Changing your living room decor isn’t just a means of enhancing your style, but enhancing your life. The room will not only look different after you change it, it will also make you feel better about the world. Creating feelings of calm, quiet and openness can reduce stress and improve health, notes a study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Ohio State University.
Open the windows
You can create a feeling of openness in your living room without changing the windows — just change the way they’re framed. Bright custom draperies bring exciting energy into the room, while enhancing the effects of natural light. Choose reflective materials like satin in light shades of gold to bring some artistry and opulence to the room. Spruce it up with some fancy tie-backs to maintain style while letting the light in. If you want to make the room appear bigger, install your drapes higher than the top of the window, with a fancy valance to mask the gap.
Photo by PoshSurfside.com via Flickr
Change out your rug
Whether you have carpeted, hardwood or tile flooring in the living room, a colorful rug can always make the room look better. Keep your new draperies in mind when picking out a fitting design. Ideally you’ll want to have some contrast between the rug and the flooring. For example, if you have beige living room carpeting, you can add a white, animal skin rug in the center of the room to contrast in both color and texture. Surrounded by flowers and minimalist furniture, the rug can give the room a cozy, luxurious feeling.
Photo by …love Maegan via Flickr
Toss on some throw pillows
One of the main reasons why you want to choose simple, solid-colored furniture is so you can more easily (and inexpensively) enhance the room via furniture accessories. Intricately designed throw pillows are becoming increasingly popular and make it easier than ever to completely transform your room. This is your chance to go all out because there is little risk. Look for colorful paisley prints, chic damask designs, and three-dimensional additives like beading, feathers, and bold trim to personalize your design and liven up the room.
Photo by Wickerfurniture via Flickr
Incorporate natural elements
The best way to add life to a room is to literally fill it with life! Bouquets of flowers and unique plants immediately create a sense of freshness to the room, with the bonus of actually adding a pleasant scent if you opt for the real deals. Nearly Natural and SilkFlowers.com are both excellent resources for capturing the look of real plants without the constant watering and replacement. You can even find artificial flower fragrances to keep the smell of fresh flowers in the home. If you’re not a plant person, add some life to the room with a decorative fish tank. Many modern home designs feature colorful aquatic underworlds built right into the wall, giving the room a dream-like element.
Photo by Rhea.Lee via Flickr
About the Author: Laura Scott
Laura is an event planner, thrift store junkie and cigar aficionado from New York, New York.