D for Declutter, D for Decor
Find out ways to lose the unnecessary and give your living room a chance to breathe
It may be hard to believe but adding things is not the only way to decorate your living room, removing stuff and giving your key decor pieces some space to breathe also does the trick. And this is even more essential during the festive season as you entertain more. So why not put your best foot forward and tweak the look of your living area? All you need is to think smart and make simple changes to get your space to open up more and get it party ready in the process.
As a quick fix to declutter for an evening, consider losing the cabinet and fashioning a makeshift seating arrangement on the floor with colorful flat cushions. You can easily accommodate more guests this way. But if you want to think of more permanent solutions, ‘less is more’ should be the magic mantra. If not your sofa set, replace your ornate lamps with sleek ones, take out bulky furniture that just burden a space down.
Spotlight on the centre table
Free up the coffee table and let it do what it was meant to do in the first place; cutback on those piled magazines, books and other accessories you may have left out there.
If you go the clutter-free route, a single table runner can work wonders in adding an aesthetic touch to an empty surface.
Free up the coffee table and let it do what it was meant to do in the first place; cutback on those piled magazines, books and other accessories you may have left out there.
If you go the clutter-free route, a single table runner can work wonders in adding an aesthetic touch to an empty surface.
If you do want to keep some accessories on your table, make sure the books are few and piled up neatly. This is a chance to showoff some snazzy titles you may have on your bookshelf. The smaller curios can be interestingly displayed in a classic tray or bowls. You can also try and put together a couple of magazines, a pretty vase, tea light candles, around with fresh flowers and create a small niche on one side of the table.
8 Ways to Decorate a Center Table
8 Ways to Decorate a Center Table
Go easy on the patterns
The choice of cushion covers, curtains and other soft furnishings are key to the look of your room. Too many prints and heavy fabrics will make a room look busy and cluttered. So choose smartly at the time you are planning this space. But it’s never too late – if you have patterned sofa, go for lighter cushion covers and curtains. For curtains, go for sheer ones or the ones in lighter fabrics. It is always a good idea to keep the canvas minimal so that accents can be added and changed periodically.
More on curtains: A Complete Guide to Curtain Styles
The choice of cushion covers, curtains and other soft furnishings are key to the look of your room. Too many prints and heavy fabrics will make a room look busy and cluttered. So choose smartly at the time you are planning this space. But it’s never too late – if you have patterned sofa, go for lighter cushion covers and curtains. For curtains, go for sheer ones or the ones in lighter fabrics. It is always a good idea to keep the canvas minimal so that accents can be added and changed periodically.
More on curtains: A Complete Guide to Curtain Styles
Sort those gadgets
Say goodbye to that wall-to-wall entertainment unit. It’s so 1990s. Ideally, don’t have the TV in the living room but if you must, mount it on the wall strategically and find more compact storage to accommodate your other electronics.
Say goodbye to that wall-to-wall entertainment unit. It’s so 1990s. Ideally, don’t have the TV in the living room but if you must, mount it on the wall strategically and find more compact storage to accommodate your other electronics.
Bulky music systems and big speakers are a bane to the existence of those aesthetically inclined. Spend an afternoon in your electronics store, and replace your old style gadgets with compact and sleeker versions one by one. See how the slimmer speaker in this room can make a lot of noise but hardly says ‘I am here’?
Use the wall
The shelves on your wall can be your best friend. Try and display most of your knick-knacks and smaller accessories there. There are so many different ways you can style this space up.
The shelves on your wall can be your best friend. Try and display most of your knick-knacks and smaller accessories there. There are so many different ways you can style this space up.
There are other interesting ways to make smart use of your walls. If you have the budget, intent and time at hand, paint the walls in a neutral shade. Light colours (especially on alternate walls) will make your room look wider. And then use one of the walls as a focal point of your decor.
You could also identify the most visible spot on the wall and display your favourite photographs in sleek frames. This way you get to display more stuff and get to add loads of personality to your room as well.
Read more:
15 Decorating Moves to Amp Up Your Living Room Style
Tell us:
What do you do with items in your home that you can’t use but can’t throw away either? Share in Comments below.
You could also identify the most visible spot on the wall and display your favourite photographs in sleek frames. This way you get to display more stuff and get to add loads of personality to your room as well.
Read more:
15 Decorating Moves to Amp Up Your Living Room Style
Tell us:
What do you do with items in your home that you can’t use but can’t throw away either? Share in Comments below.
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Stand at the entrance and just take a look around the room. Do you really need so many cushions on your sofa? Is it really necessary to keep a vase or a lamp on each side table? Do you have to put so many things on your coffee table? Is there any other way you can display the decor pieces in your room? Let go of any piece of furniture or accessory that you feel are one too many. If cushions take more space on your couch than you, some have got to go.