The living room is the calling card of any home. We strive to make it beautiful, warm, cozy, but we often forget that it should also be comfortable. Is it possible to combine practicality and creativity, functionality and comfort? Absolutely, and in just 27 steps
The living room is a room, at first glance, created only for relaxation. Receiving guests, reading books or watching TV every evening. It would seem, what is needed for this, in addition to being comfortable and cozy? In fact, a lot is needed. Sometimes it’s just smart to place a home library or a collection of board games in a small area, in some cases, it’s also possible to fit a dining room or even a bedroom into the living room. So is it possible to ensure that this room remains cozy, but at the same time becomes much more functional?
1. Sofa armrest table
With this guy, when Ge was lying on the sofa, when he was paralyzed, he no longer had to worry about having no place to put things. He often watched TV while playing with his mobile phone, eating snacks, and drinking beverages. It was very convenient to put them on.
2. Use the bottom of the sofa
There is a small space under the sofa, which is easy to attract dust and difficult to clean. It is not bad to simply build a bookcase and block it.
3. Leave the space blank and make good use of small furniture
The small unit refers to the Japanese style. While the plain wood is used, the size of the furniture should be reduced, and the space should be left blank. The furniture and the blank space should be 1:1, so that the sense of space created will not be cramped.
4. Fitness anytime, anywhere
Add a yoga mat and push-up stand, use the sofa in the living room, exercise anytime and anywhere while watching TV, you can do a lot of movements, and because you have something to put there, do it when you see it, save the embarrassment of lazy cancer.
5. Folding computer desk
There is a folding computer desk in the cabinet under the TV. If you have any important office needs, you can open the computer and use it. It doesn’t take up space at ordinary times, and you can put things. While watching TV on the computer, you can also press it on the wall in other parts of the living room, and use the idea of hanging pictures, which does not take up space——
6. Remote control storage
There are more and more remote controls in the home, and there are various kinds of coffee tables. The powerful certain treasure merchants have already provided solutions, but we are too lazy to search. It is good to see and save space.
7. Coffee table storage
When it comes to storage, let’s talk about the arrangement of the coffee table by the way. There are pets at home or people with simple control. Once the coffee table is full of items, it is unbearable. Pay more attention. Personal experience: The highest state storage is that there is nothing on the table. The table top of the coffee table is really not for you to be full of things, it is too messy.
8. There must be a footstool
If the sofa you bought does not have a matching footstool, this must be equipped with one, because lying on the sofa you need to put your feet in one place (the one on the coffee table is a hooligan), how comfortable is it to raise Erlang’s legs? Who knows! In addition, the footstool can also be used as a chair opposite the sofa. It can be used for playing cards, drinking tea and snacks. Compared with the sofa, which is the main force in the living room, the footstool belongs to the mobile unit.
9. Ottoman storage
When the footstool is not in use, it takes up space and affects the overall appearance of the living room. At this time, it is necessary to talk about the design of the TV wall. This is the design of the partition in my house. When cleaning, the ash below is easy to clean and store. You can also put small items on top and a footstool below.
There is also a place to store a footstool, which is under the coffee table. Of course, both of these need to be considered when purchasing.
10. Track socket
When it comes to the TV wall, I think of the wiring problem. I know that the living room has the most electrical appliances and the most wires. If there is no hidden pipe reserved during the decoration or if the power supply of the electrical appliances is not enough later, it is ugly to just pull a socket. I happened to find this. A kind of track socket, the socket can move back and forth on the track, and it is also very beautiful and tidy.
11. Wire storage
This is not strictly a detail of the living room, but it happens to be about the wiring problem. By the way, because I think the idea is very good, simple and practical, I will share it with everyone.
12. Carpet selection
The pictures are randomly matched, because I suddenly think of the so-called details of the living room, introduce good ones, but also say some bad ones to be a warning! The selection of blankets is not to tell you professional knowledge, but a point to pay attention to. Personal experience. At first, my family chose a large, hard and heavy blanket. It looks good and has momentum, but it is very troublesome to clean up later, and it is inconvenient to live in a building. It is too expensive to often ask people to take it down and clean it in the open space.
The blanket is easy to attract bacteria, so I changed it to a light and soft machine-washable one, and I can just throw it in the washing machine, which is much more convenient in an instant. So, before choosing a floor mat or blanket, don’t be fascinated by the dazzling straw weaving, thick wool, knitting and other complicated craftsmanship, and think about the later maintenance costs!
13. Alleviate the problem of sofa collapse
This method is not advisable, how to say? Sofas are expensive. In fact, there can be a small way to alleviate it- the method is: the sofa cover can not be opened, look at the filling inside, if it is cotton-like, then take it out and tap again, or not, you can fill some old cotton in the cotton. Backfill the socks and towels; if it is a sponge cushion, you can go to a treasure to buy a keyword such as “sofa filled sponge cushion”, and come back and fill it yourself or replace it as a whole. In this way, the sofa will have a new look and will last for several years.
14. Flip TV Wall
It’s not particularly practical, but it is very helpful for some special families, such as families that need a simple partition between the living room and the dining room. With a flip TV wall, you can watch it in the living room, and turn around and watch it after eating. But let me remind you that although a certain treasure sells a flip TV stand, from design to installation, it is estimated that you still need to find a construction worker to help you get it done.
15. Folding shoe stool
Many people complained that they didn’t know where to buy the folding computer desk mentioned above. I also searched for it, and I definitely couldn’t find the same model. In addition to customization, I can only look for alternatives. This made me think of a folding shoe stool by the way. You can install this thing a little higher and it can also be used as a computer desk. But having said that, many families enter the living room, so changing shoes and stools is also within the scope of the living room details.
