Is your living room reducing the price of your property? Expert reveals the mistakes that create a 'tired' and 'chaotic' space - and the affordable ways to make it seem more expensive

While they are hugely important spaces in our homes, poorly designed or ill-considered living rooms risk looking cluttered, impractical and dated. For those looking to sell their homes, an 'awkward' layout or 'harsh lighting' could even affect the market value of your property, experts have warned. According to Jordana Ashkenazi, many homeowners forget that the living room is 'where buyers start imagining what their day-to-day life could be like'.She told The Daily Mail: 'The important thing to remember is that a lot of buyers genuinely struggle to visualise a room differently from the way it is presented to them.'You are selling a feeling and a lifestyle as much as you are selling square footage, and anything that gets in the way of that can affect how somebody perceives the value of the property.'She added that if a living room feels cramped, tired or impractical, a prospective buyer may simply decide that the house does not work for them, rather than opting to give it a makeover.Fortunately, however, an elevated living room does not necessarily require a costly renovation - as Jordana has shared accessible ways to elevate its design and functionality without breaking the bank. Avoid awkward layouts According to Jordana Ashkenazi, many homeowners forget that the living room is 'one of the main spaces where buyers start imagining what their day-to-day life could be like'One of the 'biggest mistakes' homeowners can make is 'not showing buyers how the living room actually functions', according to Jordana. 'Where is the focal point? Where is the television? How does the sofa relate to the armchairs? Can you comfortably reach the coffee table? Is there a side table beside an armchair? Where would people actually sit and have a conversation?' she revealed how she plans the layout. 'A buyer should not have to stand in the middle of the room trying to solve it. A lot of people simply cannot visualise alternative layouts, so you need to show them how they could practically use the space.'If the seating is facing in completely different directions, the sofa is miles from the coffee table, or an armchair is stranded in a random corner, the room can feel awkward even if the buyer cannot quite explain why.'She added that when a living room is presented well, the function of the room is instantly 'obvious'. Don't overdo it on the furniture While it may be tempting to invest in new and pricey items, Jordana advises being sensible when it comes to filling the living roomWhile it may be tempting to invest in new and pricey items, Jordana advises being sensible when it comes to filling the living room. 'Too much furniture can make buyers think the room is smaller,' she said. 'An enormous sofa, bulky storage and too many armchairs can completely distort the proportions of a room. 'If somebody is weaving around furniture during a viewing, their lasting impression may simply be that the living room is too small.'Jordana also noted how sometimes taking just one or two pieces away can make a room feel dramatically more generous.However, the opposite is also true as a large living room with one lonely sofa sitting against a wall can make buyers wonder how they would actually use the rest of the space.'You need enough furniture to demonstrate scale and functionality without filling every available inch,' Jordana said. 'It is about finding that middle ground.' Consider investing in undamaged furniture Getting rid of any old or damaged furniture before you photograph your living room is a non-negotiable, Jordana said.'Sagging sofas, stained upholstery or badly damaged furniture can make the room itself feel tired, even though those pieces are not being sold with the property,' she continued. If replacing furniture is not realistic, consider what can be removed, covered or professionally cleaned before viewings.Avoid dated carpets Flooring also has a huge impact on how a buyer perceives your living room because it covers such a large area of the room. 'A worn, stained, flattened or very dated carpet can make the whole living room feel older and less inviting almost immediately,' Jordana warned. 'It can also send buyers straight into calculation mode, thinking about how much it will cost to replace.'While you do not necessarily need to install expensive new flooring, organising a good professional clean can make a considerable difference - but if the carpet has genuinely had its day, replacing it can completely lift the space.Don't neglect wallpaper and paint colour'RRefreshing the walls, repainting windows and woodwork, touching up skirting boards or fixing damaged flooring are relatively basic things, but they can completely change the way a room is perceived,' said Jordana In the same vein, your walls can also deter buyers if they are covered in peeling wallpaper or paint. 