We’re all agreed that living room decor matters, aren’t we? They might claim that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but the majority of us still spend most of our time chilling on the sofa. As such, spending ample time getting this room right is fundamental to home happiness. The trouble is that, often, limitations come into place here when it comes to room size.
This shouldn’t be altogether surprising considering that living room furniture tends to be some of the bulkiest in the house. A failure to consider sizing could see you investing in pieces that are too big, or simply don’t fit. And, that mistake alone could undo your decor efforts altogether.
To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’re going to look at a simple three-step size-guide that covers the most common living room layouts, and how to make each work for you.
Square
Square living rooms can be a bit of a pain to fill. After all, most square spaces can look cluttered with furniture in place. But, that doesn’t mean you need to forever struggle with fitting everything in. Instead, considering simple space-creating appearance tricks like textures and minimizing furniture where possible can work wonders. Try, too, to resist the temptation to keep sofas to the edges of such a room as it creates a kind of living room vacuum that’s never going to look cozy. Instead, invest in a large rug, and use the edges of that as a guideline instead.
Rectangular
In modern homes, especially, rectangular living rooms are rising in the ranks. These spaces, usually spanning the length of the house, pose issues of their own, but, again, size-specific design ideas can tackle them. Mainly, you want to address the cold and sometimes gaping appearance of spaces like these. A high-end sectional sofa is, by far, your best way of doing this, as it can really break up that extended line of sight and bring the space together. Equally, light can add a warmth that’s often lacking in rectangular areas, so avoiding dark wall colors and investing in mirrors that reflect natural light sources could prove invaluable.
Open-plan
Even more popular than rectangular rooms in recent years, open-plan living rooms are a building focus right now. Again, though, getting on top without decor here isn’t always as simple as you might think. Arranging furniture away from walls is also fundamental here for creating a cleaner space that still offers some comfort. Equally, using rugs to create segmented spaces that still enjoy an open-plan flow could make a massive difference to comfort in each area. And, of course, an integrated color scheme can really help your home to feel inclusive, living room and all.
Admittedly, even within these size-focused boundaries, you may find that experimentation is your best chance at a design that truly matches your tastes. But, by keeping these fundamentals in mind, you can turn living room size into a feature, rather than a setback on your decor journey.
