Gray And Peach Living Room

Gray And Peach Living Room

Rose is a full-time freelance writer who frequently writes about education, special education, DIY projects, food, Milwaukee, and more.

How to Decorate a Small Living Room

Every small living space offers design challenges. While it's important to make all of the rooms in your home functional, the living room is especially key because many people spend a lot of their time at home in the living room. From selecting furniture that is an appropriate scale for the space to maximizing hidden storage solutions to strategically placing a mirror to add depth and light, there are an extensive range of practical and easily attainable design ideas that will help you create the living room of your dreams in your small space.

6 Small Living Room Ideas

1. Select Furniture to Fit the Existing Space

2. Consider Hidden Storage

3. Create a Focal Point

4. Add Light and Depth

5. Don't Be Afraid of Color

6. Take Advantage of Vertical Space

The trunk serves as a coffee table and storage piece while adding a funky vintage touch to the living room.

Amanda Holstein via Advice From a Twenty Something

1. Select Furniture to Fit the Existing Space

• Determine Scale and Configuration

When you're working with a compact living room, large-scale furniture often isn't an option. Be realistic about the space. For example, if an oversized recliner won't fit, choose a pair of smaller chairs. Many people also get hung up on common furniture configurations. For example, nothing says that you need a full-sized sofa in your living room. A love seat paired with a bench and an armchair may work more naturally in your space.

• Think Multifunctional

Choosing multifunctional pieces will also make the most of your living room. For example, a bench with storage will provide seating while housing pillows and blankets. A coffee table or console table makes a great addition to a living room but only when it makes sense for the space. Your small living room may be better suited for two small tables that open up the space and can be moved as needed to accommodate different functions.

• Consider Floating Furniture and Low Seating

Floating furniture and low seating can make all the difference when it comes to keeping the space open and flowing. Design a floating furniture arrangement in the center of the room instead of pushing pieces up against the walls. Install shelves and other built-in components off the floor to create the illusion of space. If you choose low seating, select pieces that don't distract from the focal statement in the room. For example, a pair of low stools in front of the mantel will keep the fireplace as the focus of the living room.

The wall length built-in keeps this narrow living room streamlined and clutter free.

Tory Kingdon via House and Garden UK

Concealed storage is a great way to house items in the living room without creating a cluttered space. Furniture pieces that boast concealed storage, such as an ottoman with built-in storage, are a great option. You may also want to consider decor pieces that do double duty as storage, such as colorful baskets or jars. Do you have a hard time finding concealed storage pieces that don't take up a ton of floor space? Think about biting the bullet and devoting a single wall to built-in storage. To further streamline the storage, keep your items in the built-in hidden behind doors or curtains.

Read More From Dengarden

The living room layout showcases the focal fireplace and mantel.

Kendyl Young, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr.com

3. Create a Focal Point

A focal point is ideal for drawing people into a space while making it more uplifting and even sophisticated. Think about focusing your living room around a fireplace, sofa, coffee table, artwork, or mirror. Once you've settled on your focal point, design the rest of the living room around your statement piece to pull the entire look together.

The mirrors reflect the whole space, making it appear larger, while bringing more natural light into the room.

Brunet Souet via Milk Decoration

4. Add Light and Depth

Small living rooms with flat features and dark corners look dreary, even when they boast unique furniture and wall hangings. Maximize the natural light in the room, and don't be afraid to add artificial light sources as well. You'll bring even more light and depth into your compact living room with wallpaper and strategically placed mirrors and plants. Purely decorative mirrors still pack a visual punch and draw extra light into the space.

The floral theme ties the colored items in the room together.

House to Home UK - link no longer active

5. Don't Be Afraid of Color

Many people steer clear of color in small living rooms, believing that it will overwhelm the space. While there is nothing wrong with designing a small living room that features neutral shades, color can make the space appear larger. Select a color scheme with a maximum of three shades to create a unified aesthetic. If you want to use additional colors, incorporate them as accents. Typically lighter shades make a space look larger, but careful use of darker shades takes the style and drama in the room up a notch.

When you paint a small living room, select a satin or semigloss finish to reflect the light. If you want to tie the color scheme in the room together without painting or buying new furniture, consider an area rug. Layer a rug over carpeting to make the room feel cozier or conceal dark flooring with a brightly colored rug to lighten up a dark space.

This set of floating shelves draw the eye up while adding room for knick knacks in otherwise wasted corner space.

