How to Decorate a 17x20 Living Room

Paint three walls in the 17-by-20 living room with interior paint, your paintbrush and paint roller. Selecting a light colored paint creates an illusion of an open, airy feeling in the room. Paint both of the 20-foot walls and one of the 17-foot walls.

Paint the remaining wall in the 17x20 living room with a dark paint color. Painting one 17-foot wall creates an accent wall in your living room and emphasizes the shape of the room. Allow the paint to dry before continuing onto the next step.

Place bookshelves on the accent wall in the living room. Cover the entire length of the wall with bookshelves.

Decorate the bookshelves with a variety of books and knickknacks. Decorating the bookshelves creates a focal point in the living room.

Hang curtains as window treatments in the 17x20 living room. Select curtains in the same color as the accent wall to emphasize the wall and create a balanced appearance in the room.

Mix materials and textures in the living room to create depth, for example, silk curtains and a wood and plaid patterned sofa. Creating depth emphasizes the shape of the living room.

Hang framed artwork in a variety of frame colors on the walls in the living room to decorate them. Selecting frames of different materials emphasizes the mixture of materials and textures in the living room.