jane_ekolama's ideas
The size and tone of your art are important. Choose a painting with the appropriate scale for your space, in tones that stand out and draw the eye in but don’t clash with the rest of the room. One large, bold piece of art looks fantastic against a neutral wall and furniture. A series of prints can make an impact too, whether they’re framed identically or have an eclectic mix of frames.
Pay attention to how you can use color on your home’s architectural elements to draw the eye to or away from certain parts of your home. Notice how emphasizing the skirting in this hallway with bright turquoise leads the eye from door to door. One bold item, such as a colorful striped rug, instantly sets a playful mood. This look works particularly well in contemporary rooms with little or no architectural detailing.
Purple. Often associated with royalty, purple is ambitious and self-assured. It’s also the color of passion, creativity, wisdom and spirituality. This deep and emotive color is great for inspiring sensitivity and compassion in children. But if your child is particularly sensitive, you may want to keep this color limited to accents.
Yellow. Most of us associate yellow with feelings of happiness and cheerfulness. Studies also pair this bright and cheery color with motivation; softer yellows can aid concentration, while brighter ones can increase memory. Beware of using too much bright yellow, though. In large doses it may create feelings of agitation and even anger.
Orange. Largely underused, orange is perhaps one of the most misunderstood colors in the paint deck. This warm, friendly and youthful color is actually great for children since it’s said to encourage confidence, extroversion and independence. The social nature of this color also puts children and their friends at ease, inspiring communication and cooperation.
Colors for children's room Red. Red has the ability to energize the body and excite the mind, increasing heart and breathing rates. However, some research suggests that too much exposure to red encourages aggressive behavior and an inability to focus. The bottom line: Red is great as an accent, as shown in this room, but might not be the best wall color for a restless child.
Sculptural TV Stand Just because you have a flat-screen doesn’t mean you have to mount it on the wall. There’s a bevy of sculptural TV stands on the market that might look better in your home. Designer Orna Gurevich added a stainless steel easel-inspired TV stand to this contemporary family room in Tel Aviv, Israel.
4. Arrangement With a View One way to soften the presence of a TV mounted above a fireplace is to change up the room’s focal point. The design team at Five Star Interiors took advantage of this family room’s stunning views of the Austin, Texas, landscape by creating a furniture arrangement that emphasizes the view rather than the fireplace.
3. Framed Above Fireplace Mounting a flat-screen TV above a fireplace is a design debate we’ve discussed on Houzz before, and for those of you in favor of it, take some inspiration from this Boston family room designed by the team at Patrick Ahearn Architect. A custom frame helps integrate the TV and hide wires that run into the wall.
2. Built-in Home Bar Another great way to integrate a TV into a family room is by adding custom built-ins. This San Francisco family room designed by TRG Architecture + Interior Design features a built-in around the TV that includes a mix of drawers and open shelves. To the left, a built-in bar with blue cabinets provides a fun spot to pour a beverage while watching a movie.
1. Stylish Shiplap A large flat-screen TV takes up a fair amount of wall space, so finding ways to add interest to that wall other than changing up paint color can be tricky. The team at Leslie Cotter Interiors covered the wall behind the flat-screen in this Lexington, Kentucky, family room in shiplap, which adds texture and a classic touch.
When finishing the room, the couple matched new pieces of red oak to the existing floors where needed. They also took the opportunity to pull some planks up to install a gas line to the wood-burning fireplace in the great room. This will be much safer in this part of California, which is vulnerable to wildfires. One big design decision that was hard on the couple was to cover the original pine planks on the ceiling with Sheetrock. Homes like this don’t have any space between the original pine ceiling planks and the roof to install the infrastructure required for a vent hood and lighting.
The tower on the left contains the bar, the one on the right is a pantry pullout and the space between serves as a sideboard for the dining room. It can be set up as a buffet or bar, depending on how the couple are entertaining, and it’s also close to the wine caddy in the island. The drawers in the sideboard cabinetry contain placemats, napkins and other linens.
simply lovely
lovely paintings arrangement on the wall
Black and white theme
good arrangement of paintings
classic inspired looks 2
Classic inspired looks 1
Lovely ceiling
lovely living room
Grey theme: living room
Eclectic Asian Fusion by Ethan Allen
13. Include multiple focal points Ultimately, you shouldn’t be scared to include some pieces that add drama and personality to your living room, even if they break up the walls and don’t create a perfectly seamless and minimalist optical illusion. Including multiple medium-strength focal points instead of just one singular feature (or none at all) encourages the eye to move around the room so you take it in completely.
11. Skip the coffee table entirely Want to be truly bold? Skip the coffee table and rely on side tables and ledges for setting down drinks and other items. Leaving out the table in the centre of a seating group instantly makes a living room look and feel much more spacious. Besides, often all you really need is one good footstool anyway.
9. Make use of large mirrors Adding mirrors can seriously fool the eye into thinking the room is twice as large, especially if you use one big enough to appear almost like a door or window into another space. Look to floor mirrors, oversize wall mirrors or even stretches of mirror tile to create the illusion to maximum effect.
lovely side stools
9. Choose movable tables and stools. Lightweight tables, stools, ottomans and even side chairs that can be moved around easily make a living room much more comfortable, giving you and your family lots of options on a daily basis for putting your feet up, setting a drink down or seating an extra guest. Use a few smaller pieces, such as the upholstered footstools seen here, to allow for movement of pieces closer to and farther from the main seating as needed.
8. Add a patterned rug. Pattern is a powerful design tool, infusing a living room with energy and minimizing the appearance of stains or wear. A patterned rug brings these benefits to the “fifth wall” — the floor — simultaneously anchoring a seating area and giving the whole room a sense of life. Even if you already have carpeting, consider adding a rug to your seating area. The first time you roll it up to go to the cleaners after a big spill, you’ll be glad you had it there.
When in doubt, look to a cheerful blue — it’s a hue that usually everyone can agree on. It perfectly contrasts warm elements such as leather and wood, and it feels just neutral enough to work with basically any other future accent colors.
7. Add a dash of color. While you can create a beautiful space without any vivid hues, adding even a little bit of color to a living room can go a long way toward creating a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.
6. Choose practical fabrics. Speaking of upholstery, it’s especially important for living room seating to be not only comfortable but durable. What this means will depend on your family. You may have babies or small children, pets or not, and they may be messy or tidy. In general, mid-tone fabrics are the safest bet, as very light or dark shades will readily show soil and wear.
Mix up your upholstery. Sure, most furniture stores give you the option of purchasing an entire living room set in matching upholstery, but that doesn’t mean you should do it. In a formal seating area, matching upholstery can give a sense of maturity and order, but if you want a living room to feel cozy and welcoming, mix and match your upholstered pieces to give the design a bit more personality.
There are so many ways to add wood, any of which will make a space feel a bit more inviting. Consider wall paneling, side tables, movable stools, picture frames, sofa legs and carved pieces of art as just a few of the many options.
4. Work in some wood. We can’t talk about texture without talking about wood, one of the top materials for bringing a sense of warmth to a living room.
Pillows are a great place to start, especially if you’re decorating a living room on a budget. Look to other accessories and furnishings to add new materials to the palette, even in small doses.
lovely bath mirror frame
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