Creating the perfect living room design that is a blend of glamorous and relaxing can often be a challenge. Following our simple guide however, you will find the process becomes much more straight forward and simple in just a few easy steps!
Living Room Design Rule #1: Work within the Room’s Proportion & Scale
When selecting your new living room furniture, make sure to take the space’s size into consideration. Ensure all pieces are in proportion with the dimensions of the room to avoid creating a visually overwhelming design; for example, a super chunky sofa with a tall backrest may look a little out of place in a room with a low ceiling but would look right at home in a large room with high ceilings. Use our awesome guide to Selecting the Right Furniture for inspiration during this crucial step.
Living Room Design Rule #2: Decide on a Colour Scheme
Take the time to set a clear colour scheme for your new living room design: you can select one colour and layer varying shades of it around the space, or go for a few different, complimentary colours to scatter about the room for a cohesive and consistent colour palette.
Living Room Design Rule #3: Keep Furniture Raised off the Floor
Make sure your new living room is easy to maintain. Avoid gathering dust, pet hair and dirt under your furniture by ensuring any new pieces are slightly raised off the floor, just enough to be able to comfortably sneak a vacuum or broom under there; especially relevant for those with allergies or asthma. This will also help in creating a light and airy decorating scheme by not weighing down the look of your living room with clunky furniture.
As a general rule of thumb: The more of the floor you can see, the larger the room will look!
Rule #4: Consider Other Forms of Seating
If seating is limited in your living room but you don’t have the option of adding a larger sofa or extra armchairs, consider other seating options such as beanbags, ottomans, small stools or floor cushions. These pieces will not only add some extra casual seating but will also add to your overall decorating scheme, providing extra pops of colour and layers of texture.
Rule #5: Mix it Up With Soft Furnishings!
Soft furnishings such as curtains, cushions and throws are the perfect way to introduce pattern, warmth, colour and texture in your living room. These items also have the added bonus of being easily (and cheaply!) swapped out if you grow tired of them or when trends change, allowing you the freedom to mix it up every once in a while!
Living Room Design Rule #6: Layer Your Textures
Create a sense of harmony in your new living room by layering different textures: think soft fabrics, luxurious furs, metallics, glass, timber, etc. Layering your textures injects your space with colour, character and intrigue.
Rule #7: Incorporate Hidden Storage
An all too common issue in our homes is the ongoing need for extra storage! As a result, we cram as much as we possibly can wherever we can, leading to a cluttered, dreary vibe in the home! Try to incorporate concealed storage options in your new living room design: Lidded baskets, storage ottomans, even trunk-style coffee tables as shown in the example below.