7 tips to decorate a living room

A living room has had many names. Lounge, sitting room, drawing room — whatever you want to call it, the appeal and importance of a living room in a home remains the same. While you might not actually live in the room, as the name suggests, a house or apartment just does not seem right without one. Here are a few ideas and tips to decorate your living room and make it more appealing.

Avoid congestion

The unwritten rule to decorating any room is to avoid congestion, a mistake that's made frequently in our country. More furniture does not equal more appeal. It's even more important for a living room as there will be plenty of movement in this room and it will be the room that greets and hosts the guests for the first few minutes.

Use proportionate furniture

Which furniture to add to your living room will depend on the size of the room itself. If you have a large living room, then you may use more bulky sofas but if your living room is smaller, then the sleek looking minimalist pieces will suit you better.

Decorate in order

While decorating and adding new pieces to your living room, remember to add the larger furniture pieces first. This will make sure that you have enough space for all your furniture and no space is wasted. Filling the room with smaller pieces at the beginning creates uneven pockets of spaces that cannot be used.

Furniture position

Your larger furniture, usually the sofas, should be aligned with the most noticeable feature of the room. This could be either a TV, a fireplace or even a window. Speaking of windows, try to avoid placing your sofas directly against the windows. This blocks the natural light and we definitely want natural lights in the living room.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Divide the space

If you have a living room setup that is drawing-dining joined, you might want to divide the two by using decoration tricks. You could use a rug in the living room which will separate it from the dining in essence. The rug will also complement the features of the living room if chosen appropriately. Make sure that the living room pieces are facing away from the dining; this will create a sense of separation between the two rooms.

Use movable furniture

If you have a smaller living room, using movable furniture could really help your struggle for space. Using chairs instead of rigid sofa means you can easily move the chairs when you need a little room to breathe. Armchairs or even eye-catching bar stools could easily use the limited space without taking anything away from the decoration.

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed

Mind the traffic

Do not place your furniture in such a way that obstructs natural movement. A living room is supposed to greet people and welcome them. If it hinders movements then it becomes unpleasant. Try to arrange your furniture pieces in a way that uses the space of the room, but does not stop natural movement.

Remember, living rooms are supposed to be a place for sitting back and relaxing, maybe having a chat. It should not be decorated in a way that is irksome. That will defeat the whole purpose of having the living room. So, consider multiple decorating layouts and different furniture before you start decorating.