Create a Great Living Room Posted On : Nov-30-2011 | seen (163) times | Article Word Count : 1382 |
Form and Function Work Together to Make a Livable and Stylish Space A large piece of art pumps up a living room's design and serves as a focal point.(photo: GoodshootGoodshootGetty Images) Splurge on at least one item for the living room that creates the 鈥榳ow鈥?factor. Form and Function Work Together to Make a Livable and Stylish Space
A large piece of art pumps up a living room's design and serves as a focal point.(photo: GoodshootGoodshootGetty Images) Splurge on at least one item for the living room that creates the 鈥榳ow鈥?factor. 鈥?Marcia Prentice D.K. Metcalf Seahawks Jersey , California-based interior designer The name "living room" says it all: You spend most of your home life in it. But you also welcome guests there; it is the most public room of your house and the one in which you want to make a statement and reflect who you are as a family.
You want your living room's design to showcase your sense of style but still exude comfort and be long on function. Keep the room鈥檚 uses in the forefront, and add personal flair with design and decor for a room that both lets your family kick off their shoes and makes guests say "wow."
In a great living room, function and design meet in one outstanding space.
The Big Picture
Arrange the furniture so it can fulfill its function, with a reading chair supplied with plenty of natural and artificial light. (photo: Digital Vision.Digital VisionGetty Images) The first step in designing any space in your home is to determine your style. Begin by looking at photos of color schemes Marquise Blair Seahawks Jersey , furniture and floor plans to find inspiration, advised Marcia Prentice, a California-based interior designer.
鈥淥nce you have a good grasp on your design style, start putting together a plan for the design with furniture L.J. Collier Seahawks Jersey , accessory and lighting selections, along with a coordinating color scheme,鈥?Prentice said.
Choosing a design plan involves assessing the scale, shape and mood of the room while allowing ample walk-through space.
鈥淥versize furniture in a small space commands the space and actually makes the room appear larger than its actual square footage Michael Dickson Seahawks Jersey ,鈥?Prentice said. 鈥淪tart with the foundation of the room -- accessories, light fixtures and window treatments are much easier to match to the furniture pieces than vice versa.鈥?br > Furniture placement could be a challenge, but it is a very important step in the design process, especially if the room has unusual architectural features that you want to spotlight.
鈥淭here are a few ways to highlight your living room鈥檚 unique architectural features Shaquem Griffin Seahawks Jersey , such as incorporating built-ins or having a custom sofa built to fit your unique space or to fit the contour of curved windows,鈥?Prentice said.
Furniture arrangement also should accommodate how the room is used. For instance, the seating should be in a good position to see the television and fireplace but also allow for good walking patterns so the room does not become a maze of twists and turns.
鈥淔low and function are important when laying out any room, but challenge yourself to keep furnishings away from walls Chris Carson Seahawks Jersey ,鈥?said Boston interior designer John Stefanon. 鈥淎llow them to flow in the room -- a sofa doesn鈥檛 need to be under the focal window. Often, the layering of the room with respect to flow creates an intriguing space.鈥?br > Think outside of the box when placing furniture. For example, not every living room needs a sofa and a loveseat. Four comfy chairs situated around a large, interesting coffee table may allow for more seating and a better conversation area. How this idea works depends on how you use your living room.
The Art of Compromise A remodeling or design project can test even the most secure relationship. How do you meet in the middle when you want inviting Tuscan and your partner wants Green Bay Packer glamor?
Gina Samarotto of the Samarotto Design Group suggested running with it. 鈥淎 football helmet lamp might be an eyesore Russell Wilson Seahawks Jersey , but even his favorite football photos can be part of an elegant room if you make matte black-and-white prints and frame a collection in thick, architectural frames,鈥?she said.
Take something he likes and showcase it in a way you love, Samarotto said.
A successful design project is about compromise Ugo Amadi Green Jersey , said Kerry Howard of KMH Interiors. That might mean giving up that lava lamp for modern lighting features that still pack a punch, but a more subdued one.
鈥淲hen a couple works together on the design of a room, they must remember to give and take a little and meet in the middle on their design choices,鈥?Howard said. 鈥淚t is important for both parties to be happy with the spaces they create together.鈥?br > Basic Bones
Consider the kind of natural light your room receives be