Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Ideas to Decorate Your Living Room

What most people forget while decorating their living room is the fact that living rooms have to be more practical rather than just decorative? Having useful appliances that you frequently use is more important than implementing a theme in your living room. The furniture and equipment must match your personal style more than it needs to match the curtains or walls.

Yet, it does not mean over stuffing the poor room with every thing related to your personality and passions. For example, it is nice to have piano in your living room, especially if you are gifted with that talent, but piano benches and a sheet music cabinet can unnecessarily take up considerable space in your living room. You can put the piano bench in another room when not in use. However, that may not be the case when you are having a LCD TV which your friends like watching games and shows on.

There are few tips and ideas to follow while decorating the living rooms. These tips and ideas can save a lot of space and mess in the room that is most commonly used in the house, the Living Room.

• Start the decoration process of your living room with a little brainstorming first. List down all the activities that are most probably going to take place in that room, for example, watching TV, listening music or even reading.

• Then list down all the furniture you have or plan to have in your room, or any other piece of furniture you require for the activities you wish to occur in your living room.

• After you had prepared both lists, try to figure out one object that you want to be the focal point in your room. A focal point of room is something that catches the eye just as you enter the room. This focal point can be the traditional fireplace, piano, an Armoire, a book shelf, a painting, a center rug or a large screen LCD.

• The next step is the arrangement. This definitely requires a lot of creativity and imagination. Everyone has their own personal style and you are free to incorporate your style in your room arrangements. However, there are some rules you should follow in order to maintain the practicality and functionality of your living room.

• Keep the walkways clear, otherwise it will be hard to move around easily and your room will look messy. Same goes for windows and doors.

• Try not to fix everything back with a wall. It will create a very one dimensional and plain feeling in the room.

• If the room is too large, break it up in partitions. You can use curtains or dividers for this purpose or simply arrange the furniture of one portion in a very independent way from the other.

• Avoid making the room too cluttered. Get rid of furniture you do not really need.

• Finally, arrange the whole furniture in such a way that it creates scenery around the focal point. It would be best if you can make the whole room seem like converging towards your focal point. This gives a very organized feel to the whole room.

Connor R Sullivan researched purchasing a piano bench online. He and his wife ordered a couple of piano benches online to donate to the local church.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Connor_R_Sullivan

Monday, April 12, 2010

Sectional Living Room Furniture

Sectional furniture comes in a range of styles and colors, so you can match the existing feel and look of your home or if you so wish you can take it in an entirely new direction. Available space can be matched to specific pieces of sectional furniture. It is also possible that the range of different choices inspires you to rethink the possibilities.

Each piece of sectional furniture becomes a useful tool to accent ever evolving interior designs. Sectional furniture is versatile because it can be moved around in separate segments and used differently. Sectional furniture is a great choice for people who like a change in the scene every now and then. As changing your furniture every now and then is not a viable option, having sectional living room furniture allows you a way of incorporating change in décor.

Several combinations can be had in sectional furniture. You can have a sofa, chair and ottoman combination. Or you can opt for modular furniture sectionals and home theatre recliner groups. Many furniture shops offer fully scaleable options that fit nearly any size room. Some of the popular varieties of sectionals available are leather sectionals, sofa sectional sleepers, slipcover sectionals, home theater recliners and sectional sofas. As sectional living room furniture comes in a variety of configurations, styles, and colors, there is a lot to choose from.

Sectional furniture sets that have ottomans help in solving several storage problems and provide seating at the same time. Being part of a sectional furniture set ottomans sport a stylish look instead of the usual staid functional look if separate.

Sectional couches are great acquisitions if you get frequent guests. Any family room can double as a spare guest room by the use of a sectional couch.

The biggest advantage of sectional living room furniture is that they are generally sold by the section. So, as long as you like the style and make of the furniture, size is not a problem. You can choose the number of sections that you feel your room can hold.

Sectional living room furniture is a very practical and versatile concept and thus very popular with all classes of people.

