Let’s face it: decorating and furnishing a living room can get pricey. In most homes, living rooms are hardworking spots that often serve several purposes like relaxing, hosting, working, and more. Making the space aesthetically pleasing, functional, and durable can quickly add up.

The good news is that there are ways to save when styling your living room, according to the pros. We tapped three interior experts to find out which decor items aren’t worth the splurge.

Read on to find out exactly where you can save without compromising style, comfort, or practicality.

Expensive Art

It’s no secret that every living room benefits from having some art on the walls. Art adds visual interest, can be a focal point, and can set the mood for a living space. But it doesn’t have to be pricey, according to Chelsea Jacobsen, the founder and interior designer at Ché Studio.

There are plenty of online stores that offer affordable, stylish, and unique prints that can add personality to any space, Jacobsen says.

“For a more eclectic feel on a small budget, you can find beautiful (print-your-own) digital prints which can be paired with thrifted vintage frames”, adds Jacobsen.

With the abundance of affordable art and frames out there, you can make your walls feel unique and personal, without breaking the bank.

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Embellished Cushions

Though beautiful, ornate throw pillows can be very pricey and more importantly they’re impractical for everyday living, according to Giverny Simm, the lead interior designer at Studio Howes.

“Highly decorative pillows can be expensive, damage easily, and require more delicate cleaning and care”, says Simm.

Instead, Simm recommends going for cushions with interesting patterns or textures, which can be just as visually striking but far more resilient.

“Textured fabrics, like linen or boucle, add depth and comfort to the room without sacrificing functionality”, says Simm.

Open Shelving

When we see those Pinterest-worthy, beautifully curated shelves, it can be tempting to want the same for our living rooms. But, according to Agnes Agocs, owner and principal designer at Agnes Agocs Interiors, they don’t work for most people because they can be costly and end up getting messy very quickly.

Custom-built shelves with cabinets below, often seen in living rooms, come with a chunky price tag. But even if not custom-built, open shelves can still lead to unnecessary expense because you might feel like you have to buy decorative objects to fill up the shelves says Agocs.

“The problem with open shelves is that they look cluttered if they aren’t curated properly and most homeowners don’t actually have that many coordinated objects to display”, adds Agocs.

Coffee Table Books

Whether in glossy magazines or on Instagram, most styled living rooms feature coffee table books. There’s a reason for this according to Agocs. Coffee table books are pretty props used by designers but they’re not necessary for real-life homes.

“They look fantastic in magazine photos but they are not practical, they aren’t useful and just take up space, really”, says Agocs.

Instead, Agocs recommends decorating your coffee table with things like small plants, candles, or a small box to hide remote controls which is plenty for both visual interest and practicality.

Agocs adds one caveat: keep books on display if you enjoy them and regularly leaf through them, but if they’re simply decorative, skip them.

High-End Rugs

Area rugs are an important part of living room decor as they bring warmth, texture, and cohesion to a space. But they don’t have to be pricey because high-end rugs are often high-maintenance and aren’t suited to everyday life, according to Simm.

Most living rooms are high-traffic areas, often being the room that gets the most footfall in the entire home. When choosing a living room rug, Simm suggests focusing on usage and durability.

“The material, weave, and maintenance requirements should all align with how you use the room. Opt for durable, easy-to-clean materials as opposed to delicate, high-maintenance ones”, says Simm.