6 living room design tips

By following a few simple guidelines, you can create a living room that is both functional and beautiful

The living room is home to many things. A sofa for you and your family to lounge on, a television, a coffee table for drinks and snacks, and shelving for all your books and knick knacks. If you have an open plan living room, you may even need to create a space for dining.

It may feel as though simply finding a spot for all these items is enough hassle, without the added worries of decoration and styling, but by bearing a few simple design rules in mind, you can give yourself a living room that is more than the sum of its parts. Here are a handful of tips for you to consider when decorating your living room.

Image source Vinterior 

Create different 'departments'

This is an especially useful tip if you're decorating a more open plan space. Creating different 'departments' of your living room for different purposes - for example, an area for the sofa, coffee table and television, and another for a dining table, or desk and bookcases - prevents the space from becoming too jumbled, while keeping a nice sense of cohesion. Separate them with rugs, to create little zones.


Vintage chairs

Chairs are primarily functional items, but they are also the main focal point of any living room. Investing in some vintage chairs is an excellent way to introduce some character to the room. Antique furniture has history, guaranteed uniqueness, and makes for an interesting conversation piece. 'Vintage' is a term that encapsulates a myriad of styles, from Victorian parlour settees to whimsical art deco chairs. Companies like Vinterior specialise in traditional furniture, and have hundreds of different chairs in their collection, to suit every aesthetic

Image source Vinterior

Keep it clean

You don't want your living room to appear too cluttered, so try and select a few key items of decoration, like a plant, flowers or a handful of tasteful ornaments, and be sure to give them room to breathe. However, if you're a natural hoarder and have a lot of treasured items you'd like to have on display, give them their own special area in a glass fronted cabinet. This will keep them safe, dust free and give them the attention they deserve.

Size matters

There may be a large corner sofa that's piqued your interest, but unless you have a large living room with plenty of space to spare, then it would be best to choose something smaller. Take measurements of the space you have available, and select pieces that fit those dimensions. Furniture that is too small will get lost in the space, while items that are overly large will get in the way and appear ridiculous.

Image source Vinterior

Keep windows clear

One of the most common mistakes people make when rearranging their living room is to put a sofa or other large furniture underneath a window. Not only does this make cleaning the window sill and watering any plants more difficult, it also limits the amount of natural light the room has access to. Arrange your furniture around the window to allow as much light as possible to flood into the space.


Play with it!

Don't let yourself get stuck in a rut. All too often, when we buy new furniture to replace the old, we end up putting it in the same place. Redecorating a room is an opportunity to let your creative side loose. Move furniture about and take pictures of it from different angles. Something as simple as moving an armchair could drastically change the way you feel about the space.

*Collaborative Post