If you've never decorated a living room before, it might be hard.It is possible to make your living room comfortable and inviting if you have plenty of room or are squeezing into a small space.By arranging your furniture with purpose and accenting according to a color scheme, you can decorate your living room like a pro.
Step 1: Stick to the color scheme you have chosen.
Pick 1-2 accent colors that complement your furniture and wall color, and choose accessories that follow the color scheme.The main accent color should be in the room at least 3 times.If your seating is gray, and your walls are white or tan, you can choose turquoise and yellow as your accent colors.If most of your furniture is brown, you can choose warmer colors, like burgundy and violet.Instead of using accent colors, choose a single theme.If you wanted to do your living room in neutrals or shades of blue, you could.
Step 2: There is a piece of fabric or art in the room.
Most pieces of art and fabrics are designed with color theory in mind, so they are great for inspiring a theme.Think about why you like the style of the item and pick a few main colors.You could have an old painting of an open field with a farmhouse that includes green, grey, and pastel blue.The painting could be the focal point of the room if you created a rustic farmhouse theme that included those colors as accents.For inspiration, use a favorite piece of furniture.The room should be based on a sofa with curved lines.
Step 3: To coordinate with your new color scheme, apply a fresh coat of paint.
Pick out a tan, light gray, pastel yellow, or light blue as the most neutral color in your color scheme.Carefully prime and then paint all of the walls in your choice of color.If you don't have a lot of painting experience, hiring a professional for the job is a good idea.If you want to protect your furniture, be sure to use cloths or tarps.If you know you will be living in the home for more than 5 years, you can experiment with bolder colors.If you want a versatile space or like to change your decor frequently, use a neutral paint color.
Step 4: To pull the theme together, hang patterned wallpaper on a wall.
If you want to draw attention to one area of the room, wallpaper is an excellent way to do that.A neutral color such as black, white, brown, or grey is a good choice for your scheme.The wallpaper can be put in a built-in for a subtle effect.The small prints on the wallpaper can make the room seem smaller.Try to keep prints that are more than 1 ft tall and visible from across the living room.Hang wallpaper slowly and carefully.If you don't have experience hanging wallpaper, consider hiring a professional.
Step 5: There is a focal point for the room.
Pick a spot or direction to act as the main feature of the room, whether it's a fireplace, a piece of art, an entertainment center, or even a picturesque window.You can place your furniture around that point.If you don't have a special feature in your living room, make one.The central table can be used as the focus of the room to encourage conversation.You should use the largest piece of furniture as the focal point.A painting can be hung over a sofa with throw pillows.
Step 6: Keep your furniture away from the walls.
Don't push your couch or chairs against the wall, it may seem like a good idea.The couch or chairs should be positioned around the focal point of the room, away from the wall.The seating area should be in the center of the space.Pull seating at least 1 foot away from the wall to make the room appear more inviting.bookshelves are usually built to lean against a wall, so it is okay to place them there.
Step 7: Walk between the pieces of furniture.
There is nothing more frustrating than bumping into furniture while walking through a room.You should create at least 3 feet of space between all major pieces of furniture, like sofas and end tables.Guests can navigate a room if there is plenty of space in the entryway.Don't block doorways, hallways, and major pass-ways in the roomDon't face the back of a chair or sofa to the entryway as this creates a closed-in feel.
Step 8: Guests can see each other if seating is arranged.
When placing your furniture in the room, turn them to face each other.The guests will still want to talk to each other even if the room has a focal point.To encourage conversation but also draw attention to the main feature of the room, angle the seating so that it is facing the focal point, but turned slightly toward the other chairs or couches.
Step 9: You can put an end table or coffee table near your seating.
Tables are both functional and attractive.Every piece of seating furniture should have a table within reach.If you can, choose a coffee table that is light so you don't have to move it.The tables do not have to match, but they should have a cohesive look.If your coffee table is reclaimed wood, make sure to stick with other wooden tables in the room.In addition to choosing tables that fit the look of your living room as a whole, you can also style your coffee table or end tables with additional accents that match thelook, such as books or plants.
Step 10: Pull the room together by putting an area rug near the seating area.
Pick a rug that matches the color of your seating, flooring, and accent colors.It can still be a focal point even though it should be cohesive with the space.It needs to be large enough to fit under the seating area, but not so large that it takes up the whole room.Pull the space together by placing it in the center of the seating area.Area rugs work well on carpeted floors as long as they don't clash with the color of the carpet.Place sticky webbing from the home improvement store under the rug for added safety on wood or laminate floors.It will not slip when someone steps on it.
Step 11: Light fixture in the room to illuminate darker areas.
There are not enough overhead lighting in many living rooms.A table lamp or floor lamp can be placed in an area of the living room that doesn't get much light.Pick up 2 matching lamps and place them on opposite ends of the room for a more coordinated look.Paint the bases and swap out the shades to update your lamps.The light fixture and shades should be positioned in a way that doesn't block anyone's view.
Step 12: Pieces of art can be hung on the walls.
At eye level, hang fun art or pictures of your family around the room.It can make the space feel too cluttered if there are more than 2 pieces of art in the room.Refer to your color scheme for art inspiration when you are unsure.Pick pieces that are meaningful to you.If you like Van Gogh's work, you can buy a print of it and have it framed.
Step 13: Throw pillows are fun.
Pick pillows that complement the sofa and match your color scheme to decorate a couch or sofa.Pick one pillow for each chair.If the couch is longer, place a pillow in the middle as well as 1-2 throw pillows at each end.You can see what works best for the room by playing with various patterns, shapes, and sizes.
Step 14: Throw blankets can be draped over your couch or ottoman.
To make the room seem more inviting, place a throw blanket or 2 over the back of the couch or on top of an ottoman.Pick a blanket in one of your accent colors, or choose a fabric like faux fur.If you have a lot of different throw blankets, leaning a wooden ladder against a wall is a great way to make them a part of the room.Guests can take a blanket with them if they want to, and the rungs will be on display.
Step 15: Pieces of furniture that serve a purpose should be selected.
If you always do something in the living room, place your tools in a way that shows your interests.If you want to make a special corner of the room for your hobby, position them as an art feature.If you write in the living room, set up a small writing desk with a notebook, pen cup, and a unique chair along a wall or near a window.You can place a magazine rack or a stand for your record player in the living room if you like to listen to records.Add a wheeled bar cart to the space if you do a lot of entertaining.
Step 16: You can find unique accent furniture at local yard sales and online marketplaces.
For very low prices, furniture and accents can be found on sites like Craigslist and estate sales.If you can find the perfect piece of art or a brightly colored end table, you will be able to pull the room together.You can still get a great deal if you find furniture or pictures that aren't perfect.To turn your find into the perfect accent for your living room, you need to do a do-it-yourself makeover.