1. Get the Layout Right
Most of us centre our arrangement around the TV. Instead, create designated zones. Think about a reading area, a corner work space or a home office in a cupboard. Create a children’s play area using open shelving.
You will need seating, tables, a TV unit and storage. If you don’t know where to start, get out the tape measure. You can sketch a floor plan and some different furniture arrangements.
2. Set a Style
While the age of your architecture sets the template, your lifestyle is important too. For example, a house full of children with a living room containing antiques is not practical and a modern style might fit better.
Avoid styles that don’t fit with your home’s age – 1930s style tends not to suit older properties, while Victoriana won’t sit well in 1970s houses. Mixing and matching can be successful. Look online for inspiration.
3. Choose a Living Room Colour Scheme
If you want your room to look brighter and larger, you will need paler colours, while if you mostly use your living room in the evening, intimate darker colours might suit you.
North- and east-facing rooms have cooler light, so warmer hues will be more welcoming. Similarly, south- and west-facing rooms enjoy more sunlight, so cooler colours are restful.
4. Wallpaper and Paint Options
– Large prints can stifle small living rooms. If there are no windows or French doors taking up wall space, a subtle design is best.
– Small spaces and rural cottage living rooms suit traditional small prints.
– A small vertical stripe can create a feeling of tallness, while horizontal stripes create an illusion of width.
– Use paint for colour blocking: a cheaper choice which creates interest.
5. Choosing Durable Living Room Flooring
Impractical light-coloured carpets should be shunned in favour of dark or stain-resistant low-pile versions.
Sisal and other natural flooring can be complicated to maintain. Alternatively, you could choose durable wood or laminate flooring with comfortable rugs on top. For floor designs, see https://www.woodfloorwarehouse.ie/laminate-flooring.html.
6. Ensuring the Best Lighting
Well-chosen lighting can create an inviting, cosy space; poorly chosen lighting can be bleak. You will require a table or standing lamp for reading, a central pendant light for brightness and low-level accent table lights. You could also hide lights within alcoves.