Category: Living Room

Televisions. No matter how technologically advanced, they are not a pretty sight in a room. But let’s face it they have come a long way and now TVs, like these sets from VIZIO, are thinner and easier to tuck away somewhere than ever before. They are very often the focus of the family room as all furniture in a small room needs to face the TV. No point having it any other way – or of course, you could be the 0.5% of the population who don’t have a TV. The vast majority of homeowners these days do have televisions in their living rooms (source here). It’s vital that the television is placed in a convenient place to ensure we can watch our favorite shows – at the end of the day, if you’ve got a TV then you will be paying to be able to watch it (the best deals are offered by ATT Bundles), so you want to make the most of it. Many of us do spend a considerable amount of time each day watching the TV, so it does need to be placed in a convenient area, without sacrificing the design of the room.

Here are 6 tips for decorating around a television in a small family room:

1. Disguise It. Pretend That It Is Not the Elephant in The Room

TV Techno Geeks will be horrified by this idea. But those of us who believe that a TV should try and not be the focus then this is the way. Eliminate the problem by:

• Putting behind sliding doors or pictures
• Incorporating it into a montage of pictures and art work
• Placing it in an old fashioned TV cabinet with doors
• Attaching it to the inside of a coffee table or side unit
• Throwing a throw over it!

2. Don’t Make a Big Deal Out of It – Distract The Eye

This setup is marvelous for the room. The TV does not dominate and the use of a glass table to house it is a good idea. It is not the feature of the room because the magnificent view is. So treat the room accordingly. L shaped furniture is always a good idea for watching TV – as everyone can have their own space without feeling squashed, and it is of course good for the TV Viewing Neck.

3. Make It Part of the Overall Scheme of Things

If you are lucky enough to have a blank wall, then the answer to world viewing peace is to fill the space with a beautifully built unit that incorporates all other nice things and one of which in camouflage happens to be a TV. In this example, the TV area can be screened off with a roller front. Personally I would have put a mirror on to the front of the roller screen. How cool is that?

4. Face to Face with The TV On the Side

Furniture configured in a box style is a comfy, cosy style and one that is conducive to conversation and with the TV is placed on the side, there will be no pressure to have it on if you so wish. Like ordering your steak and pommes frites with a side salad. Nice to have – but not cluttering up the plate.

5. Incorporate a unit to double up as storage

Make sure that it is at the right height for you TV as there is nothing worse than having to look down or up at a TV. This is not a hospital room after all. If you can have open shelving below the TV it is not only practical but eye-catching in a positive sense. You can hide DVD’s remotes and all other TV paraphernalia and if done right it will look great and detract from the black shiny hot tray above.

6. Gallery Surround

What you really are wanting to accomplish is for your TV to blend into the décor and not stand out like a sore thumb. The answer is to try and hide it or embrace into a beautiful wall on which you display an art collection, family photos or your collection of lovely things.

Thanks for reading!

Lea Ann

8 Tips on How to Resolve Your Layout Dilemma

Well, obviously you are not living in a cave. That is fact number one. Fact number two is not to worry – you can get around this layout dilemma with some simple rules to follow.

Placing furniture in a living room that has doors and windows at every turn can be a nightmare of a layout dilemma – but don’t let it get to you. There is not much you can do other than boarding up the windows and doors and I am sure that is not the way you wish to go. Whilst having too many windows can seem like a burden, it can actually brighten up the room. Having a lot of windows could actually save you some money on your electricity bill too. To save money on these bills, the windows would have to be energy-efficient to ensure that no heat escapes through the window. This could be particularly useful for winter. If you’d be interested in making your windows energy-efficient, you might want to consider reading a window buying guide to learn more about some of the energy-efficient windows on the market. If you’ve got a lot of windows, you might as well try and save money by making them energy-efficient. Of course, they might still be causing you layout problems though, so read this post to see how you could style your furniture around the windows.

1. It is called centering or focalizing. Don’t concentrate on the wall space, but rather the furniture.

Place the furniture as close as possible to the center of the room and by doing so you are creating a specific space for seating and getting cozy. It will create a natural flow of foot traffic in and out of the room.

