The living room is one of the most important spaces in your home. It is the probably where you and your loved ones spend the largest chunk of your time together. And most importantly, it is the first room your guests encounter in your home.
That is why most people feel it is very important to put their own stamp on the living room. Like everybody else, you want your living space to reflect your personality. You want your family and your guests to relax, feel entertained and enjoy candid visual appeals. That calls for proper planning of your space to ensure comfort and aesthetics are taken care of.
But, shopping for furniture is easier said than done. Getting the right ones is a long journey that can feel overwhelming. Besides, the number of choices out there can lead you to a state of uncertainty.
Here are some of the tips you need to consider when choosing your furniture for the living room:
How is your living area planned?
Before you buy your living room furniture, you need to consider the amount of space that is available. If you don’t know how to go by it, here is the secret: consider creating a floor plan on paper. That way, you can easily figure out different ways you can fit the furniture that you are intending to buy.
Planning will help you to make better use of the available space. As a result, it not only help you avoid cluttering, but also help you create walkways around the furniture. Remember to take note of the furniture-to- furniture and furniture – to –wall clearance when measuring your space. Also, for shared furniture – coffee table, for example – you need to put them in an easily accessible spot that ensures that anyone can use them.
In a nutshell, you need to:
Take measurements – ensure that you have taken the measurements of your room, taking into account all recesses.
Come up a clearly-dimensioned floor plan – The floor plan will show you the amount of space that you will be working with. Ensure that there is space between each piece of furniture.
Stage your room – you can use the painter’s tape or newspaper sheets to mark out the areas on your floor where you might want to place your potential purchases.
Take note of the dimensions of the doorways – this is important especially when you prefer ordering already assembled furniture. It ensures that it is going to fit through the doorway when it is delivered.
Consider the room’s architecture – Do you have anything in the room that you wish to make a focal point? Probably a beautifully made antique window that you think will make your guests wow in admiration? Then you might want to purchase a period-looking piece of furniture that will complement it.
Think about how your living room will be used – there are some people who use the space for daily family use while others use them occasionally. If you use the room occasionally, for instance, you can consider buying more delicate pieces. Otherwise, sturdy and stain-resistant pieces of furniture will do – especially where you have the little devils.
Choose the color you would want for the furniture – Your choice of color affects the mood of the living room. If you want pops of color, you might consider buying a few cushions or throws. But, neutral colors work better, every time.
Consider the shape of the furniture – Everyone has their preferred shape of the furniture they want in their rooms. But, rectangular shapes occupy lesser space than the rounded ones.
Selecting the furniture pieces
While planning room is very critical – the bulk of the work that helps make your living room amazing – is the selection of your furniture pieces. If you are still not sure how you need to get started, here are few pointers:
Look for good quality pieces – You are buying furniture that will last for a long time. You need to invest in sturdy, solid pieces that will save you the expenses of replacing each item after every few years.
Work out the basics – Before adding any extra pieces, focus on the basics – sofa, coffee table, armchair and side table.
Purchase pieces that work in your space – if your area looks thrown together and not good together, then you won’t create an amazing atmosphere for entertaining your guests. For example, if you have a smaller room, you can buy a love seat rather than a full sofa.
Look for high-quality, stain-resistant fabrics – good quality not only offer you more comfort but long service life. Besides, if you have young children in the house, stain-resistant fabrics will make cleaning easy especially when there are spills.
Buy other complementary furniture – Once you have already bought furniture for the room, you might want complementary pieces that would fit around in your furniture. Choose pieces such that they allow you a lot of space to move around.
Consider the construction of the furniture
You don’t want to keep buying new furniture for your room every year. Repairing them now and then isn’t palatable, either. On average, it will cost you between $106 and $254 to repair your furniture. But more substantial repairs like unexpected re-upholstery of a couch cost you even more.
You are looking to buy something that is going to last for a long time. That means you are going to avoid these low-quality imitations of real wood pieces that look good from afar but don’t offer the durability that comes with a solid, handcrafted wood. Consider pieces that ooze quality craftsmanship.
Here are some of the common materials furniture can be made from:
Particleboard
Particleboard is a composite made up of hot-pressed wood-based waste materials. It is usually bound with formaldehyde resin and then veneered or painted. It is relatively inexpensive but weaker compared to other composites. Besides, once the paint or veneer peels off, the interior of the composite crumbles. Once damaged by water, your furniture cannot be repaired.
Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)
MDF is far much denser than the particleboard. Just like particleboard, it is a wood-based composite that is pressed from residual wood fibers, wax and formaldehyde resin.
Often used in place of solid wood, but the formaldehyde content in it makes it environmentally questionable. MDF, however, expands when exposed to moisture, and that can lead to cracking. Besides, these boards break down in time and as a result, lose their original luster.
Solid Wood
Solid wood is the best choice when it comes to buying your living room furniture. It is high quality, strong and lasts longer. Wooden furniture can last for a long time; some can last up to 40 years. Solid wood furniture is entirely unique due to the natural variations in grains.
Living room theme
Think about the theme you want for your living room. Here are some of the themes you can think of:
Modern
If you want clean and sleek lines, probably you need a contemporary furniture theme. In this case, your furniture will be bearing neutral colors such as creams, and whites. Most of the time, these pieces are not made from traditional wood but metal, black lacquer, and glass. So you can go for an Urban Loveseat or an urban chair. You can always choose the fabrics you want.
Traditional
These pieces are usually more formal and elegant. They often include rolled arms or skirted bottoms. They come in various colors. A traditional sofa will bring a touch of character and class to your living room.
Old World
This theme offers a rustic look and is used to design living rooms with old-world style decorations. It also combines Spanish, Italian and French design. If your room features an open concept design, you might want to consider pieces bearing this theme.
Wooden Amish Furniture
Amish are known for their very high-quality. Such pieces are hand-crafted with genuine care. A piece of Amish furniture can create a wonderful focal point to your living room.
Casual
When you are looking for a more comfortable and informal living room, casual furniture is the way to go. A casual living room will include a softer sofa in style and feel made from comfortable, easy to care for fabrics. Focal points can include lush blankets and pillows. A coffee table will complete the look and be a functional addition to the room.
Summing it up
The pieces of furniture you choose will have an impact on your day to day life. If you are looking to select furniture for your room, there are a couple of things you need to look at. You need to plan well and choose high quality material and themes. Choose furniture that projects your personality, lifestyle and family values.
