The living room is where you go to unwind, relax and possibly work from home. Families use the living room to make memories, pass the time together and welcome guests into their home. But with so much use, it can start to feel like your living room is more of a transitive space than a designated area to relax and rest. To improve its look and atmosphere, you can implement some basic interior design principles to bring greater harmony to your living room.
Focus on Functional Furniture
One mistake people make is choosing pieces that are either impractical or unsuitable for their lifestyle. A family with children and pets, for example, won’t bode well with a white couch that easily collects stains and dirt. Rather than thinking solely of what’s attractive, ask yourself what you need most out of your furniture. Do you need more storage? Better seating? Greater movement and flexibility? All of these factors come into account when designing a living room, and addressing your need from the top down will enable you to make large-scale changes that give you a solid base for cosmetic improvements.
Add Splashes of Color
With weekly and monthly plans available to flower subscription services that auto-renew and may be cancelled at any time, fresh bouquets can immediately add color to your living room. Fresh flowers are also natural mood-boosters, so they’re a great way to revitalize your room if it’s feeling drab. You can also incorporate bright pillows and pops of color through artwork and trinkets; make sure that you choose only two or three colors to focus on, though. This will also help you frame future decorative elements better.
Color is not something that is always easy to decide upon; if you’re thinking about overhauling the living space, you’ll want to consider how your design choices also influence other parts of the home. Ideally, you should strive to create an area that not only feels encompassing but also flows effortlessly into connecting rooms. If a certain color that isn’t easy to blend catches your attention, then opt for accents over elements. This will allow you to keep balance in your decor without spending a fortune on something you might grow tired of easily.
Add a Rug
Extra cushioning for little ones, protection for the floor and plenty of room to infuse color and texture are just a few benefits of a good area rug. When choosing a rug, make sure you select one that fits your space without being overwhelming. Ideally, you want each piece of furniture around the rug to have two legs on it. This anchors the design and prevents your room from feeling like a floating array of different pieces with no rhythm or balance. Get creative and have fun with the rug buying process; there are so many designs, textures and colors to choose from. If you have neutral furniture, adding an exotic or abstract rug could be just what you need to breathe some vitality into your area.
Hide Your Clutter
A nice credenza or storage ottoman can free up space on the coffee and end tables, leaving your room feeling more spacious and welcoming. It’s difficult for people to feel at ease in a space that’s packed to the brim with kids’ toys, electronic chargers, books and various other odds and ends. Rather than forcing yourself to do a clean sweep of the house, just get some living room organization furniture that helps you tuck away anything you don’t need in plain sight.
