Pimp Up My Couch: 8 Brilliant Ideas To Make Your Living Room Stand Out
Even old houses that are normally full of charm and personality hit that low point sometimes when the homeowner doesn’t identify with the house anymore. It can happen for many reasons, but, in essence, it means that your own home interior is boring to you. It doesn’t excite you anymore; worst, it doesn’t look like you anymore. This calls for the intervention of a MacGyver of home décor, who can bless the house with a renewal wind.
Make It Smell Nice
One of the more notable areas people overlook when making their living room nicer is how it smells. Sometimes, this makes much more of an impression than you’d expect. You could’ve gotten used to the smell, no matter whether it’s a good one or a bad one. It’s worth switching things up a bit. Even a Bolivian rock could be enough to add a bit of a nice smell to your living room while giving it some added aesthetic appeal.
You need to make your house more homely, starting by styling up your living room. Your living room is where you will be receiving your guests and relaxing in your spare time. It’s a welcoming room that reflects your interests and your tastes. It probably sounds like an overwhelming project but don’t worry: There are plenty of sources of inspiration around that will suit all personalities.
#1 Stylish And Fit For A King Or A Queen
Living rooms in old houses often come with an elegant fireplace from a previous period. When they have been well maintained, those fireplaces are not only extremely attractive but also add a certain touch of ancient grandeur to the room. They remind of a time when kings and emperors still ruled their realms and when wealth was displayed in gold. If you have one of those fireplaces, you can use it as the heart of your décor by taking the room into a distant past.
Revive the kings and queens of the past with a playful use of gold paints and extravagant furniture in black, silver, and rich red and blue colors. If you are feeling up for it, you can even add a beautiful display of leaves and cherubs to call the richness of the Renaissance back to life. However, do not attempt this style if your living room doesn’t have large windows that let plenty of natural light in, as it will make everything appear dark and crowded.
#2 Natural Textures For Nature Lovers
Many homeowners will keep a potted plant on the window ledge; some will keep more than one. If you are the type of homeowner who has an entire wall covered in green leaves and who keeps notes on when to prune each plant, it is a pity not to exploit your love for nature in your living room. Plants are a gift from Mother Nature, and they can be just as good for your health as they are decorative. The best way to make the most of your little garden in the house is to combine the colorful flowers and leaves with neutral furniture and decoration. Blend that royal lifestyle by going onto Kouboo.com to grab a Rattan throne. By adding a peacock chair or two to the room, you make the room warm and inviting.
A green view by Flickr
Using natural wood, osier willow carpet and seats, and whitewash paint will place emphasis on the natural life in the room: Your plants. This is a very relaxing environment, in which you will soon find yourself enjoying so much the peace of your surroundings that you might even decide to switch off the tv to clear out your mind!
#3 Modern And Playful Open Space
The main problem that young homeowners have with changing their living room style is the fear that the room might look old and too grown-up for their liking. A leather sofa and picture frames on the wall start looking too much like the house of their own parents and it’s the last thing they want to find in their style. Thankfully, there are modern approaches to living rooms that combine high-tech gadgets and playful furniture set, such as high quality bean bags to lounge comfortably on while you’re watching the latest episodes of your favorite show on a tablet. If you like modern décors, you will find great inspiration in checking the official office of leading tech companies such as Airbnb or Google for example. They mix shapes and colors in an open space to create a feeling of fun and exchange that brings a lot of positivity. Your living room may not be the headquarters of Google, but there’s nothing stopping you from pinching a few smart styling ideas from them!
#4 A Bold Explosion Of Patterns
They are people who prefer to wear gray and black suits to work, and they are the exuberant individuals who love colors and shapes and are more likely to buy a fantastic orange or green suit to illuminate the workplace. If you are one for the colorful approach, it would be too sad to sit down in a neutral living room that says nothing about you. Take a bold step and let your inner creativity inspire your décor. It is an art to mix elegantly a spotted rug with a tartan sofa, but nothing is impossible for the careful creator who can identify patterns of colors that will build a harmonious and bold marriage of styles in the room. When you pick your patterns and colors, make sure though that the living room is big enough to welcome this lively décor. If the room is too small, it will feel crowded and aggressive instead of bringing the touch of originality that you are looking for. Also, it is highly recommended to build a palette of colors to choose from at the start, as this is a reference you can use to pick the right material and furniture. This will avoid any spontaneous purchase that might ruin the room.
#5 A Giant Persian Rug
Leave the flying carpet to Aladdin, a Persian rug is the closest you will ever get to traveling from the comfort of your house. Persian rugs are real works of art, and, instead of using them as the finishing touch in a large room, they can be the heart of the décor. You will find rugs in shades of burgundy, blue, and white for the most common patterns. Often, by selecting a few touches of color in the living room, such as cushions, or the frames on a wall, you can place the emphasis on the rug while spreading its main color across the room. Persian rugs are very elegant and extremely high-quality material Consequently, the acquisition of such a rug implies that it can be seen without being covered by the furniture which could damage its surface.
#6 Velour And Dark Walls
This style is not for everybody as this is a reminder of the rich materials used by merchants at the time of Shakespeare. A velour-covered couch gives a welcoming feeling of warmth and wealth, but requires a lot of care so be careful if you have young children or exuberant pets! The play around the warmth shades of velour, such as red, maroon, or even bottle green needs to be toned down with plain cushion and curtains. Ideally, painting the walls in a faux finish style in dark natural colors will bring your couch to stand out more. This beautiful and elegant style is best used in roomy living room with plenty of natural light. In a small house, a dark living room will immediately look like you are trying to launch a gothic trend and will be claustrophobic for guests.
#7 A Leather Sofa And Nothing Else
A leather sofa is a long-term investment, so if you have a big living room, you can make the most of it by finding a very large high-quality leather sofa. Although colors are not important in the choice, as the sofa will define the style of the décor, it is best to keep to standard leather shades for couches such as brown, black and cream. It is important in this style to put the accent on the sofa by playing it down on the walls with a natural color, and by using the boldest and wildest cushions that you can find. The rest of the furniture will have to remain neutral, in natural wood for example, so that all eyes can be on the sofa. This décor works fine in smaller rooms too and is a good reminder of what the living room is for: For sitting and being together.
#8 The Elemental Living Room
Whether you like hiking in the mountains or swimming in the waves, an elemental décor sets the focus on the natural elements that you love. This style is generally for craft enthusiasts who love to bring to their surroundings the creative universe they have in mind. You will generally find pieces of decoration or furniture made with recuperated shells, or forest wood for example, as a way of bringing into the home your favorite natural landscape. You can also ask a qualified carpenter to help you with the creation of your dream stump table for instance, if DIY is out of your range. What is key to remember with this style is that the rest of the décor needs to serve to set the scene. So, if you are a sailor at heart, shades of gray, blue and white will bring a piece of furniture made out of a boat carcass to life. You get the picture so get your planning cap on and let the fun begin!
​Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram..