16. Temporary shoe storage
Since we talked about changing shoe stools, by the way, we can store temporary shoes and store this thing in the home, and we can’t get around it by talking about anything. It is very important, do it well, and the quality of life will go up! Again, the entrance is the living room. If the door is full of shoes, it will not look good. These small storage tools can be bought ready-made. I have tried this.
17. Avoid ash from gaps
Old rules, this round of updates is the last negative reminder case. The above is beautiful, right? But from my personal point of view, I don’t want to buy it, because I’m lazy and love cleanliness (contradictory). I don’t think it’s easy to clean up that crevice. Therefore, if you are like me, you must be careful when choosing items to avoid them.
18. Unload the space
Regardless of the actual size of the room, it should not appear cramped or cluttered. As one comrade said – less is better, but better. Are you sure you want these two sofas facing each other? And the old chair by the door that you just throw things on? And that sideboard with the services received as a gift, which can be stored in the kitchen? Probably not. That’s why improving your living room should start with leaving only the essentials in it.
Our opinion:
– To make the living room more spacious, use not only the horizontal, but also the vertical plane, “unloading” the floor as much as possible. Hang the TV on the wall and nail shelves for books and memorabilia; if the height of the ceilings allows – place them in several rows.
19- Create a composition
Any interior should be built according to some scheme. Take a look at your living room from a critical angle: is the furniture arranged in a random order, are the proportions respected, which element in the decor is the main one? If you answered positively to the first question, negatively to the second and did not find an answer to the third, you urgently need to create a composition and start from the most important thing – from its center. It can be a bright sofa, an unusual coffee table, a colorful carpet or a beautiful figurine – something that immediately attracts attention. After we create the so-called center of the room: we focus other objects around the selected point. For example, armchairs, ottomans, tables, etc.
20- Conduct an audit
And arrange a general cleaning. In the process, think again about whether everything that is currently in your living room is exactly what you need at the moment. If you still haven’t parted with a figurine brought from Paris, whose edges have long since peeled off, or with an old worn plaid that is so dear to your heart, it’s time to do it. At the same time, carefully inspect the furniture and carry out light restoration, if necessary.
21. Organize your storage
So, you got rid of everything unnecessary, but the remaining things must be stored somewhere. Books, documents, memorabilia, needlework and much more – all this can be placed in the living room in different ways. Consider a storage system. If it is not possible to replace furniture with new, multifunctional furniture (with built-in drawers, bookshelves and storage niches), buy all kinds of boxes, boxes and baskets. Yes, at least just get an old suitcase from the mezzanine and use it at the same time as a container for things and as a coffee table.
Our opinion: –
If the number of square meters leaves much to be desired, use all the possibilities of the room. The space behind the door and the battery, a narrow niche or window sill can be easily turned into a place to store things without littering the used area of the room.
22. Use zoning
Especially if you have a typical Soviet pencil case room. Divide a long and narrow space into several zones: for relaxation, entertainment, receiving guests and, for example, work or eating. Actually, the same can be done with a room of any size and shape: a spacious room needs no less rational use. For zoning, use light, open shelving, chests of drawers, screens, carpets and textiles. If the living room is small, in no case do not overload it with heavy furniture.
23- Take care of the lighting
The light in the living room should perform several functions at once: provide a comfortable rest, be suitable for reading or work, create a certain atmosphere and comfort. Obviously, a single chandelier in the center of the room is unlikely to cope with all these tasks. If this is the situation in your living room, urgently reorganize the lighting. The general light, of course, has not been canceled, but we must add point sources to it. Table lamps, sconces, Nightlights, candles, lighting, built into the furniture or under the ceiling – that’s what you need. For each zone (working, rest, receiving guests), choose the right light.
24- Remove excess decor
One cool poster is better than five mediocre paintings – that’s a fact. Relate your heart and refuse to store grandmother figurines in the living room, plates from Turkey, artificial flowers bought a hundred years ago in a boring vase, and mismatched photographs on the walls. So that the living room does not look gloomy, it is enough to decorate it with a few bright elements. Let it be beautiful textiles (pillows or a blanket), a couple of unusual figurines and posters or photographs on the wall. If you want to keep your best memories in plain sight, group your favorite travel photos and postcards in one area. For example, hang a special board over the sofa, on which you can attach whatever you like.
25- Get rid of the sofa
Sounds harsh, but sometimes fair. We are so used to associating the living room with the sofa that it is hard to imagine it without it. However, in some cases it makes sense to abandon this bulky piece of furniture, especially if the room itself is very small and cramped. Alternatively, you can use large soft or wicker poufs, couches, as well as the 4 chairs scheme, which is popular in the west, that is, four chairs around a coffee table.
26- Find a new TV spot
Experiment with TV placement. Hang it on the wall near the window, make or buy an easel stand on wheels, hide the TV in a niche. This, firstly, will change the boring order, and secondly, it will help save space, which you then use more productively. You can also not put a cabinet with a TV against the wall, but use it for zoning a room, separating it from a recreation area from any other.
27- Add air
Let the room breathe. How to do this, it is best to peep at the Scandinavians: they value sunlight and free space like no one else, and for them large windows that are not curtained are almost an obligatory attribute of any interior. If you feel uncomfortable without curtains at all, give up dark heavy curtains in favor of light airy textiles and blinds. In addition, free up space in front of the windows so that light and air can freely enter the living room.