Knowing how to choose living room furniture makes all the difference between an inviting home and a space that does not feel quite right.
Of course, your furniture should reflect your style, but these tips and tricks will help you find perfect items for your environment.
The more you learn about how to choose living room furniture, the easier it becomes. Soon, your whole home will be stylish, comfortable, and versatile.
Choose a Focal Point
The first step is to think about your home – your living room specifically – and consider its layout from floor to ceiling. You may already have a natural focal point or area that draws the most attention within your living room.
It could be a large window, a fireplace, a built-in bookcase, or an attractive wall treatment like an accent color or wallpaper.
If there is not already a focal point, you can make one with a large piece of art or an interesting piece of furniture. You could even have an outdoor view as the focal point. Furniture could then be arranged to take advantage of the window to showcase the outdoor view.
The goal is to choose furniture that works with that focal point. You don’t want to compete with this area of focus, but rather use the focal point to anchor your furniture arrangement.
For example, a beautiful fireplace is an inviting focal point, and your living room furniture should suit it. You could choose a large, curving sectional that faces the fireplace while allowing for conversation. For seating with more flexibility, consider two armchairs and a sofa arranged around the fireplace.
Focus on Living in Functional Comfort
For many families, the living room is a place for conversation and connection. Your living room should be a place of comfort. Unless this is a super-formal living area, you should choose your pieces based on comfort.
Your choice of furniture is vital to allow for a comfortable, relaxing, and visually appealing room for you and your guests.
Think deep upholstery, fabrics that feel good like velvet or microfiber, and articles you can configure. It can also be useful to incorporate a swivel chair into your design, for example, as it will offer more flexibility in a living room than a heavy, static armchair.
As you choose this furniture, also think about its functionality. Every living room needs seating, storage, tables, and a place for your media or tech. All of these elements contribute to comfort. And they all serve a purpose, too. Balancing these elements is key.
As you determine your furniture and its layout, remember to include areas specifically for conversation. People should be able to connect without straining their necks or yelling to be heard. This is simple in a smaller room, of course, but if your living room is particularly large, consider a variety of conversation spaces.
You do not need to stick with the classic three-piece furniture set with matching cabinets and tables. Any combination of furniture will work for your space, so long as it is functional and comfortable. That said, the combination of furniture should be harmonious in size, shape, and style.
You do not need to match every piece, but each item should be complementary within the room. Sleek lines will work with sleek lines elsewhere. You may like skirted furniture, but does it work well with all that glass? Mixing styles can be fun.
Embrace your creativity, but be sure to find elements of harmony within pieces, whether that means color, patterns, materials, or scale.
Remember the Practicalities
You need to know the measurements of your space to choose furniture that will not be too large or small.
However rough, a floor plan can help you determine how much space you can give up without obstructing flow, windows, or doors. It will help to efficiently utilize all available space and avoiding cluttering.
When you have a particular piece in mind, tape the outline or use newspapers as a stand-in. This will give you an excellent idea of how much space your furniture will use. While you are at it, measure those doorways again to ensure that any furniture will fit through the door upon delivery.
Another practicality is the quality and durability of the furniture you pick. If you spend your money wisely by knowing the best time to shop for furniture, you will have high-quality furniture that can last for decades. High-quality furniture is often more expensive than others at the outset, but one of the main benefits of spending the money upfront is that you will not need to shell out to replace it in a few years.
Investigating the frame, upholstery, and filling will help you buy high-quality furniture. Avoid flimsy, cheap materials. Instead, favor fabrics that will not pill, fade, or fray. Choose high-density fillings because they will keep their shape over time.
Now that you know what to look for to get that perfect living room for your space, you can start checking out some of the great deals on cheap living room furniture. There are many great deals on quality sofas, chairs, tables, storage organizers, and more out there. Remember to keep an eye on the materials, styles, sizes, and colors that speak to you and have fun designing out your living room at an affordable price.
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