Nearly one-third of people rate their living rooms as the most important room in their houses. These were the findings of a survey by House Digest. Living room decor makes all the difference to how you feel in yours.
Your living room space is for socializing, relaxing, and family time. The wrong living room decor can ruin the mood, but the right style can boost your spirits and those of your guests.
But how do you start with living room decoration? Interior design is tricky enough without fitting it around your busy lifestyle. Sure, you could hire a professional, but the design would lack your personal touch.
You need decorating tips to make a homey space. We can help you there.
Here is your decorating guide. Read on!
Handmade Paintings for Living Room Decor
Your walls are as much a part of your living room decor as your furniture. Blank walls make even the most creative living room look dull. You can hang paintings with other objects like mirrors or fabrics to complete your room.
Your choice of painting speaks volumes about your personality. Take some time to work out what style of art, photography, or textiles you enjoy, then plan how to hang them for the best effect.
Handmade paintings evoke moods, and they give a human touch to any space that machine-made paintings can never match. Once you decide on what atmosphere and color scheme you want for your living room decor, choosing paintings will be easier.
Measure your wall space and choose a layout with enough empty space to avoid a cluttered look. Check out these handmade paintings to see which ones you like best!
Bring Nature Into Your Living Room
Plant life brightens your space with, well, life! The health benefits of a little nature are vast, and just sitting on your couch with leafy green plants in view can help you relax.
Plants also help to keep your air clean, removing pollutants, and boosting oxygen levels. Some plants even help to keep odors at bay. Hardy plants, like peace lilies, need little attention, so they fit well into a hectic lifestyle.
Wooden materials help create a natural feeling too. You can add wooden panels to your wall space near your handmade paintings or install a hardwood floor that matches your living room decor. Wood is low maintenance, and can really help add warmth to your living room.
Add Contrast to Keep Things Lively
Living room contrast goes way beyond color schemes, but color is a great place to start. You can use a bit of color theory to find complementary or contrasting colors, then find neutral hues to keep things casual.
It is important to avoid too much contrast, but a few items mixed with a neutral backdrop add pleasing color to your living room decor. Contrast can add balance to living room decor when used right.
An all-white, overly-neutral color scheme can look sterile, so mix in some dark items to keep things looking alive. Dark spaces cast a low mood; bright white spaces feel like a clinic.
Another type of contrast is texture. You can mix hard and soft, rough and smooth, straight and wavy. Say you have a hardwood floor, for example, you can contrast this with some soft furniture or an eye-catching rug centerpiece.
Smooth glass surfaces can be balanced with textured place mats or vintage items rough with age. Smooth leather materials can contrast with rough cushions or rustic blankets to add depth to your living room decoration.
Look Up and Down
We touched on your choice of floor material. Whether you choose hardwood panels, tiles, or carpets, you should think about your ceiling space too. The two should be friends in your living room decor team.
Wooden floors look great with wooden beams or wooden panels up top. Your choice of paint for a plastered ceiling should match your overall aesthetic too. Look at the color wheel from earlier to help you choose; light, neutral, and pastel colors work well without stealing the show from other items.
Your choice of ceiling lights should match your overall decor style. Lavish chandeliers look out of place paired with rustic, natural living room decor. Try to match the ceiling to the floor without detracting attention from your main living room space. After all, who wants guests staring at the ceiling?
Pick Fabrics for Practicality
Sure, soft leather couches are luxurious, but do you have pets? That soft suede will be clawed up by your furry friends by accident or boredom. The same goes for belt buckles, denim studs, or key rings.
If you have children or pets, bright fabrics are stain magnets. Even if you have no children or pets, a splash of wine can ruin the finest fabrics, spoiling your mood each time you glimpse it. Think about your lifestyle and choose your fabrics accordingly.
That said, practical fabrics can be eye-catching too. Patterns, textures, weaves, shades, and vintage styles look great in any living room.
Add Your Own Personality
Whose living room is this, anyway? Your living room decoration should speak for you as a person. We touched on your choice of handmade paintings earlier, but there is a plethora of other items that create a personal touch too.
Put your favorite records on show in a cabinet collection. Stack your favorite books in a set for guests to look at or read. Hang a couple of personal photos that you love to see.
Tell your story through items with meaning. You will create your very own living room space to relax in.
Have Fun With Living Room Design
Your living room decor can become a personal project rather than a chore. All you need is the right approach, a touch of planning, and a few decorating tips. There is no rush, so take some time to relax and jot down your ideas.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this decorating guide. We have more home, lifestyle, and entertainment tips. See what you can find here on our site!