Living Room Furniture [http://www.e-LivingRoomFurniture.com] provides detailed information on Living Room Furniture, Cheap Living Room Furniture, Discount Living Room Furniture, Contemporary Living Room Furniture and more. Living Room Furniture is affiliated with Upholstered Ottomans [http://www.e-Ottomans.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

Friday, April 9, 2010

Traditional Living Room Design - Of Grace And Formality

When we think of traditional living room design we often associate it with large houses, manors, hotels and palaces. Traditional living room design has existed for a long time because of the formal and graceful effect it brings to the home.

1. Lighting is essential in creating the mood of your traditionally designed living room. Make sure to use the right lighting fixtures to help you set the desired ambiance. Traditional living room design calls for soft lighting to give the room a dramatic feel.

2. The use of correct color pallet and fabrics to help accentuate and illuminate the room is also essential. Use sheen fabrics for your sofa and chair upholstery. Emphasize your living room's color scheme by using repeated colors and patterns on drapes and upholsteries. However, do not overdo by just sticking on one pattern all over the room. Make sure your design is elegant and not redundant.

3. Expose your sofa's legs by using tailored or customized sofa skirts to give your living room a more traditional ambiance. Use upholstered wooden chairs to match and arrange them accordingly without breaking the symmetry of the design.

4. Wall coloring is also important. Choose colors that will help accentuate the design. Avoid bold or dark colors for your walls if you want to maintain the open feel of the room. Traditional living room design calls for classic elegance, so keep the colors in tune to keep the ambiance in tact.

5. Choose furniture pieces that will complement each other. Avoid clashing textures, colors and loud designs. The furniture itself is part of the traditional living room design style, so there's no need to exaggerate on the choice of material. Buy furniture that comes in twos or threes to meet the symmetrical style of the design. These could be the wall lighting, sofa set, armchairs and other smaller pieces.

When you opt for the traditional living room design, you should always remember the above mentioned aspects. Keeping the room open, cool and airy is important especially in daytime. Lighting sets the mood at night time and furniture enhances the design without overpowering the style.

To learn more living room design tips and ideas, visit http://www.livingroomdesign101.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Albert_Lee

Decorating a Nautical Themed Living Room Or Bedroom

Nautical themes are very popular right now, especially for living room or bedroom décor. When you're planning to use a nautical theme, the first thing you should do is paint the walls blue, like the water. Depending on your tastes you can use anything from very pale blue to bright or dark blue; any shade of blue will work with a nautical theme. When decorating your nautical themed living room or bedroom, consider scenes you may encounter when walking along a boardwalk or at a marina, and use those as your inspiration.

Nautical décor should include elements that you would find on a boat. Natural ropes, netting, accents in bright red and white, and a porthole motif can all be easy ways to tie everything together. You can also add a few flags tied to the tallest piece of furniture in the room, or use wooden flags that can be hung around the top of the walls all the way around your room. If you have wood paneling, don't cover it up; wood paneling on interior walls can remind you of the interior cabin on a ship or inside a beach house.

For the walls and windows, canvas is a traditional material that is very popular in nautical décor. It can be used for curtains, dust ruffles for the bed, and other details. Canvas curtains hung with the use of large eyelets are a classic piece of nautical décor. You can even recycle an old sail, if you have access to one. The canvas can also be used to cover cushions or throw pillows.

Use natural wood furniture or paint your furniture white or cream, possibly with a distressed look, to make it fit in with your nautical décor. The paint should not be shiny or new-looking; it should look as if the furniture has had years of use on the beach or out to sea. If you're choosing a whole new set of furniture to go with the nautical look, go for those that look like they belong in a beach cabin, including Adirondack chairs and wooden furniture. If you want to get creative with the furniture, you can even use a hammock for a chair or bed to represent a fishing net. Boat shaped beds are also a possibility. If you choose to stay with a regular bed, use blue and white bedding with red accents. These are the traditional "nautical" colors.

