Decorate your living room in 5 easy steps

Your living room is the first place you enter after a long day at work. You definitely want to feel pleasant and nice. It’s the first thing your guests see. It’s a good opportunity to make them feel welcome, make an impression. And for these reasons and many more, living room decor is special and should be done with utmost care and enthusiasm. We’ll take you through five easy steps that’ll ensure your living room is the only place you’d want to be in.

1. But first, plan.

When you’re setting out to decorate your living room, understand one thing - plan before you start purchasing anything. Otherwise, you might end up with a hotchpotch house. Here’s how you plan living room decor:

First, answer this question - What does ‘living’ entail for you? Do you have a lot of social gatherings at home? Do you have a large family for whom the living room is a key meeting area? Are you a single person with minimal requirements in terms of living room furniture? Make a list of things you need to beautify your living room the way you’d like to.
Once you have a list of things or furniture that you need to purchase for your living room decor , ensure you know where you’re going to place those. If there’s something extra that you don’t have space for, you’d better strike it out of your list.
Another important thing - decor style. Zero down to one style. Again, you have lots of options - contemporary, pop, antique, mid-century, quirky. Whatever you choose will determine how you decorate your living room. Many people choose to go with what is in style for living room furniture currently, but that might not be the right approach. Your living room should reflect your personality. Choose the theme/style accordingly.

2. Next, invest in key furniture pieces

Seating arrangements are key to all living rooms, no matter if you’re a single person in the house or a home with a large family. A sofa set, chairs, accent chairs, recliners , a diwan, a rocking chair - you have lots of options to choose from depending on your style and requirements. But, keep in mind key things:

Once you’ve narrowed down to the style of your living room decor, think about the material. It’s better to invest in good quality furniture for seating, as usually, people don’t change it for a few years.

Think about the material and upholstery. If you have kids or pets in your house, consider darker shades and upholstery that is easy to clean and maintain.

If you live in humid areas such as right next to the sea, or in a place that receives heavy rainfall, consider the material. E.g. people living in tropical regions avoid cane furniture.

If you’re buying your living room furniture online, make sure you check the size, dimensions, etc, so that you know it’ll fit well in your living room space.

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3. Keep it “light” and bright

“Lighting is the lifeblood of a design,” said Gregory Kay, an expert in contemporary lighting. Lighting in living rooms is one of the most important factors that most people ignore while they think of living room decorating ideas. And no, we’re not just talking about artificial light; natural light should be a key consideration, too.

Does your living room have large windows that bring in natural light? If yes, that’s lovely. Now how are you going to complement that natural light with artificial light? Wall lamps, ceiling lights, and floor lamps - you’ll have to choose, not just the type of lamp, but also the intensity of the light bulb.

You might want to mix it up - soft yellow lighting to create a warm ambience for when you invite friends in the evenings, and bright spot lights for the day time when you need added brightness. Ensure there’s a play of light and shadow in your living room. Flat light hardly adds any charm to living room decor.

4. Punctuate the room with functional decor pieces

Once you have your key living room furniture in place, think about how you’re going to fill up blank spaces. But it doesn’t have to be mindless stuffing of decor things. These fillers can be functional, too. Here are some ideas that you might like:

Rugs for the floor: be careful when choosing the size, design, texture, and color. All these features should match your living room decor style.
Paintings or small cabinets for the walls: if there’s an empty wall space, beautify it with photo frames, paintings or even a small cabinet that can house a few books, candle stands or your collectibles. Think about beautiful living room ideas that you want to include in your living room.

Side tables for nooks and corners: make use of the space available in corners by placing floor lamps, side tables or cabinets that can store things such as magazines, books, etc.
Centre tables and coffee tables: tables are essentials in living room furniture. To choose the best table for your living room , consider factors such as space, design, material, weight and color.

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5. Lastly, add personality to your living room decor

Accessories can make or break the look and feel of your living room decor. No matter how beautiful your living room furniture decor is, if you don’t accessorize it well, it might fall flat and all your efforts might go to waste.

Think cushions, throw pillows, throws for the sofa.
Photo frames and paintings for the walls.
Knick knacks and collectibles for your centre table.
A couple of your favorite books for your coffee table.
Floor cushions for the space next to a book rack.
Planters for plants to add greenery and freshness.

So, how are you decorating your living room?

If you were looking for living room decor ideas, you’re lucky. We’ve given you five important points to consider. Whatever you do, make sure you enjoy the process, have fun, take time to make thoughtful choices and make your living room decorating experience meaningful to you. If you’re looking for more ideas for your living room, check out our website for some more ideas.