If you’re like most people, you spend the majority of your post-work hours in one of two places: your kitchen or your living room. While the kitchen’s a great place to hang out, nothing beats kicking back on the couch reading your favorite book or getting lost in a movie. And since the living room is such a popular place to congregate, it often falls into a style dead zone.
You know what I’m talking about: that place that’s either outdated and boring or a mish-mash of styles and tastes that doesn’t fit a certain décor. Don’t you think those precious hours you get to spend relaxing each week deserve better? Wouldn’t you love it if your living room made you feel as calm and relaxed as you do on vacation?
If you’re ready to ditch your living room’s outdated, ho-hum status in favor of a relaxing retreat that feels like a mini-vacation every day of the week, read on as we show you how to get out with the blah, and in with the “ahh”!
- Find out what helps you feel at ease.
No great room starts without some pre-planning, so think back to the last time you really felt relaxed. Maybe it was on vacation at the beach. Maybe it was sipping a cup of coffee while watching the snow fall at your favorite mountain retreat. Or maybe it was enjoying a sunny afternoon in your backyard. - Got that mental picture going? Great! Whatever feeling that moment entailed, there’s a way to use color and texture to bring it to life in your living space. Here’s an example: Let’s say your “happy place” is scuba diving in the warm waters of the Caribbean. A splash of a bold, coral-colored paint will warm up your walls like an instant splash of happy. You can then coordinate with photos and other wall hangings in inexpensive black frames. Accents like white, soft baby blues, and warm, olive-y greens add to the soothing effect whether they show up in furniture coverings, decorative vases, or even a simple stack of coffee table books. On the floor, a brown and white zebra rug keeps the room feeling cozy and adds a little pizzazz. And don’t forget to round out the look with pieces of coral from your last diving mission!
- No matter which particular happy moment you’ve chosen to embrace, your room will benefit from the use of natural light. We humans need that vitamin D to feel energized, so the more of it you can get into your living room, the better you’ll feel. Even if you have a room where natural light is scarce, you can still evoke that same feeling by using a color palette inspired by nature itself. Use a soft yellow paint to brighten up walls. Far from being garish, the daffodil-like hue will look springlike in the daytime and warm and inviting under artificial light when the sun goes down. Move a traditional oriental rug somewhere more formal like the dining room and move in fresh striped rugs in a leafy green or soft peach. To continue the earthy feel, choose furniture in a mix of brown tones like khaki, chocolate, and taupe. Accent with dark wicker baskets or wooden bowls to add style and organization at the same time.
- Finally, if you’ve got a small living room and not a lot space to work with, using oversize furniture – think of an overstuffed chair or a large, glass-topped coffee table – will actually help the space look larger yet cozy at the same time. You also have the benefit of using pattern without it feeling overwhelming. As an example, let’s say your mental happy place was your grandmother’s kitchen from when you were a child. You can evoke this idea by bringing in ladylike elements like a patterned wallpaper in a light, leafy green and white. Use it on just one wall to create a focal point and leave the rest of the walls neutral. Accent light colored furniture with pillows and throws in the same soft green. On the floor, a stubby oversized rug will help define the space and add to the cozy feel.