As for as decorations are concerned, paddles and oars are an appropriate touch for any nautical-themed room. Pictures of sailing boats or other nautical or beach themes can be a great way to provide a centerpiece in the room. Model sailboats, lighthouses, anchors, ship wheels, life rings, and vintage glass fishing floats can bring a nautical style to the walls, bookshelves, and tables in the room.

When done right, a nautical themed room is unique and inviting. It should instantly remind you of the seaside. If you want your room to be more relaxing than exciting, choose a color scheme consisting of white, khaki, and any shade of blue. Adding a pop of red or yellow can add excitement to the room.

Royal Tiki specializes in genuine Hawaiian-made Nautical Decor that will be perfect for your Nautical themed Living Room or Bedroom.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rene_Thompson

Design Ideas For Decorating A Small Living Room

Your living room is a space for gathering and entertaining therefore you want it to have a comfortable interior decorating theme. But what should you do when the space is really small? Fortunately, there are a lot of room design tricks you can use to make decorating a small living room easy!

First, you should pick an interior design theme which appeals to you but which will also add appeal to a tiny space. Having a good amount of clutter in the living room will make the place feel smaller so avoid decorating themes that clutter up the room.

Don't forget when you are decorating a small living room to research where you are placing the furniture. Even if some people reject the aspects of Feng Shui, the ideas behind it may still be used when placing the furniture in your living room. Unhindered access into a room is able to make it feel bigger, so put your furniture away from the doors. Moreover, if you do go with a larger piece of furniture, such as an entertainment, for example, it tends to help to veer guests attention to it therefore making the room seem larger into the bargain.

If you stick with an explicit design approach, then you can plan from the beginning on how to maximize the living rooms space. A sleek contemporary look can be best because this de-emphasizes clutter and is likely to emphasize space. Choosing a design style you really enjoy, however, is a good idea as this is going to be where you spend the majority of your time.

Small or medium sized furniture is your best bet when decorating a small living room. In place of having a large sofa, look at using a loveseat which will give the illusion of more space while still allowing guests to be comfortably seated. You ought to consider mixing some small pieces with some large items for added style, so combine your small sofa, use a large mirror or art piece- it might make the room feel sizeable in addition to adding character.

If you want to paint your living room, then the colors that you adopt will play an important role in making it feel larger. If you have always thought that you had to keep your smaller rooms white, then here is some terrific news for you. You are able to have color while still making the living room seem bigger by pairing colors that have the same intensity, or sticking to a monochromatic color scheme. So you should plan to pick all pale blue, or bright colors in orange, yellow and red. You will generally add interest and depth to a room if you paint the wall opposite the entrance an intense, deep hue. A gray-blue color is great for overall attractiveness and for also making the walls seem to recede, hence making the room feel more spacious. If gray isn't your favorite color, you could also try cool colors such as purples and blues to get the same effect.

Even if you have never tried to decorate before decorating a small living room might be easy. Making use of a little bit of elbow grease as well as unique creativity can help make even the smallest room appe

ar like a decorator showplace. Lee Dobbins writes for Home Decorating Tips For Decor Charm w

here you can learn more about interior decorating and get more decorating tips for your home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Dobbins

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Design Styles For Living Rooms

There are dozens of different design styles to choose from when decorating your living room. One thing to remember when decorating your living area is that you have to be comfortable in the room and like the style since you will most likely be spending a lot of your time in the room. Here are different design styles for living rooms to consider for your home.

Contemporary Design Style

A contemporary style for a living room has very neutral colors and elements with a few pops of color and design here and there. For example, you may have a dark grey sleek couch and then have two purple throw pillows on it. The lines of the room should be soft and rounded and the room should be very minimalistic. Some people who go with a contemporary design for the living room keep the colors monochromatic and then may just have a splash of white to break up the color.

