When it comes to modern interior design trends, minimalist is still prevalent. However, you needn’t go to extremes but merely ensure your living room isn’t crammed. From letting more light inside to choosing mosaic tiles, here are 15 easy steps to help you update your home’s living room.
Natural light…
A modern look of the living room implies a bright and airy space. This is achieved through a single change: letting in more natural light. Namely, you should look to blend indoor space with outdoor space in every manner imaginable.
If you have a backyard, then connect it with the house by installing everything from a glass wall (with sliding doors) to French doors. If you’re lucky enough to have a house with a view, then use the opportunity to open up the living room to nature outside.
… and privacy concerns
A side-effect of letting more natural light inside the house is a serious invasion of privacy. Namely, you surely don’t wish for a noisy neighbor or a curious passerby to be able to stare inside your living room. That’s what blinds and curtains are for.
Once you shut the blinds, not only do you improve the level of privacy but you can regulate the amount of light the living room receives. This will come in handy during the hot summer months when the AC unit has to be turned on.
You can never go wrong with neutral colors
A neutral color palette doesn’t sound very attractive for any room inside the house, let alone the living room. However, neutral colors are the best décor option for small spaces. The specter of recommended hues ranges from white, across beige, to light grey.
These colors reflect maximum light, making space seem larger than it really is. Even if you do not wish to repaint the entire room, you can add pops of colors to create contrast. Of course, make sure that all the colors complement each other.
Sleek-looking furniture
Needless to say, the furniture inside the living room should be comfortable to sit in. However, if you wish to have modern pieces, then their design should be sleek as well. What we mean by this are minimalistic sofas and chairs that are upholstered with materials such as leather and other natural fabrics.
Ornate furniture might give your living room a stately look but then your home’s interior would be outdated. Furthermore, the pieces you choose to buy (or restore to life) should roughly match the proportions of the room.
Always go for natural materials
Speaking of natural materials, they should be found all across the room, not only in the furniture. For example, the floors should be made from wood, or more precisely, from bamboo. Namely, bamboo is a highly sustainable and durable plant that is grown commercially mainly in China.
Also, wood and stone (or the combo of these two materials) are ideal for living room details. You can have stone or wooden wall accents, small furniture pieces like a stool, and the aforementioned flooring. Concrete slabs are used for flooring in industrial design, for instance.
Metallic finished are considered modern
Another material that goes well with contemporary design is metal. Metallic finishes are more common in the kitchen and the bathroom but they can be carefully introduced in the living room as well. Polished metallic finishes (e.g. chromed elements) should be used for knobs and handles.
Moreover, metallic mirror frames are cool as heck! Wall accessories, such as picture frames can also have a metallic look to them. Then there are pendant lights, coffee tables with steel legs, etc. Once you choose the shade of “metallic,” stick to it in the entire living room to add uniformity to space.
Built-in storage units
If you are after a modern, minimalistic design, then nearly all pieces of furniture should double as storage units. This is done both to increase storage space (prospective buyers will appreciate this) and more importantly, to help get rid of living room clutter once and for all.
The TV unit should have a special place for the remote, the bookcase should have shelves of various sizes, and the couch, the room’s centerpieces, should have enough room inside for storing bed sheets. Even the AC unit should come with a wall holder for the remote controller.
Stone tiles as artwork
We have mentioned earlier that stone is a great natural material for the living room. Well, did you know that you can make mosaics out of it? Yes, stone mosaic tiles are used both for floor and wall mosaics which confer a sense of uniqueness to every living room.
The mosaics we speak of don’t necessarily have to cover large surfaces, as the theme you choose and the quality of craftsmanship play a more important role. If you’re not a big fan of pictures, then a stone mosaic over the couch would be the perfect artwork your living room needs.
Texture and patterns
You might think that wallpapers are a thing of the past but these wall decorations had one thing going in their favor: texture. Namely, all wallpaper patterns are tactile, that is, they have a texture to them that promises to add originality to the living room.
The trick to choosing the right wallpaper for your living room lies in the pattern. In this sense, floral motifs are out of fashion but straight lines are more in line (pun indented) with the sleek outlines of minimalistic furniture.
Try out a bold, black-and-white look
We have mentioned earlier that the color scheme of your living room should contain neutral colors. However, this doesn’t mean that you should add as many shades as you like. For a minimalistic design, you should stick to two or three colors.
For instance, a black-and-white color scheme is considered modern when paired up with metallic details described above. Instead of chromed elements, you should add copper finishing for the ultimate industrial look that will be trendy for years to come.
A touch of luxury
Regardless of the home improvement budget at your disposal, you can always introduce opulence in your living room. For example, you can choose a less expensive AC unit but when selecting which TV set to buy go for the top-range model.
The living room couch is another piece that you should go all in when it comes to cash. The bigger the décor element, the more important it is not to be stingy. When it comes to details, such as polishing doorknobs and hanging draperies you can always save enough money for fore luxurious acquisitions.
A functional living room
The living room is the central room inside your home and a social hub. That’s why its design should reflect this multi-practicality. When figuring out the layout, keep in mind that both children and seniors are going to use it. The edges of tables should be round, for toddlers not to get hurt stain-proof clear glass worktop savers.
Furthermore, the living room serves as the guest room in many homes. Enough sitting room is important, so throw in a couch that three people can sit comfortably on and a couple of armchairs. If your family and friends are movie fans, then it’s worth investing in a solid stereo sound system.
An open space
Our next tip is especially useful for people whose living room is small. Regardless of its size, a modern living room should have an open space, it shouldn’t feel cramped. In most cases, the open space is going to be the zone, to label it as such, between the TV set and the couch.
Consider placing a rug here and moving the coffee table closer to the couch to mark it. Such a design is functional as well as modern since it improves the room’s foot traffic. You should be able to walk the length of the living without having to navigate around furniture pieces.
Add a fireplace if possible
The living room should feel homely and a fireplace says just that! Although a fireplace is an antique fixture, it can easily become modern and raise the value of your property. Essentially, the role the fireplace once had is not fulfilled by the widescreen TV.
However, if you own a house in the countryside, don’t demolish the fireplace. Update it with cool-looking features, such as LED fire. The bricks should be washed and cleaned and the edges adorned with metallic stripes.
Green is the color of modernity
Finally, don’t forget to include plant life in the design of your living room. Plants are perennially popular, as a verdant living room sends the message that owners are caring people. Apart from random flower pots, create a garden-like space in one corner of the room for the ultimate feeling of homeliness.
All of the steps listed above are easy to execute and many of them will cost you next to nothing. After you’re remodeling the living room, you will have a pleasant space when each family member can relax and more importantly, have fun.