Accent Walls and Living Room Furniture Placement Guidelines

Becoming a very popular part of home décor are accent walls.  Looked through a magazine and you will notice an accent wall is present in most of the rooms.  However, you may find it a little intimidating if you never had one. Following are some guidelines on how to have accent walls and how to place your living room furniture to make it look like a professional designer did it. 

You can follow numerous guidelines on doing this.  Choosing the wall that is in the line of your sight upon entering the room is suggested by most interior designers.   The eyes of the person entering your living room must be drawn by the accent wall in a straight line.

If your home has plenty of entrances, the line of sight will vary on which entrance will be used.  Your best solution is to have the accent wall where the eyes are naturally attracted to.  This is exemplified when you have a big window or fireplace, as it will naturally attract anybody’s attention.  A fixed object does not need to be your focal point.  A work of art like a painting or sculpture and even a piece of furniture can be your focal point.

Modify the position of your furniture

You can always alter the way your furniture has been positioned.  It does not have to stay the way it is for years.  

Start with the biggest piece, which is the sofa.  Put it in a spot where it faces your focal point.  Place the other pieces accordingly by their sizes.  Sofas and chairs must be closely placed with each other but not too close to provide a more conducive atmosphere for conversations.

Leave a small space between your furniture and the walls to avoid the look of rigidity.  A sofa table between the wall and the sofa can make a big difference.  Display some mementos or collectibles on top of the table.

Put a coffee table or end table where appropriate.  This will provide functionality so books, magazines, cups, glasses and food can be placed while conversing or watching TV.  Choose the proper size of table to blend with the size of your living room and the sofa or chairs.

Enjoy having an accent wall in your room by following the above guidelines on accent wall and living room furniture placement.

Recessed Lighting can Give Your Room a More Relaxing Mood

Without the proper lights, your room will still look incomplete in spite having the most expensive and luxurious furniture.  Adding excitement and playing an essential role in home decorating are lighting fixtures; hence, you need to see to it that you give them utmost attention, too.

 Lighting fixtures have undergone numerous changes since the time it was invented.  From the simple bulb, it has evolved into various designs and styles with each of them offering different functions and amount of illumination.  Although having a general light is still present in most home, other lighting accoutrements are used for different purposes.  With the use of different lights, your room can have a more relaxing mood and foster a more inviting appeal.      

  

With recessed lighting, your room can have an extraordinary appeal.  You can even replace your general light with recessed lights.  Following are the good aspects of using recessed lighting.  

1. It can replace chandeliers and lamps.  
2. It can give emphasis on your decorations such as the family picture, an artwork or any of your beloved possessions.

Recessed lights can be mounted in any room of your home.  As mentioned above, it can be used to give focus to your decoration.   For better results, recessed lights must be mounted opposite the decoration.  Observe a distance of 12 – 18 inches.  Additional lights can be added to give the decoration more emphasis.

Mount recessed lights in the reading area.  Mount it directly above the head.  This will keep away any shadows that can distract the attention while reading.

Mount recessed lights in the kitchen.  Position them under the cupboards so you can have adequate illumination while cooking.

How to mount recessed lights

Get the measurement of the recessed lights so you can evaluate the distance for each unit.  A distance of feet is recommended if the fixture measures inches and a distance of 6 feet if it measures 6 inches.

Observing the recommended spacing will make it look organized.  Take into account your decoration, too.  Lights, furniture and your decorations must be in harmony.

You can get some ideas from the internet or from home decoration magazines.  You can also check online furniture stores for some tips.

Choosing the Fabric for Living Room Furniture Tips

The fabric is one of the criteria that you need to look into when buying living room furniture.  In choosing the fabric, you need to take account the following: 

1. The people who will be using the furniture
2. If it will be used frequently or occasionally
3. The time you can allot to clean them.

Here are the different fabrics used for living room furniture.

Natural fabrics like cotton fall under this category which rips off easily.  However, the cotton fabric that is being used now for sofas have been made to be more durable than before.

Synthetic or manmade fabrics do not easily get dirty and defy stains.  Nylon blend is one of the sturdiest synthetic fabrics.  They resist dirt and smears.  Polyester blend is almost the same as cotton and is easy to clean and maintain.  Rayon is cheaper, defies depreciation and defies fading and depreciation. 