'Old wallpaper, scuffed paint, chipped woodwork and tired window frames can make a buyer feel as though there is a long list of jobs waiting for them,' Jordana explained. 'Sometimes improving a room can be as simple as a lick of paint.''Refreshing the walls, repainting windows and woodwork, touching up skirting boards or fixing damaged flooring are relatively basic things, but they can completely change the way a room is perceived.'However, she warned that 'the wrong colour of paint can make a room feel smaller or colder; avoid darker shades if you have a smaller living room that doesn't get a lot of natural light.''On the other hand, a stark white room can feel washed out, cold and uninviting - but neutral does not have to mean lifeless', Jordana said. 'Warm neutrals, taupes, mushroom tones and earthy colours can make a room feel much more welcoming while still allowing buyers to imagine putting their own stamp on it,' she shared. Avoid competing colours and patterns Too many patterns can make a room feel visually chaotic and sometimes smaller than it really is, as Jordana suggests taking stock of any curtains or rugs that could be 'competing for attention'Too many patterns can make a room feel visually chaotic and sometimes smaller than it really is, as Jordana suggests taking stock of any curtains or rugs that could be 'competing for attention'. 'Pattern can be beautiful, but it needs balance,' she said. 'A little contrast is great. Ten colours and five patterns all having their own separate conversation is perhaps less helpful.'Sometimes simplifying the palette or painting over old wallpaper can be one of the cheapest ways to make a room feel fresher and more current.Too many unrelated styles can also make the room feel confused, she added. 'I love mixing old and new, and transitional interiors can look incredibly sophisticated.'An antique piece can sit beautifully next to something contemporary, but there still needs to be a common thread through the colours, materials, shapes or proportions.'If buyers cannot make visual sense of the room, it can feel chaotic rather than considered, she shared. Consider the state of soft furnishings Jordana also advised against incorporating any 'harsh white lighting' in your living room - and added that the impact of lighting is 'enormous' on how prospective buyers 'feel' about a propertyPoorly hung curtains can make a room look cheaper and are a surprisingly crucial part of a living room to get right, according to Jordana. 'It is not necessarily about buying expensive fabric. Often it is how they are hung,' she explained.'Curtains that are too short, too narrow, hung too low or attached to flimsy or dated fittings can make the whole room feel less polished'.However, she added that stylish curtains 'do not have to cost a fortune' to have a real impact. Jordana noted: 'Even affordable curtains can look considerably more expensive when they are floor length and hung properly from a good track or well chosen pole.'Where possible, hanging them slightly higher and wider can also make windows appear larger and ceilings feel taller.'Likewise, the expert added that rugs also run the risk of 'shrinking a room visually'. 'A tiny rug floating in the middle of the floor can visually break up the space and make the room feel smaller,' she said.'Ideally, a rug should be generous enough to sit underneath at least the front legs of the main pieces of furniture. It anchors the seating area and helps the buyer read it as one cohesive space.'Avoid disproportionate artwork While it may be tempting to invest in the trendiest or most popular artwork seen on Instagram, Jordana advises considering the room in its entirety. 'One tiny piece of artwork floating above a large sofa can make the whole wall feel out of proportion,' she explained.'Equally, a completely bare room can feel cold and unfinished. Artwork does not have to be expensive, but it should relate to the scale of the wall and the furniture around it.'It is another small detail that helps a room feel complete rather than temporary.'Replace harsh lights at all costs Jordana also advised against incorporating any 'harsh white lighting' in your living room - and added that the impact of lighting is 'enormous' on how prospective buyers 'feel' about a property. 'Very bright or cool white lighting can wash a living room out and make it feel cold and uninviting, even when the actual interior is lovely,' she explained. 'During the day, if you have good natural light, you may not need the lights on at all. For evening viewings, particularly during the colder months when it gets dark earlier, I always recommend warmer, layered lighting.'To help keep a room's lighting welcoming, 'comfortable and homely', Jordana suggests investing in table lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces, warm downlights or a pendant. 