We are often in the décor mode of placing everything against the wall. You have to get out of this and focus on a central feature. By defining this space everything else you have will automatically find its own territory.

2. Decide on the focal point of the room

Now, this is tough – you should get a clever (and strong) friend around and empty the room of all your furniture. This puts the whole area into perspective. Do not treat the TV as a focal point. The TV must find its own place once you have decided on the focal point. In my opinion, TVs high up on an arbitrary wall is not going to win the style award of the year. Try and hide a TV or build it into a unit that has other accessories to draw your eye to, i.e. books, vases, collections, etc.

If there is no obvious focal point like a fireplace, picture window, etc. then select a wall on which for instance, the door is over to one side and then use this by hanging art or setting up your TV. I am suggesting getting a clever friend – because he or she will give you a whole new outlook on how to set up the layout.

3. Measure and draw up a diagram with all doors and windows of the sitting room

Perhaps you need another clever friend here as well if your to-scale-drawing skills are mathematically challenged. Everything to scale including the furniture and then on the scaled space place your furniture and get a perspective. Work out where the natural flow of traffic will be. You may have to chuck some stuff out – beware. No point in trying to squeeze those ugly step sister feet into Cinderella’s glass slippers.

4. Incorporate an existing rug or plan for a new one

Along with the furniture make a plan for where a rug will go as this will help in defining the seating arrangement. It should be slightly smaller than the seating area. An area rug even on top of existing carpets will give you a lovely platform to build your seating around. If you have an existing one and it is larger than the planned seating – just make sure that it does not hinder traffic. You don’t want people falling off the so-called platform!

5. Symmetrical is best

For instance, sofas facing one another or a smaller sofa facing two armchairs. If you are going to end up with an L-shape in your sofas, then make sure there is a small table between them for a lamp or other accessories. This also applies to two chairs- place a small side table in between. Then of course you can work out the position of your coffee table. If it does not fit proportionately – sorry to say but consider getting a new one.

6. Lighting to demarcate and give ambiance

Once you have formatted the space for seating – then take lighting into consideration. If you need to you now have a central spot to place an overhead light fixture. It will allow you to have lighting without having a spaghetti junction of power cables and will not block any view you may have. This does not mean you can’t have side lamps, or lamps behind the sofas- just make sure the cables are out of sight. Want to go the extra mile? Why not invest in some new window coverings that can allow you to harness the power of natural light during the day while at the same time benefitting from privacy in the evenings.

7. Arrange your artwork on any bare walls you have

If you have lots of doors and windows in the room you are inevitably not going to be hanging lots of big art works – so, my dears, choose selectively. Remember you after a stylish home – get rid of the junk. Your clever friend will be able to help you here.

8. Consider sliding doors or hanging doors

These will give you plenty more space in which to work. You want foot traffic flowing naturally and these types can help in this dilemma. You don’t want your guests reversing and taking sharp right hand bends! If you’re wanting a spot of home improvement then you might be thinking of a sliding glass door repair service to bring new life into your doors once more, while also changing the way the whole room flows. If one of your living room doors leads into the kitchen, you may want to look at replacing that particular door with one of Plastpronic’s fire rated doors to make sure that, if anything were to go wrong, the rest of your home is protected in the event of a fire.

Thanks! Lea Ann

Unless you live in a shoe box the number one tip for accessorising is to think big. Little bits of little bits gathered together on a pin cushion are not going to make any difference. In fact, they will detract and clutter.

It is the same when you are accessorising that million dollar little black number you are planning to wear to the next society cocktail party of the year. If you decorate yourself with lots of little bows and rings, and dainty nothing earrings no one is going to take any notice.

The living room and the entrance hall are the equivalent of the WELCOME MAT to the home. You want a nice one. Think of your accessories as if they were precious gems. Collected and collated into little vignettes of interest and curiosity.

7 Big Ways to Accessorise with Flair

1. Choose your design concept before doing anything – it is called upfront planning. And it is a no-brainer.

You have to be 100% clear on what you want. Not everything – but the main things in both the entrance hall and living room. Should it look modern, shabby chic, country. Then the selection is easier, because if you have honed in on modern, there is not point buying little floral curtains. Or if contemporary, then don’t be cajoled into buying that cottagey coffee table.

