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Living room accents ideas


85 Beautiful Living Room Ideas with Attractive Decor Choices

Lincoln Barbour

Whether you barely have room for a loveseat or regularly host dozens for movie night, the living room is one of the hardest-working spaces in your home. It's where you sit down with family, host guests, read a book and more, so it's only natural that you'd want it to be as comfortable and inviting as possible. That's why this collection of fresh living room ideas will come in handy as you decorate.

No matter your decorating style — from midcentury to farmhouse, modern to minimal — we have you covered. After choosing the best paint colors for the space (it's okay to pick a trendy paint hue too!), you can revamp the area with a wide range of architectural features and smart decorating choices. Add exposed wood beams to high ceilings, build custom shelves for color-coded books, or make the fireplace your focal point with brick or stone. You'll also find inspiration for decorating with statement rugs, which can define areas within a room and add a pop of color to an overly neutral layout.

Overall, these living room ideas are budget-friendly and easy to recreate on your own. And since decorating is all about having fun, we've peppered in some of the top interior design trends of the year that can do wonders for a living room.

Aimée Mazzenga

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Vintage-Inspired Gallery Wall

A living room is the perfect place to show off vintage finds and unique family heirlooms that have been collected over time. Make your arrangement of paintings and curios stand out even more by going for a dark-colored backdrop. Designer Alexandra Kaehler chose a deep green shade for this basement clubhouse.

SHOP BENJAMIN MOORE'S ESSEX GREEN

Phil Crozier

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Classic Navy Blue and White

Go for a timeless blend of white and navy hues to pull a living room together. Here, Reena Sotropa In House Design Group paired elegant navy seating with crisp white walls and patterned curtains for contrast.

Bless'er House

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Picture Frame TV

What's more unique than a TV that doubles as decor? Swapping your old television for a Samsung Frame TV allows you to display stunning artwork on screen. Plus, it's easy to replace images to keep them on theme with the room's ever-changing design.

Follow Bless'er House for more »

Brittany Ambridge/OTTO

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Tray Ceiling

Don't forget the "fifth" wall! This New York City apartment, crafted by Kati Curtis Design, features a tray ceiling that beautifully accentuates the Sputnik globe chandelier and adds depth to the layout. What's more, the mix of light and dark hues create a striking 3D effect.

SHOP CHANDELIER

Sinan Tuncay

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Color-Coded Wall Bookcase

If you have an ever-growing book collection, put it on full display! The best spot? Framing the television. Arditi Design added a navy blue custom bookcase to this inviting living room. The color-coded books and matching accessories make it the room's focal point.

Sara Essex Bradley

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Dynamic Patterns

Don't be afraid to make a living room pop with dynamic patterns and colors. This lively setup feels like a work of art, thanks to the graphic green and yellow wallpaper, cane storage cabinet, floral upholstered chairs and that chandelier!

Benjamin Moore

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Add Comfort with a Daybed

Making the most of every inch is key for designing smaller spaces. A built-in daybed — complete with drawers — creates extra seating with a view, along with a place to read and lounge in style.

SHOP BENJAMIN MOORE'S MAN ON THE MOON

Jill Weller

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Design a Cheerful Playroom

Alice Arterberry and Barrett Cooke of Arterberry Cooke Architecture designed this living room in an airy Pasadena, CA, pool house. The hints of yellow, alongside white tones, add a dose of cheer to the design scheme.

Laurie Kilgore Photography

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Elevate With Green

Greenery never fails to bring a room to life. Designed by Stephanie Stroud Interiors, this stylish setup features a dark grass color, which charmingly highlights the gold decor and light furniture in the room.

Troy Thies

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Rotating Bookshelf

Can't decide where to put your TV and bookshelves? Martha O'Hara Interiors designed this white space with a custom rotating cabinet that holds the screen as well as shelving for decorative finds. It's a brilliant arrangement for switching up the living room's theme from season to season.

Stephen Karlisch

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Green and White Stripes

Unsure of how to spruce up your living room walls? Give them a cool yet eye-catching contrast with green and white stripes. Tori Rubinson Interiors amped up the coastal vibe by choosing framed nautical art, paired with woven lighting and storage baskets.

One Kings Lane

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Shades of Red

If you love the color red, but you can't choose which design will suit the walls, rug or overall look, don't stick to one pattern. Pick a red-and-white striped rug and use red-flowered wallpaper to complement the look.

Justin Krug

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Luxe Aesthetic

This beautiful living room features hardwood floors, a luxurious fireplace and a large set of windows with views of lush greenery. Implement some of these style elements to give your area a timeless feel.

