Are you thinking of ways to add elegance and finesse to your home? Now that the holiday season is over and all the décor has been taken down, our homes can look a little mundane and ordinary, but it doesn’t have to be. The living room being the first point of contact when someone enters your home, it could be a good place to start. It is not only the room you spend most of your time together with your family, but it is also the space you share with the outside world - your extended family and friends when they pay you a visit. As someone sits on your couch and look around, it should relate to them a story of who you are as a person and collectively as a family. So, here’s a simple guide to assist you.
You can start by taking a few photographs of your living room from various angles (optional- get large prints so you could actually mark the changes you would like to make). Look at these photographs any identify and problem areas you would like to address.
One common mistake most of us make is hanging the curtains too close to the window pane; leaving an awkward distance between the ceiling and the curtain rod. If you have made the same mistake, have it rectified by fixing your curtain rods/poles closer to the ceiling. It will not only give the living room more definition, but the illusion of higher ceilings can make the room appear more spacious.
Look at your walls. Do they need a fresh coat of paint or even a new colour? If you are someone can stick to one colour theme for an extended period then by all means, be brave! Select bright and bold shades to complement your theme…but if you like to change up every now and then, see how you could use whites and other softer palettes that can be accentuated with vibrant pops of colour by adding throw pillows, décor items, books, paintings etc. This way you could achieve a completely different look, whenever you feel like it.
Unfortunately, though we put so much effort and time into deciding a brilliant paint colour, our furniture placement, sometimes fail to do it justice. We push our sofas and other furniture pieces up against these beautiful walls without giving them breathing space. Unless you have a little one that needs space to run around, don't be afraid to utilize the space in the middle and create cosy conversational areas.
Talking about conversational areas, re-evaluate your living room rug situation. First, do you have one? Second, if you do, is it the accurate size? Ideally, an area rug should be large enough to hold all four legs of your sofa. Another alternative would be to go a little smaller so at least the front two legs of each of your sofa can be perched on it. We are talking about at least an 8”x6”. A good quality rug of that size can cost you a couple of thousands, but it can be a long-term investment. A smaller rug however beautiful may not have the impression you are expecting as it fails to connect with all of the other elements in the room.
Patterns, textures and colours play an important role in glamming up your living room. Be inspired by your surroundings and be bold in incorporating interesting mixes, but don’t go overboard. Always use patterns and solids that connect with each other and always keep the theme in mind. A room is like a person, imagine its personality and accentuate it staying true to its character. Sometimes, we get the exact material of our curtains for our throw pillows assuming we are matching but a better way to attain this without looking too uniform, is to add variation through layering. Mixing and matching are key! Bring in the metallics and earthy tones to pull it all together.
The most crucial element of sprucing up your space is staying true to the structural heritage of your home. Understand the architectural inclination- is it modern or it is an ancestral home that looks more like a villa or bungalow? It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use a mix of new and old furniture pieces. Just take this factor into consideration, before you decide on the design aesthetics. The whole idea is to make your home more cosy, comfortable and cohesive. Good luck!
Maheshika Peiris
