Five Ultimate Steps to Styling your Living Room
Five Ultimate Steps to Styling your Living Room
Often in design, we are posed with questions about a client’s living room. Should we use an area rug? Should we use this chair or that? Sofa selection? Table placement? Room Colors? The list goes on and on because there are hundreds of revolving aspects that go into each and every living room design.
Aside from being beautifully decorated, the living room is one of the most functional places in your home. After all, it’s where we spend a lot of our time and often one of the rooms used for entertaining. Because of this, we feel the living room and its design is one of the most important aspects in a home.
And to begin the styling of a living room so it’s beautiful yet functional, we follow this list of do’s and don’ts. Taking these several key steps will ensure you have a truly dreamy living space, helping make the living room maybe your most favorite in the whole house.
Start with the Furniture
Often in a room design, people will start with picking the paint colors first based on what one likes or how they think the room will feel when complete. By doing this, you limit the rest of the room and what it really could be because you’ve boxed yourself into pairing everything else with that paint color. Rather, start with purchasing new and/or choosing to keep the furniture that suits the room. Designers will all agree on one thing – a great living room starts with a great sofa.
Start with purchasing or updating your furniture to fit the living room you are styling. Take measurements to see what size of sofa and chairs will fit in a space and purchase accordingly. Once the seating furniture is selected, the coordinating pieces such as accent tables and paint colors can be more easily paired.
Style with an Area Rug
Living room’s almost always need an area rug to help tie the room together. However, be cautious with your selection and plan ahead by thinking of where your furniture will go and what size rug you will need. Plan for at least 15-18 inches of bare floor between the edges of the rug and the living room walls. Also ensure that all your furniture can either be fully on the rug or partially on it to avoid having pieces seemingly floating away.
Paint Colors
Having a color palette in mind as you design your room will help keep your look purposeful and harmonious but it’s not until after the living room furniture is selected that we recommend painting. Once you have chosen your furniture and see it in your space, you’ll be more equipped to pick your paint colors by determining how much light will be reflected in the room and if you can paint a lighter or darker color. If you are wanting a bright and airy room, choose a more neutral color palette of creams, whites and grays. For a more intimate, cozy setting, choose a more rustic hue from the gold, green, tan or orange families.
Layer your Light
Lighting in a living room is often one of the most difficult tasks because it can pull an entire look together or leave a room looking incomplete if not done properly. For this, we recommend layering your light. Along with your overhead light fixture (which doesn’t always need to be replaced but can be), include task and accent lighting in your overall room design. Light sources should be placed at varying height levels and areas in the room. Use a combination of table lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces and/or track and recessed lighting to achieve a well-lit and welcoming appearance.
Functional Aspects
Balance function and beauty in your living room design to make the room truly one you want to be in. Don’t choose too many overly expensive furniture pieces that you don’t want guests sitting on or items you worry have a ton of upkeep. Choose your furniture based on comfort level and if you need storage, choose case good furniture that helps you stow your necessities. To ensure functionality, also be purposeful and think about a room’s foot traffic to determine the furniture’s best placement.
Whether it be a new build or simply updating your current living room, if you follow these key steps in your design process, your room will be more attractive and functional in the long run – and one you’re more likely to be comfortable in.
To read more about living room design, see some of our other posts to spark your design creativity: