With a home's living room traditionally being the gathering place for the family, ensuring that it has a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere is fairly important. Not only will good decor go a long way to making any visitors feel comfortable, it also enables everyday family members to quite happily spend a lot of time in it. If you feel that your own living room is lacking a little spark, the good news is that it's reasonably inexpensive to decorate a traditional living room and transform it from something bland into something far more stylish.
The first thing to do is give it a fresh coat of paint. Many people overlook the importance of changing your surroundings from time to time. Not only does it prevent you from stagnating in the same atmosphere, it also gives you a sense of achievement and the resulting sense of satisfaction within yourself. Bright colors are a good choice here, since the living room is normally the one with the most windows and sunlight. A yellow or similar happy color is a good starting point.
Once you have chosen the color you're happy with and repainted the walls, the next thing to do is look at your existing furniture. This doesn't mean you need to necessarily buy a new three piece suite, or spend excessive amounts of money on new coffee tables or similar. The great thing about decorating a living room is that you can keep within traditional styling and merely update a little. So, if you have a wooden coffee table, for instance, sand it down and give it a different color varnish or wood stain. The effect will be immediate, and it's very inexpensive.
Decorating a traditional living room calls for time tested and trusted designs in furniture so even your years old sofa can be made-over. If it's made of material, you can now buy bespoke fabrics and have them measured to fit, and in the space of a few hours, you have a completely new sofa that you yourself have had a part in designing. Once again, going for more natural, cream-colored materials can offer a living room a whole new perspective.
Consider changing your light fittings too. It's more than likely that your light switches are the same as the ones when you first moved into the property. Therefore, drop in to your local DIY or hardware store and treat yourself to a more stylish brass or dimmer-effect switch system. Once installed, they will bring out your new paintwork even more.
If you have the room and enjoy reading, think about putting a bookshelf into place as well. Not only does this help fill some space if you're out of ideas, it also gives off the impression of a family who enjoy spending quiet, yet quality, time together, perhaps discussing the latest book they are reading. At the end of the day, the choices are limitless - the only thing you need to remember when decorating your traditional living room is to express your own personality, as this is where you'll be spending many an hour.
Outdoor patios have come a long way since the days of a wooden picnic bench gracing 24 x 24 concrete patio tiles with a charcoal BBQ in the corner. Today's decks and patios come complete with sofas, end tables, overstuffed chairs and ottomans. The old patio tiles are replaced with slate, and huge, elaborate gas grills complete the ensemble. With nothing but a sliding glass door separating a home's interior from the patio, there is very little distinction between the two.
In the following, local Sarasota designers offer some suggestions in creating the ideal outdoor living space.
Furnishings
It's time to throw out the old plastic chairs and make way for the plush double chaises with overstuffed cushions and coffee tables. You can buy any entire suite of aluminum furniture that looks like mahogany along with water resistant cushions. Design consultant Bart Kuhn, recently sold a $16,000 outdoor king-size bed complete with canopy! New synthetic versions of wicker are becoming increasingly popular especially with their natural appearance and ability to handle the elements without cracking.
Outdoor fabrics have come a long way from plain off-white sailcloth to bright floral prints in various textures. The current trend is moving toward earth tones and plush seating. Apart from its water-resistant and durable properties, these textiles are virtually indistinguishable from their interior counterparts.
Glass-top tables are gradually being replaced in popularity by stone (natural or resin) top tables, which also provide a nice accent to a slate floor.
No living room would be complete without electronics. Outdoor speakers are widely available and even televisions. A flat screen TV can be installed over a fireplace or on a wall with a protective roof or waterproof cabinet.
Accent pieces to warm up your outdoor living space include acrylic area rugs, lamps, and artwork. Window treatments are also popular in the form of screens, waterproof shades, or drapes that can be tied back at the corner of your patio.
Cozy up your space by adding a stone fireplace or table-top fire pit with comfy chairs. A patio heater doesn't have the same charm, but extends the seasonal use of your outdoor space.
Let's Eat
In keeping with the trend of bringing the indoors out, kitchens are no exceptions. In addition to the larger-than-life gas grilles, it's not uncommon to see ranges, cook tops, pizza ovens, and rotisseries. The objective is to have a large grilling area, capable of feeding a crowd. Also common are counters for preparation and portable outdoor bars, refrigerators and icemakers. You'll also need cupboards to store your outdoor glassware and dishes.
Decorate with Light
Much of your entertaining will be done at night and your patio should be well lit. Get creative by illuminating trees, pillars, stairs or other areas of your home. Try a new technique called moonlighting that creates a subtle glow on the tops of trees. Save energy and cost with the use of low voltage lighting that uses very little power.
Other lighting accents can come in the form of glowing planters, mood light candles or even illuminated wine buckets.
For your pool or spa, fiber-optic cable can add a dramatic effect, as well as underwater lighting.
When choosing your outdoor fixtures, pick durable products such as aluminum, copper or brass to avoid rust and dissipate heat.
Both Lee Dobbins & Jim Hirschman are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Lee Dobbins has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Management, Diamonds and Install Flooring. Lee Dobbins is enthusiastic about interior design and making homes beautiful. She writes for many online ezines about .. Lee Dobbins's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
Jim Hirschman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Interior Design, Real Estate and Home Security. Let Jim Hirschman Realty professionally guide you through your purchase. Check SarasotaLandandHomes.com to view all the Sarasota community. Jim Hirschman's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.