Your living room is arguably one of the most, if not the most, important spaces in your home. It’s often the first room guests encounter upon entering, and it’s probably where you and your family spend the majority of your time together.
For these reasons, it’s crucial to put your own stamp on this living space. You want your living room to reflect you and your personality. Therefore, it’s advisable to plan the space to achieve the look and feel that’s most important to you.
Your living room should be a place of comfort, where you can be happy to entertain your guests and to just enjoy being. It can complement who you are, even going as far as to be an extension of yourself.
A well-designed living room is comfortable for all who use it, both family and guests. Your choice of furniture is vital in terms of relaxation, entertaining guests and for its visual appeal.
When you’re selecting furniture, it’s important to consider factors such as quality, size and aesthetic appeal. You also need to consider whether you want to have a theme to your space, and whether you want a formal or informal living room. If your living area is open to the kitchen, you’ll want to consider coordinating with that space as well.
With all of this in mind, let’s take a look at how to plan and choose the right furniture for your living room space.
First Things First – Planning Your Living Area
If you’re wondering how to choose living room furniture, considering your room size is the first step to planning what can go in it. It’s a good idea to create a floor plan on paper so you can figure out different ways of fitting in the furniture that’s caught your eye. Planning helps you efficiently utilize all available space, while avoiding cluttering. It also helps you to include room for walkways around your furniture.
Remember, when measuring your space, take note of the furniture-to wall-clearance too so you don’t order pieces that won’t fit into your living room, and don’t forget that many companies like the antiques world offer unique pieces that you can add to make your home look perfect. It’s also important to select the correct sized furniture for your room. If you’re living space is on the small size, huge pieces can look overbearing. Similarly, in a large room, tiny little chairs and tables also look “off.”
In the case of shared furniture, it’s crucial to place this in easily accessible spots to ensure all the family can use the pieces. For instance, placing the coffee table in the center of the room is far better than placing it beside a chair that’s only used by one individual. Also, remember to place the TV in a central location. Go here.
A handy checklist to follow for planning your living area could be:
Take measurements. Using a tape measure, calculate the dimensions of your room, remembering to take any recesses into account.
Draw up a floor plan. This allows you to see how much space you have to work with. Draw out a few different ideas you have for furnishings, ensuring you some space around each furniture piece. You don’t want to be squeezing in between tables and chairs as you navigate the room.
Measure your doorways. If the furniture you’ve ordered comes assembled, be sure that it is able to fit through your doorways when delivery time comes.
Stage your room. At this point, you may wish to mark out the spaces on your floor where you want to place your potential purchases. You can use newspaper sheets or painter’s tape.
Consider how your room will be used. Some people use their living room only occasionally, whereas others utilize this space for daily family use. If you’re only using the space from time to time, you can buy more delicate pieces without worry. However, for family rooms that are heavily used, it’s imperative to purchase stain-resistant and sturdy items, particularly if you have children.
Note the architecture of the room. Perhaps you have a beautiful antique window in your room that you wish to make a focal point of. If that’s the case, purchasing a period-looking piece, such as from an Amish Early American collection for example, can complement it.
Consider what color you would like your furniture to be. Color profoundly affects the mood of your room. With this in mind, neutral woods work every time. For pops of color, think about buying a few throws or cushions.
Think about the shape you want your furniture to be and how that’ll look in your living room. Furniture with a rounded shape occupies more space than rectangular or boxier pieces.
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