For most of us, embarking upon a home interiors project can be scary for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most prominent is deciding what color scheme to choose. After all, with so many paint manufacturers being available, along with hundreds of colors available from each one, not to mention choices of furniture and accessories, you can perhaps begin to see why many people become stressed or overwhelmed when planning their living room design. Of course, there are professional interior designers out there that can help, but it isn’t guaranteed that you will like their suggestions. Thankfully, there is an alternative. We have put this guide together to outline some important considerations when planning your interior decoration project, along with some current interior design trends, providing you with plenty of inspiration.

TOP INTERIOR DECORATING TIPS FOR YOUR LIVING ROOM

What items are you working with?

Before starting any living room interior design project, firstly take stock of the furniture and home decor pieces you already have and decide what stays and what goes. Items that are in disrepair, are too large for the room or won’t match your new colour palette will need to go. This has an added advantage however, in that funds from the sale can be put towards your new home decoration.

What colour palette will you use?

The colours you choose when decorating a house largely depend on the overall look you are hoping to achieve for your new living space. Colour can have a strong play on emotions. For example, green and blue combos can have a calming effect, whereas colours such as yellow and orange can add real energy to a space. Perhaps you are wanting to paint your room white? This makes the ideal backdrop for bold accessories. Above all, however, just be sure to choose a colour that suits you rather than something that is simply ‘in vogue’. Fashions change, but you are the one that will have to live with the chosen colour scheme for many years.

What is your style?

Inspiration for your living room interior design project can be taken from lots of different places. Pinterest is a great starting point, however, blogs, magazines, color charts and fabric swatches are all good sources for home interior ideas. Once you have nailed your chosen designs, the fun can begin, where the buying of furniture, accessories and paints can start. We recommend buying the largest furniture items first, such as sofas, armchairs and TV units. This is because they take up most of the space in your living room and determine largely how it will look overall.

HOTTEST TRENDS IN HOW TO DECORATE YOUR LIVING ROOM

The Trend: Sectioning Space
The idea: Creation of a multi-purpose space by using furniture for different purposes to make the most of your living space.
The items: Placing a glass coffee table on a rug or creating separate areas for chairs and sofas.

The Trend: More Space
The idea: Utilizing furniture that is highly functional but small in footprint, giving you more space.
The items: Metal sided tables in bronze, silver or gold with a glass top or shaped geometrically. Nested tables are compact but provide surfaces when guests arrive.

The Trend: Couchless Living Room
The idea: Ditching the tradition of having a settee in your living room and creating a different ambience by using different seating.
The items: A settee will make your living room feel classy whilst a group of chairs creates an intimate and cosy space to relax in. For the ultimate space saver, consider using benches which can be comfier than they sound!

The Trend: Velvet
The idea: Use soft furnishings in velvet to add luxury and comfort to your space. Deep blue is particularly popular at the moment.
The items: Whichever soft furnishings you like whether they be curtains, lampshades or even armchairs.

The Trend: Sconces & Wall Lights
The idea: Using sconces and wall lights to save space whilst adding a modern or traditional look to your living room.
The items: Metal sconces or wall lights are particularly effective against dark or shiny surfaces.

The Trend: Mobiles
The idea: Make a statement in your living room by hanging a mobile or group of mobiles to your ceiling to add interest and a unique twist.
The items: A mobile of whatever size you think looks good in your space. Just make sure it works with the space before committing to such decoration pieces.

The Trend: Item Juxtaposition
The idea: Cut through blandness by using various color, fabrics and patterns to create the wow factor.
The items: Simply choose items that oppose each other and consider mixing traditional with modern.

The Trend: Hints of Memphis
The idea: Add some retro charm to your living room by taking it back to the Memphis era of the 50’s.
The items: There are no limitations here but items of bright color and abstract nature work particularly well. Retro canvas artwork works particularly well for this theme.

CREATE BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR DESIGN

With so many choices and considerations that need to be made when embarking on an interior design project, it is easy to see why many of us leave this task to a professional interior designer. However, this approach doesn’t necessarily guarantee the results we want and can leave us out of pocket if it goes wrong. Choosing the perfect interior design for your living room needn’t be stressful if you stick by a couple of rules. These include selecting the right color palette, choosing the right items, and nailing down the kind of look you are going for. By combining this with some of our suggestions on current trends, we are confident that you will soon be on the path to success to decorate your own house.