Sarah and Joshua Rhodes via A Beautiful Mess

6. Take Advantage of Vertical Space

Build up instead of out to maximize the available space. When you hang curtains, place the curtain rods right below the ceiling. Then choose curtains that extend all the way to the floor to make the ceiling look higher. If you're selecting art or other wall hangings, consider designing a gallery wall or choosing a few large pieces that fill the whole space. Do you have an odd nook that currently serves little or no purpose in the living room? Think about constructing shelves to simultaneously add storage and draw the eye upward.

Small Family Room Design

Finally, creating the ideal flow for your small living room is an ongoing process. It often takes weeks, or even months, of living with a living room arrangement to determine what is and isn't working. Don't be afraid to keep making tweaks and adjusting the layout until you find a arrangement that suits you and your family.

Additional Small Home Resources

• Frugal Storage Ideas for Small Homes: Creative, Unique Organization Methods
  Creating functional storage for a small home is simple when you're equipped with the right organizational tools. Pick up purchasing resources, general organization tips, and much more.
• How to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen: Simple, Affordable Kitchen Solutions for Every Budget
  Organize and brighten up your small kitchen space with practical solutions to create a functional yet inviting space for family and friends.

© 2016 Rose Clearfield

Riffat Junaid on June 30, 2020:

Very good article you wrote very helpful tips and pictures are so beautiful you added.

Chitrangada Sharan from New Delhi, India on April 05, 2016:

Excellent hub!

I enjoyed going through your tips and suggestions to design and lay out a small living room. Using the place below staircase is a very nice idea. Very attractive pictures to complement your interesting and useful hub.

Thanks for sharing!

Gray And Peach Living Room

Source: https://dengarden.com/interior-design/How-to-Design-and-Lay-Out-a-Small-Living-Room

Cottage Style Living Room Ideas

Cottage Style Living Room Ideas

30 Tips for Living Large in a Small Space

Photo Courtesy: Gabriel Beaudry/Unsplash

A small living space can still be stylish. All you need are the perfect products and accessories to liven up your studio or one-bedroom apartment, while maximizing your space. Of course, efficiency and comfort are important as well, and don't worry — we haven't forgotten your tiny kitchen and bathroom. Here are 30 products that will help you live large in your small space.

Get Creative with Storage Space in Your Bedroom

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

If you don't have a lot of closet space, you can always put things under your bed — unless, of course, your frame sits too low to the floor. If that's the case, it's time to place DuraCasa's bed risers under the legs to gain an additional boost of 3 inches of space for boxes, suitcases and anything else you want to keep hidden away. The risers are built to hold up to 2,000 pounds distributed across your bed.

"This is exactly what I was looking for," says one satisfied Amazon customer. Others praise the risers as "sturdy" and "nice and thick and strong." Something worth noting: A few people say the risers don't always stay put on hardwood floors.

Don't Just Throw Everything Under the Bed

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

StorageLAB's shoe organizer can help you keep shoes tucked away in an orderly fashion. With two of these containers, you can pack up to 24 pairs of shoes and adjust the size of the compartments to accommodate larger shoes or shoes with long heels. This handy organizer is also great for scarves, gloves and numerous other things.

"I wanted something that looks good and keeps its shape," says one reviewer. The firm siding on these containers ensures they hold their form, and handles make it easy to pull the unit out from under the bed. The clear zippered top allows you to easily find the shoes you want. "An A++ for design!" raves another happy owner.

When You Don't Have Room for a Nightstand

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Sauder's Orchard Hills bookcase headboard fits a queen-size bed frame snugly or leaves a bit of space on each side for a full. Constructed of "very sturdy" particle board, the headboard attaches directly to the rails of your frame, providing additional stability while taking up minimum floor space.

It arrives unassembled, and although reviewers say it is "easy to put together," many also mentioned that the package is quite heavy and hard to move from the front door to the bedroom. Once the headboard is put together, however, you have plenty of room for an alarm clock, reading lamp, a stash of books (or a reading device) and stuffed animals or room decor.

The Extra Fancy Bed Storage Space Solution

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

If throwing boxes under a regular bed frame feels too basic, take a look at the Dakota platform bed with drawers from DHP. It sits on an elegant frame, with an upholstered headboard and two drawers on each side, allowing you to store just about anything in an orderly, efficient manner.

"We were concerned about the sturdiness," one reviewer admits, "but were quickly relieved once the bed was tested." Others praise the easy-to-follow assembly instructions, and one reviewer is particularly fond of the time it saves on cleaning, noting, "There's no space under the beds for dust bunnies to gather."

