1. Pick a colour palette, and stick to it
One of the easiest ways to make a room feel polished is by sticking to an obvious colour palette. If your living room has a colourful painting sitting in pride of place above a mantelpiece or on a dominant wall, and it’s all in shades of blues and yellow, then let that inform the rest of your colour palette. For example, go for blue cushions, a yellow throw, a rug in neutral colours that features blue as an accent colour. An obvious colour palette is your ticket to instant chic.
2. Layer
Layering is one of those tricks stylists use to make a space feel warm and more complete. You can add layers to your living room by introducing new textures and homewares. For example, if your living space has timber flooring, look for a plush rug that will balance hard with soft. Look for soft furnishings that feature details such as quilting, crochet and other textural qualities. Try to incorporate as much natural materials as possible by using cotton, linen, wool and leather.
3. Let your personality shine
The best and quickest way to make a space feel like home is by displaying personal items. Things such as treasured trinkets collected on holidays and family photos should be arranged artfully on shelves and side tables, while some of your favourite books and a candle should lay atop your coffee table.
4. Create a mood
Creating a mood usually comes down to sound and lighting. Ensure your living space has lighting options to suit the tasks that could take place in the space. Have a floor lamp for soft lighting on quiet evenings, bright downlights for family game nights and perhaps a table lamp for reading. In terms of sound, consider investing in something such as a soundbar which can connect wirelessly to your TV and your smartphone, so you can play music as well as have surround sound on movie nights.
5. Identify ‘dead’ space
‘Dead’ space simply refers to a patch of wall or corner that is under-utilised. If you have enough room to incorporate extra storage via a credenza or create a small study nook, go ahead and make the most of the space available to you. If it’s just an expanse of bare wall, consider hanging an artwork or print. When all else fails, is there a way you can rearrange the furniture to make sure every inch of space is used wisely?
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