Most traditional living rooms have three to four walls of solid hardwood, a mantle (the biggest piece of furniture in the room), and the most important decorative object: the table. While there is certainly nothing wrong with traditional living room decorating, I think that you can do so much more with your space. In particular, I believe that today’s market offers consumers with a wealth of decorative design options. Let’s take a look at a few of the possibilities.
The big question that comes to mind is this: Are formal living rooms obsolete? Frankly, no. It’s true that rooms often need to be decorated to look more formal, but that need doesn’t apply to all spaces. In fact, many older homes had large rooms that required great care and maintenance in order to be livable. Today, traditional living room decorating can still work, as long as it’s done correctly.
Formal living rooms used to refer to a certain style of furniture and decorative scheme, which was popular during the Victorian era. Nowadays, however, this has become somewhat of a dated term. In fact, living rooms are just one part of the home. In most cases, they are used as a backdrop for entertaining guests or for simple family dinners. If you’re hoping to improve your living room’s “wow” factor, you should keep these tips in mind.
Start with the basics: formal and traditional. In other words, try to find inspiration from traditional decorating. You may want to consult some antique books or search online for traditional-style decorations. You may even want to consider a traditional-style room divider, as well as some traditional lighting fixtures.
Decide whether you want a traditional or modern look. Modern decor comes with a wide array of choices. If you want to go with a bold color scheme or a sleek, minimalist design, you have plenty of options. On the other hand, if you want to complement an ultra-modern space with traditional furnishings, it’s pretty easy to do. Be sure to think about the style of furniture you already own as well, though, so that you can match accessories accordingly.
Choose basic furniture instead of fancy or trendy items. The traditional look is generally more timeless than trendy or experimental designs. So if you’re interested in updating your furniture (or trying to find something to complement an existing design), it’s best to stick with solid, durable pieces. You’ll be adding value to your room for years to come, and at the same time, you won’t have to change your decor every year or two.
Move some of your furniture around. If you have a formal living room, then chances are you have a TV and a chair for watching TV, so you might as well hang that up against the wall. If not, then you’ll need to have someplace else to put your entertainment gear. Consider moving your sofas and couches to other parts of the house, or have them moved to a storage facility for less hassle.
Use color schemes that are traditional. Although you can create a modern look by splashing paint on a white wall, it’s still considered very traditional to use neutral colors like off-white or off-red. Choose rich, deep colors for your walls and furnishings to bring a sense of depth to your space. Keep in mind that formal living rooms aren’t just for showing off in, but they also provide a great place to truly relax and kick back. By decorating it the right way, you can feel comfortable bringing your family and friends in.