7 ideas to decorate the livingroom

1.- being simple

A living room is a place to enjoy family time, reading a book, entertain guests and (let’s admit it) make quite an impression with our good taste. However too much of anything is bad, whether it’s accessories, art, chairs, plants etc. Designing with the wisdom of “less is more” is the best thing to do. A living room must provide an immaculate view to the users, too many objects will only make the place too exhausting to look at and not functional, just like when we look at a messy storage room. Brands like Bo Concept embodies elegantly the concept of simplicity, with midcentury inspiration.

2.- right sizes and measurements

Proportion is extremely important, depending if you live in a small flat in the city or a country home, you have to make a choice of the elements according to the space you got. The reason for this is that for example, too big furniture in a small space will strangle the circulation space for one thing, and people notice there’s something wrong, because there will not be an adequate flow, visually and functionally. Knowing how to hang the curtain rod properly makes a difference too, a foot or half a foot higher than the window frame will make the room look more proportionate and spacious. The living room rug size will make the room look more balanced as well, if it’s too small it might look like it doesn’t belong there, the only reason to put a small rug it’s because the space is small.

3.- making a reality check

When designing a living room a reality check is necessary, do you have a toddler at home? Pets? Do you usually entertain? These are the questions you have to think of and the answers will define the purchase decisions that will work for you and make the best use of the space, which takes me to the second point. A living space is precisely that: a place where we live, is not a museum display or a store showroom, choosing the most expensive taffeta curtains or a silk rug might be tempting but if your lifestyle is not compatible with those items, you could regret the decision.

Functionality is also an overlooked topic, people always go after the flashy things. Again, your lifestyle must define the materials and functions, you might love to have a huge coffee table made of glass to show off your Taschen books, but if you have kids, a coffee table with a resistant surface and a waterproof rug would be a down to earth choice, to make your space not only elegant but kid friendly. If you live alone and like to make sketching in the living room you might need a coffee table with drawers to have your pencils and paper right there.

The furniture layout is also important, not everything is a couch in front of a television stand. A conversation grouping might fit better to the room’s shape, especially if there’s fire place. Luxury should be lifestyle friendly and realistic.

4.- mixing styles

Interior design in recent years is more flexible than ever. Architecture is just an empty canvas so you can paint it with interior design, expressing your personality and your taste; contrast is one of the best strategies you can use for this. Years ago, the book Paris Apartments released the pictures of an exquisite residence, the home of Carine Roitfeld, editor in chief of French vogue. A white, brown, grey and black color palette and plain Bauhaus furniture within the walls of a classic XIX century apartment. Both ideas are totally antagonistic, but together make the perfect balance for a dignified and fresh atmosphere at the same time. Brands like One Kings Lane or West Elm, have tasteful decorations and furnishing options that are timeless and make the space look more dynamic and playful.

The interior design is not strictly conditioned by the architecture of your home. Many of the modern Victorian houses in America and Britain, mix contemporary or midcentury furniture with historic architecture plentiful of crown moldings, board and batten walls, chandeliers, etc.

5.-choosing correct lighting sources

Most people underestimate the power of lighting design and they wonder why the upholstery of the couch looks great in the store but in their home is not as impressive as they expect. The secret is choosing the lighting sources with the right amount of color temperature; the materials and colors will be more eye-catching.

The retail industry and hotels spend millions in lighting design projects because the right light is what makes those Louis Vuitton bags look more irresistible or the wood in that Four Seasons suite looks bright and lustrous like honey, so you want to book again and again. For a living room, warm light is the right choice, because it will emphasize the colors and they will be more eye-catching and make the space more relaxing. Bright white light is just for office spaces, because the color temperature is very low so you can concentrate at work. It’s a common mistake to use it in domestic spaces

6.-don’t forget the green

7.-choosing accents

Interior designing with plants is what changes a house to a home, because they will make the space more alive and personal. Make sure you pick the right ones; low maintenance plants that can live inside. A space without plants is sterile enough to resemble a showroom. Regarding the appearance, you can pick a bonsai tree or some other plant that has a sculptural look, like a robellini palm tree, which is definitely more aesthetic than a shrub for example.

Always remember, less is more, the idea is not piling up plants everywhere like a greenhouse, but using them as details to bring the space to life. It’s also good for mental and physical health to have nature around.

Accent elements enhance interior design style with our personality; it’s what makes living spaces actually ours. Many elements can be an accent; from a large wall you would like to paint with an accent color, a family portrait, a sculpture, a vase, even a chandelier. There are pieces that are made to unreservedly shine above the rest, like the Daniela Chandelier by Ralph Lauren Home.

The key with accent elements is to isolate them so they can be highlighted. If you are displaying a painting that you love, it has to dominate the views in the room, the accents should be instantaneous targets for the glances, they give a sense of splendor to any living room, and they have to comply with three basic aspects: Symmetry, Anomaly and Character.

Using the symmetry with enough spacing, you will make sure it’s visually gratifying for anyone in the room, and that’s basically because human mind love equilibrium. Anomaly will distinguish the accent through a bolder color than the one used in the room palette or using accent lighting for a painting or sculpture. Finally, the character of the accent means that you should pick a special object or a family antique, like a chandelier or a vase, the Venetian masks you got in your honeymoon etc. It has to transcend the rest of the new furniture; the accent will be your signature in the living room. A wall mirror can be an excellent accent if it has a bold enough design.