Thursday, January 14, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Interior Design
Measure the Living Room Before Starting
The first step is always to measure. Walls, floors, windows – you name it. Measure everything and then sketch it out on a piece of graph paper. If there’s a built-in focal point such as a fireplace, don’t forget to include it. Then measure furniture and see if the items will actually fit in the space. There are several websites that can create 3-D floor plans as well, such as mydeco.com.
Furniture Arranging for the Living Room
Try out different arrangements and see which ones work for the room. Here are a few things to consider:
* Create conversation areas. People shouldn’t have to shout or twist around in their seat if they want to speak to other people in the room.
* Decide on a focal point (fireplace, television, etc.), and arrange furniture around it. If a lot of people will be watching television, make sure that it can be seen by most or all of the seats. People shouldn’t have to strain their necks.
* Think about traffic flow so that people aren’t tripping over things to get from one side of the room to the other.
* Remember that items needn’t be pushed up against the walls. If space permits, pull furniture away from the walls to create a more intimate setting. Don’t worry about seeing the backs of pieces of furniture. If they’re nice, why not show them?
* If the room is really large divide it into two separate areas.
Sofa and Chairs for the Living Room
The sofa will no doubt be the biggest piece in the room. Make sure it fits! Check out How to Buy the Perfect Sofa for Your Home and A Guide to Sofa Styles before buying. Make sure sofas and chairs are comfortable and suit the purpose of the room.
Area Rug Sizes
If using an area rug, make sure it’s the right size. One of the most common mistakes people make is to use one that is too small for the space. Make sure that the furniture is sitting on it. If this isn’t possible, ensure that at least the front legs of large upholstered pieces sit on the rug.
The first step is always to measure. Walls, floors, windows – you name it. Measure everything and then sketch it out on a piece of graph paper. If there’s a built-in focal point such as a fireplace, don’t forget to include it. Then measure furniture and see if the items will actually fit in the space. There are several websites that can create 3-D floor plans as well, such as mydeco.com.
Furniture Arranging for the Living Room
Try out different arrangements and see which ones work for the room. Here are a few things to consider:
* Create conversation areas. People shouldn’t have to shout or twist around in their seat if they want to speak to other people in the room.
* Decide on a focal point (fireplace, television, etc.), and arrange furniture around it. If a lot of people will be watching television, make sure that it can be seen by most or all of the seats. People shouldn’t have to strain their necks.
* Think about traffic flow so that people aren’t tripping over things to get from one side of the room to the other.
* Remember that items needn’t be pushed up against the walls. If space permits, pull furniture away from the walls to create a more intimate setting. Don’t worry about seeing the backs of pieces of furniture. If they’re nice, why not show them?
* If the room is really large divide it into two separate areas.
Sofa and Chairs for the Living Room
The sofa will no doubt be the biggest piece in the room. Make sure it fits! Check out How to Buy the Perfect Sofa for Your Home and A Guide to Sofa Styles before buying. Make sure sofas and chairs are comfortable and suit the purpose of the room.
Area Rug Sizes
If using an area rug, make sure it’s the right size. One of the most common mistakes people make is to use one that is too small for the space. Make sure that the furniture is sitting on it. If this isn’t possible, ensure that at least the front legs of large upholstered pieces sit on the rug.
Living Room Ideas
Living room decorating can be quite a fun exercise and economical as well. By using a bit of ingenuity and some out of the box interior decorating ideas, a drab and dull room can be transformed into a warm, welcoming and comfortable space. Here are some easy and cheap interior decorating ideas that can be used to create the perfect family or living room.
Deciding on Living Room Color
The living room or family room is an area where color selection can be quite interesting. Choose a pastel yellow or blue to reflect space and light while brighter colors such as a bright blue, green or even, red can be used to infuse energy and life. Another alternative can be to keep three walls one color and paint one wall in a contrasting color. The idea is to be imaginative and creative.
For a cheap yet tasteful option, keep the color of the walls as it and instead, decorate them with pictures, photograph collections or even an old but bright rug. Collections of items always add interest and character to a room, so use wall space to showcase CD collections, books, music albums or even, framed clippings of interesting news articles. However, do avoid cluttering up the walls with too many pictures and collections.
Choosing a Décor Theme
Interior decorating on a budget can be fun and easy if everyone in the family is involved in the project. So, do ask for suggestions and inputs for theme-based family room ideas from all the members. Theme décor makes rooms look put together yet casual. Choose a simple yet creative theme for the living room and bring in pieces that fit the theme from other parts of the house.