Raised upholstered patterns are not good to have for a busy home.  They get easily worn out so you always need to buy a new one.    A good choice are those in silky closed-weaved fabrics.  The manner the weave was made is your clue of the durability of the furniture.  

Microfiber is a popular choice for households with kids or pets.  It defies stain and soil and is a good material for a busy household.  It is soft, comfy and tough.  It is also a good choice if a there is a family member with allergy.  

Leather is durable and dense.  It is guaranteed to last you longer.  It is also easy to maintain.

Refer to the above tips when you choose the type of material for your furniture.  Choosing the appropriate fabric can guarantee you of its durability.  Hence, make sure that you choose the fabric that suits your household the next time your buy your living room furniture.

Get a Curved Sectional Sofa for your Living Room

One of the pieces of furniture that a living room cannot do without is the sofa.  Sofas are available in different styles.  We have the 3-seater, 2-seater, single and the sectional sofa. 

Sectional sofas are also available in different styles, designs and sizes.  There is the round, small and curved sectional sofas.   

Let us focus on the curved sectional sofa.  These types of sofas are available in various curve shapes from the traditional U shape to the contemporary winding S curve.  Whether you select the U or the S shape, it is important that the sofa will improve the appearance of your living room as well as your home.

The curved sectional couch in your friend or sister’s home may look good but it does not mean it will be the same in your own place.

As always, the first rule when buying any kind of furniture is to get the dimension of the room. 

Small rooms definitely will have to settle with small sectionals.  The armless curved sectional couch can make a small area to look huge and well-ventilated.  If you want the upholstered curved sectionals, choose those that have small prints and in lighter colors.

A big room can also have a curved sectional couch.  It adds a modest grace and charm to your living room’s appeal.  You can even use it as your accent wall.  Those that are in velvet, jacquard, chennile and damask upholstery will definitely suit a big room.

Ways of arranging the curved sectional sofa

A traditional way is to put it in one corner of the living room.  Have a chaise at the center and then an ottoman in a corner and make it as your center table.  This arrangement creates a balanced and pleasant atmosphere in your living room.
 

You can also have the curved sectional sofa on the center while the end piece can be positioned in a manner that its curve is outward.  This arrangement is stylish and its extraordinary arrangement will give a minimalist look in your living room.

Online furniture stores are your best source for curved sectional sofas.

Selecting Furniture for Light-Colored Homes

  

Light-colored walls are cool and soft to the eyes; however, it can also be boring at times.  Enliven your light-colored living room with the use of furniture.

You have three options – either you change your whole furniture set, refurbish them or rearrange them.  

Change your furniture set and buy a new set of living room furniture.  If you opt to change the whole set, then get some willing buyers first so they will not take much space in your room or in your garage.  Besides, they will deteriorate fast if you put them there.  If you find some buyers, then you will be able to have additional resources to buy a new set of furniture.  Select furniture that has radiant hues.  Select contemporary furniture, as they are practical, functional and have a minimalist design and style.

If you plan to refurbish them, choose some brighter and darker shades that will complement the color of your walls.  If you have wooden furniture, you can either repaint them or have them polished for a new shine so they will look new and fresh.  

For furniture with fabrics, check if there are any stains and try if they can still be removed.  If not, have them reupholstered.  Again, you have to consider the paint color of your living room walls.  For glass furniture such as the coffee table or other furniture that has a mixture of wood and glass, get a glass cleaner so they will look shinier.

Check if your furniture needs some repairs and attend to them immediately.

Redesign your living room by rearranging furniture.  Have a small nook exclusive for reading and which can also be used for private seclusion.  You can separate this by having a room divider or with the use of an area rug.  

Other things that you can do to spice up your livingroom with light color paint are:

Have an area rug under your coffee table.  Choose one that has geometric patterns and with an assortment of colors.

Change your decorations on the wall.  If you have photos, change them to some works of art so long as you do not over decorate it.

Get some plants and place them strategically so they get enough light depending on their needs.  Have some hanging plants near your window.

Have an accent wall but make sure you paint it in a darker shade.

Lastly, have scented candles and light them to give your living room a captivating smell.

There are plenty of things that you can do to enliven your light-colored living room.  The only thing that you need is to visualize what you want and start working.