A living room is the central part of the home. A living room is a place where a person can rest after a long day. A living room is also a place where friend can gather to have a good time while they are visiting.
Finally, a living room is also a quiet place where a person can read a book or watch their favorite television show. Many people spend years sitting on their same old sofa looking at the same blank walls in their living rooms and wondering why it doesnt feel like a finished space. The answer to the dilemma of finding a good decorating solution for a living room does not necessarily mean purchasing new furniture for the living room.
Instead, a person can make thoughtful choices about the item that they do purchase and that will fit into the space in which they live. A good living room does need to be comfortable for the people who live in the home. A good living room, however, should also be designed in a way that does not demand too much attention from the individual who use it as a space in the home.
Most of the difference between living rooms that are well organized and those that are merely arranged in an apparent way are based off a few ideas and design elements rather than the cost of the décor items that are purchased. By understanding a few of these ideas, an individual can make changes to the décor in their living room without having to start over with the decorating process altogether. Each of the ideas that this article will present have been used in numerous home to solve a specific problem within the décor of their living rooms, and each idea is based upon an idea that will stand the test of time rather than following a temporary decorating trend.
Simple Ways to Improve Your Living Room Decor
1. Use Different Types of Light Sources
Using different types of light sources within the living room can change the way that the space feel. Using only one bright light source within the living room can make the space feel flat and dull. Using three different types of light sources can help to enhance a living room décor.
For instance, a person can use table lamp to one side and the other side of the sofa. Additionally, a person can add a floor lamp to one of the corners of the room that currently has little light falling onto the floor, or the person can add picture lights or LED lights behind the floating shelf in the living room. Because most of the use of a living room occurs during the evening, it is helpful to have the space feel larger than it truly is after the sun begins to set.
Even using lamps that were purchased from a thrift store can make a difference in the décor of a living room when each of the thrift store lights is painted the same color and use the same type of warm bulb as each other.
2. Incorporate Area Rugs
Rugs can be a very useful design element for adding both coziness to a living room décor while also dividing the space into separate area. A very common mistake with rugs in living rooms, however, is to purchase a rug that is too small for the living room area.
Using a rug that is too small can make the furniture within the living room appear as if it is floating onto the floor. Instead, an area rug should be purchased that extends halfway under the front leg of the sofa and each of the chairs. In large living rooms, two rugs of varying design can be purchased instead of one very large rug that is very expensive.
For instance, rugs made of natural fiber like jute or sisal will help to hide the dirt that falls into the living room floor. Additionally, rugs made of soft wool or polyester will provide comfort to the persons who must walk into the living room and sit on the floor. Finally, the color or the pattern of the rug can help to set the mood within the living room décor.
Therefore, a person should select a color and a pattern for the rug that a person love instead of purchasing one that is more subtle and noticeable to others rather than to the individual who enters the living room.
3. Mix Different Furniture Styles
A few different style of furniture can be purchased for a living room to avoid the living room feeling as if it is from a furniture store. For instance, it is possible to purchase both moddern and vintage furniture for the living room area, as well as furniture that is of a rustic nature.
These different types of furniture will add visual interest to the living room décor, but they will not make the décor of that living room into a mess of mismatched furnishings that do not belong together in the same space. In many older home, the furnishings for the living room may already contain elements from different periods within history. In this case, each of the pieces of furniture should have enough space around them for individuals who live in the home to walk through the living room and not feel as if they are passing by a number of individual items that were placed together randomly.
4. Add Indoor Plants
Adding plant to a living room will bring life to the space, as well as improve the air quality in that room. For instance, plants such as the fiddle-leaf fig can be purchased and placed into the corner of the living room. Smaller plants can also be displayed on the shelf in the living room.
For individuals who are concerned about the care that these plant will require to survive, plants that are naturaly yet hardy, such as the snake plant, the ZZ plant, or the pothos, may be preferred for the living room décor. Additionally, the green color of the plants will help to balance the color of the walls in the living room décor and has a calming effect upon those who enter the living room. Therefore, the plants should be placed in such a way as to provide each of the plants with the necessary space for growth within the décor, but without placing the plants in such a way as to make the living room contain a green mass of plants that all appear to be growing together.
5. Create a Gallery Wall
A gallery wall is an idea that allows individuals to feature the stories of their life within their living rooms, and it solves the problem of having bare walls. The most important feature of a gallery wall is that each of the picture frame should be within a similar color family. Thus, an individual should lay each of the item that will be featured on the wall on the floor.
