You spend a lot of time in your living room. It is especially so in log cabin summer houses where these spaces serve as vibrant relaxation rooms. You can sip on a cup of tea, catch up with friends or watch movies while in this room. And as you do so, you will take in what is around you. Your mind will mull over the furnishings, paintings, and lighting pieces. And as you do so, you can either take delight in your work or notice a gap in the flow. If you feel that your living room needs some sprucing up, here are some exciting ideas to help you. And the good thing is that you will not spend a ton of cash on these changes:
Create A Focal Point
First things first, what is the focal point? Think about it like this: when you walk into your living room, what is the first thing you want to see? What is it that you want your friends and family to lay their eyes on as they settle into the room? Figure that out and then you will have a focal point for this space.
Some rooms are bland in that they have nothing to offer, given that nothing stands out. Nothing jumps out at you, and everything feels plain. This dullness tires the eyes, and you need to create playful features to excite your senses. A good example is the use of a fireplace. Put some architecture into this space such that it becomes a conversation starter. People will walk in and go ‘whoa!’ And you will know that you got it right.
With wooden summer houses, you do not have to work hard to create a focal point. You could use the large windows as the centre of the space, and arrange the furniture to indicate this. Also, be sure to interest the eyes by having some other attention-catchers in the room. But do not create more than one focal point or the room will feel too busy.
Make The Space Functional
While a living room is a versatile space, it should have a designated purpose. Failure to do this will result in too many activities taking place in the room and making it feel busy. You do not want this. First off, you need to think about the space you have and the way you use it. For example, now that you have chosen the fireplace as a focal point, how can you access it? How many entry points do you have in the room? Map out the living area and figure out how you can arrange the furniture to fit this space.
Next, figure out how you want to use the room and if the space available can accommodate this activity. Say, for example, you want an area in which you can unwind and catch up on your favourite books. In this case, you would need some comfy chairs and a coffee table in the room. This decision will affect the layout of the furniture and help in designing the room around the focal point.
Where you have a large room, the space can serve more than one purpose. You can have a gaming area at one end and the reading space at the other. Note that neither of these uses should interfere with the focal point as they should borrow from it.
Light Up The Space
A room with good lighting feels welcoming and bright and is a sure way to lift your mood. Every time you walk into such a space you will feel lighter, more so with adequate ventilation in play. With this in mind, you should look for suitable sources of lighting. While daylight works great for the day, you will need additional light for dull days and nights.
When designing the room, go for layered lighting. In this way, you can have an overhead light as the primary source of illumination, with help from lamps. You can choose to give the room an intimate vibe by using candles, which are great for a natural feel. It also helps to arrange furniture away from the windows such that more natural light can stream into the room.
Use Rugs
Here, you have to be careful such that you do not use more pieces than are necessary for the room. While the space could do without a rug, it will look more inviting and feel more comfortable with one. Rugs add dimension to space and they increase texture, thus ensuring that the room does not appear bored.
When choosing a rug, you need to be careful with the colours such that they match the central theme of the room. The rug should not take away from the focal point or interfere with the functionality of the room. The size of the piece also matters, such that it should not be too big or too small. Try and keep the rug at least six inches away from the walls so that it does not take over the room. Also, ensure that the front legs of your furniture touch the rug to create a flow in the space.
Be Playful
While your focus should be on emphasising the focal point, you should not let this get in the way of your creativity. Feel free to add some patterns and textures in the room, to make it come alive. Go for a neutral couch and pair this with patterned throw pillows. Alternatively, you could opt for vibrant hues that will further brighten the space. Note that the colours you choose should match the style of the room to avoid a busy feel.
Start by creating a focus in the room and build everything else around this to create a natural flow. Ensure that you use symmetry to create a balance in the room so that the room can have a stunning look. All the best!