Cottage Design Style

A cottage design style for the living room has plenty of color with graceful patterns and lines. When you think of cottage style you may picture floral and pastel plaids for patterns. A cottage style living room should look comfortable and inviting. Comfortable and plush furniture with puffy pillows is a great look for this style of the room. Incorporate such colors as cream, pink, light green, and light blue into your décor.

Romantic Design Style

If you want more of a formal style living room you choose a romantic décor for the room. A romantic styled living area is decorated in light and airy fabrics. Expect to have a lot of white, cream, silver, and other pastel colors used in the décor. Touches of floral add a great twist to a romantic style living room. A lightly colored area rug or a few decorative pillows are enough pattern to add some more interest to the room. The furniture should be delicate and light and not overbearing.

Eclectic Design Style

If you are having a hard time choosing just one design style for your living area then go ahead and choose a few different ones that are your favorites. An eclectic style incorporates several different design styles into one room. For example you may have furniture that looks like it could be from a cottage style room but then your walls appear to be more modern. There are certain ways that you should pull the look together though. Choose common colors, textures or patterns to make the room look more cohesive.

Whatever design style you choose for your living room you should make sure that it matches what you want from the room. If you are looking for a more formal room than a romantic design may be for you. If you want something more casual then try a cottage styled room. Remember to choose a design style that you can live with and won't have to change after a few months.

Leon Tuberman has been part of the furniture and interior design business for 4 decades. He owns and operates a popular furniture store in California. They have a huge inventory of handcrafted American built solid wood furniture for your bedroom, home office and living room. It doesn't matter whether you're shopping for an oak coffee table for your living room or a pair of bookcases for your family room then they carry everything you need.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leon_Tuberman

Antique Living Room Furniture

Antiques are objects that have extra value because of their age, like a piece of furniture or handicraft revered for its creativity, splendor and period of origin. Antique living room furniture is any piece of furnishing or decorative object produced many years ago. It is often considered invaluable because of its exquisiteness.

These antique pieces are generally very expensive and not affordable by the common man. They are found in exquisite shops dealing with only such ancient, vintage furniture. They are found in up- market locations, in big cities. They are also mushrooming in holiday spots, as tourists tend to look around for such antiques. They are also sold on online sites. The buyer can look for discounts and auctions at various sites. It is advised that the buyer should ensure the genuineness of the sites and the seller.

An antique hunting cabinet, among other pieces of antique furniture, serves as an example of exemplary skill. They are generally hand carved furniture with special features, such as relief-carved, floating panel doors. It can also have a typically hand-carved top pediment and engraved griffin center supports.

It is very important that proper care is taken of these antiques, as they are generally made of wood. It is advisable to get them polished regularly. It should be ensured that such antique furniture is kept away from the vagaries of weather such as excess heat and dampness.

Antique furniture is a feast for the eyes and makes the majestic grandeur of the yesteryears come alive. It gives a living room a traditional and unique look. Antique living room furniture scores over others, in its individual style, appeal and style. It has a never-ending appeal and aesthetic value. They come in a wide array of designs and finishes, such as dark brown, cinnamon lacquer and mahogany lacquer.

Living Room Furniture [http://www.e-LivingRoomFurniture.com] provides detailed information on Living Room Furniture, Cheap Living Room Furniture, Discount Living Room Furniture, Contemporary Living Room Furniture and more. Living Room Furniture is affiliated with Upholstered Ottomans [http://www.e-Ottomans.com].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eddie_Tobey

Monday, March 8, 2010

The Best Interior Design Ideas For a Living Room




Interior design ideas for living rooms are many but the best amongst them is quite difficult to choose. Basically the best cannot be chosen by one person alone because different people have different choices. However we can take a majority count and get to a solution. Therefore we had done this test which included fifty families and amongst whom more than forty five had selected the interior design which we are going to talk to you about in this article.

Now, this best interior design idea for living room is, the forest design. In this design, the walls, the furniture, even the entire decor of the room is done in such a manner so as to resemble a jungle setting. Now, many of you may think that it is pretty strange to have a forest setting in your living room. However, it is a way of bringing out your creativity. You can now, draw, use your imagination as well as get yourself a living room completely after your own choice.

