Once again, it is that time of the year when our home needs a change in its outlook. Come Eid, our hearts are warmed with the festive season. There is an excitement in picking the right attire for our wardrobes and while doing so, we may quite innocently ignore the interior of our homes. 

The living room can undoubtedly be considered the most important room in our house. This is where you entertain guests and loved ones and thus it demands a great deal of attention. An ideal living room requires proper furniture, sofas and most importantly, a coffee table. 

A large coffee table in the middle of the seating area is great for both function and aesthetics. It acts as an anchor for the room with enough space for people to put down their drinks, acts as an area for placing serving bowls and even allows the host to display his or her favourite accessories. 

If there's anything that highlights the furniture of your living rooms, it's an area rug. Area rugs are like artwork for the floor. It belongs under the furniture, big enough so that most furniture can sit on it.  It is a great way of infusing some playfulness into the room by adding bold patterns or intricate designs.

Home n décor, a three-storied interior store located at Baridhara showcases a wide variety of rugs of different size and colour starting from Tk5000-20,000.  If you are budget shopping, then Elephant Road can be a haven for you to choose the right rug for your home.

A proper home needs the right amount of lighting. Overhead lights will illuminate your home, creating the perfect ambience for parties and hangouts during Eid.  Overhead lighting consists of lights that are mounted to the ceiling such as pot lights, track lights and flush mounts.  

If chandeliers are too much of a trouble, you can always choose subtler alternatives such as table and floor lamps. Scatter them throughout the place wherever light is needed. In the evening, lights should be soft and warm to create an environment for relaxation. Idea Crafts and Lights have an excellent collection of table and floor lamps within a modest budget. If you opt for something outside the norm, Turkish lamps can be a good start. 

Mosaic Turk, located on the third floor of Home n décor, will definitely satisfy anyone's undying love for home aesthetics such as lamps of varying designs and colours. 

As any decorator will tell you, curtains make a room but only when chosen correctly. Curtains play a vital role in dressing up your windows so it is of utmost importance to choose the right colour, fabric, length and lining.  

For the basics, just remember to avoid bright coloured curtains if a room gets a lot of light since they tend to fade faster. It is better to go with neutral colours since they are less likely to fade and would blend in with the room's décor easily.

When it come to materials – linen, silk, faux silk, velvet are the best choices with faux silk being most durable. In any curtain store, you will have a huge variety to choose from among which ascot valences, Australian panel or sheers are versatile window coverings with a graceful, airy feel suitable for living room whereas, blinds and draperies can be opted for bedrooms giving a lot more privacy than an open window.

Elephant Road and New Market have countless stores from where you can find a curtain that serves you best. You can splurge a little at curtain stores such as Weavers, New Classic Fabrics, and Marvella Furnishing Limited.  Curtain Park is also a store you must visit for curtain shopping.

During Eid, we take extra measures to show our ever changing tastes and lifestyle by updating our homes. But, it's not always easy to swap a couch or buy a new chandelier. Instead, you can work on a smaller scale to freshen up the feel of your living room.

Start by adding an accent wall. The basic colour of your living room can start appearing a little mundane. An accent wall provides a perfect opportunity to use a bold colour or wallpaper that you do not want to use for an entire room but would look great on a smaller dose. Secondly, your couch is the most important furniture in your living room. You spend an enormous amount of time on it and there is nothing more unpleasant than an uncomfortable sofa. Use some extra cash to find the perfect sofa for your home. 

Most furniture stores provide huge discount during Eid so there is no better time to buy one. Athena's, Otobi, Hatil, Hi Fashion Gallery, Koncept provides both comfort and modern trends in their sofa and couch sets. Nonetheless, buying new couches and chairs can still be a little too expensive. In that case, it is simpler to change your ascent pillow. You can change the colour scheme from blue-grey to orange-red or from floral to mod.

Moreover, you can always add some knick-knack that goes with your taste. Candle holders with scented candle are perfect monsoon addition to your living room. Animal showpieces, marble sculptors, artwork in glass and vintage globes never go out of style and can easily spice up a bland living room. 

Aarong has a wonderful collection of local handmade pillow cases and knick knacks. Aurora Interior, Idea Crafts and Kinori are definitely worth the visit in this regard. New Market and Gulshan DCC also has innumerable stores to choose from.

Lastly, this Eid do not forget to add something fresh to your living room. Be it indoor plants, herm pots, or the classic flower pots. Greenery will instantly revamp your living space and make it more alive. 

The time that we spend in our living room with our loved ones during Eid is very precious. So, why let it look more like a disorganised heap rather than a temple? 

By Mayesha Raidah

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed/Decor By Nazneen Haque Mimi