Crafting a luxurious living room that’s both stylish and comfortable can be quite the task. For many homeowners, comfort often beats out style. But a casual living room doesn’t have to sacrifice aesthetics.
Every week, the AJC’s Private Quarters takes you inside of some of metro Atlanta’s most beautiful homes and this week we’re looking at living rooms with form and function. If your home has both a living room and a family room, then you may choose to keep your living room as stylish as possible. But for many, the living room serves as a place for welcoming guests and enjoying time with the family.
If you’ve been wondering how to make your living room feel more stylish without giving up comfort then there are a few tips to help get you started.
According to MyDomiane, one of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when designing their living rooms is falling into the trap of having it look like a showroom or of making your living room “too precious to live in.” A way to overcome this obstacle is by selecting items that are strong enough to endure the wear and tear of everyday life. Another tip is to ensure that all of your furniture and living room accessories vary. By mixing and matching different textures you can bring some comfort and warmth to your space.
Another tip from MyDomaine, is to make sure you’re picking the right couch for your space. This is a time where form and function need to meet. A good sofa is the key to living room comfort. You wouldn’t want to end up with a beautiful sofa that everyone in the family is afraid to sit on. Sofa size is another key factor. A sofa that’s too large or too small can distort how the room looks and feels.
To keep your living room functional, Good House Keeping recommends upgrading your shelving. “Swap boring shelving for more decorative options, then load up on fabric boxes or baskets to hide an overflow of knick knacks,” says Good House Keeping. They also recommend using a soothing color palette and incorporating lots of greenery and distressed wood furniture to add warmth.
Choosing the right size and type of rug can also dictate the feel of your living room. A rug that’s too small or too busy can end up hurting your design. As a rule of thumb, “living rooms almost always need at least an 8-by-10-foot,” writes MyDomaine.
And the most crucial element of all when designing a more comfortable living room is the layout. If you have a long and narrow layout, you’ll want to plan for areas of conversation by grouping furniture together. It’s also not so much about where you place your furniture, but about adding elements that will create visual interest like using different shapes throughout.
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