Creating a home where your family and others gather can be a simple process. Using these 5 essentials to style a living room takes all the guess work out so you can create a space that is welcoming and cozy.
5 ESSENTIALS TO STYLE A LIVING ROOM
When it comes to creating a room that people want to gather in, there are a few things that help pull it all together. This can be done on any budget or time frame and should reflect your home’s personal style.
Recently, I gave a makeover to a small space in our living room. Our home was built in 1915, so the layout can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Our living room is a great example of that. It is long and narrow, with a smaller front part to it. {We call that the library…click HERE for that makeover.} But the space I gave a makeover to sits off to one side, along one small wall and across from our piano.
Let’s take a peek at the before, so you know where it started and then let’s dive into the 5 essentials to style a living room.
1. SEATING
The first thing your living room will need is seating. Depending on the size and layout, this could include a large couch, love seat, chairs, and any combination of these. Evaluate the space you have and decide which size furniture would work best for how you want the room to function.
For this small living room space, I stuck with just a love seat. The purpose of this corner is for one or a few people to gather. Whether it’s to read books or hold conversations, the love seat can only seat a few people, so the idea of a more intimate gathering was my focus.
This love seat is from IKEA. It was the perfect solution to my tiny budget for seating. The slipcover is removable and easy to wash. And although it isn’t as comfy as our larger couch on the other side of our living room, it’s a great way to add seating when on a small budget.
〈HOW TO WASH A SLIPCOVER〉 〈RECENT MAKEOVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF OUR LIVING ROOM〉
2. ADD A RUG
Now that you have seating and a layout decided upon, let’s pull that seating together with a rug. There are a couple of things to consider when deciding upon a rug. The first would be the size. The best layouts have the front legs of all the seating on the rug, while allowing space between the rug and any walls. The average size living room will typically use an 8’x10′ or 9’x12′ area rug.
For this small space, I went with a 4’x6′. It allows the front legs of the couch to be on it, as well as the entire coffee table, and a little extra on either side.
Adding a rug grounds the entire room. Without a rug, furniture feels and looks like it is just floating in the space.
3. PULL IN FURNITURE
Now we’re getting to more of the fun stuff with these 5 essentials to style a living room! Adding in furniture that serves the space can be an exercise in patience and creativity, especially when doing so on a budget. But for a living room, a few pieces are usually a part of the set-up.
The first would be a coffee table. Decide upon the shape and style and start looking for one that meets what you’re looking for. There are so many options out there and there really is no right or wrong if you stick to your style.
In this space, I went a little rogue. Using a small child’s table as a coffee table just kind of happened. I stumbled upon it at a rummage barn for a few dollars. A bit of sanding and a coat of gel stain and here it is: our coffee table!
Another common piece of furniture found in living rooms are end tables. Again, use any style and size that suits your layout.
For our space, I used a table that my mom had recently given to me. It would look great in an entryway along a wall, but I turned it the other way and backed it up against the couch. And now it’s an end table!
STEP BY STEP IN VIDEO
4. LIGHTING
The key to evening ambiance in a living room is lighting. And having the proper amount is key. Typically, a light source on either side of a couch is preferable. This way, one light at a time could be on if one person is sitting and reading. Or both {and other lights} could be on for a gathering of multiple people.
The tricky part if you are working on a budget is that lighting can be an expense. It took me two years of living in our home with terrible lighting in our living room to finally break down and get some that I knew I’d love for a long time. I had been searching at thrift stores and on marketplace, but I kept coming up with nothing. Knowing that I just wanted our living room to feel cohesive, I hit the order button and got a few new floor lamps. {Click HERE for this one next to our love seat.}
the table lamp was recently given to me by my mom and it fits perfect in this space. {Click HERE for the lamp shade.}
5. WALL DECOR
The last big essential to style a living room can bring out your creativity, as well as add your personality to the walls. Whether it’s artwork, photos, or a combination of the two, make it something that reflects your style.
Take into account the amount of space on the walls and factor that in. Don’t be afraid to add larger pieces of artwork or photos. If decor is too small, it will look as if it is floating on the walls. Increase the size of the frames and fill up the wall space from end to end…or from lamp to lamp.
Our wall is 8 feet long and the couch is centered in the middle. I chose three black-and white-prints of my kids when they were younger to fill in the space above the couch. The lamps take up some wall space, so the area only above the couch needed wall decor. The 8″ x 10″ photos are each in a 17″ x 21″ frame.
Homes are meant to be enjoyed and for others to love being with us in them. These 5 essentials to style a living room will get you on track to setting up a space that helps you do just that.
Often, we set up our homes on a budget. And while that can feel frustrating at times, it really makes us more creative, as well as patient. It has taken me over a year to finally pull my idea for this small space together. But in the end, I love it more than if I ran out on day one and just grabbed everything I thought I needed for it. The various pieces of furniture, lamps, and wall decor came together over time. That is how a well-loved home is created. And it will draw others in because you have created a cozy, inviting, functional, and pretty space.
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