Posts Tagged ‘living room’

Designing You Living Room

If you are like most families, then you spend a lot of time in the living room with your family. The living room is also the room where you meet and greet guests, however, making it important to have a room that look great as much as it is to have a room that your family loves. With the right decorating decisions, you can have both.

Walls and photos
There is no better room to display your love of art than the living room. Whether you want to display family photos or your newest masterpiece from the local gallery, the pieces that you choose will set the tone for the room. If you want to display family photos, then there is nothing more important than the frame that you choose. A more ornate frame works well in warm, romantically styled rooms, while simpler frames work well with a more modern décor.

If you are choosing artwork for the walls of your living room, then you can also set the tone with just one large piece. While it is important to choose a piece that you love, remember that if you choose a piece that largely contrasts with the current décor, you may not like it as much once it is on the wall unless you change everything else in the room.

Furniture
The furniture that you choose will also affect the overall appeal of the living room. If you have a family that includes children, you may want to look for functionality over style. The color of your furniture is perhaps the next important thing to look for. Brightly colored furniture is inviting for families with a fun sense of style, while a neutral set can allow more of the focus to be on the art in the room.

Decorating the Modern Living Room

2441906839_b5a92676f3Modern living room decorating provides opportunities to create a living room that reflects your tastes and style. Bold lines, abstract designs and an absence of clutter define the modern living room, coupled with an eclectic decorating scheme that allows you to seamlessly blend the old with the new.

Modern Living rooms and Function

Modern living room decorating emphasizes practicality and comfort over excessive ornamentation. A modern living room is one of the busiest rooms in the house, where people relax, read, watch television, play video games and listen to music. Before you start decorating a modern living room, consider the people who use the room. A family with young children or pets will need living room furniture and decorations that can stand up to more abuse than the furniture of a childless couple.

Modern Living Room Furniture

Modern living room furniture tends to look streamlined, with clear lines and softer textures. Leather is a common covering for modern living room furniture, as are designer fabrics. Overly decorative and ornamental furniture tends to be avoided, although a single piece may provide focus to the overall design of the room. Some people assume that they will need all new furniture when living room decorating. Modern living room decorating does not mean you have to buy a new set of modern furniture. It’s quite acceptable to use older furniture in modern living room decorating: A mix of old and new elements can be used to make a personal statement.

Many modern living room furniture styles emphasize geometric shapes with strong, bold lines. Popular furniture choices for modern living room decorating include:

  • book cases
  • coffee tables
  • couches
  • display cases
  • end tables
  • entertainment centers
  • loveseats
  • recliners.

Entertainment in the Living Room

The modern living room is often the location of the family entertainment center. With the development of widescreen high-definition TVs, video game consoles and other electronics, the entertainment center is increasingly the focus point of the modern living room. If you find large entertainment centers too overwhelming, or if your living room is small, you may instead opt for a thin, wall-mounted TV. Wall-mounted televisions are natural focal points for modern living rooms.

Modern Living Room Decorating

As with modern living room furniture, strong lines, geometric and abstract shapes are emphasized in living room decorating. Don’t overdo accessories when decorating the modern living room. Instead, chose a few items and make them the focal points of the room through location and lighting.

Accessories for the modern living room can include pictures, photos, artwork and decorative lighting. Avoid overly garish colors in your accessories. Instead, look for subtle blacks, silvers and whites. Again, modern living room decorating does not mean abandoning old and cherished items. Antiques, ethnic art and family heirlooms can make wonderful focal pieces, especially with the right lighting. Attention will be drawn to these decorations, because they will seem at odds with the crisp lines of the modern living room.

Abstract art is a popular choice for modern living room decorating. Pieces of well-chosen abstract art provide a counterbalance to the geometric shapes of modern living room furniture. Abstract sculptures and paintings are also popular choices. Clocks with abstract designs fit well into modern living rooms, as they are functional as well as attractive.

Neutral wall colors are recommended for the modern living room, allowing the focus to fall on the living room furniture and accessories. Modern living room decorating favors matte and flat paint finishes over the more garish shiny and glossy finishes.

One element of previous living room decorating remains very important to the modern living room: Imagination and careful planning is more important to modern living room decoration than a large budget.