When it comes to interior decorating for your living room, you first need to assess what you use a living room for. A living room is used in many ways. For some, it is a space that is formal and perfect at all times; it is only to be entered and used when guests come to call, and otherwise sits as a monument to good decorating taste. To others, the living room serves as a comfortable family gathering place for watching TV, doing homework, and visiting. Some living rooms fall in the in between, or are used for reading, or relaxing, but not as much for socializing.

Thus, once you decide the use of your living room you can begin to decide how to do the interior decorating for it. For example, a formal living room, historically referred to as a drawing room or parlor, often showcases the homeowner's finest possessions. Thus the interior décor is often symmetrical--a sofa with painting above, flanked by two end tables topped by lamps. You would find such things as formal window treatments of luxurious fabrics trimmed with braid and fringe, and all of the traditional rules of decorating. However, few people choose to use this style of room anymore as it is somewhat useless, and gaudy.

Interior decorating has become somewhat less formal, though you will still find elements of the "drawing room" style. This newer style of interior decorating takes in elements such as beautiful millwork or lush fabrics, but uses them along with the more casual window treatments and more comfortable furniture. Some of the more formal elements such as the symmetry has been replaced by softer lines, fewer rules, and more color. However, it is important to remember that the interior decorating reflects your personality, so if symmetry is in you, by all means use it!

When it comes to the casual living room there is much more room for play, no pun intended. In fact, although your furniture and fabrics should be coordinated, the selection and placement is less structured. You will start your interior decorating by considering the essential, for example, if you will be using the room for watching TV, then seating around a TV is necessary. So, you will choose furniture that comfortably facilitates this, often an overstuffed couch and a table for casual eating become the essential pieces of the room. You may even have a computer center, so a desk may have a place of prominence. Regardless of what you have in the room, your interior decorating should be thought out, not haphazard. The fabrics, colors, furniture, and accessories should be what you love, and should coordinate. And, remember, your interior decorating says a lot about who you are, so do not try to be something you are not, choose accents and accessories that reflect your taste. You won't regret it, it is, after all, your living room, so use it to show how you live!