Rules To Consider When Decorating Your Living Room

Whether you have a new room to furnish and fancy up or want to upgrade an old one, don’t rush the process! Before you purchase that first piece of furniture or lay down that first stroke of paint, there are notions and considerations to ponder. Otherwise, you may find yourself disappointed and paying to fix your mistakes. Make a plan and stick to it with the following rules to consider when decorating your living room.

Clear the Clutter, and Then Clean It Up

If you have a new home, the decluttering part already happened when the previous tenants moved out. However, if you have yet to unpack, remove all your boxes and luggage from the staging area. Take a good look at the room unencumbered by stuff and visualize what works and doesn’t in there and what you’ll add, both immediately and in the coming years. If the room already has furniture, get to work on weeding out older, broken-down, and boring pieces. The space will look 10 times better and airier by removing all the excess. After you’ve decluttered, do a deep clean. Not a quick vacuum and wipe down. Take time to get in the cracks, clean the walls and ceiling, dust and polish the floors, and thoroughly clean the furniture. A clean room is a perfect canvas for your future vision.

Find the Room’s Center

Consider the room again, but this time think of where its main focal point is. This is easy if you have a fireplace or central wall, but you may have to look for a fixed point in the middle of the room. Look at that spot and work outwards. What will fit there? Perhaps a lovely coffee table, a sofa, or some other large and lovely piece of furniture. Once you’ve decided on a centerpiece, it is easier to pick furnishings and decorations that reflect its style, color, and theme. Measure the space and draw up a diagram that shows where everything will go and shop with that in mind. Make it easier on yourself by looking for furniture package deals in Houston, TX, that offer sets featuring a central piece and side furnishings. If you’re in the Houston, TX area, stop by Supernova Furniture, and you’ll find plenty of deals!

A New Coat of Paint (Or Two)

Before you start picking and placing furniture, it’s time to give the walls and ceilings an upgrade. You’ve cleaned them up, now add two coats of primer and begin to dream in color! Naturally, the paint you choose is a matter of taste, but remember that it’s a decision you’ll need to live with for several years. Determine the mood you’re going for in the living room. Stately and sedate? Fun and free? Bright and cheerful or darker and more refined? One thing to keep in mind is lighting. Brighter paint reflects light better; if you have big windows that let in a lot of sunlight, take advantage of it with bright colors or pastels. You can also play it safe with neutral hues and earth tones. Think of the purpose your living room will serve and give it a palette that reflects that.

Measure for Measure

Again, before you install anything, measure the space carefully. This is where that diagram comes in handy. When you have a better idea of the sort of furnishings you’re buying, make it to scale: account for the size of the individual pieces, the floor and nearness of the walls, window and door locations, and so on. This helps you keep traffic patterns and air space in mind as well, making the room feel less cramped and easily navigated.

Pick the Right Rug

Are you thinking of adding an area rug? Good choice. Rugs add comfort, warmth, texture, and safety to a room. But make sure you choose the right size and shape for the room. Large rectangular rugs work best in larger living rooms, especially if they almost reach the walls. Round or oval rugs work best as a platform for a piece of furniture like a coffee table. Colors and styles should work well with the paint on the walls and colors of the furniture, so make sure your rug blends in with the décor.

The Rule of Threes

Many sites and experts advise decorating with the rule of threes in mind. People gravitate toward balanced settings that feature three complementary pieces set up near each other. For example, include two chairs and a couch or a coffee table, end table, and sofa. There are plenty of furniture package deals available in Houston and elsewhere that make decorating this way a breeze but trust your instincts. Repeat the rule of threes throughout the room when deciding on wall decorations (complimentary photographs and paintings are a sure way to create visual interest or excitement). Also, make arrangements of knickknacks, assortments of throw pillows and blankets, and so on. The number three is your silent assistant for creating eye-catching beauty.

Keep Storage in Mind

While we stress decluttering, sometimes you need to keep things handy, even in the room you want to look neat and sophisticated. It’s a living room, so keep it lively by adding storage space for the items that bring life to it. Coffee tables can double as a surface for food, drink, and the like while providing storage space below for coffee table books, games, and more. Benches with hidden storage areas can provide seating or a footrest while storing extra pillows, books and magazines, board games, and anything else that might come in handy.

Make It Work, but Make It Yours

One of the last rules to consider when decorating your living room is this: make it your own. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of perfectly replicating a living room scene you saw in a magazine or catalog. It may look nice, but is it saying anything about you, your tastes, and your family’s needs? Get inspired but stay loose. Make sure that your furniture works together by not mixing too different styles, but don’t hesitate to experiment. It’s your life, and it’s your living room!