Make Your Living Room Livable
FAMILY ROOM VS. LIVING ROOM
Many older, traditional homes are built with a family room and a living room. Family rooms are often considered the “tv room” where the family gathers for entertainment and relaxation and includes comfy couches and recliners. Living rooms, on the other hand, are oftentimes located at the front of the house, are used less often, and typically are a bit more formal and ready for guests, aka “company” to visit. Because this room isn’t used as frequently as other rooms of the house, it is usually the last to be updated. If this sound like your living room, and especially if the room is at the front of the house where neighbors stroll by, perhaps this is the year you update that room and make it a bit more welcoming so it gets some use in the new year.
TIME FOR AN UPDATE
When updating a room where people gather, consider the furniture. Be completely honest: is the furniture comfortable or is it covered with a plastic slipcover to protect the upholstery? If your furniture is closer to the latter, perhaps it's time you consider donating that couch, or “davenport”, and purchase some new seating. That can be a sectional couch, armchairs, or even a comfy La-Z-Boy. Once you decide on the seating, add a table or two, some lamps that make a statement and some pieces of artwork.
YOU’RE NOT DONE YET
At this point you might think you are done, but that’s not quite the case. Look to your windows and the drapes you may or may not have hanging on them. If your living room is at the front of the house, all who pass by can get a glimpse of them. Is it time for an update? Simply by adding curtains with texture or a great print, you can create an entirely new look to your living room. Adding shears as well as curtains on double ceiling mount curtain tracks can create a new dimension to your room and give it that final touch.
DESIGN FUN
Simple updates like these can make that living room a room in your house where your family and friends will want to spend time. For design ideas, check out our image gallery or these helpful sites: Houzz.com, HGTV.com, Interior Design Homes.
Happy designing!