A Small but Powerful Vacuum Cleaner

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

The 2-in-1 vacuum cleaner from VonHaus is "not much larger than a broom," but it has more than enough power to keep your entire place clean. You can go over all your floors, just like any other vacuum cleaner, or you can remove the floor vacuum head to turn it into a handheld for cleaning furniture and spills on tables and countertops. When you're finished, just detach the container and throw away the dust and debris.

"I can't believe how good the suction is on this little vacuum," says one buyer. Other owners are delighted with its light weight and small size for easy storage. Several, however, suggest the filters need to be cleaned more frequently than the once-a-month routine VonHaus recommends.

A Classic Modern Storage Solution

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Over the door shoe organizers like the one from MISSLO have become classic features in modern home storage design — so simple and obvious, once you think about it. Of course, many people use them for more than shoes. "I have one in my linen closet that I use for medicines, lotions, extra toothpaste, special hair creams — you name it," one reviewer reports. "I've gained an entire shelf for towels."

The organizer is "easy to hang," with four metal hooks that fit most standard-sized doors. Once in place, "It doesn't slip or slide around," and the 24 large mesh pockets can hold 12 pairs of shoes easily — more if the shoes happen to be sandals!

Keep Your Drawers in Order

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

"No matter how neatly I fold my bras and underwear," one reviewer complains, "they always seem to become a big jumble in the drawer." The solution? Simple Houseware's organizer set comes with four cases designed to hold ties, scarves, underwear, bras or socks in individual compartments, allowing you to easily spot items at a glance.

No more losing a favorite pair of socks in the back of the drawer, where it could stay buried indefinitely. "My only complaint," one reviewer says, "is that I would like to be able to get another 24-compartment organizer without having to buy the whole set."

Create Shelf Space in Your Closet

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

The hanging closet organizer from Simple Houseware is "easy to set up and super lightweight, but extremely durable," according to a satisfied buyer. When hung on the clothing rod in your closet, the fabric drops down to reveal five shelves, with an extra three pockets on each side.

You can put a lot of weight on the shelves, including jeans, sweaters, bath towels, bed sheets and pillow covers. (The lower compartments can even hold heavy boots.) This organizer is "the hardiest I've seen," says one reviewer, adding, "It does not strain at all."

Store All Your Jewelry in One Place

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Are you constantly hunting through several different boxes on top of your dresser to find the necklace or pair of earrings you need to match an outfit? Maybe you need AOOU's jewelry cabinet and dressing mirror combo. The full-length mirror on the front opens to reveal enough storage space (including hooks) for just about any jewelry collection, with additional shelves for makeup and perfume.

"It is made well, very sturdy and hangs very neatly on my closet door," one reviewer says. (It can be wall-mounted as well.) Magnets keep the door securely shut, and a set of blue LED lights along the top light up when the door opens, making it easy to find what you need.

Take All the Hassle Out of Laundry Day

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

When floor space is at a premium, a full-sized hamper can be a bulky eye-sore. Smart Design's pop-up hamper can sit unobtrusively next to your dresser or tucked away in the closet. The mesh siding allows damp and sweaty clothes to dry faster, reducing the risk of funky odors.

"These hold waaay more than I thought they would!" exclaims one reviewer — enough to do two loads of laundry in a single trip, in fact. Plus, when laundry day does come around, the sturdy handles make it easy to carry, and there are side pockets for detergent and fabric softener.

It's a Lamp! It's a Display Case!

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

The Etagere floor lamp with shelves from Simple Designs Home is the sort of thing you never think about until somebody points it out — then you can't get over what a great idea it is. It's a floor lamp that stands just over 5 feet high and features sleek, sophisticated lines, but it also sports three shelves perfectly spaced for holding a telephone, small planter, cherished figurines and more. In the bedroom, it could easily double as a nightstand and a reading light.

"It took me all of 15 minutes to assemble by myself," one reviewer reports, adding that you need to have a Phillips screwdriver on hand. "You can't go wrong with this one," another reviewer adds. "It really does bring the room together." Some owners, however, note that the electrical cord can dangle awkwardly down the length of the lamp stand.

You Can't Go Wrong with a Good Rug

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Home Dynamix offers a variety of rugs that feature soft, Persian-inspired decorative motifs in neutral colors. The Royal Clover contemporary rug is one example that blends nicely with nearly any decor. Whether you're looking for an area rug to pull the living room together, a runner for the hall or a small round rug for the bedroom, the company offers the size you need.

Many reviewers are delighted with how easily these rugs can be cleaned, with many stains coming out using only a damp cloth and some spray. "They vacuum really well," a reviewer adds, even in a household with multiple pets.

