Whether it is for entertaining visitors or simply lounging in front of the television, your living room is the place where you will spend most of your leisure time. It makes sense, then, that it be nicely furnished. The specific furnishings are, of course, a matter for your own individual tastes, but there are several features that no living room should be without.

Something you must decide before decorating your living room is this: what should be its focus? Every good living room needs a focal point, a single attracting aspect. The secret of a beautiful room, then, is in deciding what that will be.

The majority of living rooms, of course, focus on the television. It doesn't matter if you watch a lot of TV or rarely switch it on. The television simply offers a sensible focus to tie your room togetheressentially, something to point the chairs towards. However, a more attractive option may be to focus on a fireplaceor, if you don't have a fireplace, perhaps a coffee table.

The focal point you choose depends entirely on what is your intended use of your space. For a family with young children, using the television as a focal point makes eminent sense. After all, the TV will probably be in use an awful lot. If, however, the room is primarily used for conversation or entertaining, it may be a better use of space to place a low table in the center of the room and surround it with seating.

Whatever you choose, it's important that you select good quality, attractive living room furniture that will be both comfortable and adaptable. As the nerve center of the home, the living room needs to adapt to fit the needs of the family. To help design your living room to be easily adaptable, there are three simple tricks you can use:

- Light Furniture

Light, versatile, easy-to-move seating allows you to rearrange the layout of your living room to accommodate guests much more easily than with bulky suites. You could go as far as to use wicker furniture for the ultimate in adaptability.

- Lots of Tables

The secret to a comfortable living room is simply to have several small end tables available. You wouldn't believe how much this can reduce the build-up of clutter. These tables can also be easily rearranged to help refresh the look of your living room.

- Storage space

The number one downfall of any living room is clutter. Newspapers, remote controls, kids toys: these all detract from the charm of a room. By simply investing in a few attractive storage boxes you can keep this mess from building up.

By following these simple rules you can ensure that your living room remains a comfortable, pleasant environment for yourself and your guests.