We all want our homes to feel comfortable – especially at the moment with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing most of us to spend far more time in our houses than usual. For many people, the living room is the focal point of the home and the space where we spend most of our time, which makes it a great location to concentrate on when it comes to boosting the comfort levels of your house.
From decor and furniture to furnishings and decorative extras, there are a multitude of different ways you can make your living room feel more cozy and comfortable. This is true whether you live in a small one-bed apartment or a large family house, although if you’re renting, you might have to focus on smaller additions rather than big changes! Here are just a few ideas to get you inspired.
Decor
If you own your property and are free to change the decor however you like, consider switching it up to match your personal preferences. Even simple changes like altering the colors of the walls can make a huge difference to how a room feels. For example, blue can have a calming effect, yellow is bright and cheerful, purple can feel romantic, and orange is good for increasing energy. On a simpler level, using warm colors makes a space feel cozier, whereas cool colors tend to make a room appear larger. To try something a little more creative, why not make one wall a feature wall by decorating it in a different style to the others?
For those who have some time and budget to dedicate to the project, it might be nice to think about what styles or themes you particularly like and would suit your space. Some popular ones include chic minimalism, rustic country living, and elegant period styles. Alternatively, you could get inspiration from the beach, your favorite country to visit, or somewhere that you’ve always wanted to go but haven’t yet had the chance.
Then, of course, there’s the flooring. Do you want to go for a luxurious carpet that you can sink your toes into? If you do, luxrious carpets would also need to be cleaned by expers like carpet cleaning vinyard How about stylish hardwood flooring? You could even go for tiles to create a more Mediterranean feel. The options are endless!
Furniture
Once you’re happy with the decor, you can start thinking about furniture. Smooth curves and rounded edges tend to be more inviting than hard lines, as do soft sofas and chairs. Of course, you’ll want to choose pieces that fit the design aesthetic you’ve opted for in terms of both color and texture, but don’t forget to make sure you pick functional items too. There’s no point in buying a gorgeous-looking couch if it’s uncomfortable or impossible to clean (which may be particularly relevant if you have pets or children)!
One great furniture choice that always makes a room cozier is a bean bag. These are no longer only for students who can’t afford real chairs! If you shop with a company such as SumoLounge, you can get luxurious bean bags in a variety of different sizes, styles, and colors to best suit your living room.
Another idea is not to make the TV the focal point of your lounge, in order to encourage more socializing when in the room. If you work from home and don’t have an office, you could also add a cozy desk space to the living room – just make sure that work is the only activity you do there; otherwise, it might blur the lines between work time and personal time too much.
Furnishings
Furnishings can be an extremely effective way to make a living room feel more homely, for instance, by adding textures and layers to the space. Having flowing curtains rather than hard-edged blinds is an instant way to soften a room and help keep the heat in during the chilly winter months. Similarly, adding a rug to hard flooring both prevents draughts and makes the space instantly more cozy (plus feels great on bare feet!). In addition, furnishings such as throws and cushions can make your couch more inviting and comfortable – perfect for curling up with a good book or binge-watch your favorite Netflix show. By mixing up textures, you will also make the space more interesting visually.
Another aspect to consider is lighting. While bright overhead light is great during the daytime or when you want to feel wide awake, it’s important to have some alternative options for the evening when you want to relax. Lamps are ideal for providing soft, warm light that you can still read by, but that won’t stop you from being able to drop off to sleep when you go to bed. For a truly magical feel, try putting up a string of fairy lights instead!
Decorative extras
It might be surprising, but one of the easiest and most effective ways to create the ultimate feeling of comfort in your living room is simply with decorative extras. One classic example of this is candles – whether ones with real flames or electric – and in particular scented candles, because these create a relaxing vibe both in terms of light and fragrance. Another option for adding a comforting scent to your living room is to use an oil diffuser. There are plenty of different scents available, so you’re sure to find a few that appeal to you.
Going down the natural route, houseplants are fantastic for breathing life into your lounge. As well as making the space look more appealing, having some greenery in your room has been shown to boost your mood, help purify the air, and even enhance cognitive function. Finally, one of the most effective ways to make your living room more comfortable is to make it yours. Add personal photographs, mementos from vacations or important events, books you love, prints of your favorite artwork… anything that will make you smile and feel like you’re truly at home. After all, isn’t that warm feeling what comfort is really all about?
