Except for perhaps the kitchen, the living room is one of the most important rooms in your home. It is a place to relax after a long day, an area for your kids to play, and often the first space guests will be welcomed into. The living room gets a lot of use, but also is one of the most fun rooms to decorate since you typically have plenty of space and you will have many opportunities to show off your design skills.
When it comes to decorating your living room, it is usually best to focus more on a few statement features in the room than on a bunch of small decorations, as the latter can quickly make a living room look untidy or cluttered.
Here are a few basic principles to keep in mind when you are designing your living room.
Photos on Your Walls Make a House Feel like Home
Bare walls have no place in a living room. In fact, one of the easiest ways of making a new house feel like home, and some style, is to hang art or create herringbone wood walls . Statement hanging art and mirrors always look great but consider canvas wall art in place of traditional framed pictures. You can easily have custom photo canvas printed, which adds a beautiful touch to a living room. Consider showing off family photos and pictures of memorable events this way. Canvas prints are also lightweight and easy to switch out with seasonal art compared to traditional heavy frames.
Invest in High Quality Furniture Designed to Last
Nothing detracts from the beauty of a home than choosing cheap, particle board furniture. Not only is fake wood often noticeable, but also tends to be a waste of money as it will need to be replaced. Instead invest in real wood, such as an Amish living room furniture set. Amish mission furniture is sturdy enough to handle kids and will be around for decades. The simplistic but attractive design also means that it will work well with almost any design scheme, from contemporary to rustic.
Don’t Forget About the 5th Wall in Your Living Room
The 5th wall of every room is the ceiling, and interior designers agree that you should pay attention to the ceiling just as you would any other wall. You can paint the ceiling a contrasting shade or even go bold with a deep neutral shade, depending on the effect you’re trying to achieve. If you really want to make a statement consider a box beam ceiling. These are much more affordable that you think and can range from quite minimalistic to a luxurious coffered look. A box beam ceiling really adds value and interest to you home, plus you can still paint over it.
Fake a Remodel without the Time and Work with Wall Panels
Similarly to box beam ceiling kits, you can also find kits for wall panels to be placed over your existing walls. You can find this in a range of different types, suited to whatever taste you have. Wood wall panels are perfect options and can be made of more modern, smooth boards or very rustic, knotted wood boards. Reclaimed wood panels are a little more pricey but that vintage, barnwood look is stunning. You can quickly change the look of your living room walls this way, while still having the peace of mind knowing that it’s only semi-permanent.
You don’t need to be a professional interior designer to make your living room feels warm, inviting and well-kept. By starting off with the basics you can create a beautiful foundation for your living room without a big budget.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
great article.