How To Create The Perfect Living Room

Your living room is, alongside the kitchen, likely to be the heart of your home and one of the most used rooms in your house. It will be used for relaxation (reading, watching TV or just hanging out with your loved ones), entertaining guests, even working on occasion. It is, therefore, important that it is decorated in such a way that reflects your personality, makes you feel at home and relaxes you – and your guests!

There are several simple ways to give your living room a makeover without sacrificing the functionality of the room.

Start by taking a good look at your living room as it is now. Make a note of what you use regularly, occasionally and what you haven’t touched in a long time. Anything you never use or look at, get rid of now. They are serving no purpose and taking up space.

Anything that you occasionally use should be stored away somewhere, again freeing up space in your living room. And anything you use on a regular basis can be left where it is for now.

Now make a list of the things you do regularly in your living room. Do you watch TV, read, entertain guests, eat your meals – all of these? Based on this, arrange the furniture so you have enough space and functionality to enjoy what you do most.

At the same time try to determine a focal point in your room, around which everything else will be organised. This could be the TV, a window, the fireplace or a piece of furniture such as a coffee table. It could even be a painting or mirror.

Your living room will benefit from having a focal point as the rest of the furniture will flow around it, making it a much more attractive and welcoming room.

Can’t find a focal point? Create one by painting one wall in an accent colour perhaps, or a get a mural done or hang a large painting.

Whatever it is that you feel works best, it is YOUR room.

If your living room is used more socially then you need to arrange it so as to encourage conversation and interaction. Avoid using a TV as the focal point in this case and make sure that seating is arranged so everyone can see everybody else and that it’s close enough for people to hear one another without raising their voices.

The best way to achieve this is to arrange the furniture in a horseshoe-shape around a coffee table.

Another table could sit between two seats but remember to leave walking space around.

Now consider little touches to make it a cosy, pleasant place to be. The use of well-placed lamps and other lighting – maybe even candles – will provide a good ambience, as will the inclusion of ornaments such as designer glass vases, bowls and candle holders – very good pieces from designers like Kosta Boda are worth spending money on.

As for the space outside the seating area, it can be used for watching TV, having a reading space or whatever else you use your living room for. Just remember to be creative and arrange the room the way you want it for the purposes you use it.