It doesn’t matter if you live in a modern condo or luxury villa, living rooms are the epicenter of activity in any household. It’s where you build memories with your family at Christmas, and where your friends can relax with you on a lazy afternoon. Because your living space is so important, it can be difficult to know where to start in making it the best space it can be. Luckily, a few simple tips can help you transform the room into something beautiful.
Decide on a Color Palette
Living rooms often face the front of the house, meaning they usually receive more light than any other room. The right colors have a clever way of maximizing this light, even in small rooms, so it’s best to choose a light, neutral color palette that you like. Those like off-white, duck egg blue, and sage green are popular at the moment.
One thing to bear in mind is not to be scared of going minimal with your paint. It’s an ideal base to add splashes of color using other parts of your décor and will save you lots of money in the long run. If you love bright colors, you can always add a feature wall to add more personality to your space.
Invest in Timeless Furniture
Once you’ve agreed on a color scheme, you can begin selecting your furniture. With furniture, it’s best to start with the basics, such as sofas, coffee tables, and a television stand. From there, you can add to your room depending on how big your space is and what kind of budget you are working with. Look at this furniture as an opportunity to add more color into your room, or to add a touch of luxury with vintage models.
These days, many people decide to buy their furniture online, due to the cheaper prices and more variety. Before you click checkout, make sure you look at furniture reviews so you know that the furniture you are going to buy will last you for years to come.
Try Out Different Textures
You may have already started trying out new textures while picking out your furniture, for example choosing a velvet or linen sofa. Adding texture to a room is a sure-fire way to bring depth to a room, making it feel more welcoming all year round.
The best way to add this texture is by making the most of soft furnishings, like throws, cushions, and rugs. These soft furnishings add texture and splashes of color to a minimal space but remember not to go overboard if you already have lots of patterns in your existing décor.
Make the Most of Natural Light
You already know that the right colors can build on the natural light you have in your living space, but there are plenty more ways to do this. Having more natural light in your room can be hugely beneficial to your mental wellbeing, and thankfully it’s not too difficult to capture.
One of the simplest but most effective tricks is placing mirrors in the darkest parts of a room to reflect the light. This is something you can use in the rest of your home. If you can afford it, it may also be worth converting your space into an open plan room, which links up with your kitchen.
Add a Touch of Nature
It’s not just natural light that can benefit your mental health, but nature. It’s often why those living in natural settings experience better wellbeing, both mentally and physically. Even if you live in an urban or suburban area, you can still experience the benefits of nature by bringing it inside; your living room space is the best place for it.
Using houseplants like cacti and money trees are an affordable way to do this, and also add some extra splashes of color to your space. In combination with the natural light in the room, you can easily create your own oasis.
Keep Your Space Free of Clutter
There is no point in redecorating your living space if you aren’t going to take care of it, as clutter can hide all the hard work you have put into making it your dream living room. Although many people now lead busy lives due to work and family, make sure you take a few minutes out of every day to ensure your living room is free of clutter.
Many families find it helps to choose furniture with clever storage solutions to get around this issue. For example, footstools with lift-up lids to store toys in. Keeping ornaments and souvenirs to a minimum can also help give the illusion of a more streamlined space. With less clutter, you will also have a stress-free environment to relax in. Just make sure to keep some personal touches in the room, like family photographs, so save it from looking like it’s impersonal and cold.
Turn Your Space into a Haven
We’ve talked a lot about how your room should look and feel, but not much about how it should smell. It seems a strange point to touch on, but certain scents have been proven to influence your mood, helping you to feel relaxed, energized, or motivated. This is called aromatherapy; you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy the benefits in your home.
You may already have started using scent in your bedroom to help you sleep better at night, and you can use it to make your living room feel more welcoming- like your own haven. Start by purchasing some candles with your favorite scents in, or an essential oil diffuser to disperse calming scents into the room all day long.