It's Okay to Drink on the Sofa Now

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

If you're watching TV and you want to enjoy a drink but don't have a coffee table, what do you do? Maybe it's time to consider the CoachCoaster, a gadget that fits easily over the arm of your sofa or armchair to provide a secure base for everything from beer cans to coffee mugs.

The sleeve is weighted on both sides for stability, and the drink holder keeps containers firmly in place — even if you accidentally brush it with your arm. (Although one reviewer did mention that it's still vulnerable to jumping cats.)

No More TV Dinner Trays

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Maybe you'd like to have something to eat while you're watching the big game. You could put your plate on the coffee table and bend over to eat, or you could hold your plate and risk spilling food on the couch. Sauder's lift-top coffee table offers a better solution. The table top is actually a lid that raises several inches and slides forward, allowing you to eat — or work — comfortably on the couch with the top in front of you. Underneath, the table has plenty of storage space that is perfect for stashing items you don't want out in the open.

Reviewers describe this coffee table as "very sturdy and heavy." They also recommend you have somebody on hand to help you put it together.

The Comfortable Way to Sit Up in Bed

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Do you spend a lot of time hanging out in your bedroom — reading, watching a movie on your tablet or checking on social media? You could jam a bunch of pillows against your headboard or wall to support your back — or you could get the ComfortSpa reading pillow. A comfortable 18 inches high, the foam pillow provides excellent back support.

"This helps me feel like I'm more laying on the couch than in bed," says one happy reviewer. "It's very comfortable, no matter how you lay on it!" The armrests even have pockets so you don't have to leave your glasses or smartphone on the bed, where they could be crushed if you roll over.

The Comfortable Way to Work on Your Lap

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

They call it a laptop computer, but have you ever tried actually holding one in your lap? They sit uncomfortably, and you have to keep your head bent to read the screen, potentially causing back and neck pain. The adjustable laptop desk from Mind Reader takes care of several problems. It's cushioned along the bottom, so it rests comfortably and smoothly on your legs. The smooth plastic surface can be adjusted to eight different angles, accommodating whatever position you choose, from sitting up to lying on the couch.

Although it's designed to work with laptops and tablets — and comes with a clip to keep them from sliding off when the desk is angled — it also makes an excellent writing desk. "No more hunching over for long periods!" one buyer says. Many note the plastic material is thin but say it's more than sturdy enough to hold various electronic devices, even a thick hardcover book.

Start Your Wine Collection in Style

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Maybe you want to be a wine connoisseur — but you can't find anywhere in your cramped kitchen to store more than one bottle. Take a look at the Sorbus wall-mounted wine rack. Many customers describe the rack as "easy to install," although they also recommend that you use longer mounting screws than the screws that come with the product, especially if you're hanging it on drywall.

Once it's on the wall, people love the "clean, functional, simple design" of the metal rack, which holds up to nine normal-sized wine bottles securely. If you're not a wine drinker, you can also use it for cooking oils or set it up in the bathroom as a towel rack.

Plan Everything Out on Your Fridge

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

"We have almost always had a white board on our refrigerator for grocery lists and messages," says one consumer. Another says the magnetic whiteboard from cinch! is "the absolute best one we have ever had." It comes in two sizes (17 inches by 11inches and 20 inches by 13 inches) and includes markers — also magnetized to stick to your fridge — in four different colors.

The dry erase board cleans easily, even if you leave something written on it for a month, and the thin design, with "clean and smooth" edging, means it blends seamlessly on a white refrigerator, an effect another buyer describes as "almost disconcerting!"

Declutter Your Pots and Pans

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Are you fed up with taking every pan you own out of the cabinet to get to the one pan you need? Maybe it's time to get rid of your frustration with the Simple Houseware pan rack organizer. Place the rack on its side to hold four pans in a row, or stack five pans horizontally without worrying about scratching them.

"You could not even see the bottom of my cabinet before," one reviewer says, but the unit still leaves rooms for pots in many cases. The racks are strong enough to hold heavy cast iron pans, although deep frying pans will only fit on top. It can also be screwed into the cabinet wall or the bottom for additional stability.

Give Your Pantry a Simple, Streamlined Look

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

One of the biggest problems with keeping your kitchen organized is everything comes in different size boxes and bags, forcing you to create improvised pyramids on your pantry shelves. DRAGONN's 10-piece airtight food storage containers set offers an elegant alternative, with containers in a variety of sizes to handle everything from spices to spaghetti.

