We all want our homes to look stylish, comfortable and put together, but if you don't know where to start, it can seem overwhelming. I've got a few simple, inexpensive tips to get you headed in the right direction without stressing you out or breaking the bank. Remember - decorating should be fun! By paying attention to some small details and following a few simple rules, you can improve the look of your living room with ease.

Mix and match with care

I have seen people mix and match furniture styles with great success. On the flip side, mixing and matching without any guidelines can lead to a chaotic, rather than eclectic, look. The easiest way to avoid this is by looking at your coffee and end tables - does the color of your tables match (or closely match) the legs on your sofa? It seems so simple, but if you have cherry wood tables and a sofa with light oak legs, it just takes away from the style of the room. These days, it's easy to find inexpensive and stylish coffee table sets, but if that's not in your budget, try painting the legs on your sofa to match the tables. It's easy and cheap, and will give your room a fresh, put-together feel.

Give your furniture some room

There is no faster way to cramp your decorating style than by making a room feel jam packed by cramming all your furniture together. Do yourself a favor and give your furniture its space! End tables shouldn't be pinned between the wall and the couch, legs digging into the baseboards, only to have nothing on the other side of the couch but empty space. Your furniture will actually look nicer, and your room will have better flow, if you give each piece of furniture its own space.
That means that no two pieces of furniture should be touching - not the end tables and sofa, the bookcase and television cabinet, or the sofa and loveseat arms. If this seems impossible given the furniture in the room, consider getting rid of some pieces. Make sure that each piece in your room is something that you love, or has a purpose - and I mean more than just taking up space.

Shed some light on the subject

Open the blinds, pull down those dark curtains, and make sure you have enough lighting to brighten up every part of your space. Your room will feel bigger and brighter if you fill it with light.
Lamps make great accents to any room thanks to the variety of styles and colours available today. So don't keep your room in the shadows - shine a light on your style by highlighting your favourite furniture, artwork, and accents with carefully placed floor or table lamps.

These tips should help you get started on creating an inviting, stylish, comfortable place for you to enjoy.