The living room is commonly known as the heart of the home. That’s why it’s essential that you closely consider how you furnish and decorate the room to make the most out of the space and let your personal style shine through across the board. The reality, though, is that it’s usually easier said than done. That’s why we’ve put together 6 essential tips to help you create the best possible living room arrangement that you’ll love for years to come.
#1 Fit the furnishing to the purpose of the living room
One of the first considerations you need to review is the purpose of the space. Some mostly use the living room for watching TV, making conversations, playing games and drinking coffee/tea. Both the furniture design itself and how you place the item in the room are important to consider.
In most cases, you’ll probably need to furnish the room to fit multiple purposes all at once, such as creating a sofa space that invites both conversation and relaxation in front of the TV.
#2 Traditional or open concept?
There are two general ways to plan your living room layout: traditional and open. Each layout type includes different ways to place your furniture and may also impact the type of furniture you want.
The traditional layout is all about creating separate, dedicated spaces inside the room: One space for watching TV, one for reading a book, one for conversing and another one for dining. The aim here is to close off the rooms’ different sections via either walls, counters, bookcases or other strategically placed furniture. The traditional layout is ideal for creating privacy and a less noisy room.
The open layout, on the other hand, is dedicated to enabling the room’s different sections to merge seamlessly. It is a great layout if you want flexibility, more natural light, a larger-feeling space, and an increased focus on family time.
However, today’s trends show signs of moving away from the classic layout formula and instead integrating a more hybrid-like solution.
#3 Creating the right atmosphere
Shapes, colours and materials all influence the room’s atmosphere. That’s why you need to take all three elements into account when picking out your furniture and interior decoration. You can find plenty of inspiration from popular home decor trends:
- Contemporary style furniture is all about bold colours, sharp lines and unique shapes. Metal and glass details are also very much common in contemporary home decor.
- Farmhouse decor focuses on natural elements, rich textures, earthly nuances and a couple of vintage pieces to bring a lot of charm to your home, whether it is the living room, kitchen or bathroom. The durability and texture of linen fit particularly well with this decor style.
- Scandinavian style puts function, clean details, and a love for nature first and foremost. The designs typically consist of high-quality materials, such as linen, cotton, leather, and locally sourced wood, while the colour palette often is kept rather simple with white, grey, and beige nuances.
Your choice may also depend on what you want the room to feel like. Bright nuances add more light and space to the room, while warmer colours and richer textures are great at bringing a more cosy and intimate feel to larger rooms. Full furniture sets help you easily define the style in the room.
#4 Pick your centrepiece
Any room benefits from having a focal point. Sometimes it is there naturally, like a fireplace or a panorama view. Other times, your furniture is what creates it. The living room is no different. A great option is to base the room around your favourite furniture, whether it is a large, inviting sofa or a decked-out dining sit, and let the rest of the items help bring attention to it. The centrepiece is important as it says a lot about you and the room’s aesthetic.
#5 Use the space smartly
Is the space limited at your house? Then you might want to be extra smart with your furniture picks. Highly functional furniture sets, such as pieces that integrate smart storage options or include foldable features, will help you easily make the very most out of each piece or let you convert the room to fit different requirements.
#6 Introduce more seating options
There’s no need to let your sofa and the eventual armchair be the only seating in the room, especially if you have enough space to work with. Ottomans or pouffes can easily be converted into extra seating if needed. If you have or want a dedicated bar area, you might also want to consider a bar set. That way, you’ll ensure no guest is short of a seat.
Leave a Reply