If there’s one room in the home that should receive a lot of consideration in terms of interior design, it’s the living room. It’s a ‘public’ room that friends and family gather in when visiting, so it’s important that it looks good and sets the tone for the rest of the house.
1. Define the Key Must-Have Items
The first point of reference is to write a list of key items you need to have in your lounge in order for it to function properly. He says, for example, you’re most likely to need some seating, a cabinet, television, coffee table, lamp, and so on.
Once you’ve figured out the best way to incorporate your existing items, consider any new items you may need. The quickest and easiest way to rejuvenate a living room is to replace dated large items such as a lounge suite. Other examples of items that can transform the space include a set of built-in cabinets and shelving for a growing collection of books and DVDs, or an armchair, coat of paint or a corner unit by the window for reading.
More often than not, living rooms need to play double duty, so it’s important that the pieces of furniture you choose can multi-task. Use vertical storage space to clear out the clutter and store away your everyday knick knacks.
2. Take Out the Tape Measure
It’s imperative that you consider your living room space before you decorate it. You may need to incorporate several elements such as a lounge and dining area into your living room, however, the structure of the room will dictate if this is possible and if so, how the furniture should be positioned.
Measuring your space and drawing up a floor plan to scale. He says this way you’ll be able to see what furniture will fit, allowing for the best layout for easy traffic flow. Also, consider the overall balance of the room – too many big pieces on one side of the room will make it feel cramped, and having a lot of things on the ground rather than storing them in vertical storage space will make the space feel bottom-heavy.
A few quick tricks for a harmonious atmosphere include using rugs to define separate spaces within the living room. Make sure the sofa is positioned in such a way that allows easy to use walkways. Use a pair of armchairs side by side to create balance. And if you’re working with a small space, then go for a set of small nested tables rather than one large coffee table in the middle of the room. Also, vertical storage solutions are great space-savers.
3. Dream a Little
Visual inspiration always helps when dealing with a decorating dilemma, so before you do anything décor related, spend some time thinking about what your ideal lounge would look and feel like.
Generally speaking, if you go with your gut and collect images of lounges that really speak to you, then the images you pick usually end up having a common thread running through all of them. If not, he says then perhaps refine your selection down to a specific colour theme or a particular décor style.
The idea is that you use these images to create a moodboard that you frequently refer to when making decisions. This technique will help you keep the overall look refined and symbiotic, and keep you motivated when your enthusiasm runs low.
4. Get Organised
Reorganising can do wonders and make you feel like you’ve got a whole new room. So start with clearing out the unnecessary clutter lying around and storing it away behind closed doors – if you don’t love it or need it, then chuck it out or give it away.
When it comes to items you intend to keep, however, it’s always a good idea to divide them into piles of similar categories, for example, electrical cords, magazines, books, toys and stationary. This makes it easier to find storage solutions for the piles – your DVD’s may fit perfectly in the TV cabinet, while blankets could work well in a large trunk next to the corner sofa that doubles as a side table.
Set a six month rule – if you haven’t used something within six months, chances are you won’t need to in the future, so toss it, sell it or donate it. We often surround ourselves with unnecessary clutter, buying random scatter cushions and knick knacks to fill a temporary void, but if we just save that money it could be spent more wisely on key investment pieces such as a lounge suite.
Organising your space will create an overall calmness and leave you with more room for the things that really matter.
SOURCE: www.property24.com
