Welcome to the living room!
The living room is the heart of the house or flat. On the sofa, people relax, read or drink a glass of wine in the evening. But visitors are also welcome here. A coherent furnishing concept ensures that both family members and guests can feel completely at ease here. Sometimes, however, it takes a little courage to make changes.
This interior style suits me
Classic, modern, Scandinavian? As different as people themselves are, so different is the furnishing of their home. Some like it functional and timeless, others cosy and rustic, still others minimalist and urban. Some people also live in a mix of several styles. This is not always the way they want it. Often, furniture and objects gradually accumulate over time until all corners and storage areas are cluttered and an oppressive atmosphere prevails. Sometimes, however, personal taste simply changes or you have had enough of the furnishings. Then, at the latest, it is time for a redesign.
The first steps to new living happiness
These three suggestions can help your living room shine in a new light:
- 1. create space!
Make the number of furniture and accessories dependent on the available space and don't overcrowd the room. Items that have an emotional value and are perceived as beautiful may stay. Everything else can go. Sorting out superfluous things brings more lightness into the living room. - 2. check the location!
Check whether the location of your furniture makes sense. Would the large sideboard be better off in the dining room? Has the plant taken up too much space over the years? Does the floor lamp make more sense in the other corner of the living room? Sometimes furnishings come into their own much better after being repositioned! - 3 Plan the transformation!
Now it's time to optimise. Do I want more colour? More light? A more uniform look? Get clear about your wishes and needs. And then it's time to redesign!
An upgrade for the sofa
Cushions and blankets spice up the look of your sofa. The advantage is that they can be changed quickly and easily, even to match the season! Colourful, silky fabrics, for example with leaf or flower motifs, create a summer mood. For winter, heavy fabrics, coarse textures and calmer colours go well. In the same way, blankets can be changed according to the seasons. In spring and summer, a light cotton blanket is sufficient; in autumn and winter, it can be a thick, cosy blanket. This way, the sofa becomes a cosy retreat for all its inhabitants!
If the daily use of your sofa has left marks on the upholstery, cleaning the fabric can work wonders. You can do this without chemicals using a mixture of washing-up liquid and water. Simply apply it to the stain and rub it in with a cloth. Then rinse with water and pat dry. Leather surfaces can be dusted with a cloth and then rubbed with distilled water and curd soap.
Keeping an overview in the carpet jungle
A beautiful carpet belongs in front of every sofa. However, anyone who wants to bring a new favourite piece into their home is often faced with an unexpectedly large selection. The question of how big the carpet should be and whether a round or square model is desired is usually quickly answered. But then it gets down to the nitty-gritty: Which material should it be? Sisal, wool, cotton or polyester? Would you prefer a discreet classic or a carpet with a striking pattern? Dark or light colours? High pile or short pile?
A short pile carpet has the advantage of being easier to vacuum up crumbs and pet hair because of its flat structure. Allergy sufferers also like to choose a short pile carpet because it is easier to clean. A high pile carpet (shaggy carpet) has a soft feel and appears cosy, which is why many people appreciate it in the living room. It can be cleaned with a special carpet shampoo. If you vacuum some washing powder into it before vacuuming, the carpet will smell wonderful afterwards!
Curtains bring a breath of fresh air into the living room
They come in many variations, including classic curtain scarves, practical Roman blinds, pleated blinds or modern sliding curtains. To go with them, you will find a large selection of curtain rods and rails in a variety of materials, such as wood, stainless steel or brass. Before you decide on a new curtain, you should consider what purpose it is to fulfil. Is it mainly for decorative purposes or do you need privacy from prying eyes? When it comes to colour, it's best to take your cue from the rest of the living room furnishings.
Do you still like your curtains, but could they do with a freshening up? Baking soda can help against yellow haze on light-coloured curtains. Dissolve a sachet in 10 litres of water, soak the curtains in it overnight and wash them the next morning in the washing machine (gentle programme). This will make the curtains shine again!
Breaks in style create excitement
When the colour nuances of the various furnishings match and patterns are coordinated, the result is a particularly coherent picture. But it doesn't always have to be straightforward, contrasts also give a room character. You can create tension through the clever interplay of new and antique, colourful and black and white, straight lines and squiggles or rough and smooth.
