Practical Tips for Designing a Spectacular Living Room
The living room is one of the most spacious rooms in your house and also the one that catches people’s eye when they come to visit. Designing a living room can be pretty tricky, whether you’re planning to decorate an empty space or a busy room. When it comes to the living room’s décor, things are pretty much the same as for other rooms in your house. You have to create balance and harmony between physical elements and structural features. That means your furniture should be in concord with your windows and walls.
While designing your living room is a big task, having a fabulous space where you can enjoy spending cozy nights with your family is totally worth the effort.
If taking up this project intimates you, fret not – we’re here to help. This article provides practical advice on designing the living room of your dreams.
Get the measurements right
Before brainstorming design ideas, there’s one essential thing you should do – measure your space. Inaccurate measurements can affect your whole living room design, so make sure to include every bit of your space.
You should focus especially on walls with windows, insets and doors since these areas will restrict the room’s layout. Once you get your sketch done, you should take it with you when going shopping. That way, you can avoid any unpleasant incidents and ensure you order the appropriate size furniture.
Start looking for inspiration
Any room décor should start with a vision. You cannot begin designing your living room without having a clear picture in your mind of how you want it to look. So, start gathering some ideas. Look for inspiration in blogs, magazines, or social media platforms, such as Pinterest or Instagram.
Pay attention to décor, layouts and paint colors and see what resonates with you the most. Save the images with the most appealing designs and figure out what aspects you like about them. This will give you a point of reference when starting your design project.
Think about the layout
Once you’ve made up your mind on the décor, the next step is to consider your living room’s layout. This is crucial because you have to figure out where your furniture will be. Planning the layout is one of the most challenging parts of a design project, as the space dimensions and furniture size will limit your choices. However, you should still take the time to plan thoroughly.
You should begin with a focal piece, which is probably your couch.
Once you’ve figured out where it will fit in the living room, you can move on to other items. There should be a flow in your space to maneuver within it effortlessly. Also, consider this tip: position the largest objects around the room’s perimeter to avoid creating physical or visual blocks.
Decide upon a style
Picking a style for your living room is tricky, but it will help you determine what to look for when buying furniture. What style do you want to showcase? Do you prefer a contemporary living room? Or are you more into a formal style? Other designs you can pick are: relaxed, farmhouse, warm and inviting.
To decide upon the style, consider how you want to use the living room. Ask yourself what you want to do in the space, how many people will spend time there or if you plan to host parties in your living room. Answering these questions can help you decide what kind of furniture you need. For instance, a comfortable sectional sofa may be ideal if you want to watch TV in the living room. On the other hand, if you wish to host parties, a loveseat and accent chairs will create a welcoming seating area for conversations.
Pick a sofa
When looking for living room designs, you generally get sofa images among the first results. This isn’t at all surprising since the couch takes up a lot of your living room space and will dictate the arrangement of other objects. Look for a sofa that can be your focal point. Functionality is essential to keep in mind when choosing among all the options. You should also consider your lifestyle to decide what sofa material is the most suitable. If you have children and pets, a stain resistant fabric is an ideal option.
You can pick a large sofa or play with different seating options, but make sure your space doesn’t look oversaturated. While the seating area should be comfortable, it’s also crucial to have sufficient room to move around the area without tripping over the coffee table or the edges of the sofa. Make sure to invest in the right sofa to avoid second-guessing. While you may wish to pick a specific type of fabric, you must ensure it suits your needs. Choosing a stain-resistant upholstery fabric ensures the sofa won’t be damaged in such a high-traffic area as the living room. Although it can be challenging to pick the right easy clean sofa, you should consider this step carefully because it will influence the overall design of your living room.
Choose your color scheme
Picking an ideal paint color is vital when designing your living room. The color palette should complement your furniture and the overall aesthetic and style of the room. Lighting is critical when choosing the ideal color scheme, so make sure to consider that as well.
You can combine décor trends with different colors, and you shouldn’t shy away from mixing colors and styles throughout your room. However, keeping a common theme is essential to avoid creating an overwhelming space.
Add some art pieces
Your living room won’t be complete unless you add some wall art. However, you should not fill every inch of the space – it’s essential to keep some areas empty so that there is a place where your eyes can rest.
It may be tricky to pick artwork that matches the living room’s design, but considering the overall theme can be helpful. Wall accessories should reflect your personality, so pick what you love the most, and you’ll design a stunning living room.