Living rooms are an important part of a home. As the name suggests, they are cozy, welcoming, and comfortable. They’re the room you go to relax and socialize when not sitting around the dinner table, going to bed, or in the can. as a result, you want your living room to be as welcoming and comfortable as possible. Part of this for some means making the room look good for guests, family, and of course, yourself. Decorating can be a fun task as long as you know what you’re doing. Though there’s no wrong way to decorate, really, there are a few general guidelines that apply to pretty much any living room.
Paint in Neutral Colors
Lighter colors, such as beiges and grays, are useful for living rooms for several reasons. the main reason is lighting, as darker colors absorb light, while lighter ones reflect it. This means better lighting and thus an easier time seeing what you’re doing. This is especially important if your living room get’s a lot of sun at certain times of the day. As for what happens when there’s too much light, well, that’s what blinds are for, after all.
Proper Furniture Grouping
An important part of living room furniture arrangement is to invite conversation and interaction among its users. While people aren’t always going to be chatting in the room, it still needs to be kept in mind. The main focus of most living rooms are a couch, so make sure the chairs and their solid wood foot rests, if present, are angled to allow people to face each other and communicate clearly. A U-shape or similar pattern is good for this.
Size Matters when Decorating
Large, blank walls can be great for lighting, but they can also be uninviting due to their emptiness. The placement of a few large paintings, or many small ones, can help break up the monotony. A few small paintings on a large wall tend to look silly, though. mix it up with other accessories if needed, like Amish clocks.
Layer Lighting
This sounds like an odd one, but makes sense when you think about it, especially in relation to lighter colors to accentuate good lighting. The three kinds of lighting are ambient, accent, and task lighting. Ambient lighting comes from the sun and surrounding lamps. Task lighting would be a reading lamp, and accent lighting would be surrounding light sources. These layers help keep regular and targeted illumination where it’s needed.
To Rug or Not to Rug
Area rugs are useful for dampening sound and providing some soft spots for feet and pets. Obviously this is only really an issue for hardwood floors, but carpets can use a rug near the door or kitchen for feet wiping. Make sure the rug isn’t too big, otherwise it can stick out and odd places and pose a tripping hazard.
Avoid Clutter
As much fun as decorating a room is, it can be possible to over-decorate and clutter the room. Tables shouldn’t have too much decoration so that they can actually be used, for example. Too much stuff on the walls can create shadows and distract the eye too much. A living room should be cozy and comfortable, so some decoration is definitely a good idea, just not too much.
Remember to Measure
This one is obvious, but in order to sure furniture and frames fit where you want them to, be sure to measure them and the available space in the room itself. This will ensure everything fits where you want it to without having rearrange or clutter the room.
Consider the Coconut
Plant hangers in the living room may seem silly, but if you have the lighting and ceiling room for it, the extra greenery can really brighten up a room. Potted plants are a lot easier to work with and can also add some delightful coloration and a fun bit of nature.
Wallpaper
Some people like wallpaper. If it’s tasteful and not some sort of gaudy nightmare from the 1980’s, it’s worth considering to add some color, design, and variety to the room.
Accent Mirrors
This might seem like an odd one, but mirrors can help a room a lot. The main way is they can help make a room look larger. This increases the cozy factor and helps prevent a sense of confinement some people in smaller rooms. Smaller mirrors can also help direct lighting and other decorative objects to add variety to design.
Decorating is fun, and decorating a living room can be pretty important. you want the room to be comforting and welcoming. It can be tricky to do that on your own, but with a bit of know-how, the right furniture, and maybe a rug or potted plant, the living room can be the cozy place you want to be able to relax and enjoy, either alone or with your friends and family. Take color coordination and measurements into account, and you’re sure to have a nice and easily designed living room.
