Ideas To Design A Welcoming Living Room
The first room that welcomes visitors in every house is the living room. Its style is the first focal point that sets the décor pace for the rest of the house. Decorating a living room is fun, but many find the task quite challenging because of lack of specific ideas, space limitation and cost factor.
Whether it is a small area or large, a new apartment or a rented flat, the living room should be decorated in such a manner that it reflects the taste of the owners and also welcomes the visitors with its warm and aesthetic adornment. Optimisation of the available space, proper ventilation, adequate area for mobility and a particular design style make a space cheerful, elegant and pleasing to the eye. With proper use of colour, décor ideas and tricks, you can make a room look large, airy and chic.
Vision
Before you embark on decorating your living room, decide on what you want to accomplice. Whether you want a formal look or a casual one; what style suits your family and what furniture you have to achieve a particular style.
Contemporary
If you want a contemporary living room, go for softened and rounded lines. Also incorporate neutral elements with splashes of bright color.
Modern
Modern décor is minimalist and streamlined with a neutral color palette, sharp geometric shapes and asymmetry. Absence of decoration, polished surfaces and architectural styles from the 1930s are other aspects of this style.
French Baroque Style
If you fancy ornate carvings, go for French baroque style. Expand this style with elaborate chandeliers and intricate wallpaper, heavy brocades and shimmer to revel in a bygone era.
Tropical
What about a bright, cheerful look inspired by the beaches of Hawaii or other tropical destinations. Upholster with bright floral prints or with prints of palm leaves. Rugs in muted colours or seagrass carpets would best complement the thatched furniture that is the an aspect of this style.
Asian
Combine warm and bright colours like red, gold, blue and orange for an Asian-inspired space. Block prints or intricate paisleys with gold accents and brilliant hues on furnishings will brighten up any dull room. Wood and bamboo furniture, chakki tables or sofas, elaborately embroidered wall hangings and beautiful mosaic tiles will add a spunk to the room.
Eclectic
This is no age of matching but mixing and mis-matching. Instead of sticking to a particular look, go for different styles in a single room that would reflect a sense of surprise and imagination. This style borrows ideas from other styles and builds up a style with composition, pattern, texture to create an interconnected space marked by elegant contrasting styles and combination of periods, instead of just hurriedly throwing several ideas together.
Moroccan
Middle-eastern means opulent, vibrant colours and patterns. From ornate rugs to colourful tiles to flamboyant chandeliers symbolise this style. Purple, red, blue, green are combined with aplomb to create a vibrant ambience. Stone sculptures and elaborately patterned tiles recreate a setting that is straight out of the Arabian Nights.
Traditional
Photo Credit: Scrollmag.com
Remember those old classic houses of your grandparents that you loved when you used to visit them during vacations? Reconstruct that timeless feel with furnishings and furniture that are consistent with that style for a comfortable look with a fresh touch.
Colour
After you have decided on the style, the next important aspect is the colour of the walls. A brilliant colour scheme can uplift the aesthetics of the room while a dull one can mar the décor. While deciding on the colour scheme for the living room, it is important to consider how much light does the room receives, the furniture style and furnishing colours. Experts say that it is also important to create contrast between the wall and floor colour. Also avoid peachy or fleshy colours as they make the room look dull.
Here are some uncommon colour suggestions that will set your living rooms apart :
Violet Fields
Does the thought of painting your living room violet give you jitters? No problem, blend in blue with purple and build up the hue in several layers throughout the room. Use darker shades of the hue as cushion piping or curtain fringes. Add interest with touches of monochromatic colours.
Green Garden
Green is a soothing colour and you can choose from its different shades to suit your room. A muted green like sage on the wall will create the canvas. You can then build up the colour scheme with other shades from the same family on furnishings. Add accents with browns and pinks.
Gold Glamour
In case of metallic, always remember that less is more. This colour, if used cautiously, will give a glam look to any setting, creating a luxurious space. But be careful as gold and other metal colours can overshadow other aspects of the room. Drapes and cushion covers with metallic sheen, or glossy accessories will create a sense of drama to your living space.
Pure Pastels
Pastels always look soothing and makes the seating area cozy but they also have the tendency to make the area look a little subdued. So combine mint green, lemon yellow and sky blue with vibrant orange and pink cotton candy accentsfor a visual delight. Incorporate white on furniture and door to create a balance.
Accessories
Just as great accessories are important for fashion, so are they for décor. They dress up the room and add accents. While accessorizing, think in terms of colour, texture and size. Group photo frames according to materials like wooden, steel, silver, shell, fabrics and so on. Again mirrors make small rooms look bigger and an ornate frame add a special touch to it. Lamps are an all-time favourite and are available in hundereds of varieties from table lamps to pedestal to hanging ones. Stain-glass lamps would particularly earn your oohs and aahs from friends! Glass or ceramic vases with natural or artificial flowers will make any corner more inviting.
Clutter-free
Finally it is very important to keep your home orderly and organised. If your room looks cluttered and everything disorganised, it will look shabby and uninviting; while a neatly organised room will look comfortable and welcoming. Store excess items in the garage or donate to some charity. Keep clutter out of view by covering them with curtains or inside boxes.
There are several creative ways to do up your living room. Arrange your furniture in such a way that the room looks airy and light. If it gets lots of sunshine, utilize that with floor to ceiling French windows and bright hues on the walls and furnishings. Ultimately it is your house and the room should reflect your persona. You may take help from hundreds of décor magazines available in the market. Scout the flea markets and furniture shops for décor ideas and create a dream space that will instantly greet the visitors.
Photo Credit: Juvandesign.com
About the Author
