The living room is THE most important zone in most of our homes. This is where we work, watch TV, read, rest, and entertain guests or attend visitors. Since this is the first area (apart from the foyer) anyone encounters, it acts as an impression card for your entire space.
So it becomes necessary to design the living room in such a way that it can showcase the tale of your lifestyle, values, style, and preferences in the most perfect way possible! If you always wished to add a magazine-like look to your living room, then we got you sorted. Follow this step-by-step guide to decorating the living room just like an Interior expert:
Step 1 – Consider the Measurements
First and foremost, consider the size of your living room. Follow the room’s layout and pay special attention to the walls with doors, windows, and insets as these structural additions can limit the available space in the living room. Measure each nook and corner and refer to it while selecting the furniture pieces, soft furnishings, and decor accessories for the drawing area.
Step 2 – Refer to the Layout
Referring to the layout of your living room (either hand drawn or printed) will give you better clarity for adding the living room essentials! For example, by following the layout, you will know whether a sectional, modular, loveseat or customized style couch will be ideal for your living room. Also, with the floor-to-ceiling height, you will be able to choose the ideal light fixtures like a statement chandelier, clustered pendants and more such objects.
Step 3 – Select Interior Style
It is essential that your living room should have a certain design and decor outlook. As a homeowner, you can self-analyse and get an answer to this key question – how my living room should look like? Consider the interior style you plan to feature – modern, contemporary, formal, farmhouse, eclectic, bohemian, and more. Once you decide on the preferred style, it gets easier to choose objects that match your design vision. For example, a straight-lined sectional couch can make a perfect addition to the modern or contemporary living room. Whereas, a curvaceous, intricately designed sofa set will be ideal for a traditional-style living area.
Step 4 – Decide on the Color Palette
When it comes to living room design, selecting the right paint colour is extremely crucial. Opt for a colour palette that matches the chosen interior style and the vibe or aesthetics you wish to feature in the living room. For instance, a modern or contemporary style living room can be flared up with a neutral colour palette with a hint of vibrant colours with decorative accessories.
Step 5 – Define the Seating
The seating takes up huge space or area in your living room and the couch or sofa is ideally the largest piece of furniture you include in the same. It is the sofa that mostly dictates how you arrange or place the rest of the objects in the living room. Select a couch that will become a focal point or object. Select the size as per the usage and occupants in your home. Additional seating choices like accent chairs, poufs, ottomans, benches, etc can then be decided on later!
Step 6 – Add the Right Lighting
A living room will require three types of lighting namely ambient, task, and accent lights. For that, you can consider a blend of overhead chandeliers, floor or table lamps next to the main seating, and wall sconces or recessed fixtures for the ambient lighting. Depending upon the chosen interior style of your living room, you can select the lighting fixtures accordingly. For example,
Step 7 – Pick the Area Rug
Never skip on an area rug. It is the most essential piece of home textile that help tie up the entire room decor. For the living room, you should ideally opt for a medium or big enough rug that can easily accommodate all your furniture or at least the front legs of the same. Keep around 10-20 inches of bare or open floor between the edge of the rug and the walls.
Select an attractive area rug that is defined by colour, pattern, or texture. You can even layer different area rugs to add more depth and drama to the living room. If you wish to add an eclectic and offbeat vibe to the living room, then select a rug that features a different or irregular shape and design!
Step 8 – Add Wall Art & Accessories
The living room decor will be complete only when you add the right set of decor objects or accessories. It is possible to feel extra anxious or excited to decorate the living room hurriedly, but you have to take a thoughtful approach for the same. For a start, understand that it is not necessary to fill every inch of the room with decor pieces. Select a few and add to the corners or surfaces where they will be visible and add to the aesthetics of the living room.
For example, the wall behind or adjacent to the living room seating can be defined with lovely wall art. A coffee table or side table can showcase a decor tray, mini succulents, candles, or a couple of books. TV unit shelves or wall shelves can feature interesting curios and souvenirs. And any vacant corner of the living area can be well-defined with an oversized floor plant!
