Whether you enjoy entertaining guests or relaxing with family and friends, your living room must be comfortable and welcoming. You can create a unique space by integrating functional solutions, maximizing storage, and incorporating personal accents.
Dark paint colors set a moody tone in this space, but lighter accents soften the look, such as a cowhide rug and light wood floors. Styling built-ins with stacked books or layered picture frames can also create visual breaks in a darker paint color.
Choose Your Colors Wisely
Your living room is a place to unwind after a long day, so creating a relaxing space is essential. One great way to do that is by choosing the right colors for the room.
Start residential interior design Boston MA, by selecting a color that inspires you. You can find inspiration from many places, including design magazines and retailers’ websites, where they often feature vignettes of rooms. Paint brands also offer plenty of color inspiration through their websites.
Remember that colors change dramatically in different lighting. To get the best idea of how a shade will look, test it in your space before making final decisions.
If you’re going with a dark shade, try using neutral or light-colored furnishings to open up the space and make it more visually attractive—and don’t remember accessories, which can help tie the color scheme together. For example, consider adding a few pieces of white art to the room or a striped accent wall if you’re using a blue shade.
Think About Your Space
Once you’ve chosen a color scheme, look at other elements of your room, such as the rug, furniture, and window treatments. You want all of these features to work with your selected paint colors, and the shades you choose can also be used in accent walls or even the ceiling. Use these accent shades to warm a neutral scheme, cool down a bright scheme, or link two ends of an open-plan space together.
Think about how you also want to use the living room in the future. Will it be a place to host movie nights and family gatherings that require plenty of seating, or do you plan on using it as a relaxing adult retreat?
Then, you can choose a design style that will be more comfortable for your family to enjoy.
Choose the Right Furniture
The right furniture can make all the difference in your living room’s appearance. You want to choose pieces that are in proportion with your space so you don’t end up with overcrowded rooms.
It’s a good idea to sketch out a floor plan on paper and mark down the dimensions of your living room before you start shopping. This will give you a better idea of how large or small certain pieces may be and help you avoid buying anything that won’t fit. Remember to make note of any obstacles like doors, windows, and fireplaces that will limit your options for arranging the furniture.
Once you’ve researched, decide which furniture style you want to use in your living room. Classic or rustic pieces often feature natural materials and weathered finishes, while modern styles have sleeker silhouettes. If you need help deciding which style to choose, check out some ideas online or read interior design blogs for inspiration.
Create the Right Lighting
A good lighting scheme should be the first thing to consider before decorating. There should be a mix of ambient (overhead) lighting, task (table or floor lamps), and accent lighting. Choosing the right color and brightness of light bulbs is also essential.
A plush tufted sofa with patterned throw pillows adds visual interest to this cozy living room design. The dark paint color creates a moody setting, but natural elements like light wood floors and a cowhide area rug soften the mood. Styling the built-ins also helps break up the wall space with stacked books and picture frames.
Pendant lights are another excellent option for adding ambient lighting to a room. They’re especially effective when placed above a table or chair, where you can direct the lighting to the specific spot you want to highlight. You can also use a torchiere-style floor lamp for ambient lighting.