Paul Versluis

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Entertainment Section

Similar to how designer Tamara Day styled this sitting area, you can add bean bags instead of regular seating to turn the space into the perfect game room or entertainment setting for kids and guests.

SHOP BEAN BAGS

Stacy Zarin Goldberg

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Rattan Hanging Chair

Adding a rattan hanging chair is a functional, unexpected addition to an interior. Hang one in any corner of the room where you or guests can casually lounge or read.

SHOP HANGING RATTAN CHAIR

Hulya Kolabas

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Rustic-Modern

Transform your area with a rustic-modern appeal using wood beam ceilings, a stone fireplace and crisp white slipcovered furniture.

Eric Piasecki/Otto

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Match Walls to Furniture

Whether you want to create a moody, bright or minimalist feel in your living room, match the color of the walls to your furniture. This will pull the room together in a seamless and unique way.

Rachel Whiting

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Green Couch

When in doubt, choose the color you love the most and use it everywhere, from your furniture to your window treatments.

Silke Zander Getty Images/Picture Press RM

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Pretty in Pink

Pink is said to symbolize love. Bring a light and loving atmosphere that your guests will enjoy with pink furniture and walls. Use a lighter shade for the walls and a darker hue for the couches, stools and tables.

Mike Garten

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Statement Fireplace

Make the fireplace your focal point by opting for one made of stone or brick. Keep the walls white and choose brown leather furniture to complement the room's semi-rustic feel.

Rikki Snyder

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3D Wall Design

Designer Maryline Damour of Damour Drake collaborated with fiber artist Sienna Martz to give this living room a calm and forest-green atmosphere using a 3D leaf installation. Recreate the sense of greenery or design an installation that would better match your personality or room's aesthetic.

Peter Molick

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Cool Gray

Thanks to designer Maureen Stevens, the airy living room in this 1920s Victorian home is full of style. The space features Benjamin Moore’s Gray Owl, which balances the century-old bright white trim and coffered ceiling.

Beatriz da Costa

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Versatile End Tables

Searching for a way to boost your living room's functionality? Not only can end tables be easily moved around the space, but you can also use them as a work surface or spot for kids to tackle homework. When they're not in use, place books or flowers on top as you would with traditional coffee tables.

SHOP END TABLES

Randy O'Rourke

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Built-in Bookshelves

If you don't have a dedicated library, installing built-in bookshelves right in your living room is the next best thing. Keep a rolling ladder handy to make it easy to access the higher shelves.

Michele Lee Willson

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Multipurpose Space

When it came to designing this living room, interior designer Heather Hilliard opted for a multipurpose approach. This space is suitable for tackling work, eating, lounging, you name it.

SHOP OTTOMANS

August Oliver

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Classic Black-and-White

Lifestyle influencer Anna Mae Groves' Cincinnati home leaned into a timeless black-and-white palette for her living room, complete with DIY geometric wall art.

Jessica Delaney

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Graphic Walls

Speckled wallpaper, paired with an emerald velvet sofa, enlivens this living room setup by New York City-based designer Megan Hopp.

SHOP WALLPAPER

Brie Williams

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Cool Cyan

Built-in firewood storage and deep cyan-colored walls — Sherwin-Williams' Endless Sea — adds character to this living room in a 1970s Dutch Colonial-style home.

Jessica Bordner

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California Cool

Create & Cultivate founder Jaclyn Johnson teamed up with interior designer Ginny Macdonald to arrange this stylish black-and-white outdoor living room. The design is an extension of her California home's interiors.

Spacecrafting

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Striking Monochrome

If you love a monochrome look, you're sure to find inspiration in this living room that features Benjamin Moore's Knoxville Gray on the walls and fireplace.

50 Living Room Decor Ideas to Up Your Decorating Game

By

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel is an interior design expert who has covered architecture, interiors, and decor trends for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Lonny, and the American and international editions of Elle Decor. She resides in Paris, France, and has traveled to over 30 countries, giving her a global perspective on home design.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 08/20/22

Design by Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis / Photo by Heidi Harris

Your living room is a place built for leisure time, from bonding with family to entertaining friends to relaxing and recharging on your own. While design decisions such as layout will be largely determined by the size and style of the room, the decor should be built around your lifestyle, tailored to the needs of those who use it most while remaining flexible enough to accommodate guests or growing families.

Check out these living rooms that vary in style, size, and personality, for some ideas on how to elevate your living room decor—from furniture to lighting to textiles to accessories to window treatments, wallpaper, paint and more—to create a living room that's livable, inviting, and looks as good as it feels.