'Nobody wants to view a living room under lighting that feels like a dental surgery,' she said. People may not consciously analyse the lighting, but they absolutely respond to it emotionally. Blocking natural light can make the room feel smaller. 'Heavy curtains, dirty windows and unnecessarily bulky window treatments can make even a decent-sized room feel dark and cramped. If you have natural light, use it. Open the curtains properly and make sure the windows are clean.'There is very little point styling a room beautifully and then hiding half of it behind enormous curtains at two o’clock in the afternoon.'Clutter is an absolute no-go Jordana warns that too much clutter can 'make a room look smaller' and also leave a prospective buyer sceptical about storageAs one of a home's most-used rooms, clutter can become inevitable - with books, ornaments and day-to-day belongings scattered throughout a living room.But Jordana warns that too much clutter can 'make a room look smaller' and also leave a prospective buyer sceptical about storage. She said: 'You do not need to strip the home of personality, but buyers need some visual breathing space. Visible cables and technology can make a room feel messy.'TV cables, extension leads, routers and chargers may seem insignificant, but collectively they make a room look unfinished and cluttered. Cable management is inexpensive and easy to deal with.'It is not particularly glamorous, but neither is a nest of black wires sitting underneath the television.'To help divert from clutter, Jordana suggests ensuring the living room has a 'focal point' such as a fireplace, television or architectural feature. 'Once you establish the focal point, the rest of the layout should have some relationship to it,' she said. 'Buyers should be able to walk naturally through the room without squeezing behind an armchair, stepping around a coffee table or negotiating an obstacle course of furniture.'A living room can have plenty of square footage on paper and still feel cramped if the circulation is poor. Again, you are trying to show the buyer how easily their life could fit into the space.'Prioritise freshness over fragrance Ultimately, an elevated and sophisticated living room does not necessarily have to break the bank - but can be achieved with a few simple tweaksSmell is key for elevating your living room, Jordana warns - and explains that a bad smell can 'create an instant negative response'. She said: 'We experience homes through all of our senses, and smell is incredibly powerful. 'Pet smells, damp, stale cooking odours or cigarette smoke can create an immediate negative reaction before a buyer has even properly looked around.'Jordana notes that 'freshness' should always 'come before fragrance', with it vital to 'ventilate' a property, and keep carpets and upholstery clean.'I love candles, diffusers and electronic aroma diffusers, but fragrance should be subtle,' she explained.'If somebody walks through the door and is hit by an enormous cloud of perfume, they may start wondering what you are trying to hide. A clean, fresh, lightly scented home can create a completely different emotional response.'Small signs of neglect can make buyers question the rest of the house. Dusty surfaces, marked walls, grubby switches, chipped skirting boards or stained upholstery may each seem insignificant.'Together, they can make a buyer wonder what else has not been maintained.'Affordable changes that can instantly elevate the living room Ultimately, an elevated and sophisticated living room does not necessarily have to break the bank - but can be achieved with a few simple tweaks.Ultimately, an elevated and sophisticated living room does not necessarily have to break the bank - but can be achieved with a few simple tweaks. 'A really thorough clean, some paint touch-ups and minor repairs can sometimes have a bigger impact than spending money on new furniture,' Jordana advised. 'Buyers may reject the room before they even see it in person. It is also worth remembering that for many buyers, the first viewing now happens online.'If the living room appears dark, cluttered, dated or badly proportioned in the listing photographs, somebody may decide against viewing the property before they have even walked through the front door.'So all of these things matter not only during the viewing, but in the photographs that get the buyer there in the first place.'She added that 'a fresh coat of paint, properly hung curtains, a professionally cleaned or refreshed floor' and 'warmer lighting' can instantly amplify the space. 'Removing excess furniture, repositioning what you already own, correctly scaled artwork and a few carefully chosen cushions or accessories can completely change how a room is perceived.'The aim is not to fill the room with expensive things. It is to make everything feel cohesive, cared for and intentional.'Expensive furniture cannot rescue a room where absolutely nothing talks to anything else.'