In this interior design idea for living room it is not necessary that you use a lot of flower motif or leaves pictures etc. What you need to do is use more of the natural colors. Instead of using lilac or any such color, you can use a green or a chrome etc so that your living room gets a forest setting. Using of colors that are mixed and matched so as to meet the colors of the various fruits of a forest can also work fine.

You can actually make your room look like a palette with a variety of forest colors in it, each merged gradually into the other. One other thing that can be done but will be a little heavy on money is that you could create the illusion of a lake in the midst of a forest, by not actually drawing the entire thing, but by shading and coloring the walls in this manner.

To get this interior design idea living room to work you also need to get furniture which will accentuate the feel and then only the true feel of the forest emerge.

To find more tips and living room design ideas, Please visit http://www.livingroomdesignideas.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dudi_Permana

Incorporating Arizona Southwest Style Into Interior Design For Your Living Room



The Arizona Southwest style of interior design has become popular for its rustic elements and natural color palette. Arizona Southwest style reflects the colors of the natural environment and utilizes large rooms and high ceilings to mirror the vastness of the landscape in the Southwest. No matter where you live, it is possible to turn your living room into a reflection of the beautiful Southwest of Arizona.

Color Palette

The key to achieving the Arizona Southwest style in your living room is to avoid pastels. This style is imitative of the natural coloring of the Southwestern environment - the rich reds of adobe, the rustic hues of desert sand, and the rich greens of cactus. Accents can be created using turquoise, yellow, or orange and even Navajo white, though you should avoid using too much white or your room may become sparse-looking. A room in the Arizona Southwest style should be warm and inviting.

Furniture

The best rooms in which to affect an Arizona Southwest style have high ceilings and a great deal of space. If your room has these qualities select furniture that corresponds to the size of the room. On the other hand, if your room is smaller, do not choose bulky pieces which may result in your room looking cluttered and unnatural. In addition to the size of your furniture, you should also carefully consider the materials from which it is made. Natural materials such as leather and suede go well with the Arizona Southwest style but do not go overboard. Rather, mix a variety of textiles to create depth and a variety of color. Brightly-colored throw pillows and wall decorations can add another dimension to the design of your living room, so be creative.

Décor

An important element in any type of interior design is the décor which is used to supplement furniture and wall coloring. Pieces which fit particularly well into this style of design include handcrafted pottery and ceramic tiles. These pieces can be placed throughout your living room in varying sizes to give your home a natural look. Be sure to avoid the clichéd types of Southwestern décor including tin cutouts and fake tribal motifs. These can leave your room looking corny rather than rustic and natural.

By taking all of these tips into consideration you can transform your living room into a reflection of the rustic Southwest. Utilizing natural colors and furniture materials and accenting your room with handcrafted touches can dramatically change the atmosphere in your home. You may be surprised at how easy it is to successfully achieve the Arizona Southwest style of interior design for your living room.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steffen_Roche

Interior Design Ideas For a Living Room



A living-room serves as the main room of the house; it serves as a multi-purpose room, which can be used for entertaining guests, to relax or retire at night and read a book, to watch a movie or TV, listen to music and much more. When playing the prime role in the house, a living-room needs to give the impression of a trendy, up-to-date yet extremely comfortable living space.

A living-room plays a number of roles, serving from an in-home movie theatre to a study room, but the most significant role played by a living-room is that of a TV lounge. This is the reason why, most of the time, the main focus while refurbishing a living-room is kept on the television - its position in the living room, the placement of the sofas or couches opposite to it and other aspects regarding the television. This is good if one considers the living-room solely a TV lounge. If a living-room is used as a multi-functional span then before setting it up, every single aspect of the room is to be taken in.

