes with custom art, be prepared to add that into your budget.
Scale is the next big factor - how large are these art pieces and/or accessories? Are you purchasing from a vintage source or reusing something you already own in a new way? Did you find something at a local store that you love?
Art and decor especially are so subjective to your taste and preference. You never know where you'll find something you love, and it's our job to make that collection of things reflect a home that is unapologetically you!
PILLOWS
Are your pillows handprinted individually or sent through a factory assembly line? Are they custom made in a workroom with specific fabric chosen by your designer? Are they limited-run releases or color releases for a specific season, or something you can buy at any time? Are the pillow inserts polyester-filled or down-filled? All of these factors can change the pricing for pillows dramatically.
WINDOW TREATMENTS
We take a deep dive here about your options for window treatments as well. The volume of fabric, as well as how many layers you're looking to do per window are critical for the budget. Your choice of material also factors heavily here. Window treatments are probably the most overlooked in a room budget, so please itemize this category so you're not hit with a huge surprise further into the design process.
Was this helpful for you? We would love to continue this series, so let us know if you have a certain room in mind to tackle, and we can add that to our blog schedule!
Your breakdown of living room furnishing costs is insightful and aligns with my experience. During my recent home renovation, I sought a service that could purchase my property as-is, allowing me to focus on designing my new space. This approach streamlined the process, enabling me to allocate more resources toward creating a comfortable and stylish living area.