For instance, if entertainment is going to be the main activity in the living room, decorate the room accordingly. An entertainment unit, comprising of a TV, DVD player and music system, along with other leisure material such as, books and magazines must be the focal point. Wall décor can include framed pictures of old movies or CD covers. Make sure that the furniture is comfortable and placed at the right distance from the entertainment unit.
Deciding on Living Room Color
The living room or family room is an area where color selection can be quite interesting. Choose a pastel yellow or blue to reflect space and light while brighter colors such as a bright blue, green or even, red can be used to infuse energy and life. Another alternative can be to keep three walls one color and paint one wall in a contrasting color. The idea is to be imaginative and creative.
For a cheap yet tasteful option, keep the color of the walls as it and instead, decorate them with pictures, photograph collections or even an old but bright rug. Collections of items always add interest and character to a room, so use wall space to showcase CD collections, books, music albums or even, framed clippings of interesting news articles. However, do avoid cluttering up the walls with too many pictures and collections.
Choosing a Décor Theme
Interior decorating on a budget can be fun and easy if everyone in the family is involved in the project. So, do ask for suggestions and inputs for theme-based family room ideas from all the members. Theme décor makes rooms look put together yet casual. Choose a simple yet creative theme for the living room and bring in pieces that fit the theme from other parts of the house.
For instance, if entertainment is going to be the main activity in the living room, decorate the room accordingly. An entertainment unit, comprising of a TV, DVD player and music system, along with other leisure material such as, books and magazines must be the focal point. Wall décor can include framed pictures of old movies or CD covers. Make sure that the furniture is comfortable and placed at the right distance from the entertainment unit.
Living Room Design
Do you have a perfect living room? Is it too perfect to live in? One of the mysteries of life to me is why people spend so much time and money decorating a living room and so little time actually living in it. It becomes a “company” room and, in my opinion, a waste of space and resources. You can make your living room that both your guests and your family will not only admire, but actually enjoy! Follow these guidelines to decorate your dream living room.
1. Clip, clip, clip. Assemble a clipping collection of your favorite rooms from magazines. Don't worry about expense, just allow yourself to dream! Colors, luxury furniture, chandeliers, and French doors – whatever sparks your imagination. There are ways to create the same look for much, much less.
2. Focal Point. Decide on a layout for your room, creating conversation areas and a focal point. For advice on how to create a layout, see Deciding on a Layout for Your Room Design. The focal point can be an architectural detail, fireplace, big screen TV (shame on you!), or a work of art. Arrange the furniture around 1) the focal point and 2) conversation.
3. De-clutter. Decide what you can keep in the room. To make your room look it's best, pare down the furnishings. Clutter takes away from the perceived space and elegance of a room.
4. Step away from the wall.Don't move all the furniture against the wall. This is not a police lineup! This is a living room and guests need to sit close enough to talk to one another. To learn more about furniture placement, visit my article The Basics of Furniture Arrangement
5. Have a seat. Strive to sit at least 6 people even in a small room. If the room is larger, divide it into areas that sit various groups of people from 2 to 6.
6. Area defined. Define conversation and seating areas with area rugs. Whether plain or patterned, area rugs add visual definition to a space and can be an accent as well. Learn more about area rug selection by reading my article Quick Decorating With Area Rugs
7. Details, details. Use architectural details, as well as furnishings, to delineate a space. Room dividers, columns, and floor elevations can all serve to define a room
8. The color of drapes. In general, curtains or drapes look best in the color or dominant color of the largest piece of furniture. This helps bring the room together and provide a background for the design.
9. Look out below. In general, the floors should be a little darker than the walls. This grounds the room design and provides a pleasing balance to the space.
10. On the diagonal. Placing furniture on a diagonal can provide interest and vitality to your design. Try it!
11. On display. Place art opposite the seating arrangement so that your guests can see it, not behind it so that the art is rarely enjoyed. Avoid the large, long painting behind the sofa. You know the kind I mean – the kind that comes from “starving artists.”
12. Looking back at you. Don't place mirrors where your guests constantly see themselves. It's very distracting and makes everyone uncomfortable - except for a select few that will find the sight fascinating.
13. Pull out a seat. For extra seating without taking up space, place low ottomans under tables or desks and bring them out when you need them.