When it comes to contrasts, however, it is important to find the right balance. It's better to choose few, but all the more effective combinations. For example, you can embellish a monochrome, modern sofa with colourful cushions and combine it with an antique coffee table. You can also draw attention to a single piece of furniture, such as an extravagant designer armchair or an unusual lamp. A sideboard or coffee table in a bright colour can also be an eye-catcher.
How much decoration do you want?
If you have space, you can place a small side table next to the sofa. It is suitable both as a shelf for everyday objects and beverage glasses and for draping decorative objects. These can be table lamps, sculptures, bowls, candles or mementos. A small upholstered stool or a seat chest is also suitable as multi-purpose storage for books, tired feet or additional seating for guests.
Small decorative objects or photo frames, which you simply place between the books, bring more life to the bookshelf. A piece of nature should not be missing in the living room. A beautiful plant in the corner of the room or an arrangement on the windowsill (with colour-matching planters) rounds off the overall picture. Plants are also great for the indoor climate!
And what about the walls?
Subtle wall colours are suitable for dark pieces of furniture; with light-coloured furnishings, the walls can also be designed more boldly. But beware: walls that are too dark are visually oppressive and make the room look smaller. You can achieve a complete make-over with an extravagant wallpaper. These are available in a stone or concrete look, as photo wallpaper or with a velvety textile look.
Wall pictures have a special effect if they form a unit, i.e. if they have the same colour scheme, a similar motif or if they are arranged in a certain pattern (e.g. "Petersburger Hängung"). If there are many small pictures, it can make sense to group them close together on a defined surface (similar to a collage). In the case of different sizes, larger works are often placed in the middle and the smaller ones around them. If you are unsure, lay out the pictures on the floor beforehand and move them around until the final position is fixed. Extra tip: Paint the wall in a colour that also appears in the picture or artwork.
Holidays for at home
Longing for a holiday? With furniture and objects made of natural materials such as raffia, rattan, bamboo, hyacinth fibres and dark wood, you can bring a Mediterranean feeling into your living room. Ceramic souvenirs and terracotta pots, home textiles with floral patterns, a small mosaic table, a woven lampshade or murals with a matching motif go well with this. If you want to paint the walls, choose earthy colours like ochre and beige.
Light walls and wooden floors, furniture in a reduced, simple design and accents in muted pastel and natural shades bring a Nordic flair to your home. Graphic patterns and textiles made of cotton, linen and leather are typical. Consciously use eye-catchers in the decoration. For example, souvenirs from your last trip, such as shells, driftwood and small souvenirs.
A bright interior with several light sources and, if necessary, a mirror visually enlarges rooms. Carpets with stripes also help to stretch the room. Instead of bulky and overhanging furniture, choose filigree pieces and make full use of the room's height. There should still be free space in the living room. When it comes to decoration, instead of overloading the room, it is better to set the scene for a favourite piece.
Even a coat of paint and new pictures can give a room a completely new look. If you have artistic talent, you can take up a paintbrush and paint a picture on canvas. Upcycling, i.e. redesigning and upgrading old furniture, has also become very popular in recent years. The changes are sometimes enormous! Old lampshades, side tables or stools are given a whole new shine.
On the Internet, you can use the eBay classifieds platform. Here you can find buyers from the area who collect furniture and other items. You can also place a classified ad in the newspaper. Games, books, CDs and DVDs can be sold at momox.de. If you want to get rid of antiques (such as paintings and antique furniture), it is better to go to a specialist dealer.
Especially in larger spaces, a single light source is often not enough. Therefore, combine different types of lamps. A pendant luminaire is decorative, wall luminaires provide light in dark corners and a floor lamp illuminates your reading corner.
Slippery carpets are annoying and dangerous. A non-slip underlay (anti-slip mat) quickly provides a remedy. It is also better to eliminate high corners and edges on the floor! Tangled cables from televisions and other appliances can be fixed to the wall with special clips or bundled in cable boxes.
Conclusion
A beautiful living room with an individual touch is what most people want. After all, a home always reflects the personality of its occupants. By playing with colours, exciting contrasts and setting the scene with individual items of furniture, you can give your living room a new look in no time at all. Special individual pieces and accessories make the whole thing unique.