An individual can trace each picture on paper, tape the pieces to the wall, and then make any change to the items before purchasing picture frames for each of the pieces of art that will be displayed on the wall. The items can include family photograph, art projects, pressed flowers, and drawings. Each of the items should look as if they were collected over time.
6. Use Mirrors to Expand Space
Adding the items to the wall will transform the individual’s living room décor from bland and uninviting to unique and attractive, encouraging individuals to stay in their home. Mirrors are an item that can transform a living room décor from small to large, and from dark to bright. For instance, if a person places a mirror in the room opposite from a window, the mirror will reflect the light that enters the room, making the living room appear to be twice the size of the room.
Another idea is to lean a floor mirror against the wall behind one of the chair in the living room. This will make it appear as if there is another doorway in the room. In apartments that are small in size, a round mirror can be hung above the sofa.
Additionally, the frame of the mirror can be selected to enhance the décor of the living room; brass frame may be used in décor that is desired to be more contemporary, while carved frames add historical elements to the décor. Regardless of the type of décor that is desired in the living room, the mirror should reflect some of the most beautiful element of the décor within the living room.
7. Layer Textiles and Throw Blankets
Textiles can be a great medium for individuals to add a touch of their personality to the décor of their living room. For instance, throw blankets should be items in the living room that the individuals who live in the home utilize. Additionally, their use of throw blankets can be both for comfort and to enhance the décor of the living room. Each of these blanket can be placed in various locations in the living room; a blanket can be placed over the arm of the sofa, for instance.
A person can also place blankets that have a similar color to each other in different areas of the living room décor, although the pattern may not be similar. For instance, velvet blanket are comfortable to use in the winter, but cotton or linen blankets will feel best during the summer month. An individual should also consider the color of the rug in their living room when purchasing throw blankets.
If the rugs have a neutral color, then the individual may prefer blankets that include pattern décor in various colors.
8. Install Floating Shelves
Floating shelves are an item that can be added to the décor of a living room to provide a place to display items that may otherwise take up valuable floor space. For instance, floating shelves can be placed at different height in the living room.
Additionally, the shelves can be used to display book, ceramics, sculptural items, and items of art. The shelves can also be left with more empty space than is necessary to display these item. In narrow living rooms, shallow shelf may be installed above the sofa to place items on the shelves that would not otherwise take up space on the floor.
These shelves can be used to display candle or art books. The type of items that are placed on these shelves will change with the season, so that the décor of the living room does not stand still over time.
9. Choose a Cohesive Color Palette
Choosing color for the décor of a living room that are cohesive does not necessarily mean that each of the item in the living room will have to be of the same color. For instance, an individual can choose three color and ensure that they are used in various area of the décor in the living room. For instance, colors like deep navy blue for the sofa may be contrasted with light blue throw blankets and blue lamp. Finally, using warm tone for the wooden furniture items may tie the décor of the living room together.
These colors can be tested in the living room in advance of purchasing each of the décor item. For instance, the color sample can be hung on the wall in the living room to test the colors for a few day. By living in the home with these color for a few days, an individual can avoid buying décor that will not enhance the décor of the living room.
10. Select Proper Window Treatments
Window treatment for a living room can frame the décor of the living room for the individual who enters the home, as well as control the amount of light that enters into the living room. For instance, using floor-length curtain that cover the walls high and wide will make the ceiling within the living room feel higher and the window appear larger in size. Additionally, curtains that are made of linen and cotton and come in neutral color will allow the individuals in the living room to enjoy the sunlight that enters the home, while still remaining connected to the outdoors.
For living rooms that face the street, for instance, sheer curtain can be used on the inside and the outside curtain can be heavier in texture. Additionally, curtains that are small and end at the windowsill will make an individual’s living room appear smaller, and may give it the appearance of being old-fashion. Thus, window treatment for the décor of a living room should allow the individuals who live in the home and enter the décor to focus on the view from the window in their décor, but with the window treatment enhancing the décor of the view.
A living room does not need to be perfect, but the living room should feel as if it belong to the individual that lives in the home. Thus, starting with a single idea is the best way to transform a living room décor. For instance, an individual may simply move one of the lamp in the room.
Another idea is to hang a mirror on the wall. Or, perhaps the individual can go into the store and purchase a plant for their living room décor. Each of these change will eventually transform the décor of the living room into a space in which the individual feels comfortable and happy to spend time in their home.
