Common Design Flaws in Living Room Makeovers
Liven Up Your Living Space: Avoid These Common Design Mistakes
The living room is the heart of any home, serving as the gathering spot for family and friends. However, decorating this room can sometimes feel like a daunting task. To create a harmonious and attractive space, it's essential to know the decorating blunders to steer clear of. Here's what the experts have to say about the top design mistakes to avoid in your living room.
- Alexis Pew and Kevin Kaminksi of Kaminski + Pew
- Megan Prime, co-founder and principal of JAM
- Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group
8 Design Faux Pas to Steer Clear Of
1. The Matching Mayhem
While it may seem convenient to purchase a furniture set that matches perfectly, it often results in a room that looks too uniform and staged. Instead, aim to find pieces that complement each other and create variety and visual interest. "The key is to get pieces that coordinate, not an entire matching set," suggests Alexis Pew and Kevin Kaminksi from Kaminski + Pew.
2. The uncomfortable conundrum
It's crucial to prioritize comfort over looks when decorating your living room. A room without comfort is essentially useless for relaxation or socializing. Megan Prime, co-founder and principal of JAM, advises against sacrificing comfort for the sake of aesthetics. "A living room should be warm, inviting, and cozy, above all else," she states.
3. Neglecting the needs of your furry friends and family members
Just because you have kids or pets, it doesn't mean you have to settle for an unattractive, yet durable living space. Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group emphasizes the importance of finding materials and fabrics that are both stylish and durable without compromising on aesthetics. "Tying in velvet performance fabrics that look and feel luxurious will take your living space to the next level," she says.
4. Inadequate seating
Sometimes, people overlook the importance of having enough seating in a living room, especially when the space is small. To ensure the room functions well, you should provide enough seating for everyone, even guests. Vitale suggests adding stools or ottomans as an ingenious solution.
5. Failing to consider scale
Balance and proportion are vital when selecting furniture and arranging it in a room. Pieces that are too big or too small, or not spaced appropriately, can make the space feel imbalanced and awkward. Kaminski and Pew suggest trying out blue painter's tape to visualize the size of a furniture piece before committing to a purchase.
No Rug or Furniture to Scale
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Coffee tables that are too small require people to lean far out of their seats to reach them, while coffee tables that are too large create uncomfortable circulation and bruised shins. To maintain visual balance, ensure that rugs leave 18 to 24 inches of floor visible around them with the front legs of furniture on the rug. This anchors the space effectively.
6. Overcrowding
Filling the living room with numerous expensive items can make it appear cluttered and impractical. Aim for a balance between elegant and functional furnishings to create a space that is both visually appealing and livable.
7. Outdated Lighting and Window Treatments
Outdated lighting fixtures and window treatments can outdate a room and detract from its overall appeal. It's essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends to maintain a modern and inviting environment.
8. Lack of wall décor
Neglecting the walls can leave the living room feeling incomplete. Proper wall treatments, such as artwork or decorative accents, enhance the ambiance and add a personal touch to the space.
In conclusion, steer clear of overly matchy furniture, uncomfortable pieces, insufficient seating, and furniture or rugs that don't fit the room properly. Instead, aim for balance, comfort, variety, and function. Follow these guidelines to create a living room that is welcoming, cozy, and stylish for you and your loved ones.
- To avoid a uniform and staged living room, aim for pieces that complement each other and create variety, instead of an entire matching furniture set, as advised by Alexis Pew and Kevin Kaminksi from Kaminski + Pew.
- Megan Prime, co-founder and principal of JAM, emphasizes the importance of comfort in the living room, stating that it should be warm, inviting, and cozy, above all else.
- Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group suggests finding materials and fabrics that are both stylish and durable when decorating for home-and-garden lifestyle, even with pets or children in the household.
- Vitale also advises providing enough seating for everyone in the living room, suggesting the use of stools or ottomans as a clever solution when space is limited.
- Kaminski and Pew suggest trying out blue painter's tape to visualize the size of a furniture piece before committing to a purchase, as finding the right balance and proportion is key to creating a harmonious space.
- To maintain visual balance in the living room, ensure that rugs leave 18 to 24 inches of floor visible around them, with the front legs of furniture on the rug, as suggested to avoid overly small or large rugs.
- Aim for a well-balanced living room by blending elegant and functional furnishings, and avoid filling the room with numerous expensive items that may make it appear cluttered.
- To keep the living room up-to-date and inviting, updating lighting fixtures, window treatments, and adding proper wall décor, such as artwork or decorative accents, is essential in interior-design, as determined by the experts at Kaminski + Pew, JAM, and Vitale Design Group.
