We know the importance of the living room: it needs to be elegant and stylish enough to entertain anybody from your BFF to your boss, and yet it must also present enough charm and comfort to allow you to kick your feet up whenever you want.
Luckily, creating a comfortable and stylish space doesn’t have to be brain surgery – or expensive. All it takes is a few stylish tweaks here and there to help maximise space and enter some light to make a world of difference.
So, to help you achieve a living room space that’s not too big or too bland, but juuust right, we’ve looked at some of our readers’ most commonly asked questions - and here are the results!
Why would you want to push those sofas and tables up against a wall? Rather give the walls some breathing space, which will also make the room look a little larger.
Need that expert look? Check out our range of professionals.
It happens very rarely that the window treatment should be the main feature of the room – unless they’re lavish drapes with beautiful patterns that demand attention.
Consider roller blinds in a neutral fabric instead of big heavy drapes; these will still block out sunlight when needed to, but in a more subtle way.
When it’s an eyesore or you’re having trouble moving. As we said, breathing space is important for décor pieces as well, including your wall art.
This is a great tip to keep any room of the house looking neat and tidy: the more you can put behind a closed (cabinet/closet/storage) door, the better!
Don’t let your TV block window light. If possible, have it mounted on the wall for a more streamlined look. Otherwise, opt for a suitably sized TV unit that’s not too big.
It depends on your interior style, but remember this: your floors deserve to be treated with some colour and pattern, and you deserve a nice and soft underfoot sensation.
Rugs on floorboards provide warmth in winter, while rugs on carpet help with a layered look that is perfectly fine as well.
Even though a rug is a must for a stylish living space, it should still match the size and style of the room. And since a small rug will just imbalance the entire space, opt for a big one that will allow the front feet of all your lounge furniture to be placed on it.
This provides balance and creates zones for your room, and will also make it feel larger too.
Good on you for loving white and off-white, but try and add at least a bit of colour to your living room via artwork, rugs, cushions, lamp shades, etc.
Bright pieces add life and detail to a room.
Too many people cramp their living rooms with furniture that is too large or chunky for the space, especially when it comes to sofas. This only serves in making the room look and feel too small.
Consider sofas and chairs with slim designs, particularly for smaller spaces.
It’s perfectly fine to like more than one decorating style, but throwing too many contrasts together will result in a clashing and cluttered look.
Instead, select pieces that have common elements so that they work together. For instance, if your sofa has rectangular arms, make sure you choose an armchair with arms to match instead of a rolling design.
Mixing too many styles doesn’t work, but neither does having every single piece match each other.
Add a bit of contrast by bringing in a few other splashes of colour (or new materials like wood and glass) to break up the blandness.
Want some more inspiration? Take a look at these: Simple ideas that WILL improve your small living room.