How to create bright accents in the interior?

We create stylish accents in the interior

The ability to use bright and original details allows you to create a stylish space in which you want to stay for a long time, which you want to admire. Often we do not know where to start, or we use too many decorative elements and colors, this overloads the interior and breaks the unified style. Correctly choosing and placing accents in the interior is a whole art. And today we will touch it, having considered the most interesting features and accents that can be safely used in the interior. nine0005

Color accents in the interior

Let's start with the most important thing: color in the interior. After all, before creating bright spots in the room, you need to decide on a common palette. The color accent in the interior is the decor, which is contrastingly different from the main range of the room. For example, for a bedroom in white tones, a blue bedside rug and blue curtains will become an accent, and for a rich green children's room, a white chair upholstery and a blanket can become an accent. nine0005

Such bright spots make the interior more pleasant and "alive". At the same time, if there are a lot of such accents, then the room will become motley, and the effect of the accent will disappear, because all its charm lies in moderate use.

The accent should be unique and not repeated, so just a few details of the accent color are enough. Otherwise, the color will “wash out” and become auxiliary.

In this interior, warm yellow, as an accent color, dilutes the cold range of walls, creates a feeling of warmth and comfort. Imagine what the same interior would look like if the bright yellow tint completely disappeared from it! Now you understand what a huge role minor, at first glance, accent details have. nine0005

Here are some more good and interesting examples.

Another important rule when combining colors in the interior and arranging color accents: do not confuse an accent color with an additional one. It should be just a different color, and not a shade of the main one.

Now let's explain more clearly. For example, you have a room in beige tones. To create an accent, you need to choose a green or purple color, it will be an accent color. And if you choose light brown, it will just be a slightly darker shade, so brown in a beige room can only be complementary. nine0005

Here the base color is light beige, complemented by dark brown chairs and floors, and the accent color is blue.

In this case, shades of blue are used very effectively as accent colors, while the main color is white and the secondary color is light beige.

Now it will be easier for you to choose the color scheme for the room. You can just remember one simple rule that will help you not to make the interior monotonous and boring, but at the same time not to overdo it with an abundance of different shades. nine0005

The interior uses 3 colors approximately in the following proportion:

60% - main color;

30% - additional (secondary) color or shades of the main color;

10% accent color.

See how beautifully you can combine shades in the interior!

Where to place bright accents?

Accents are designed not only to diversify the colors of the room, but also to give the space a personality and mood. They will tell you about your hobbies and hobbies, create a special atmosphere, inspire and delight you, impress your guests. Therefore, it is up to you to choose which items and decorative elements can become the leading ones in the interior ensemble of your home, and we can offer some tips and ideas in this regard. nine0005

A noticeable and stylish contrast in the interior is very easy to create with the help of a bright accent wall. It is made in a contrasting color, which should be darker in relation to the main color of the walls. Use simple wall painting, wallpapering, decorative textured materials such as stone or Venetian plaster - let your imagination run wild!

Paintings for the interior

Repainting the wall may seem like a cardinal decision to you, especially if you have not been at the repair stage for a long time and are not yet ready for global changes. There is another way to draw attention to a particular wall and create an accent. Of course they are paintings! nine0005

Interior paintings have long been considered a sign of taste and luxury, and only the aristocratic strata of society could afford them. To this day, paintings are an integral part of a stylish and beautiful interior, and thanks to modern technologies that significantly reduce the cost of products, everyone can please themselves with a painting on canvas in their room.

One large or several small decorative paintings in the same theme or range will create a mood and transform the interior of the room. Complement them with a few more items in matching shades, and your accent ensemble is ready. Very simple and stylish! The picture will not only create a color contrast, but also stylistically emphasize your interior, whether it is a colonial style, loft, classic or modern minimalism. nine0005

Looks luxurious, don't you agree?

If you want to update your interior right now, then check out the Decoretto interior painting collection. Paintings on high-quality German canvas have a beautiful textured surface that is resistant to light and dirt. You can choose and buy paintings on canvas of any size in the style of classical painting, abstraction, still life, landscapes, graphics, animal paintings or children's paintings. Having ordered a painting on canvas in Decoretto, you will receive your order within 4 days. It is incredibly pleasant and easy to create your dream home together with Decoretto! nine0005

Textiles in the interior

Many designers say that textiles should be chosen at the same stage of repair, when you choose the color of the walls and floor, and certainly no later than the choice of furniture, so the importance of textiles in the interior is difficult to overestimate . It is with its help that you can easily create any color accent. But even if you have completed the repair a long time ago, but want changes, then updating the textiles will lead to a significant transformation of the entire interior. nine0005

Does the room look monotonous to you? Bright bedspreads, blankets, pillows, curtains, rich-colored carpets will fill it with comfort, brightness, and make it more positive. And for a room with dark floors, walls or furniture in which you do not have enough light, pastel-colored textiles are suitable: light light curtains, lampshades for warm-colored lamps. White textiles will give the room freshness, harmony and spirituality, soften the motley interior.