The living-room can be used for entertainment and also for formal occasions. Therefore, interior of living room should be paid special attention. The living-room reflects your personality and has to be decorated and styled according to your comfort and needs. Following are some living-room interior design ideas:

If you have a chimney or fire place area in the sleeping-room, you can make it the centre of the room. Make a small conversation area, using cushions or small tables and chairs in front of the fire place. Place the television and sofa or couch in the other corner of the apartment. Placing lamps in the corner and using large paintings in the rooms will add to the beauty and warmth of the room.

One should use a combination of light and dark contrasting colours but they should not be shocking. Do not use very dark colours on the walls as it will make the apartment space look smaller and congested.

Placing a love seat by the window in the room will make a good small corner for reading too. Placing matching or contrasting rugs in the room will make it more beautiful. Use simple decoration items. There should not be many large decor items; only one centre piece is enough. The centre piece can be placed on the table in the centre of the room.

The large piece used should be sofas, couches, chairs and bookcases. Another good idea to make use of old furniture is by using covers of rich heavy fabrics. One can also paint the furniture of dark wood colour that gives the room a classic look.

Placing fresh indoor plants can also be very useful. Small potted trees and plants in the sitting-room look refreshing to the eyes and also clean the air. Right items like furnishings and decors can greatly improve the interior of your living room if used properly.

Sarah K Howarth is an interior designer. You can take his services to learn how to made to measure curtains and get variety on the sale of printed curtains.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_K_Howarth

Interior Design Tips For Smaller Living Rooms



Living room in every home generally has the largest volume. The simple reason behind this is a living room is considered as a "gateway" to all other internal spaces. But in case of an apartment block in crowded city, scarcity of space is an issue resulting in compact architectural planning. This gives rise to apartments with bare minimum spaces.

Whatever be the case we can make minor changes to internal design and presentation to create a look and feel of a bigger living room.

There is one very important thumb rule when it comes to playing with internal spaces. The more light you will allow to enter a room, the more it will be perceived as a big room as far as volume is concerned. Also if you use brighter color shades that will help a uniform and smooth reflection of light equally in all the corners of the living room, it will be easier and effortless transition from small to big
room perception.

There are certain points we can consider here.

1) Avoid using heavy furniture such as big stuff sofas, wardrobes or bookshelves that have closed shutters. Instead if you use sofas with sleek frame (like the one in bamboo furniture) this will create more transparency and will help in perception of more space. Also storage units such as TV unit, book shelves if kept open will reveal more wall surface behind them and reduce the "bulky" look.

In an interior space that is empty the perception of "small or big" is usually decided depending upon the dimensions of the space. The volume of the space defined by the boundaries of walls, floor and ceiling defines the space. The openings in the walls further help in reducing the bulkiness of the space. Next when the furniture fits in its place the importance or influence of the walls reduces and all
attention gets focused on the furniture facades.

That's why it is necessary to use sleek furniture in smaller rooms, that will help in revealing the true nature of a space.

2) Allow more light to enter the living room by using light curtains. Instead of using heavy looking "valances" use simple and if possible semi transparent curtains that are just enough to reduce glare that might be caused because of direct sunlight.

3) Use brighter color schemes commonly known as "hot" color schemes. These create a very good transmission and reflection of natural as well as artificial light inside the living room.

There is one more different approach to defining the perception of the living room (or any interior space) and that's the empty volume left behind after all the furniture and other accessories have been fitted. Because anything in our living world is always "relative". The perceived volume is always relative to the empty volume that is normally used for circulation. The more empty volume you get, the bigger the room will look.

This also applies with transmission of light in all the spaces. The more you can get inside the room better it is for the healthy habitat inside the living room.

I hope this article was informative and will help you understand the concept of smaller and bigger perception of internal spaces.

Copyright Shrinivas Vaidya

Shrinivas Vaidya is the webmaster of http://www.livingroomdatabase.com Visit today to get more free tips on designing and decorating a beautiful and charming living room of your wildest dreams.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

modern interior design living room


dream house for everyone to have peace in life