2. Your personality must come to the fore – otherwise it will look like a hotel room in your home.

This dark chocolate wall in an entrance hall really shows up the beautiful artwork and demarcates the space perfectly. An entrance with BIG personality. No point in making the entrance a meek and mild place, unless of course you are!

3. Window treatments are a big investment and they last a long time – choose with great care.

The best advice here is to do some research and use magazine cut outs to decide on what you want. If you have a lot of windows and they allow in lovely natural light – then ensure that that light is not hindered by window blinds or curtains.

Window treatments should not detract from any other décor – they should complement or fade away. The rule generally is plain, neutral furniture allows for more patterned, textured or coloured window treatments. You could also consider looking around at different types of blinds or shutters to find the ones that suit you best. Whether you try to find the best motorized shades denver have to offer or whether you look around fo different roman shades, make sure you find the right ones for you to complement your window area.

4. Choose colours to your taste and also not to your taste

What I mean by this is your natural choice maybe fine but very often you can completely overlook colours that may work fantastically in the room. Be open to new ideas and the best tip ever is to get a colour expert to add some insight. The experience will be a “wow – never thought of that!”
Think of it like your little black dress. You may have accessorise with black heels, but the fashionista will tell you to pair it with red stilettos, red lipstick and emeralds dangling from your ears. Wow. What a difference.

5. Invest in lighting – lamp light is like candle light, it immediately adds ambience

Lighting fixtures must lift the room. Different and interesting lighting in the entrance hall will give a welcoming effect and a bit of a wow factor – just don’t make it a bright light and definitely never a white light. You can go as extravagant as you like with your lighting fixtures because when they’re lit up, it’s one of the only things that people will be looking at. Just remember to look for someone like this best ranked Cambridge electrician if you need some professional help when it comes to installing any lighting you may have, as this could greatly improve your safety. This will give you an added reason to go out of the box with your lighting.

For example, these two glass lamps on a console behind the sofa is an ideal way to add light with flair.

6. Bring in the forest and the forest floor

Adding touches of greenery to the room will always be a welcoming feature. And remember that the floor is equally as important as the walls, or window treatments. A lovely bright rug, or geometric kilim will do the trick to most living room spaces. As for the entrance hall, you’ll be wanting to think about purchasing a hall runner that matches your colour palette and aesthetic you’re trying to achieve.

7. Layer and then layer upon layer.

Remember that all accessories chosen should be about bringing interest into the living room. This applies to art on the walls, your collection of gems on the entrance hall table, or the multitude of cushions that you throw on your couches.

The tip is to ensure the whole thing should look effortless. Layering is all about textures, colours, materials and balance. If you have a large couch, little cushions are not going to add interest unless they are grouped with bigger ones. They will simply fade away into nothingness.

Thanks for reading!

Lea Ann

What goes best with chocolate? The answer is cream? Yes.

Generally, when confronted with a brown anything in furniture we all raise our brows and mutter boring, practical and so outdated. Blah Blah. Well this does not have to be the case my dears.
We know all about the practical aspects of a brown sofa; the fact that you can spill almost anything on it and get away with the after effects and that any grubby little finger marks are not going to show all purport to practical.

Dark brown is very practical and forgiving. But often we don’t want only practical. Think of the shoes you wear. If anyone were to comment: “gosh those are lovely, practical brown shoes”, you would grind your teeth in utter horror. There is nothing wrong with brown shoes, some of my best boots are Italian leather brown. They are stunning – because they are stylish.

The same applies to brown furniture, or brown couches. Get away from the practical side – that is a given – and jazz the look upwards and onwards. After all, we are all looking for style in our homes.

Here are 5 ways to put some style into your brown sofa so that it speaks to you in a fresh and modern way.