Shoppers praise the containers as "high quality and very durable" and note they also look great on the kitchen counter and are easily hand washable. The airtight seals keep everything fresh and dry and are an excellent deterrent against ants and other insects that could invade your kitchen.

Have You Ever Looked Under Your Sink?

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

When it comes to kitchen storage, the cabinet under the sink is the space most people don't like to think about. It's easy to just throw all the bottles of different cleaners in there and slam the door, but the adjustable shelf organizer from STORAGE MANIAC offers a better solution. You can return order to the chaos and make it easy to find what you need when you need it.

Reviewers say this two-shelf unit is "very well made," noting that the length is adjustable to fit the size of your cabinet. The shelf's surface consists of steel panels, which can also be moved to make space for the sink's pipes. "Under my kitchen sink looks wonderful now!" one owner declares. It's also perfect for under your bathroom vanity.

Use Your Kitchen Wall to Establish Mise en Place

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Great chefs run their kitchens with an impeccable sense of mise en place — the principle that positions everything exactly where you need it before you start so you can prepare any dish smoothly and efficiently. An empty kitchen wall provides a big opportunity to pull essentials together in one easily accessible spot — with the help of Wall Control's pegboard organizer.

It's the same kind of metal pegboard you might use to hang tools on the wall over a workbench, which ensures the board is sturdy enough to hold even your heaviest pans. "If you want something that will last a lifetime," says one reviewer, "then I highly recommend Wall Control boards." You can choose from a range of colors.

A Colorful Foundation for Food Prep

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

A well-stocked kitchen needs an assortment of mixing bowls and measuring tools.

Joseph Joseph's nine-piece set features all the basics, including four measuring cups and a tablespoon. The set is made of colorful plastic that will brighten up any kitchen, and the bowls don't lose their sheen, even after multiple trips through the dishwasher.

The mixing bowls are extremely sturdy, with no-slip bottoms. "On family movie night," one reviewer reports, "three bags of microwave popcorn fit in the large mixing bowl." The small mixing bowl can hold a dozen eggs at once, with no problem.

Get All Your Spices in Order

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

The hard part of becoming a more adventurous home cook isn't finding unique ingredients — it's keeping track of them once you pack them away in your pantry. YouCopia's Chef's Edition SpiceStack has drawers that slide out from their frame and tilt forward so you can view the contents at a glance. There's enough room for up to 30 regular-sized spice bottles.

Reviewers call the SpiceStack "a total dream," praising the "sturdy plastic drawers" for their "amazing spice storage." It even comes with blank and preprinted labels for the front of the drawers if you want to take immediate stock of your inventory.

You've Got to Hide Your Knives Away

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

When you've got a small kitchen counter, a chunky knife block can take up a lot of valuable space. Wusthof's under-the-cabinet knife block is the perfect solution, giving you easy access to eight knives (and a honing steel), then swiveling out of the way when you're done.

The beechwood block screws into the underside of a kitchen cabinet with just three screws, and many reviewers describe it as "very solid" and "excellently detailed with a smooth finish." They also note that the knives are held in their slots magnetically, but "they will fly out if you're not careful." Then again, you would always be careful with knives, right?

No More Fumbling for the Conditioner

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

"This shower caddy is epic!" raves one user who bought Simple Houseware's hanging shower head organizer. It has a deep basket for shampoo, conditioner and other bottles, with a shelf beneath that can hold razors, sponges and bars of soap, plus hangers for a loofah or a back brush.

When you don't have a window ledge next to your shower or space in the corners of your tub to hold stuff, just hang this caddy over your shower head to keep everything in reach. Other customers praise it as "super sturdy" and "very stable... exactly what my husband and I needed."

Making Bath Time Lots of Fun

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

If you don't feel comfortable hanging a caddy on your shower head, you can always try the mesh shower curtain organizer from Yihoon. It hangs securely on your shower rod or towel rack and has mesh pockets big enough to hold everything you need, from washcloths to shampoo bottles.

"We have a small shower, and I hate the look of bottles all over the place," says one reviewer. This organizer offers an ideal solution. The mesh pockets dry quickly, and you can always throw it in the washer if it gets a little funky.

Keep Your Cool — and Your Quiet

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

In a small room, every inch of floor space counts. Bulky fans take up too much room — and usually make too much noise. Lasko's oscillating tower fan stands discreetly in a small space and boasts a woodgrain finish that blends in with most decors.

