5 Living Room Interior Design Tips for 2014

Now the spring is almost here, you may be thinking of projects you can do around the home. Decorating and renovation come top of the list for most people. Is your living room looking a little drab? Maybe the decor has served you well over the last five years but time has taken its toll. The carpet may be looking a bit dirty and threadbare in places. A living room revamp is one of the most rewarding upgrades you can do in your home as it is the room in which you spend most of your waking hours.

Image by Jeremy Levine Design

Let’s take a look, in this article, at some of the ways you can bring your living room firmly into the 21st century.

Flooring

There are many new materials for a modern living room floor. Laminate flooring is probably the most popular option currently.

Laminate flooring is easy to lay. To do a high quality job, however, requires the removal of the skirting boards on each wall of the room. Put down a thermal underlay next before beginning to lay the boards. The boards themselves click together and only need to be cut at the end of the run. The board that is cut off at the end of the first row is used to start the next. Once the flooring is laid, leaving an 8mm expansion gap all the way around, replace the skirting boards with new.

You will find that laminate flooring comes in hundreds of colours and effects. Perhaps you would like tiles in your room but they are cold underfoot. Laminate comes in tile effect too. It is arguably the most versatile flooring solution

Walls

The modern trend, if you wish to follow it, is to have all of the walls painted the same neutral colour. It isn’t too expensive to employ a plasterer for a day to skim the walls. A very good quality finish always looks better in a contemporary room. The plasterer can set to work while the skirting boards are removed. Take the architrave from around the doors too. Replace it with new.

Lighting

The use of varied lighting techniques can change the mood in your room at the flick of a switch. Modern LED lighting is all the rage and works well when concealed in alcoves, or used as downlights recessed into the ceiling. Relying on the room lighting from one central fitting is old hat now.

Furniture

If your old draylon three piece suite from the 1980’s is looking a little past its best, it is time to consider a replacement. Are you aware that you are able to order bespoke items of furniture  from Tailor Made Sofas or another high quality supplier online? Having made to measure piece will enhance all of the effort you have made on the refurbishment.

Fireplace

In these times of central heating, fireplaces are not necessarily intended to be functional. Most are purely decorative. With the thousands of choices available these days, you will have no trouble finding a suitable contemporary fireplace and fire for your room. Designers strongly recommend that you spend as much as you can afford on the fireplace to get the one suits your room best.

Image by USCPSC

So you can see, with a moderate budget you will be able to modernise your room. The design could be enhanced further with the use of window blinds and modern artwork. You will soon find yourself sitting in contemporary, sophisticated surroundings with a glass of wine in your hand, surveying a job well done.

What will be your next project I wonder?