Ever wondered where the word ‘Living room’ originated from? The late 19th century saw the term first coined by decorative literature that suggested a living room is a formal room in a house to receive guests and reflects the personality of the designer. What’s quirkier is, it wasn’t until after World War I in 1918 that the term was extensively used. Until then, the ‘living room’ we all enjoy today was called ‘Death room’ instead for the number of bodies that were kept in the front room for mourning deaths from the Influenza that killed many.
Thankfully, living rooms today boast of being a different, positive, relaxing space used for families or friends to unwind. Whatever your purpose, it’s important to create a space that resonates with you and your family.
How to Set up a Living Room?
As the saying goes, each to their own. When it comes to design ideas, it’s important to reflect the personal style of the family residing in the house rather than copying a pre-set template. Don’t get us wrong, we are all for getting inspiration from home décor magazines and online. But the very same options can feel overwhelming when your current space and the high-end designs don’t match your pocket nor style! The good news is, there’s no wrong way to get your living space feeling right. Go with your inner vibe and choose from our décor ideas to spruce up your living area. Here are some steps before you decide on decor:
- Set Intention: It’s important to first decide on the function of your living room. Will it be a place of peace and relaxation or an active space for engaging in conversations and common activities? Choosing the feeling you want to imbibe in the space will help narrow the kind of textures, fabrics, artefacts even the type of furniture that will encourage the vibe. For a fresh living room, incorporate the use of light, airy colours that allow for natural light to enhance the overall look.
- Create a focal point: Now that you have your vibe chosen, pick a focal point. Will it be a TV? Chandelier? Or that funky online furniture you purchased from a bespoke store? Creating a focal point gives direction to the allocation of all other furniture like armchairs, side tables or that classy Ottoman pouffe you want to show off.
- Measure, measure wall to wall: Let’s get real. The magazines may splash lavish images of splendid furniture and accessories. But will something that large or small fit within our space? Measure wall to wall of the living room to know what’s possible length and width wise. This way, you can avoid any mistakes in sizing when looking to purchase the best for your living room.
Living Room Decor Ideas for 2020
Follow the simple trends of the year that highlight the need for minimal items creating a style statement too. Here are some trends that are timeless and functional for a living room:
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Natural elements:
The beauty of this theme is that it’s timeless and creates a fresh vibe in the living room. Imagine after a long tiring day of work, you walk into this welcoming space that smells great and rejuvenates your senses with Earthy cool colours and textures? Create a natural feel by including delicate floral patterns on sofa sets in pastel coloured backdrop. Don’t forget to accessorise using items that remind you of a serene natural surrounding- including polished stones, bamboo shoots or cane furniture!
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Bespoke coffee tables:
Center tables make a great focal point. Ensure to pick one with the correct height against the sofa seating around the table. This makes it easy, to use the table for serving guests or to place a beautiful vase of flowers. Marble is a hot trend for the year and there’s nothing classier than a beautiful solid white marble coffee table to add elegance.
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Double up the storage:
How about hitting two birds with one stone? Decorate walls with wall shelves for the living room that act as a fantastic display of your artefacts and collectables that would have otherwise been stored in a box well hidden in your storeroom. Brands like Wakefithave a remarkable collection of wall shelves that are easy to put together, stylish, durable and add beauty almost instantly on a plain wall.
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Wallpaper:
Probably the quickest way to change the feel in a room! Wallpapers add a textured look to the room and can be seen as a stunning focal point with their prints, colours and textures. These magical layers are known to instantly lift the room’s vibes. Choose subtle patterns if you want to create a vibrant feel lit up by natural lighting.
Create your own trend by styling your living room based on your own style sense. That way, you’ll fall in love with your interiors- every day!