More importantly, as one reviewer observes, "It's quieter than any tower fan I've ever owned," even at its highest speeds. A remote control allows you to change settings without getting up, and a nighttime mode allows you to slowly taper from high to low while you drift off to sleep.

So Many Cables. So. Many. Cables.

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

The TV, the cable box, the DVD player, the video game console, the high-speed modem, the base for the wireless phone — you've got tons of devices to plug in and very few outlets. Belkin's 12-outlet power strip and surge protector can help you keep everything up and running.

The power strip has six outlets running down the middle and another three on each side, especially designed to hold those oversized power adaptors that always cause you to lose the adjoining outlet on normal power strips. The internal circuitry can even gauge how much power each device is using and spread the voltage accordingly. "If I need more power bars in the future," says one satisfied reviewer, "these are what I will buy."

Get All Those Cords Out of Sight

Photo Courtesy: Amazon

Even if you have a power strip big enough to handle all your electronic devices, you still have to deal with all those cords and cables, which can create an unsightly mess along your floor and walls. A few cable concealers from SimpleCord can take care of that problem. The plastic units are designed to blend with most wall colors, leaving a streamlined path from devices to an outlet.

Reviewers praise these concealers as "easy to install" and "very sturdy." Once you have your wires laid down in the raceway containers, slide the plastic cover on, and you're all set. Add-on units allow you to turn corners easily, and you can even lock them into place along your baseboards with adhesive strips or mounting screws.

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More From ConsumerSearch.com

Cottage Style Living Room Ideas

Source: https://www.consumersearch.com/home-garden/tips-living-large-small-space?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740007%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex

Dark Green Modern Living Room

Dark Green Modern Living Room

Living Room Decorating Ideas

iStock

The living room is one of the most important areas in your house for a great hosting experience. It's likely you and your guests will spend countless hours in this room, discussing and entertaining.

Decorating your living room properly will deliver deeply satisfying living for your leisure time. To get there, however, you must pay attention to all of the following areas:

1. the colors that you select

2. material and quality of seats and furniture

3. wall decorations and art

4. lighting and light fixtures

Below we show you some great ideas for decorating your living room.

The Best Colors for Your Living Room

One area that will have a disproportionate impact on the mood of your living room is the color you choose for the walls. While you can install wallpaper to change the look of certain walls, there are areas that wallpaper cannot cover. Getting the wall color right, therefore, gives you the best shot at creating a remarkable effect.

Some of the best color palettes for living rooms include:

1. White - White walls add a touch of class. They are the perfect backdrop for decorating with upscale furniture.

2. Turquoise - This color is great for creating an informal but refined feel. Your kids and family will love the refreshing mood this color creates.

3. Cream - Striking a balance between formal and informal, cream-colored walls create a quiet, soothing effect.

Furniture Choices

With your wall color selection made, you should select furniture that pairs well with the colors you've already chosen. For example, combining white couches with white walls will create resonance in your room design.

Make sure to provide ample seating to avoid crowding. Add multiple sofas, easy chairs and other seats that can accommodate a complete roomful of people, depending on the size of the room.

Furniture like TV stands and tables should generally blend in with the colors of the room and ceiling. There are some natural materials, however, that can work regardless of the colors on the walls. For example, wooden table surfaces look good whether your walls are white, blue or another color.

Lighting Ideas

You can greatly improve the aesthetics of a living room with bright lighting and impressive light fixtures.

To start, you can consider a beautiful chandelier in the center to provide light around the whole room. This central masterpiece ensures adequate lighting throughout the living room while adding an air of elegance.

You can then add to the light sources in the living room with individual lights on tables and around the walls in areas where people will not knock them down.

Carpeting

Consider adding carpeting to your living room to create a comfortable walking area. Carpeting lets you and your guests go barefoot if you choose. The living room almost demands this since you will want to take off your shoes and kick back on occasion. Warm plush carpets provide a good, comfortable surface for this. There are many choices when it comes to carpet size.

If your living room is very large, you can opt for wall-to-wall carpeting. On the other hand, if it's smaller, you can add just an area rug in the place where you will sit. For example, you can have a rug around the sitting and TV area where your kids will play.

The advantage of area rugs over wall to wall carpeting is, mainly, lower costs and ease of replacement. You can completely change the area rug and create a new aesthetic in a fraction of the time it would take to begin installing new wall-to-wall carpeting.

Art Ideas for Your Living Room

Many homeowners like to have some wall art in their living room. If your living room is spacious, it can accommodate a good-sized piece of art mounted alongside one wall. In some instances, you can consider multiple art pieces. Invariably, tasteful art adds to the sophistication of a living room. It adds an interesting item that sparks many conversations from impressed guests.

