Living in your Living Room

Post-pandemic, a lot of people are wanting to turn their living room into a space where they actually enjoy being in. After all, we’ve all been sitting in them for the last YEAR – might as well give the room a refresh.

When considering the space, you have to first determine how it will be used, and then create a furniture layout or floorplan so the scale is appropriate to the furniture selected. If working with existing furniture that will determine the color palette, play off of its complimentary colors or textures. You don’t have to match them completely - it keeps things interesting.

Consider the flooring, and if a rug is needed, select one that will create an atmosphere of the space. You want the rug to be suitable for whatever you have going on in the space.

Every designer’s pet peeve is the TV, but there are ways to work around it to make it aesthetically pleasing. TV's look best on dark walls, weathered paint or wallpaper. Best planked by a set of lamps on a console, camouflaged by a collection of art, or framed out in millwork of built ins. Next, fill in furniture surrounding the focal point, where necessary. You can pull out accents of color or texture from elements in the room such as the rug, cabinets, hardware, or lamps.

Consider an unconventional seating arrangement. We like to layer coffee tables and position chairs in unexpected ways. Some of the best designs are created when rules are broken. After all, the small details are often overlooked, yet play a major role in the way people interact or move in the space.

Fabric is everything! Performance fabrics are becoming more available today from many brands. We recommend using this fabric on highly used furniture or in high traffic rooms. That way when you accidentally spill your red wine, it’ll be an easy clean-up!

Amble lighting is essential in a living room. Overhead lighting is needed when the sun goes down. But if you just need something to cozy up to with a book at night, reading lights or lamps are perfect.

Drapes frame a room and are a necessity. They often pull subtle elements from the colors and patterns around the room to accentuate it. It's always fun to play with layers of color, pattern and texture, so don’t be afraid to use them!