If we had to name the Mount Everest of styling, it’d have to be the lounge room. It’s usually the largest space in the house… which can also make it the trickiest. Between the couches, chairs, rugs, tables, cushions, art (and yes, the TV 🙃), there are a lot of decisions to make. Add multiple entry points and competing focal zones, and suddenly your “relaxing” room feels more like a puzzle.

But don’t stress - we’ve climbed this mountain more than a few times before, and we’ve got the shortcuts to get you to the top. Follow this step-by-step guide to style your lounge room in a way that’s functional and looks good too.

Three Birds Renovations House Tour Inner City Cottage, bright modern living room with boucle sofa, marble coffee table, indoor greenery, and textured wall art creating a serene contemporary aesthetic. — The lounge room at Bon’s Brother’s Cottage

1. PLAN YOUR LOUNGE ROOM

Before you pick a single sofa or cushion, get your plan sorted. This is the foundation of your entire room - your vision board sets the vibe, and your furniture plan locks in the flow.

STEP ONE: CREATE YOUR VISION BOARD

This is where you decide on the overall look and feel of the room. Do you want it to feel sophisticated and grown-up or relaxed and lived-in? Light and coastal or moody and dramatic? Your vision board is your styling bible - every colour, texture and furniture choice should trace back to it.

STEP TWO: MAP YOUR FURNITURE PLAN

Once the vision is clear, it’s time to sketch it out. Your layout determines how people move through the space and how each piece will work together.

First, decide: is this a formal lounge or a casual family zone?

Formal lounges are usually more structured and symmetrical with matching sofas facing each other, centred around a single focal point like a fireplace or statement artwork.
Casual lounges feel softer and more organic, often using asymmetrical layouts that create a relaxed, lived-in vibe.

Then, think about how the room will actually be used:

Do you want to encourage conversation? Face seats toward each other.
Love your garden view? Angle the seating to frame it.
More of a Netflix-and-chill household? Prioritise the TV sightline from the comfy sofa.

A few golden rules for layouts:

Don’t jam your couch against the wall. Even a 10 cm gap creates breathing space and makes the room feel bigger.
Try not to make the back of your couch the first thing people see when they walk in. If you can’t avoid it, soften it with a console table or a throw.
Keep pathways clear and flowy. No one wants to shimmy around a coffee table just to sit down.

Your vision board and furniture plan are the blueprint for everything that follows - get this right, and the rest of your styling will fall beautifully into place.

2. START WITH THE COUCH (THE STAR OF THE SHOW)

Once your layout’s sorted, it’s time to choose your hero piece - the couch. Everything else will revolve around it, so make this your first big styling decision.

Size matters:
Don’t fall into the trap of buying the biggest sofa that fits the space. It’ll dominate the room and actually make it feel smaller. A smaller couch with side tables or an ottoman is often more inviting and flexible.

Style & shape:

Small room - Choose slimmer arms, exposed legs and a lighter silhouette.
Larger room - Deep seats and chunkier arms will feel luxe and cosy.

Three Birds Renovations House 16, cozy living room with sage green walls, oversized grey sofa, striped cushions, and timber side table with ceramic lamp creating a calm modern retreat.

Three Birds Renovations House 15, minimalist living room with white boucle sofa, round nesting coffee tables, and soft natural light enhancing the fresh, contemporary coastal design.

Three Birds Renovations Rolling Seas, coastal living room with mustard sofa, rattan chairs, white brick walls, and timber textures blending relaxed beachside charm with modern design.

Three Birds Renovations House 15, elegant living room with curved cream sofa, black coffee table, and soft pastel accents near a statement staircase, showcasing refined contemporary design.

Colour & fabric:
Neutral tones (white, cream, grey) are timeless and easy to restyle. Bold colours can make a statement - just pair them with neutral accessories to balance the look. No matter which colour you choose, washable slipcovers are a lifesaver in a busy family home!

💡 Sofa Shopping Tip: Smaller is safer. You can always fill the space with a side table - but you can’t shrink a couch!

3. ADD OCCASIONAL CHAIRS (THE SUPPORTING CAST)

Now that your couch is in place, it’s time to bring in her co-stars: occasional chairs. They’re practical for extra seating, but they also add personality, colour, and texture.

In family homes, we like to mix things up rather than have everything match becuase it creates more visual interest. Try pairing a plush sofa with a structured chair, or a fabric couch with a rattan or leather frame.

If your room’s tight on space, choose chairs with open or visible frames to keep things light. And for extra flexibility, ottomans and stools can double as seating or side tables.

4. STYLE WITH CUSHIONS & THROWS

Now for the fun stuff - cushions! They’re the quickest, easiest way to inject colour, pattern and texture.

Numbers guide:

Small couch: 3 cushions (two on one end, one on the other)
Standard couch: 4 cushions (two at each end)
L-shaped couch: 6 cushions (three at the arm, three in the corner)

Mix sizes, fabrics and patterns - avoid the trap of making everything match and try mixing a solid, a small print, and one hero cushion to tie it all together. Feather inserts always look more luxe and comfy (yes, we do love a karate chop).

Throws are the cherry on top of your sofa styling - drape them casually for a relaxed look or fold neatly for structure. And if you’ve got little ones, keep a washable throw handy to protect your sofa in style.

Three Birds Renovations House 10, blush-toned living room with curved grey sofa, round pink rug, and rattan coffee table styled with coastal artwork and natural light for relaxed modern living.

Three Birds Renovations House 7, vibrant living room with green velvet sofa, blush walls, patterned cushions, and gold floor lamp for a playful yet refined modern look.