Selecting art is an opportunity to express your unique personality. If you are fairly conservative, you can select some classical type pieces that portray a quiet life. If you are more adventurous, you can experiment with a post-modern impressionist piece that others might consider risky. It's your space, and so feel free to decorate it to express who you are.

Dark Green Modern Living Room

Source: https://www.life123.com/home-garden/decor/living-room-decorating-ideas?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740009%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex

How To Transform Your Living Room Cheap

How To Transform Your Living Room Cheap

On the hunt for some living room ideas on a budget? As the name would suggest, we live hard in our living rooms. It's where we relax, entertain, drink coffee every morning (and wine every night). It's where we shamelessly eat dinner off a tray and stay up all night bingeing on boxsets.

But if you're designing a new living room and your budget is pinched, where do you start? We'd suggest here: with our affordable living room ideas and tweaks that are small on spend and big on style.

From popping up a roll of wallpaper to painting your existing furniture, there are plenty of easy DIYs and cheap switches you can make to your living room without having to spend a ton. Most of the ideas you find here come in at under $100 and can be achieved in under a weekend, so just keep scrolling to be inspired...

• Find more living room ideas in our gallery.

1. Rearrange the furniture

(Image credit: Jeremy Phillips)

Before you buy, re-envision what you already have. Refocusing the layout could allow you to update your living room without splashing out. So, rather than following the same traditional layout in your living room – coffee table in the middle, sofas pushed up against either wall, TV at one end – why not try something more interesting, like pulling your furniture away from the wall; or using a piece of artwork as a focal point (rather than the TV); or even just de-cluttering and clearing out some furniture to make the living room feel larger.

• Find more living room layout ideas in our guide.

2. Shop your own home for living room ideas on a budget

(Image credit: Oliver Bonas)

Before you go blowing your tiny budget on new pieces, look around your house and see if you can borrow anything from other rooms. You may find that a piece of furniture lingering in your bedroom would work so much better in your living room or take a look in your loft or garage to see if any neglected pieces could be put to use again.

Top tip: If you come across a great find but it doesn't quite match your existing living room, painting furniture will bring it in line with your scheme.

3. Update your walls with artwork

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

Want an alternative to displaying photos and pictures? Fabric wall hangings are a quick and cheap way of brightening up your standard-issue blank wall and of add an on-trend bohemian flare. In the case of wall hangings, you might not even need to buy anything new if you have an attractive bed cover lingering in a drawer somewhere.

4. Add greenery with house plants

(Image credit: Ikea)

Plants are an easy win to add to your design arsenal. They add color, shape and (literally) life to a space. There are some great places you can pick up inexpensive, high-quality foliage: Ikea have a great selection and are small budget-friendly. Larger house plants can however still be expensive so to create the illusion of your room being filled with lots of greenery, arrange groups of small plants at different heights.

Thinking of adding some common house plants to your space? Check out our guide and to create a full-blown indoor garden, we can help too.

5. Believe in the power of paint

(Image credit: David Woolley)

One of the easiest living room ideas on a budget is to don your DIY dungarees and get painting. There is loads of good-quality, low priced paint out there, but if you really want to save you could just buy a small pot and paint one wall or alcoves for a pop of color.

• Need inspiration? Don't miss our living room paint ideas.

6. Put up (then take down) removable wallpaper

(Image credit: Sandberg)

For interior commitment-phobes or renters, removable wallpaper is a game-changer. Now you can get incredible wallpaper, cover your walls in it, remove it a couple of years later and still walk away with your deposit.

Etsy is a great source for peel and stick wallpaper; they have a plethora of different prints and loads of sizes to suit the space you are covering.

7. Or quickly add a mural

(Image credit: Katie Lee)

A great cheap living room idea is to incorporate a wall mural. This needn't mean spending ages pasting one to your wall or painting one yourself, you will find loads of large-scale prints you can just hang up in minutes. Plus wall murals are great if you are decorating a rented home since they aren't as you can pick an option that isn't as permanent as wallpaper or paint.

• For more wall mural ideas, check out our feature.

8. Create a gallery wall

(Image credit: Desenio )

A trend that has truly stood the test of time, gallery walls are a great way to cheaply fill a blank wall and give a room much needed personality. Use photos, record covers, prints – you could even frame fabric cut-offs or spare bits of wallpaper.

Desenio have a great service on their website, which helps you plan the layout of your gallery wall and choose prints and frames which work in your space.

