A beginners guide to: creating your perfect living room
When working with interior design clients, the most common thing I hear is that they are struggling with visualising what their space will look like and they are unsure what they actually want the space to look like.
I am always aware that hiring an interior designer is a luxury, so I wanted to start a series with my tips in creating your perfect space. Starting with the living room, this is one of my favourite rooms to design, I feel like you can have some much fun with these spaces and really express your personality.
So let’s get into my tips for creating a space that’s unique to you.
Tip 1: Consider the use of the space
Really delve into how you want the room to feel, this will help you dictate how the room looks. Think about how you intend to use the space. Is it a formal space that you will use to entertain guests? Is it more of a snug, to cuddle up and watch movies of an evening? Or is it a multipurpose space for you, a living room/home office/playroom?
Once you’ve cracked how you want to use your space, think about how you want to feel whilst using it. Calming? Cosy? Refreshed? You can then use these prompts to start inspiring the design of the room. Head to Pinterest, Instagram, magazines and keep in mind the use and feel of the space. Start pulling together a simple mood board and notice what colours and styles are emerging. Use this as a reference point for designing your space.
Tip 2: Layout
Plan the layout of your space. Often this is an overlooked step in the design process, and people will tend to keep furniture items in the same place they have always been. However, changing the layout can hugely change the way you feel about the space. Try putting the sofa in a totally different place, add in some shelving or a bench seat into a nook if you have one … you might find that you absolutely love the change and you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.
Tip 3: Furniture
With the cost of furniture continuing to rise, now is as good a time as any to start shopping second hand. Not only does it mean that you’re saving more than a few pennies but the look of mixing old and new pieces in a space makes it feel instantly more homely. Car boot sales, Facebook marketplace and antique shops are all great places to start looking for your next bargain.
Tip 4: Patterns, colours & textures
Now onto the fun part! The styling and dressing of the space. When picking accessories for your living room, it’s important to keep a balance of patterns colours and textures.
When picking patterns, opt for some which are more linear or geometric and pair them with a floral or abstract print for a balance space.
I would recommend sticking to 2-3 colours in your space and playing with the different tones of those colours. This helps the space look less cluttered to the eye and feel more cohesive.
With pattern, mix a more textured fabric such as linen or cotton with something more plain like a velvet. This is another easy way to add interest to the space.
Most of all, have fun with creating a space which feels unique to you!
Make sure to subscribe if you want to hear my tips for the rest of the home.
Kiera x
Great post!