How To Decorate A Living Room Like A Pro

Decorating a living room can seem overwhelming when you don’t know where to start. Living room’s are one of the larger rooms in a home, and it’s the one room every guest will see. It has to be functional, comfortable, and reflect your style. Continue reading to learn how you can turn your living room into an amazing space you love.

When thinking about redecorating your living room first you have to consider your lifestyle. Think about how you spend most of your time in your living room. If you spend a lot time watching television, make that the focal point of the room. If you love a lot of natural light during the day go for sheer window coverings. The take away here is to determine what is meaningful to you and choose elements that complement your lifestyle. Make your living room a reflection of who you are.

 

10 Steps to Design the Perfect Living room Space

1. Know Your Measurements
2. Picture the Layout
3. Choose Your Style
4. Decide on Your Color Palette
5. Pick the Area Rug
6. Get the Right Lighting
7. Add Wall Art & Accessories
8. Optimize Awkward Corner Spaces
9. Focus on the Floor
10. Add Accents Last

 

Before you start thinking about how to decorate your living room you first have to know your space. Start by measuring the room. Measure inset doors and walls with windows carefully. These areas will limit the room’s layout. Knowing how much space you have to work with and the dimensions of the room, you will be able to determine such things as the size of area rug you will need and how large your sofa can be. Jot your measurement down on something handy you can keep with you. You don’t want to accidentally purchase the perfect area rug in the wrong size.

The following design tips with help guide you through the process of decorating the living room of your dreams. Keep in mind what is going to work best for you and your family.

 

Imagine the Layout

Imagining the layout of your dream living room is the first step in conceptualizing what your space will look like. To get a better idea of how your ideal furniture will fill the space create a sketch of the room’s layout. This allows you to play around with furniture placement before you commit. It can also help you realize what you have room for. You may find you don’t have enough space for all the furniture pieces you want to include in the room. It’s better to find this out now rather than later. Once you determine what you will have room for make a list of those items and then prioritize the positioning of them.

As you consider your furniture arrangement look at the possibility of floating some of your furniture pieces. Not everthing has to be placed up against the wall. Make sure you have at least thirty inches of walk space around the furniture. You want about fifteen inches of space between the sofa and coffee table. Consider turning awkward spaces into usable spaces by adding built in shelving for storage or creating a reading nook if the space allows.

 

 

What Is Your Style?

Your style is something that is personal to you. By determining what vibe you want in your living room you can narrow down which style of sofa will fit best and what wall art and accessories you will need. This makes shopping so much easier. If you not sure what style you want your living room to reflect think about your lifestyle. Do you host a lot of parties and need a formal setting? Do you want something modern or contemporary? Maybe your lifestyle is relaxed, and you want a stylish living room to fit that. Do you want something warm and inviting?

When you know what your style is, you can then determine what type of furniture will work best. For instance, if you want a relaxed vibe in your living room you may want to spend more on a large super comfortable sectional rather than a sofa and accent chairs. On the other hand, if you entertain a lot and need seating variety a smaller sofa, or even a loveseat, and some accent chairs will work best.

 

Establish Your Color Palette

Now that you know what your style is you can use that information to choose the perfect color palette. If you are not sure where to start, look at neutral colors first. Then think about what pops of color you want to see splashed throughout the room. Consider how your living room flows with other rooms in your home, and your home’s overall aesthetic. Do you want neutral walls and flooring with a bold colored sofa? If you want something warm and inviting consider something in the red, orange, or yellow color families. Think about your accent wall. What color do you want to see covering an entire wall. If your living room is small avoid dark colors as this can make the room look smaller. There are lots of ways to add color to a room. When making a large furniture purchase you want to get the most out of it. Consider this before making a purchase. If you are in love with an orange sofa are you still going to love it in the years to come.

 

 

Furniture

Furniture arrangement takes some planning to get it right. You have to consider things like your focal point, traffic flow, creating conversation areas, and any other ways you need your livingroom to function. How you place your furniture in your living room is vital to the room’s function. Start by placing the largest pieces of furniture in the room first. This is your foundational furniture. Pay attention to distance between pieces. Remember your want at least thirty inches of walk space around the furniture, and about fifteen inches between the sofa and coffee table. Accent tables should be close enough to seating to sit a drink on. If your living room begins to get over crowded you can consider using smaller furniture, this is why measuring is so important, or removing some of the non essential pieces.

Foundational furniture are the pieces that are essential for the room to function. When laying out your living room place these items first. Foundational furniture includes; sofas, chairs, coffee tables, end tables, cabinets, bookshelves, armoires, tables, TVs, and ottomans. It is not neccessary to include all of these in every living room. If you are not sure where to start, place the sofa first. It is often the largest piece of furniture in a livingroom and can potentially dictate the placement of the rest of the furniture in the room.

 

10 Types of Foundational Furniture

1. Sofa
2. Chairs
3. Coffee table
4. End table
5. Cabinets
6. Bookshelves
7. Armoire
8. Table
9. TV
10. Ottoman

 

Flooring

Flooring is one of the most high impact areas of a room. To creat a seamless flow throughout the room use one type of flooring such as carpet or wood. If you want your entire home to flow from room to room use the same flooring throughout. Use Furniture with legs to create a smoother transition.

Whether your living room flooring is wood or carpet you will still need an area rug. Area rugs should large enough to fit your sofa, coffee table, and any accent chairs you have. You want to have at least twenty inches of space between the rug’s edge and the room’s walls. An area rug that is too small will cause the room to look in-cohesive.

 

Ceiling

In a room the ceiling can often be overlooked. However, in a living room, it’s the perfect opportunity to add drama with beautiful architectural treatments like crown molding. In living rooms that are tall vaulted or cathedral ceiling treatments can transform the room. If your living room is small you can make the room appear larger by keeping it simple and paint the ceiling white. Don’t get stuck on what you can’t have. If you would really love an architectural treatment on the ceiling but don’t have enough space for one, you can still have a stylish and functional living room space without it.

 

 

Lighting

There are three main types of lighting when it comes to lighting in a room. The first is ambient lighting which gives the room its overall illumination. The second is task lighting which focuses light to a specific part of the room. Such as a lamp in a reading nook. The third type of lighting is accent lighting and is used to highlight focal points in a room. To effectively light a living room light sources should be placed at different levels from each other. An example of the three lighting types would be overheard lighting such as a chandelier or recessed lighting, lamps, and wall scones. Before considering lighting you want to have a good idea of your living room layout first. 

Choosing your lighting types gives you the opportunity to add your personal style. If you want an elegant entertaining space go for a beautiful chandelier. In love with two different lamps? It’s Ok, they don’t have to match. Mix floor lamps with table lamps. Want your lighting to be there but not noticeable? Go for recessed lighting.

 

Window Coverings

Window coverings can be curtains, blinds, shades, or nothing at all. When determining what type of window coverings work best for you consider your lifestyle. Do you love lots of natural light? Choose sheer curtains. If you want to easily control the amount of natural light in the room, go with blinds. Adding curtains to your space is also a good opportunity to add pops of color.

 

Accents 

I may seem backwards but, accents should be added to your living room design last. The items you choose to add to the room’s decor should complement what is already there. Accents include throw blankets, decorative pillows, wall art, and mirrors just to name a few. These are the pieces that make a room cozy. Start out small by adding any pillows or throw blankets you will want in the room. Next add any wall art, mirrors, or pictures you want hanging on the walls. Keep in mind not to over do it.

Living room Accents To Consider

• Throw Blankets
• Photos
• Pillows
• Plants
• Footstool
• Knick-Knacks
• Wall Art
• Mirrors