24 Inspiring Focal Point Ideas for a Beautiful Living Room

A focal point is the most important piece in the room that catches people’s attention. It helps to create a visually beautiful interior look to help you and your guests make sense of the room’s highlights and functionality. In this article, I list 24 focal point ideas to help you establish a focal point for your living room.

1. Fireplace Insert

A fireplace is one of the best ways to create a focal point in the living room. It gives any living room a cozy and a great source of heat, especially in the winter. It creates a symmetrical look and balances the room, making the room feel spacious and organized. If you want a modern and efficient fireplace, I suggest you get a fireplace insert as an alternative to the wood-burning fireplace.

2. Picture Window

If you have a beautiful backyard or garden, you should make it your focal point. You can achieve that by installing a large picture window. This will create a breathtaking view of your backyard from your living room as well as make your living room look connected to your backyard.

If the picture window style doesn’t suit you, you can check other popular window styles like casement windows, single-hung windows, or double-hung windows.

3. Board and Batten

Board and batten make a great accent wall and are a fun way to set the tone of your living room. The geometric and layered patterns look amazing and they are easy to install as well. You can also combine board and batten with wallpaper to create a more distinctive look for your room.

4. Smart TV

It is a modern way to create a focal point. We like to watch our favorite Netflix show after coming home from work/study. Making Smart TV an important item for many of us. When it is turned off, your Smart TV becomes a great contrasting item against the wall.

5. Sculptures

Sculptures are one of the best art décors to create a focal point. They are mostly handmade, high in value, and show artisan craftsmanship. Besides being one of the best items for a focal point, sculptures help to create curiosity in your guests. They will spark curiosity and encourage your guests to talk, especially great in breaking the silence and lightening the mood.

6. Granite Countertop

In a modern house, many prefer open-concept floor plans where the living room and kitchen/dining room are joined together to create one large open space. If you have an open-concept floor plan, a countertop can be a great focal point, especially a kitchen island countertop. I believe that we shouldn’t cheap out on countertops. You should opt for granite or quartzite as they are considered the best materials for countertops.

7. Oversized Mirror

An oversized mirror is an excellent focal point for your living room. It will make your living room feel like those that are featured in fashion magazines. The massive size will create a “wow” factor for your guests and make the room feel much bigger.

8. Open Bookshelves

Having bookshelves as a focal point for the living room is a great idea. You can showcase your great collection of curated books and their beautiful hardcover. Hardcover books are appealing and pleasing to the eyes, especially the cover design of magazines and novels. You should set up an open bookshelf to create more openness to the space and show the pretty design of your book’s cover.

9. Assorted Shelves

Shelves are great at keeping your things organized and tidy. They are highly customizable, making them a great focal point for the living room. There are many types of shelves, but full-wall shelving, floating shelves, and built-in shelves are my favorites. You can put many of your favorite items there, the most popular ones are books, frames, sculptures, and plants.

10. Coffee Table

A coffee table, similar to a center table, is one of the focal points in the living room. It is quite large and likely positioned in the center of the room which makes it a central attention. However, to make it a great focal point, you should décor it with two or three décor items that stand out and are portable. For example, bamboo trays, faux greenery, and books are a great addition.

11. Modern Side Table

Side tables are a great addition to the living room as they provide additional space to put food, drinks, and decorations. They are positioned in the center area of the living room, making them a great addition as a focal point. There are many styles and designs to choose. I like side tables that are made of natural materials like bamboo, rattan, or jute. They are natural in color and have unique patterns.

12. Corner Cabinet

If you have a space in the corner of your living room, a corner cabinet will save you. A corner cabinet is mainly used to eliminate space in the corner and act as a storage solution. But it can be useful to create an appealing focal point too. If you are an avid traveler and have a huge collection of travel souvenirs, then it is a great idea to put them in a corner cabinet.

13. Console Table

Generally, it is less big than a center table, but it can be a focal point when placed well. They give your room more personality and storage space, making a console table one of the best items for smaller space. A console table can be very cute when combined with elegant vases and decorative mirrors.

14. Floor Lamp

It is not your common focal point item, but you can find a fancy floor lamp that can divert your guest’s attention. Similar to a console table, it is a considerably great item for a focal point if you have a smaller room. I like ambient floor lamps as they provide good illumination and atmosphere to the overall space. Additionally, you can put a table lamp if you have side tables.

15. Coffered Ceilings

They are a great addition to your modern home, especially if you have high ceilings. They add elegant and sophisticated vibes to your home, making it feel like a luxurious ballroom and a great focal point. You can consider solid PVC or hardwood like oak/cherry If you want to add more depth to the look.

16. Chandelier

Bring the eyes upwards! If there is not enough space on the floor, then you can always utilize the space above. A chandelier is a great fixture to add to the living room. It is a great centerpiece to have and a great focal point. For some, a chandelier is also considered a symbol of wealth and power. However, a chandelier is not for everyone. If you decide to get it, I want you to check the crystal chandelier. It looks great!

17. Statement Rugs

Having large bold statement rugs in the center of your room creates a significant focal point. They are great when your wall or floor has a light color and minimal pattern. Bold statement rugs create a great contrast and guide the eyes to the center of the room. Making them great statement and focal point items. However, if your room is already full of bold/colorful colors, then having layered rugs are better.

18. Layered Rugs

If you have a patterned/textured wall, it’s best to have layered natural-colored light rugs. The light color will lighten and brighten your living room without overcomplicating the room. When layering rugs, I suggest you get a different material and color shades to add more texture and coziness. For example, you can choose light pattern rugs layered with light-colored rugs as well to create a more unique look.

19. Modern Sofa

A living room is not complete without a sofa. Sofas are one of the largest pieces of furniture in a living room, making them a great focal point. Having only a sofa as a focal point may feel lacking or missing. Most often sofas are grouped with table centerpieces, smart TVs, and fireplaces. They create a unified piece that draws and attracts people to gather. I like mid-century or modern sofas; I think they look good for most living rooms.

20. Lighter Curtains

Curtains or drapes are great items for functionality and focal point. Lighter curtains will make the room feel brighter and more spacious. You can get cotton or linen for drapery materials, as they are most common and inexpensive. As an alternative, I saw double-layered curtains becoming in trend nowadays. They are great in adding depth and texture to the room.

21. Oversized Wall Art

I think everyone loves wall art. They are versatile and personalized, making them a great focal point for any room. They are also great in making focal points for the room, especially the large ones. There are many large artworks, like paintings, oil canvas, line art, modern art, and more. You can get one that suits your style best.

22. Gallery Wall Art

If oversized wall art isn’t your style, you can try gallery wall art. You choose smaller wall art and cluster them together on one wall to create gallery wall art. It makes a great focal point for the room as well as having many interesting things that your guests can find. You can put your travel photo, illustrations, typography art, line art, and more. As for the positioning and design, you can check Pinterest for ideas.

23. Greenery and Plants

If you are free-spirited or a plant lover, you can make greenery or plants as focal points for your living room. You can put them on floor vases, open-shelves, or make a cluster of them together to create a more intensive look. They suit boho chic style very well, a great addition if you like this style.

24. Extra Large Floor Vases

They look brilliantly good to any home. You will find many of them in the entrance corridor or hallway but they work well in the living room too. I find that decorative vases without plants and vases with artificial plants are the two most popular uses for indoor vases. You can put them on the coffee table and they will look amazing. But I fell in love with the oversized floor vases. They look gigantic and fancy, making the room feel luxurious.