1. Add Cream. Lots of it. In all flavours.

What goes best with chocolate? The answer is cream? Yes

Cast your mind back to the “olden days” of living in a dark sitting room, with thick woven curtains, a brownish no-nonsense carpet and lots of wooden furniture. The walls are covered in family portraits and framed in dark mahogany, swirly wheels. A Brown Nightmare!

No – that is not the idea you should conjure up. So whatever you do, make sure you do not do this.

Fact – Dark brown will dominate a space if you allow it to. Solution: If you add lots of lighter accessories you will automatically balance the darkness and bulkiness of the sofa.

Note that in this example, all the accessories are in light creams or whites. There is no other brown in the room. What works is the mass of different textured cushions and throws and the accompanying furniture all painted white.

The light grey walls are perfect for chocolate brown as they distract from the brown centrepiece. Cleverly incorporated and picking up on the grey are the geometric grey and white cushions along with the animal print artwork.

Adding touches of chrome to liven and modernise the look.

Bliss at Home.

2. Neutralise the Dominance

Fact – chocolate or any brown needs neutralising to be pretty. Solution – add accent colours with natural earthy tones.

In this example, the addition of natural cream really neutralises the dominance of the brown sofa. Additionally, if your sofa is leather, cleaning it can make all the difference. When you begin cleaning a leather sofa , the colour brightens and doesn’t look so dull, making it look brand new.
That is what you are wanting to do. Neutralising can incorporate a different colour on the wall – and I am loving this steel grey which is also brought out in the cushion fabric. The whole room looks at peace and nothing is glaringly obvious. Note the lovely creamy rug – again neutral although it could get dirty easily. If you choose to get a cream rug, this shouldn’t be too much of an issue though. Just contact a Rug Cleaning Kew company and they’ll sort everything out for you.

Crisp white ceilings and trim also keep the space light and bright.

3. Add Warm Autumnal Tones

Fact – brown can work with other warm colours. Solution – make sure that the whole look is crisped up with touches of lighter accents.

Think of fall and the colours that conjures up. Accent hues can be dark, brick reds, yellow, mustard and deep oranges. Brown is a warm colour and allows you to add more warmth with fall colours.
The gallery art, (note the white/cream backgrounds of art), pale grey walls, and the light furniture accents, all balance the visual weight of the brown sofa. The bunt sienna accents give the brown a pop of lovely colour.

This lovely space really works well with the warm colours chosen on the wall and lamps. Add in touches of animal prints and dark brown accents and you have a lovely feel-good stylish room.

4. Hot Chocolate Cooled Down

Brown is not only in the realms of the warmer hues – you can be very experimental with adding greens and blues. My favourite with brown is duck-egg blue.

Fact – Brown goes with blues and greens. Think forests and lakes. Solution – add these tones to chairs, walls, and cushions

Cooler tones will add a sense of calmness to the space. Think how perfectly those brown Italian boots go with jeans. You can get the same stylish look with your brown sofa as in this example.
Again notice the use of white/cream to add crispness to the overall look.

5. Add Serious Zing But – beware of colour blocking.

Fact – brown and red work fabulously together. Solution – don’t add only colour blocks of red, mix it with a geometric fabric or rug in a more neutral hue.

This example shows that red and brown can work wonders with the addition of a lighter grey on the walls and curtains. The rug really brings it all together.

Thanks for reading!

Lea Ann

Tip No. 1 Don’t fall into the trap of working to the “rules”. There are no real hard and fast ones when decorating a small sitting room!

A small sitting room, or living room as you may prefer to call it, will of course at your stage in life, serve many functions. You may, like me, have just fled the proverbial nests of my youth and are the proud renter of a fabulous space that you are now calling home. Now you want to get some ideas on how to decorate it on your very limited budget and use some of the hand-me-downs and odds and ends that you have collected. I still have an old municipal workers chair that I bought for $5 when I was at university. I love it and it will travel with me always, even when I move into my castle. No decorator or partner will ever convince me to get rid of it. It was my first purchase and will remain so. Proudly. Trust me, a limited budget is a reality for a quite a while. But that does not mean you can’t make the sitting room, or any other room look good.
Fear not. Help is at hand.

