The importance of the living room in a typical American home is blatantly obvious. This room serves as a meeting place for the entire family. It also serves as a source of comfort for everyone outside of their bedroom. With that being said, it is crucial that this space is designed in a way that is fitting for everyone, and makes each member content.
While having an interior designer on hand is not a luxury most people have or can afford, designing and refurbishing a living room in a way that is both beautiful and comfortable is extremely easy to do with just a few key principles to keep in mind.
The Perfect Couch
As important pieces of living room furniture go, the couch just may be the winner. This resting place in the room usually takes up a big portion of it, catches the eye first, before anything else, and depending on the style it is, can take the aesthetic from a vintage living room to something more modern and cute.
If a sleek, modern look is the one that is being sought after, a black leather couch is a great fit for this. The dark colour serves as a piece that creates elegance and simplicity, and pairing it with matching modern vintage furniture can keep the aesthetic uniform throughout the room.
On the other hand, a more homey, comfortable look can be obtained with a softer couch. Earthy tones such as tans, browns, and beiges are calming colours that already make the individual feel more comfortable and relaxed. The added plushness of the couch physically will only help build on the snug feeling.
Lighting
While the lighting of a room tends to be a feature that is sometimes overlooked, it is one of the most important, and one of the first things people notice going into a room. The amount of light that is let in definitely has an effect on the mood, and this tool is one that can be used easily when deciding what type of ambience one wants to give off.
For a more open and airy feel, more light fixtures and possibly brighter ones should be used, as this exposure decreases sleepiness and makes people more alert. Fluorescent lamps and light bulbs do a good job of this, specifically because the light it shows off is white. This also saves energy in general.
On the contrary, less light, and that of yellow tones creates more of a romantic, intimate feeling. Implementing only a few or even just one main lamp in the centre of the room is an effective way of making the setting feel more closed off and family-oriented.
Accessories
Adding a touch of personality to a room is significant as well, as this is what some may say makes or breaks the living room redesign experience altogether. Making sure that the room feels exclusive to the family inside of it is necessary when making a room designated for familial comfort.
Simple touches, like plants and rugs, can immediately change the entire nature and feel of a room. Patterned, old fashioned rugs can quickly make a living room vintage, while more modern, solid-coloured ones can do the opposite.
Having plants in a room not only makes space look brighter but has an impact on the people in the room as well. Research shows that having certain greenery around is good because it can help filter the air in the space, improving the mood and decreasing the stress level of surrounding people. With this in mind, the use of foliage in a living room can make all the difference in creating the light, care-free environment one may desire in a place of comfort and relaxation.
Of course, one of the most effective ways of making a room personal is adding pictures and memorabilia specific to the person or family. Framing the fireplace with photos, family heirlooms and trophies can serve as a reminder of significant moments that occurred and bring the family closer together in its entirety. Once the furniture has already been selected, choosing personal items like this to garnish the room is exactly what changes it from the set sold in stores, to the one you own.
All in all, designing and redesigning a living room can prove to be a lot harder than the other rooms in a home, simply because unlike a bedroom, this space is not only for one person, and is potentially for multiple.
This means that there are a lot of other aspects and personalities that need to be taken into account when selecting pieces and furniture to garnish the room. However, generally speaking, some rules of thumb are applicable to all people and can effectively transform a room into something that everyone feels proud of and comfortable in.