Well, I started on my project over the winter. Now, when spring arrives, I am one room ahead of most of you. There are more rooms to be tackled in the home, however, and I am already laying plans for my bathroom revamp. Luckily, a living room is a place that can be decorated without expert help from electricians or plumbers; that’s why I enjoy getting stuck into it once every few years. Money saved on using outside labour goes towards better quality materials.
Are you ready to start your own living room project? It is the time of year when the days are drawing in, and we can see just how tired our decor is looking. If you are looking for inspiration, you have come to the right place. Here are my top design tips for creating your own modern living room at a reasonable price.
1. Choose warm colours on your walls. Browns, beiges, and creams have a better warming effect than stark white while still giving a plain background to your artwork and furniture.
2. Keep a fire as a focal point. A fire has been the focus in the living room for centuries. A real, flickering flame is warm and relaxing.
3. Mix up your furniture. A leather Chesterfield sofa will go well in any setting. Use older pieces to contrast new, modular, geometric furniture that is en vogue today.
4. Go to town on window dressings. Unless you have a drafty house, thick, lined curtains, aren’t for the contemporary setting. I used blinds, and in my research I was simply astounded at the range on offer from which to choose. I settled upon venetian blinds in my living room. They are shiny aluminium and have given my room the space age effect I was trying to achieve. It was a tough choice, however, as there were stunning examples of roller and vertical blinds that also caught my eye.
5. Break up your room by using large bookshelves as dividers. I managed to hide away my home office comfortably at one end of the room. Keeping my work out of sight has removed clutter that was spoiling my design.
6. I pulled up my old carpet and replaced it with cream and brown floor tiles. The main colour of the floor was cream, and I used the brown tiles to create geometric shapes. The effect is thoroughly modern, and I am very pleased with it.
7. My television is now mounted on the wall and all of the wiring is buried in trunking behind the plaster. The associated entertainment equipment is tucked away in a new stylish cupboard I bought for the purpose.
8. To add artwork, I bought modern prints very cheaply and arranged them together on one wall, to create a block of art. This wall is the only place where I chose to place my artwork, so the eye is drawn to at as you enter the room. Less can be more.
9. The room lighting was solved with recessed ceiling lights - they were already fitted, I just changed the bulbs to modern LED alternatives - and trusty table lamps that I have hidden behind furniture and in a corner. Using coloured bulbs in the lamps, I have created a wonderful effect.
So what do you think of my Ideas? Of course, you may have a completely different plan, and that is great. I think the most important part of the design process is keeping an open mind. Never design a room when you have a hangover; that is my tip of the day. I hope your project goes well.
great design tips indeed. we also have mounted TV but all the wires are still scattered and untidy to look at until now. i will get the hubby to work on it. :)
ReplyDeletethanks for reminding me Zen, I should start my spring cleaning now since in 3 weeks, khai's fam coming over for visit, and right after them, a close friend from philippines coming over for visit as well, and I know, I have lots of cleaning and organizing to do :) i'll follow some of the tips here
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