Tip no.2 Focus on the purpose of the room. Of course, it needs to be functional, but that does not mean it should be like sitting in a factory.

Yes, my friends, there is a purpose to all rooms, whether they are large or small. So in your case, you want to use the small sitting room as a sitting room. Good, we’ve established something. It is the centerpiece of your home. Treat it as such.

Tip no.3 In order to maximize the small space, focus on the necessary items you need in the small living room.

This will be something to sit on. A comfy sofa or a few occasional chairs. You need a place to put things on – so a coffee table is a must. If you can’t fit a coffee table in, then try and find small side tables like the ones below that will suffice in literally, putting your coffee mug on, or glass. And I would say the other “staple” is a wall feature where you can store books and put that ugly TV. Furthermore, if you want to make your living room space more personal to you then getting things like family art, where you can make Portraits from Your Photos should make the living room space much more special for you and your family. These elements add a warm and comfortable feeling to your home where your family can enjoy all the fond memories that you have experienced over the years.

You can also find decor inspiration and advice a-plenty on blogs like https://www.compt-aam.org/, which you might find useful. Focus on what will fit into the space and then select the rest of the furniture accordingly.

Tip no.4 Be clever in your accessorizing. This includes color.

The automatic response to questioning yourself about “What Color?”, is to say neutral. Well, that does not necessarily have to be the case. You can be a bold, small space dweller! Remember there are no real rules. Do what makes you feel good. If you love a pale peachy color on the wall, then do it. If you decide that grey is the way, then do that.
The trick is not to go overboard with either the neutral or the bold, or the pale, or the stripe. You can’t afford to, remember it is a small space and you need to color accordingly.

Tip no.5 Thinking budget – swap the small items on a regular basis to give a fresh look

If you were to go neutral on your bigger pieces of furniture, then you can cleverly do the bold statement on the accessories; cushions, rugs, lamp colors, artwork, etc. If you are opting for artwork, do put some thought into the kind you want to get. You can look through the website of art collectors like Charles Saatchi and develop your own idea of what will work well for your living room. Finding the perfect art that goes with your taste, budget and your room might feel exhausting. But, trust me, it’s not that hard. If not art, you can look for lighting styles. For example, these Neon Mama Japanese style lights will really add some color to your room. However, when you are tired of those you can change them without breaking your bank account. If you want your sofa to be a big bold design, then in order for the overall decor not to fight for attention, minimize the rest of the decor pieces in the room. Overboard is not the look you want. In this room, with the neutral grays and natural wood cabinetry, a feeling of cohesiveness in the small room is achieved. With the addition of the bold cushions and splash of turquoise in the accessories, the room does not feel overpowered by anything.

I will be back with more – living in small spaces ideas.
Cheers for now.
Jess

Even Your Smallest Family Members Will Be Inspired

With the opening up of old homes and apartments into fewer rooms along with modern design trends, there is inevitably going to be a blurring of form and function of some of the traditional rooms that we have been accustomed to.

Kitchens are migrating into living and dining rooms, living rooms are merging with the great outdoors and bedrooms and bathrooms are becoming incorporated into one.

So the question is then, what is a family room?

What then is a living room and what about the new trend of craft rooms?

So dears, here are some of the traditional differences between a family room and a living room. Take of it as you wish and incorporate these facts into your home – you decide then what is which and which is what.

The main tip is to decorate according to their functions laid down by you and only you.
The living room – if of course, you are fortunate to have such a separate luxury – should not be the same as the family room. Should you be confused as to how to set out your space and demarcate a distinction between the two then listen up.

The position of a family room vs. a living room

Sometimes people will walk into an apartment or small house and get confused as to both terms becoming interchangeable. Well dears, what good is a mind if it can’t be interchangeable I ask myself. You decide which works for you and your family or family to be.

The living room is generally designed to be the biggest room in the castle. It is supposed to be the centre or the heart of the space called home. Yes, and generally it is in the front – in the olden days, i.e., in the 2010’s it was called the front room and as the thigh bone is connected to the hip bone, it is generally connected to the dining room area. Which of course now has become the kitchen, which is part of the living room. Perhaps this would be a good place to put in some steel dining chairs to add a touch of class to the area.