In a word, contrasting combinations most often look impressive and expensive, so this is a win-win option! nine0005

Do not forget that home textiles include not only pillows, carpets, upholstery or curtains: these include towels, tablecloths, hot pot holders, napkins, and a bathroom curtain. All this can be used in the kitchen, in the bathroom, placed in a conspicuous place and combined with other interior elements. Attention to detail is very important when creating accent spots!

What else can become an accent?

As you already understood, in order to add bright colors and contrast to the interior, it is not at all necessary to make repairs or change the color of the walls. Textiles, decorative wall decorations such as paintings, and the right color combination of all these elements will be quite enough. What other interior items can take on the role of accents and complement the ensemble? It can be anything you like: from soft toys to colorful book bindings. For example, if you like taking care of plants, then you can create accents in green tones, which are especially effective in bright Scandinavian-style interiors, as well as in loft or minimalist styles. nine0005

In the children's room, soft toys or colorful containers and boxes for them will become accents.

And as an accent for the living room, we suggest using an ordinary coffee table, which we decided to tell you about in more detail. Do you think that such an insignificant item in your living room or bedroom does not deserve attention at all? But professional interior designers and decorators are sure that a coffee or coffee table can be the highlight of the room! nine0005

First, decide: what should decorate your table? Remember, there should be few items so that the surface is not cluttered. And ideally, they should match the color scheme of the accents that you have already planned to place in the room. Let it be things that you really like, give pleasant memories and inspiration.

Thinking of decorating the sofa in the living room with dark beige textiles? Then let there be a vase, decorative balls and plates of the corresponding color on your table. nine0005

And your favorite books and magazines can be arranged in neat piles, it is desirable that the covers are bright and colorful and matched by color.

See how harmoniously the book spines are combined with colorful pillows!

A "living" element or object, be it a small plant in a pot, a vase of fresh flowers, a few cones or an ikebana made of twigs, will significantly refresh the surface of the coffee table.

Don't know what to add to the composition? Add a vase, glass, ceramic, or metal dish to hold decorative balls, beads, stones, or fruits. nine0005

Use the tray as the base of the arrangement to bring everything together for a finished look and the ability to quickly remove items when needed. It can be an ordinary kitchen tray, a wicker basket, or a ceramic dish.

Remember the 3 color rule: use two neutral light shades and one dark one to accent your table.

Try layering and playing with height. Let books and magazines lie in piles, and small decorative objects will be placed on top of them. Don't forget to put something high next to it, for example, a candle or a figurine, then the composition will be dynamic and harmonious. nine0005

Feel free to fantasize and do not forget to update your table: you can add an unusual memento from a trip, a vintage camera, a jewelry box, a shell from the sea coast and other things that are dear to you.

Don't be afraid to experiment with contrasting combinations and bright accents! After all, creating the interior of your dreams is much easier than you could imagine!

Accent in the living room interior: the rules of the pros

places in the text - in this way they highlight important theses and increase the overall readability of the material. nine0165 In the interior similar laws work: if you want to make a room such that in it everything was simple, clear and at the same time beautiful, you need to arrange it correctly accents. Making it easier than it looks, a this article will help.

It is very important to start by understanding that often in order to create color accent, too many bright details are used. As a result, it turns out that background items become much less than than accents. This is fundamentally the wrong approach, which destroys the individuality of the room, makes it look like amusement park.

Accent in the interior

It is better to start with how to choose the color of the living room. It is important that they combined with the background and fit into the mood of the interior. Bright contrasts also cannot be "sculpted" thoughtlessly: behind each color is calculation and coordination of the palette. Often, designers are even hired for this. interiors, however you can try arrange the living room and independently, it is enough to know the basic patterns.

For example, a white background, like a blank canvas, highlights any color and goes with everyone. It can be blue, green, red, blue color in the interior and other shades, that you only want add to the interior. At the same time, bright colors can be found in a variety of decorative elements. For example, this is throw, pillows, curtains or chair upholstery, and art. But when too many accents, beauty and courage decisions are blunted and the bazaar cacophony comes to the fore flowers.

