RSS FeedIs your living room a location for show, only utilized when you’re entertaining? Living rooms, as their name suggests, ought to not only reflect who you are to the outside world, but they should also be lived in. Here are some suggestions for making your living room warm and inviting for guests as well as functional and comfy for family members.
If your living room is large, divide it into smaller areas via the positioning of furniture. You want the “conversation pit” to be cozy — a couch and loveseat and a couple of chairs around a big cocktail table will seat several men and women, yet they’ll all be able to hear what the others are saying. A fantastic place for family meetings as well as for entertaining. Make sure all seats are within reach of a table — someplace to set down those drinks and chips!
Face the couch to an architectural focal point, such as a fireplace or a large window that looks out to your garden or the city lights. If you don’t have an architectural element to work with, develop 1 by hanging significant photos or a mural on a wall. This allows men and women to admire the art and it’s safer than hanging anything heavy appropriate above the seating (specifically in areas prone to earthquakes!). Hang cloth wall hangings or tiny photos on the wall behind the couch. Don’t, however, hang a mirror where men and women will see their reflection all the time. Not everybody is thrilled by his or her image.
If you divide your living room in two or 3 seating and/or dining areas, use rugs to define the conversation grouping, an additional under the dining table, and an additional to set off a place to exhibit the Buddha you brought back from Thailand or a wall of bookcases that not only hold your books but also display your collection of antique toys or Bennington pottery. Region rugs work well over waxed hardwood floors or neutral, wall-to-wall Berber-style carpeting.
A decorative room divider, such as Japanese shoji screens, can be employed to separate a big room into a living room and a TV room. In a smaller place, face the couch to a wall unit that holds the tv — it’s sure to turn out to be a favorite gathering spot for the family.
The days of covering the “good” living room furniture with plastic are over! Leather or the new microfiber fabrics are straightforward to clean, look wonderful, and can survive guests, kids, and pets. If the furniture is in neutral colors, add colorful decorative pillows. Bear in mind to maintain a couple of throw blankets around to stay cozy on cool nights.
If your living room walls are painted in light neutral shades, you’ll be able to change the furniture and decorative touches quickly. Other methods to change the look of your living room are by adding tall plants or a silk tree, a permanent flower arrangement in a basket or tall vase, or even a fountain and modest pond in a large sufficient space.
Do not forget about lighting! Floor lamps, particularly in dark corners, can brighten big areas, while table lamps can present good light for your favorite reading/knitting chair. An arrangement of candles on the mantelpiece or a table adds ambiance to your living room. Now go ahead, live in your living room!
Posted in 
