In most cases, the living room is the first room you see when you step through the door to your home. It’s where you can collapse after a long day of work, binge our favorite TV shows, and entertain guests. It’s typically the biggest room in your space, and it can give a window to your personality.
There are so many styles out there to choose from, it’s so hard to stick to just one. Maybe you identify with some, while the others not so much. Here are some ideas that stand out as pieces to a beautiful puzzle that only you can create within your living room.
Using Velvet
Velvet doesn’t have to just be found in castles, mansions, and on ropes leading up to the theatre. It can be utilized in your living room to make a statement to your couch or reading chair. Even a couple of choice cushions can make a difference.
Not only is the material irresistibly soft, but it can also make a pretty posh statement to any room. Why not put it in one of the main rooms that you use to relax in besides your bedroom? If you love how it looks and feels, you might even consider adding it to your bedroom design as well.
Whether you’re updating your living room, or you’re buying furniture for your new home, you don’t have to pay an exorbitant amount to be stylish. There is plenty of beautiful velvet furniture out there that is well under a thousand dollars. Of course, it’s always a little better to be able to feel them in person yourself so that you can judge how comfortable it will be to sit in them. With velvet though, you will not be disappointed.
If you know that you’re moving and that your new place won’t come furnished, give your family and friends a gentle nudge that for a housewarming gift, they can give you a gift card to a furniture store. You can also check out antique stores around your new neighborhood. Sometimes it’s nice to possess items that carry some history.
Go Green!
If you want to breathe some new life into your living room why don’t you take it literally and add some living greenery? If you have a lot of natural light coming in through your windows, plants will be able to absorb it if placed in the right spot. You can also talk to them if you live alone, maybe even practice some arguments if you need to.
Not only is the color green visually appealing, but it has some positive psychology behind it as well. It makes one think of nature, relieves stress, and it may even bring the homeowner good luck. Who doesn’t want that in their feng shui?
You can also go with an overall botanical style for your living room, incorporating it into your walls, cushions, maybe even a table made out of natural material. This is a great style for nature-lovers, conservationists, and all-around eco-friendly citizens of the planet that we call home. All that’s left to add in are some soothing sounds of the rainforest, maybe a mini fountain for your end table.
Cozy Library
In your living room, you’re most likely doing a lot of sitting. Sure, you may occasionally do yoga or break out the Wii Fit board…but the rest of the time, you’re probably sitting on the couch reading articles just like this one. One way to ensure that you are able to do more of this is to add some shelves filled with items that make you want to escape to your couch.
A common feature of living rooms, whether they are modern or retro in style, is a multimedia area of some sort. This is where you keep your favorite books, movies, and games. You can let the colors of the spines fill your walls and not have to worry about choosing one color to have all over. This design scheme will be so enticing, your friends will be curiously scoping your shelves and asking if they can borrow a book.
You can’t go wrong with wooden shelves like in the picture above, but if you admire the look of used bookstores, you can find some vertical shelves and place them near your couch or chairs. You can hang up your favorite movie posters, pictures of vintage comic books, or even install some more shelves to hold more books!
A good multimedia room shouldn’t just be the kind you can find in a library. This is a room that should include works that make you smile, laugh, cry, or even yell at the stupidity of the characters with nobody around to hear you.
Just remember to do occasional upkeep so no extraneous dust builds up. Maybe even switch out some of the books once in a while, so that every time someone visits, your space will look slightly different. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up starting a neighborhood book club, and you now have the perfect place to play host!
Electric Fireplaces
On cold wintry nights, you want nothing more than to curl up in your favorite blanket and sit by the fire. Not all homes are able to accommodate this feature, so when you have one, you really treasure it. However, what if weren’t too keen on having the possibility of one errant spark igniting your entire house?
Having a white electric fireplace can be a much better option compared to a traditional wood-burning setup. There are many benefits including being easier to clean, eliminating the existence of potentially poisonous fumes, and they last a lot longer than one might think. However you look at it, an electric fireplace can add more charm to your home, without the constant need to be re-filled with wood.
The lights installed inside mimic the appearance and movement of real flames, so you can still get the experience of having a fireplace without burning yourself. No gas necessary, no smoke, no worries, and only the comfort that relaxing by the fire can bring.
Electric fireplaces are also a lot cheaper than getting a real one installed, not to mention less messy. There are plenty of different styles available as well. From wide and narrow black fireplaces to fit under your TV, to ones that look like they can fit in a log cabin with a rock-style border.
Geometric patterns
For those who want a more modern look to their space, consider adding in some items that display geometric shapes. These kinds of pieces can add an air of sophistication and make you feel like you’re sitting in your private art museum. It doesn’t matter which shapes you pick out, just as long as they speak to your inner designer.
When people think of geometric patterns, their first thought may be to black and white stripes or lines. While that is an example and might appeal to some, there are plenty of patterns out there in a wide variety of color patterns. You can coordinate complementary colors together in your overall design, or you can stick to one overall color to make your living room pop. The above picture makes beautiful use of blues with hints of green.
Patterns don’t have to be limited to cushions or rugs. Try out hexagon-shaped shelves above your couch, maybe find a statement lamp or some curtains with a pattern that you enjoy. If nothing else features a painting above your fireplace that has a collection of shapes. Add a modern touch to the room with help from West Mirrors. They have an intriguing gear-shaped wooden mirror that could tie any room together as a centerpiece!
The key with geometric patterns is to not overdo it. Jutting stripes on a mirror frame might make some dizzy, and having lots of triangles or blocks on your couch might make you feel like you’re trapped in an optical illusion. Keep it tasteful, and add some bold colors to space the patterned items out.
Find your own comfort
Remember that in the end, your living room doesn’t have to look exactly like any of the gorgeous pictures you may have seen in magazines, or be able to hold a candle to your neighbor’s choice of chaise lounges. This is the room that you and your family spend the most time in besides where they sleep. You watch movies together, play games together, as well as the occasional prank.
Being comfortable in your own space will be what sparks the most joy. Picking out different styles is very exciting, and anything that you choose to put out will be a reflection of what you define as comfort. Whichever style you decide to go with, you should be able to breathe easily and feel happy to see it when you come home every day.