Top tip: If you're renting your property and hammering hundreds of holes into the wall isn't an option, command hooks are a good solution or go with a picture shelf for minimal wall damage.

9. Switch up your cushions

(Image credit: Kasia Fiszer)

Cushions: the most versatile of soft furnishings. Available in so many different sizes, shapes, colors and textures, a few new cushions could be all your living room needs to feel refreshed.

10. Layer up rugs

(Image credit: Future© Fiona Murray)

Rather than spending money on re-carpeting your living room, copy this budget living room idea and hide the numerous red wine stains with layers of rugs. Rag rugs, jute rugs, Persian rugs, sheepskin rugs – more-is-more seems to be the rule. Mix up textures, colors and patterns to add interest to the space.

To keep the right balance between edgy-bohemian vibe and full on carpet shop, stick to a simple color palette and use neutral rugs, such as jute, as a base.

• Find more living room rug ideas in our gallery.

11. Give tired furniture some TLC

(Image credit: Nomad Design )

Nothing perks up a sad piece of furniture like new upholstery. Re-covering or reupholstering can completely change the look of old sofas and armchairs and is a great cheap living room idea. Reupholstering large pieces of furniture can be pricey, so a really inexpensive solution is to drape throws over sofa cushions, as seen below.

12. Mix up the lighting

(Image credit: Cult Living )

Living room lighting is something that can be updated really quickly and doesn't have to cost a lot of money. Avoid making your room feel like an over-lit operating theatre by going for floor or table lamps at different heights; layering your lighting this way will create cozy pools of light that can quickly change the mood of a room.

13. Paint the floor of your living room

(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies)

Okay so maybe this isn't a five minute job, but it's still a great budget-friendly living room idea. Painting floorboards is an easy weekend project that won't cost you too much and can completely change the look of your space. If you are brave enough we love love love the black floorboards in this living room and they are so on trend at the moment.

• For tips and inspiration, head over to our guide to painting floorboards.

14. Update a living room with handy (but lovely) storage

(Image credit: colin Poole)

Practical storage may not be the most exciting cheap living room idea, but containing your clutter and using your storage to add personality can really transform a space. If you don't already have the perfect living room storage, check out our ideas buuut if you do have some kind of bookshelf or open shelving use these to update your living room.

Regularly switch out what you keep on them, add artwork, photos, plants, books and magazines to create a new focus to your living room.

15. Splurge strategically

(Image credit: Brent Darby)

Invest in pieces that are the center point of your space, pieces that you can build the whole room around. It could be a pricey mustard yellow sofa that you've fallen hard for or an amazing piece of artwork. If you love it and it's going to completely transform a room then, hate to say it, it's probably worth it.

16. Match your wall colour to your furniture

(Image credit: Carpetright)

SUCH an easy trick: matching your wall colour to your most dominant piece of furniture, if not exactly, then in the tone at the very least, creates an expensive look, on a budget. This trick tends to work best with neutral or muted schemes – don't expect bright purple walls and matching furniture to carry off the expensive vibe...

17. Curate interesting displays

(Image credit: Ikea)

A really easy budget living room idea, is to shop your own home and create displays that reflect your style and personality. Hunt around in thrift shops too for quirky pieces and find prints you really love to invest in.

18. Hang fresh new living room curtains

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

You get so used to how your living room curtains look, you probably haven't noticed that they have slightly faded, or that they don't match your space anymore. Switching out your curtains for something lighter, can make a lot of difference – making the room feel brighter and just so much fresher.

Top tip with curtains, hang them a couple inches above your window frame to add some height and make the window appear larger.

19. Go secondhand

(Image credit: Richard Parsons)

Not only is buying secondhand furniture and decor usually cheaper, it's also such an easy way to bring some instant personality into your living room. Keep an eye of on places like Etsy, eBay and even Facebook Marketplace for pieces that speak to you.

Don't get carried away, keep a list of pieces you are on the look out for and note down the measurements you need to. Again, remember what a lick of paint can do to, so look out for shapes you love rather than colors.

20. Curate a coffee table display

(Image credit: Future © James Balston)

Want an instant way to make your living room feel more expensive (on a budget)? Create a coffee table display. A nice candle, a stylish coffee table book, a vase of flowers, a couple of cute coasters and voila, the focal point of your living room now looks like something that came straight out of Pinterest but you've only spent a few bucks.

• Find more cute coffee table decor ideas in our gallery.

How To Transform Your Living Room Cheap

Source: https://www.realhomes.com/design/12-budget-living-room-design-ideas