Living rooms are the hub of the household, they need to be good looking enough for entertaining friends and be comfy enough to take a nap on the sofa or easily slouch down whenever preferred. This is the room that will contain the most canvas pictures of your family along with numerous decorative items such as vases, plants, souvenirs etc.
You need to make sure that the decor is minimal so the room does not appear cluttered but it should be good enough to not look bare.
Here a few tricks to focus on while Decorating a Living Room
1. Incorporate Symmetry
For an appealing decor it is a must for the room to have sort of balance which can easily by achieved by incorporating symmetry in any part. If a plant or floor lamp is placed in one corner then an identical plant or floor lamp should be placed in the opposite corner also, identical sofas can be placed along opposite walls or even same sized pictures on canvas in the exact same frames can be placed opposite each other to create symmetry. Not every item needs to display symmetry; two or three will create the perfect look.
2. Create Visual Contrast
The scheme of colours that you add to the living room should be creatively thought about and strictly adhered to in a theme to create a perfect visual contrast. Since the living room has to be striking as well as comfy it’s best to mix in warm shades along with bold ones for attractiveness, a neutral shade should also be added to serve as a background. If you are taking the help from a colour wheel then your two main shades should be opposite to each other for a perfect contrast.
3. Add Pattern and Texture
Even if you have a theme for your living room the entire room should not consist of only one texture or pattern as that will create zero visual interest and easily lead to boredom. Different fabrics can be used for adding texture and pattern such as printed or embroidered cushions and throw on a plain sofa or a soft rug on a hardwood floor in colourful print.
4. Include Accents
Accents will greatly highlight certain parts of your living thus will casually draw the eye around it and make it highly interesting. Lighting can be used such as spot lights to make a gorgeous plant or a picture on the wall stand out by shining upon direct, bright light. Bold art work can also provide accents as well and draw the eye towards a wall as well as a bold print or colour for wall paper or couch fabric in an otherwise neutral room. Decorative items such as vases or candles placed in varying heights are another example as well as an arrangement of books on a shelf according to colour.
The dining room is the perfect place to entertain and thus it needs to be stylish but not over done so it appears to look as if you are showing off. The perfect way to decorate is to select a theme and stick to its, this will all your decorative items will easily blend into each other providing harmony between the colours and items leading to visual interest. Here are some themes that you can focus upon:
5. Modern yet Classic
To focus on a contemporary touch for a dining room you should keep the items minimal in the room and focus on straight geometrical lines. A rectangular table with rectangular chair is a must to have while the chairs can be upholstered to provide comfort in a classical fashion. Modern wall canvas pictures can be put up for a bold touch while classical light fixtures can be used such as a grand chandelier, scones or candle sticks to complete the look.
6. New Country
A contemporary look can easily be achieved by combining the aesthetics of the modern era with the traditional elements of a country themed decor. A country theme focuses on bring the nature indoors thus it would be great to use a wooden table in a geometric shape along with similar shaped chairs which can be in wood or metal, these chairs can be dressed up with cushions in print. Large and bold print can be introduced on the flooring with the use of a carpet or rug or a feature wall can be created with use of canvas prints which can be bordered by modern, monochromatic frames. A modern pendant light falling over the dining table can complete your look.
7. Fresh Cottage
Achieving a cottage look is highly simple just invest in a harvest table and couple it with Windsor chairs providing the same polish for both or instead wrought iron chairs and table. Add comfort to the room by dressing up the window with modern, drapery fabric or roller blinds in a floral print and add some stools topped with cushions in similar print. Pictures of farm animals or with a vintage effect would look great up on the wall.
8. Rustic and Eclectic
The best way to achieve this look is to mix up latest pieces such as digital photos to canvas and combine them with rustic touches such as a wooden table with wooden benches for seating instead of chairs. A mirror in a golden frame can increase the charm along with a chandelier while a soft geometric rug or plush runner can add a modern touch. For light a paper lanterns can be used while adding in modern vases is not a bad idea. It’s best to give one of the walls a rustic look such as by adding a brick effect on them while the other can hold modern art.
Author is a professional interior decorator and writes articles relating to the topic. He works for a canvas prints cheap company and creates canvas prints along with writing interior related articles. He also writes about home decor tips and tricks.