14. Shedding light on the subject. Vary the types of lighting in the room. There should be lighting for reading, TV watching, and parties. Avoid the single light fixture overhead. For more about lighting, read my article Four Types of Lighting Every Room Should Have
15. It's alive. Bring in some live plants to give a feeling of nature in the room. While silk plants have a “real” look, there is nothing like the real thing.
16. The maze. Provide enough empty space between furnishings to make walking paths free of obstacles. This is especially important when the lights go out!
17. Adding "stuff". Add striking accessories to your room. Smaller accessories look better in groups, but avoid bringing in too much. There is a fine line between accessorizing and “clutter-izing” the room.
18. Here comes color. You can bring lots of color into your neutral room with pillows, accessories, or art.
19. Reuse,recycle, re-purpose. Use as many of your old furnishings as possible. Try to rethink their use. A desk can be used as a sofa table, a table can be shortened for a coffee table, and an armoire can become a desk. Sofas can be slipcovered and chairs can be painted.
20। Don't keep 'em in the dark. Make certain every seat has access to light and a table. Every person can then read and have coffee in comfort.
1. Clip, clip, clip. Assemble a clipping collection of your favorite rooms from magazines. Don't worry about expense, just allow yourself to dream! Colors, luxury furniture, chandeliers, and French doors – whatever sparks your imagination. There are ways to create the same look for much, much less.
2. Focal Point. Decide on a layout for your room, creating conversation areas and a focal point. For advice on how to create a layout, see Deciding on a Layout for Your Room Design. The focal point can be an architectural detail, fireplace, big screen TV (shame on you!), or a work of art. Arrange the furniture around 1) the focal point and 2) conversation.
3. De-clutter. Decide what you can keep in the room. To make your room look it's best, pare down the furnishings. Clutter takes away from the perceived space and elegance of a room.
4. Step away from the wall.Don't move all the furniture against the wall. This is not a police lineup! This is a living room and guests need to sit close enough to talk to one another. To learn more about furniture placement, visit my article The Basics of Furniture Arrangement
5. Have a seat. Strive to sit at least 6 people even in a small room. If the room is larger, divide it into areas that sit various groups of people from 2 to 6.
6. Area defined. Define conversation and seating areas with area rugs. Whether plain or patterned, area rugs add visual definition to a space and can be an accent as well. Learn more about area rug selection by reading my article Quick Decorating With Area Rugs
7. Details, details. Use architectural details, as well as furnishings, to delineate a space. Room dividers, columns, and floor elevations can all serve to define a room
8. The color of drapes. In general, curtains or drapes look best in the color or dominant color of the largest piece of furniture. This helps bring the room together and provide a background for the design.
9. Look out below. In general, the floors should be a little darker than the walls. This grounds the room design and provides a pleasing balance to the space.
10. On the diagonal. Placing furniture on a diagonal can provide interest and vitality to your design. Try it!
11. On display. Place art opposite the seating arrangement so that your guests can see it, not behind it so that the art is rarely enjoyed. Avoid the large, long painting behind the sofa. You know the kind I mean – the kind that comes from “starving artists.”
12. Looking back at you. Don't place mirrors where your guests constantly see themselves. It's very distracting and makes everyone uncomfortable - except for a select few that will find the sight fascinating.
13. Pull out a seat. For extra seating without taking up space, place low ottomans under tables or desks and bring them out when you need them.
14. Shedding light on the subject. Vary the types of lighting in the room. There should be lighting for reading, TV watching, and parties. Avoid the single light fixture overhead. For more about lighting, read my article Four Types of Lighting Every Room Should Have
15. It's alive. Bring in some live plants to give a feeling of nature in the room. While silk plants have a “real” look, there is nothing like the real thing.
16. The maze. Provide enough empty space between furnishings to make walking paths free of obstacles. This is especially important when the lights go out!
17. Adding "stuff". Add striking accessories to your room. Smaller accessories look better in groups, but avoid bringing in too much. There is a fine line between accessorizing and “clutter-izing” the room.
18. Here comes color. You can bring lots of color into your neutral room with pillows, accessories, or art.
19. Reuse,recycle, re-purpose. Use as many of your old furnishings as possible. Try to rethink their use. A desk can be used as a sofa table, a table can be shortened for a coffee table, and an armoire can become a desk. Sofas can be slipcovered and chairs can be painted.
20। Don't keep 'em in the dark. Make certain every seat has access to light and a table. Every person can then read and have coffee in comfort.
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