Chic Design: Tips on How to Sophisticate Our Living Room

The living room is usually one of the most central parts of a home because it is the space many of us spend time binging on our Netflix shows, hanging out with family and hosting guests. That is why it is very important to create an ideal space. Setting up a timeless and unique living room design is a homeowner’s goal, but creating an Architecture Digest-worthy décor lounge is not something that can be done without some planning and careful insight into the rules of design and new trends. Here is how to transform a boring sitting room into a sophisticated retreat with just a few tweaks.

Think about your canvas

All great living rooms start with a great color palette. When it comes to designing the room, we first need to think about the size of the space. Small rooms are not very convenient for dark tones because they make them look claustrophobic. While we can use darker colors (even black) in larger spaces, we should still proceed with caution as we don’t want our lounge to be oo overwhelming. It is always best to start with  soothing neutral shades such as beige, white and grey. If neutrals are not your cup of tea, consider other lighter tones like pastels or violet. When we use lighter colors as our backdrops, we can add personality and pops of color through decor pieces.

Let your furniture speak about your style

Just as our outfit often reflects our personality so does our choice of furniture. Look for rich upholstery, such as silk or velvet, but opt for a solid color to balance with texture. We recommending pairing a solid sofa with striped or floral chair (or any print of choice) which can serve as an accent piece. Balance the design by adding throw pillows in the same design as the chair on the sofa. Hand-crafted furniture, like a carved wood coffee table, also sends a glamorous message. Our living room could reflect a unifying color palette no matter your style.

Bring coziness with a rug

Doesn’t the whole room just feel naked when the floors are bare? This is especially true for living rooms which are meant to feel welcoming and warm. Now floor rugs come in all kinds of shapes, colors and designs, but for the sophisticated feel, it’s best to skip on overly quirky designs. The perfect rug will add playfulness and warmth, without taking all the spotlight. Consider choosing between a rug that brings in texture (e.g. sheepskin) and has a more neutral shade. Now if a minimalist look is desired, keep decor and furniture pieces neutral and let the rug be the show piece.

Let there be light

Now furniture, rugs, wall colors are all pretty obvious design elements, but more often than not, the things we don’t always pay attention to at first make the biggest contributions to the overall style. Take for example, how we arrange our lighting. By paying attention to the type of bulbs and light fixtures we choose can go a long ways to determine the overall ambience of the room. Even adding a decorative element such as a striking chandelier or modern pendant lamps adds so much to the aesthethic.

Create contrasts

Although we often refer to the living room as the formal room, we are under no obligation to make everything look ideally equal. On the contrary, we should aspire to create surprising visual contrasts which will make the entire space more dynamic. We can do this by opting for furniture like chairs and ottomans in all different shapes, sizes and contrasting textures. This will create more dimension to the room. One of our favorite ways to add great contrast is by joining together matte and shiny finishes together. The best part is that we don’t have to go overboard on decor. A couple of pieces in different shapes and sizes (and colors) is all you need to take the room to the next level.

The final touch

Accessories are a must for anyone wanting to create the perfect living room. Easy ways to do so is by choosing artwork that brings all the colors in the room together or adding accent pillows the couch in contrasting colors or rich textures  for a sophisticated vibe. When it comes time to choose accessories, we recommend elegant materials like glass, copper, velvet, etc.