I jest – all is interchangeable and fluid. I know a family that even had one of these backyard storage sheds as their main living space, and they made it incredibly cozy and comfy too!

The family room is generally, or was, generally connected to the kitchen and is more likely to be part of the kitchen these days than the living room. This is all of course dependent on the size of your abode.

If it leads off into the garage, garden or courtyard, terrace etc. – you can rest assured it is more likely to be a family room than a living room.

The functionality of a family room vs. a living room

Entertainment is what it is all about. This is the living room; whilst you are living you are entertaining – all in the same room. It is more formal than a family room. However, if you are a child, you may see things in a different light.

The family room is multipurpose – things happen here in a less formal way; maybe a home office, a child-friendly place, or a crafts room, or of course all of these.

The design of the family room vs. the living room

Living rooms should be where your style shines through rather than where function is important. This is where you put your lovely collectables and prized artworks. Accents are important and the room should be at peace with itself.

In terms of design, it’s well-known that living rooms almost always include an entertainment centre, TV, sometimes even a computer. But they also have plenty of storage and a more or less classical layout.

Family rooms – because they house the family with children of all ages – need to be more flexible. Versatility is key. This is where you have what I call schlumpy couches, recliners, family portraits, photos etc.
Simple inspirational tips for designing your small spaced family room and in particular, with children in mind.

Tip # 1. Functional and tidy. Teach your children well

No excuse here – the space should not be the family tip. Tidiness is essential. So make the most of storage containers, shelving and clever use of space. Inexpensive open shelving will make it easy for children to access art supplies, and playthings, books, games etc.

You can also make use of baskets to hide things away and they are very attractive embellishments to a room by adding texture and colour.

Tip # 2. Have fun and be bold. Listen to your children

If you asked your children what colour to paint the walls and the shelving, rest assured dears, they would choose a different colour to your more conservative approach.

Yellow in all its different hues has been proven to make children, and yes, wait for it, adults happier! There you go, problem solved.

Tip # 3. Don’t do the dungeon thing. Don’t bring children up in the dark

I have always hated the idea of going into the play room or the family room as they were inevitably dungeon inspired, dark and harsh. This was because adults thought that kids needed to be controlled and preferably chained to the walls! You could look into storage sheds that can be used as a playroom and let the children go wild with their creations and decorations to create a bright, child-friendly atmosphere… And it keeps the toys out of the family room. Win, win.

Tip # 4. Add comfort for all ages. Hear your children

Large floor-cushions and lots of soft rugs will give a much needed soft landing space to the room. Mix, match and clash colours and textures and this will add a sense of fun to the place.

Tip # 5. Add personality. Give your children space to create

My very best in a family room is a montage of children’s artwork and crafts cleverly interspaced with adult’s art pieces – it really adds a personal dimension to the room and will inevitably be the envy of all other visiting children and adults alike.

The trick though is to spend some time and money on the framing of these prints. There is nothing worse than a hodge-podge of bent and screwed up paintings stuck to the wall. (My worst is when they take over the fridge! Think art gallery please, not a nursery school pinboard. If you’re not a fan of art, then you could use Your Photo as Wall Decoration instead. A lot of people prefer this, it makes the room feel more homely. Pictures of the family, friends and pets would look lovely in the family room. However, make sure to research some inspiration so your photos look nice when they’ve been hung up.

Small space inspiration comes from big thinking – just remember that.
Yours
Lea Ann

Family room vs. living room

And no, you don’t have to spend a fortune to do this

The number one trick in home decoration is to make you happy and confident about the space in which you live and your living room, although small, is for relaxing and on the odd occasion for entertaining. If you’ve just recently moved from a bigger space, you may be in need of the services provided by Holloway Storage Sydney and likewise services offered by local companies to you.
Remember that the main trick, is to trick the eye! You need to do this to make the room appear more spacious – even it if is small, little tricks played can help tremendously. You want a pleasing space and one which maximises light and airiness.

Think:

• Scale
• colour
• weight

Here are some tricks of the trade to make your living room feel more spacious.