Three Birds Renovations House 14, bright open-plan living space with curved white sofa, striped cushion, and large stone planter, blending natural textures with modern coastal design.

Three Birds Renovations House 17, warm open-plan living room with rust velvet sectional, round timber coffee table, and pool views, blending texture and light for relaxed contemporary living.

5. CHOOSE YOUR COFFEE & SIDE TABLES

Next up: tables. These workhorses do double duty - they’re functional and make great surfaces for styling your pretty decorative items, which add personality to your lounge room.

Coffee table shape:
If your room already has lots of rectangles (rug, couch, art), try a round coffee table to soften all those angles. It also helps with traffic flow and looks a little friendlier (plus, no sharp corners for kids to crash into).

Size:
As a guide, choose a coffee table about two-thirds the length of your sofa. Smaller is better than bigger, and you can always add side tables for convenience.

Styling made simple:
When it comes to styling a coffee table, less really is more. Once your table’s in place, keep your colour tones, textures and materials in sync with the rest of the room so everything feels cohesive. Group your objects in twos or threes - a stack of books, a candle, and a decorative bowl is a classic combo. Play with height (one tall, one mid, one low) and shape (either match or mix) to create balance and interest, but leave some breathing room so it still feels practical, not cluttered. And most importantly, stick to your vision board so the look ties beautifully into the rest of the space.

💡 TV Tip: Keep things looking neat by popping your remote in a clamshell or shallow bowl. It’s a simple little styling hack that gives it a home (so it’s not floating around the sofa) and looks chic on your coffee table or console.

6. RUGS: THE GLUE THAT GROUNDS YOUR ROOM

A rug can truly make or break your lounge room. It’s the magic piece that pulls everything together and instantly sets the tone of the space.

Size: Go as big as your budget allows. Ideally, the front legs of your sofa and chairs should sit on the rug (around 30 cm is perfect). A rug that’s too small will chop the room up visually, making it feel awkward and disconnected.

Colour & Material: Choose a shade that supports your vision board, not competes with it. Think about how the space will be used - a low-pile rug is great for busy zones, while a softer weave is perfect for kids or anyone who loves to sprawl on the floor.

Savvy Saver Tip: Can’t find the perfect fit (or price)? Layering two rugs can create a custom, designer look without the designer price tag.

7. LIGHTING, ART & GREENERY (THE FINISHING TOUCHES)

Lighting adds warmth, height and mood. Pendants, floor lamps and wall sconces all help balance the space and draw the eye around the room.

Art brings personality and focus. Don’t hang it too high! The top half of your piece should sit roughly at eye level, and if it’s above a sofa, leave about two hand-widths between the frame and the back of the couch.

Nothing breathes life into a room like greenery. We’re big fans of using greenery to inject freshness into a room - real or faux.

Three Birds Renovations House 13, bright coastal living room with layered white furniture, round coffee tables, and textured art creating an airy, relaxed modern Australian home feel.

Three Birds Renovations Rolling Seas, moody wine cellar lounge with exposed brick walls, timber wine racks, and soft lighting creating a cozy, sophisticated retreat for entertaining.

Three Birds Renovations House 16, earthy green living room with linen sofa, timber furniture, and large windows creating a calm, natural aesthetic perfect for modern family living.

Three Birds Renovations Rolling Seas, bright coastal living room with neutral sofa, textured rug, and oversized pendant lights creating a serene, modern Australian beach house feel.

8. FIREPLACE, TV & WINDOWS (THE PRACTICAL PRETTY STUFF)

If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace, make it your focal point. Don’t block it with furniture - anchor your layout around it. If it’s not in use, style the hearth with candles or stacked books to make it part of the story.

When it comes to TVs, we’re realists. They’re part of life, but they don’t have to be the hero of the room. Mount it at seated eye level (which is usually lower than you think) and hide the cords where you can. If wall-mounting’s not an option, choose a beautiful cabinet that’s wider than your screen so you can style around it.

When you’re choosing window coverings for your lounge room, be crystal clear on what job they need to do. Do sheers need to soften the view into the neighbour’s yard? Do blockouts need to shut out the light for movie night? Once you know their purpose, you can nail the style.

If you’re opting for curtains, hang them high and wide to make your ceilings feel taller and your windows grander. They add softness, texture and that final layer of polish that makes a room feel complete.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Once everything’s in place, take a step back and look at your lounge room as a whole. Does it feel balanced? Inviting? Cohesive? Sometimes the smartest styling move isn’t adding more, it’s removing one thing. A little breathing room can make the rest of your styling sing.

If you’ve followed the steps above, you’re already well on your way to creating a lounge room you’ll love spending time in. And if you’d like even more guidance, you’ll learn exactly how we pull it all together inside Three Birds Styling School. We’ll show you how to style every space in your home and turn your everyday into a getaway.

Three Birds Renovations House 17, warm neutral living room with vaulted ceiling, fireplace, and terracotta sofa creating a cozy, modern space filled with natural light and contemporary design. — Three Birds House 17 living

GRAB YOUR FREE STYLING CHEAT SHEET

If you’re ready to take the first step towards styling a home you absolutely love, drop your deets below and we’ll slide a free styling cheat sheet straight into your inbox. This guide will help you uncover your unique style - and trust us, it’s in there, just waiting to shine.

We’ll help you peel back the layers of your current space, spot what’s not working, dream up what could be, and start piecing together your very own style story. Whether your vibe is Mediterranean magic, coastal cool, laidback luxe, or something totally your own, this is where it all begins. 👇