Color Rules

Understanding who is who is easy with an example. For example, if white color is basic, then beige or ivory will be auxiliary (or optional), rather bright red, blue, green, etc. - accent. This will be difficult get confused if, for example, you determine that the additional shade is very close stands on the color wheel with the background. This confirms their relationship, especially if the secondary color is only a few tones lighter or darker than the base. nine0165 The accent is radically different. He does not relate to the background in any way and does not echo its shades.

Interior designers advise you to remember a simple cheat sheet, which can greatly facilitate the search for color when repairing. This is percentage of colors to each other. friend: 60% is the main color, 30% takes on the extra and 10% stays on the accent shade. Approximately so the tint range is distributed throughout the interior of the living room. nine0005

Accents are not only color blots in the interior of , giving it dynamism. They also They say a lot about their owners: their hobbies, hobbies and even temperament. Bright accents should cheer up the owners of the house and their guests, they can even hold spectacular style decisions.

One of these solutions - bright wall It is painted in an accent color that is often darker than background base color. You can use not only paint, but also wallpaper, decorative plaster, embossed surface and other ways.

Accents with art

Often, in order to place accents in the interior, you can use paintings . This option is great for those who afraid to radically change the color of the walls.

Original items arts were a sign of aristocracy and wealth, because they could allow only wealthy people, and only the intelligentsia knew their true price. Now, with the advent of digitalization and education, the paintings have gone into wide circulation. and many know who and what is depicted on them, but with such popularization, art objects did not look worse on the living room wall! They are still considered the perfect decorative piece and proudly decorate the interiors of homes and public spaces.

Looks good and composition of paintings , united by a common tint palette. At the same time, in one large canvas can hang in the center, and paintings can be placed around it slightly less. Other decorative elements can be placed in the company with them, e.g. lamps or vases in the same color spectrum. nine0168 Such solutions look good in the interior of the living room in a classic style, minimalism, loft or scandi.

Accent textile in interior

Another variant competent placement of accents - textiles . Many professionals believe that textile elements are best chosen when the background color is selected: walls, floor and ceiling. If not with this happened, it is important to make a decision at least before buying furniture. However, this Not certainly in that way. Undoubtedly, the color of textiles is very important, but there is nothing wrong is to change it after a while and arrange other color accents in the interior. nine0005

If a room has not pleased with a beautiful combination of colors for a long time, then something definitely needs to be done about this. For example, throw a new blanket on the sofa, replace the old carpet, hang cozy curtains and do not forget about decorative pillows . All this gives the living room exactly that cozy atmosphere, which is often so lacking in the interior of . Help with contrasts important, and the general view of the living room will surely thank you for it.

Home textile can be varied. nine0166 This is both a tablecloth and a towel (relevant for living room combined with kitchen), and other small things that may not immediately strike the eye. But the devil is in small things , which means that it is important to think through even the smallest details.

Other accents in living room

So, in order to correctly place the accents, you can not change the interior dramatically, and limit yourself to a few significant details. What else can they be in the interior? Absolutely anyone, from color-coded books to soft toys . Also on this role fit live plants: green the color itself is an accent color , but pots can be purchased a certain accent color that will fit perfectly into the interior and give him liveliness and dynamics.

How about something unusual coffee table? Its bright color will perfectly place accents and emphasize the most important thing, and if you add an unusual shape, then it will completely become the center attraction of all views in the living room. nine0005

To make the idea of ​​a table come true percent, it is important to decide what exactly will stand at the top. Need to keep order on the worktop and not let the trash accumulate, otherwise instead of a stylish design solution you can get another dust collector.

For an ideal interior, it is best to choose things on coffee table such that would fit into the overall color scheme of accents. In addition, they should bring joy to their masters, so that at one glance their spirits lifted.

For example, can be pick up candles to match the accent pillows on the sofa . Candles don't take long places on the table look harmonious in almost any style of interior and give an indescribable atmosphere of comfort.

If the table has a shelf at the bottom, you can put magazines, covers of which will also be match the shade of accent color . A vase with fresh flowers on the table top always pleasantly enlivens the interior!

Vases, trays, plates and even wicker baskets - all this can be used when decorating coffee table. And if dish made by own hands , it becomes even more valuable!

arrange whole compositions from stacks of books and magazines of different heights, as well as connect decorative figurines, candlesticks and vases. The main rule - all elements must be combined with each other.

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