Decorating Trick No. 1. Don’t over clutter and make sure your furniture fits the scene

You don’t have to go and weigh each piece of your furniture – just look at it in terms of its context within the room.

Visual weight is what I am speaking about. This is the heaviness – both perceived and real of the piece of furniture. What can affect visual weight are things like – (obviously) the size, the colour, the design and the height of the piece.

Heavier pieces of furniture will constrict a room. You don’t need this “boa” effect. Trash it, or move it elsewhere.

Select lightweight as opposed to boxy and chunky. Furnishings that don’t block out views or other pieces, will automatically open up the area.

I have got one of the handmade rugs Bazaar Velvet to make my room look bigger than it is.

An ottoman in front of a window is a good way to see out, yet still have somewhere to sit. Ottomans are my best 2017 pieces – especially for small rooms. My husband designed one for our holiday home and I gulped at the thought because they reminded me of Granny Furniture. But I think it works like a treat and a fab place to have a siesta on a hot afternoon overlooking the view.

• Paler colours are better than dark ones
• Pieces that have legs are better than the boxy look – if you can see under it – cool
• Use as much glass or Perspex – these will seem to take up less space than chunky wooden one
• Any furnishings that allow you to see over them, or allow other pieces to be seen are preferable
• Declutter and open up

Decorating Trick No. 2. Use mirror, mirrors on the wall

If you are anything like me, you don’t like mirrors that are in-your-face and over the top.You need them though, not in great big bold casino type décor, just subtly placed in strategic spots in the room. this will make a big difference in that they will make it look more spacious, and add a nice bit of cosiness especially at night when other lights are reflected off them.

I always have a bunch of candles in front of mine and they make the room feel relaxed and very special.

Always put a plant, or flowers or some form of decorative piece in front of them and they will shine brightly and double up on the effect!

Decorating Trick No. 3. Roaming eyes will look upwards and onwards

If you happen to have higher ceilings than the norm – you are in a fortunate position because you can draw the eye of the beholder upwards and this gives a sense of spaciousness you need. Make the most of it by using interesting paint techniques and lighting.

Another way is to always install floor-to-ceiling curtains – this will change the dimension of the room immediately. Height, length and width – the three dimensions. Concentrating on your special height will achieve the goal of making the living room more spacious. Or any room for that matter.

Roaming eyes – this is your goal.

Add some interesting artwork all the way up the wall. Don’t be intimidated – just place your pieces in a montage up and up. Those eyes will roam!

I like the way that a bookshelf above the window area has been installed – it is another clever trick to get those eyes upwards.

Decorating Trick No.4. Light windows treatments

Light, bright and breezy. If you follow this on your windows whether, in the curtains or whatever type of blind treatment you want, you will give the whole space a nice airy feel and will make the room look more spacious.

If you don’t have to decorate your windows – don’t. The less the better and sometimes bare window treatments will work really well in achieving a bigger feel to your sitting room.

Decorating Trick No.5. Small but cosy

You don’t have to do the minimalist look to achieve a sense of space in your living room. It can also feel cozy with a few pieces of furniture and clever use of lighting and colors, textures and fabrics.

This look is one of my favorites in that it is a fairly neutral (yet not drab) color palette, with the warmth coming from the clever use of lighting from the lamps and full-length windows and the use of candles (always) – these all trick the eye into a looking through the dimension of the room. When it comes to lighting, it may be worth knowing that this site has some great living room ceiling lights ideas, in case this aspect of the room needs switching up a little.

The TV on the wall is an interesting choice, as they opted to wall mount instead of using a TV unit. This adds space but reduces storage. If you’d like the idea of having a suitable unit, I’d recommend you to take a look at furniture in fashion’s TV units. You’ll get an idea of whether any would suit your small space, helping you to make a judgment on whether a unit or wall mount would be more suitable. Another interesting point is the coffee table. This feature is also serving as another seating piece and one you should always bear in mind when you have a small space in which to work.

There will be many more tricks of the trade to share with you but take note:

You will have reached perfection in your design choices only when you have nothing really more to take away from the room, rather than anything more to add.