Six tips for decorating your living room

Whether you’re purchasing a new home or you’re just planning to redecorate, the living room is one of the first rooms you’ll want to turn your attentions to. That’s because it’s one of the first things people will notice when they enter your home. An attractive and welcoming living room space is essential if you want to make a good first impression. Here are six tips to keep in mind when it comes to decorating a living room.

Use light, cool colors

Cool colors such as blues and greens have been found to reduce stress and even lower people’s heart rates and blood pressure. Since you want your living room to be a place where people can converse and relax, cool colors are a better choice than warmer colors like reds or yellows. When selecting a paint color, remember that color isn’t the only important thing. Darker shades will make the room appear smaller while a lighter tint will make the room appear larger.

Use crown molding and/or wainscoting

Trimwork such as crown molding and wainscoting covers the joints and surfaces where floors, walls, and ceilings connect to give the room a more flowing look. They also add character to an otherwise boring room. Crown molding runs around the tops of the walls to provide visual interest between walls and ceilings. Wainscoting goes around the bottoms of the walls. Trimwork can also be a great way to add a second paint color to the room.

Hang some mirrors

There are several advantages to hanging mirrors in addition to or in place of artwork. Mirrors typically cost a lot less than artwork and they also add depth to the room. When strategically placed across from a large window, they reflect light throughout the room making it appear larger than it is. You can go with one or two larger mirrors or a collection of smaller ones. Whichever you choose make sure they’re nicely framed ones so that they can function as a kind of artwork themselves.

Invest in comfortable, durable furniture

While it’s important that your furniture looks nice and fits with your vision for the space, you don’t want to make the mistake many homeowners do by worrying so much about aesthetics that you forget other considerations. The most important consideration when selecting furniture is comfort. If you and your guests won’t enjoy sitting on it, why bother buying it? Another important consideration is the quality of the furniture. Spend a little more on reputable brands and quality materials so that you can rest assured the furniture will last more than a couple of years before it starts to fall apart or show wear and tear.

Cover up bland-looking baseboard radiator heaters

Does your home have a dated-looking baseboard radiator system? Don’t be in such a hurry to tear it out in favor of a more modern heating system. Baseboard radiators add a touch of charm to older homes but it’s probably a good idea to purchase some snap-on baseboard heater covers so they don’t stand out from your new furniture and accessories.

Don’t be in a hurry

Finally, it’s better to take things slow and weigh all decisions carefully. It’s understandable to be in a hurry to get your living room decorated all at once but you don’t want to make any rash decisions you’ll regret. So be patient and give yourself time to plan out the perfect way to decorate the space.

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