Making your living room come to life
It used to be that living rooms or living areas were spaces relegated solely to formal occasions, such as holidays and prom photos, and the occasional scolding when teens would disobey curfews. However, today, with space being at a premium in most homes, they are used in different ways by all members of the extended family.
Floor plans today tend to be open, making the living room virtually an extension of your kitchen and dining room. Because of this shift in how we use our homes, it is important to reflect this change in our furnishings, room layout and decor. In many homes, the living room is the hub of socializing, eating, watching TV and even working. To keep the traffic flow open, pull the furniture away from the walls and into the center of the room.
With more and more people working from home, living areas have to be multifunctional. Therefore, integrating work areas as part of the space and furnishings is a must. In homes where the living room has a relationship with the kitchen and other adjacent areas, the seating areas should be organized to encourage and promote interaction between the cooks and the guests.
In living rooms that have east- or north-facing windows, the walls and decor should be warm colors - for example, apricot, beiges, yellows and even reds. Rooms that have west- and south-facing windows can have cooler color schemes - e.g., blues, greens, grays and whites. Rooms such as these should be painted and decorated in pale, softer shades rather than dark, bold colors. These lighter colors are soothing and have lasting power, meaning you won't get tired of them quickly.
The best decor for this multipurpose room is a mix of modern and traditional. You can mix old and new, formal and casual, neutral and bold to make an inviting and comfortable space; it's something to appeal to everyone and also visually interesting and timeless. This approach to decorating also offers a highly personalized decor.
For durability in high-use areas such as a living room, finishes on furniture should be distressed for carefree living. Slipcovers that can be washed are recommended for all upholstered goods. Fabrics with small stripes and small prints are good to use because they conceal dirt well and extend time between washes. Flooring should be able to take a beating; distressed woods, patterned tile and area rugs can be used.
Identify a wall that is appropriate for a television and audio equipment. This will help anchor your living area. If you're doing a built-in for the entertainment, it might be a wise idea to incorporate a work surface to the built-in unit.
Finally, another idea to make your living room come to life is to create a gallery wall. Staggered, with neat pairings, with a row, with a geometric shape or even haphazard, art walls rock.
Framed works of art, alongside framed pictures of your friend Art, can make for an elegant or quirky statement.
• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
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