The Living Room – It’s the star of home. We spend a lot of time and money perfecting the look of this space, that we sometimes forget what it’s for (living). We want to express our style and creativity, but we also want to be comfortable in our own homes. The good news is, with a few considered purchases and some careful planning, you can create a stylish room the family can enjoy and that guests will admire.
MAKE A PLAN
The first step to decorating any successful space to figure out how you want to live in it. Is this room for relaxing and catching up on your Netflix feed, or do you plan on entertaining there? Maybe both? Are you dressing up or dressing down your Living Room? Once you decide how you want to use a room, it’s much easier to look for the pieces you need to complete it! You can find plenty of inspiration online, but my first stop is usually Interior Magazines and Bloggers like McGee & Co, Becki Owens and Eyeswoon. Don’t sleep on the websites of famous shelter magazines like Elle Décor, Lonny, Domino and My Domaine
Once I find things that might work, I start putting together a Pinterest Board, to see how they’ll work together.
CLEAR IT OUT
Every good update starts with a clear out. Look around and decide what makes sense in your Living Room, what you need, and what you can afford to replace. You don’t need to do a full furniture shop! Sometimes the addition of a small table or accent chair, or even slick accessories will do the trick.
TIDY UP
I like to start any project with a clean workspace. After vacuuming and re-arranging the furniture a bit, I give everything a good wipe-down with All-Purpose Cleaner and do the windows and mirrors with Glass Cleaner. Clean windows always make everything look better and brighter, don’t you think? To show your tired upholstery some love, I recommend Garment Groom to lift any surface stains, keep the pet dander down, and leave everything smelling fresh! Leather, wood, and marble furniture will benefit from a quick polish with Leather Cleaner to revive the finish and help protect it from further scratches and water damage.
GET COMFORTABLE
I’m an out and proud sofa-eater. I love eating in front of the telly/TV! But I’m also kind of “spilly,” so always use a throw or Turkish towel underneath me while I’m eating to protect my sofa from stains. I keep a basket of them rolled up in my living room so my family or friends can help themselves to one if they need. They’ve saved me dozens of times. So much easier to wash a throw, than to get the upholstery cleaned!
PUT A TRAY UNDER IT
I love a tray. They help keep everything from remotes to candles organized, but they also protect my surfaces from oily drips, or red wine stains. If I can find a decorative vessel that also provided practical storage, I’m buying multiples!
Your living room should be a place for you to showcase your personal style and you don’t necessarily need to sacrifice functionality to make that happen!
Xx, mlk
