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Contemporary design living rooms


20 Perfect Contemporary Living Room Ideas and Elements

An Expert Explains How to Achieve the Modern Look

Liljencrantz Design

New York City-based interior designer Rian Smith describes contemporary design style as mixing modern and transitional elements in a warm and fresh way to create a cohesive space. In Smith's experience, it's all about achieving a balance between these two styles—which is easier said than done.

Read on for 20 expert tips for how to incorporate contemporary flair into your home.

01 of 20

Thomas Dalhoff DESIGN: Brett Mickan Interior Design

According to Smith, white walls allow furniture pieces to pop in a contemporary living room. Here, an abstract rug provides the perfect burst of color in this otherwise neutral space. The design feels entirely of the moment.

02 of 20

Tessa Neustadt

White walls and a white ceiling to match give this room an effortlessly clean feel. There's something intriguing about the way the different materials between the walls and the beams in the ceiling match in color, playing with the pure white couches. Interior designer Tessa Neustadt has mastered the contemporary vibe in this room.

03 of 20

Preston Schlebusch for the New York Times DESIGN: Studio BD

When Smith pictures a contemporary living room, Smith thinks, "Nothing too fancy or decorative but rather clean looking and fitted." This room certainly fits the description. Straight lines and raised furniture create a linear environment that's entirely contemporary. Plus the unique overhead lighting makes a statement without creating clutter or overpowering the room.

04 of 20

BHDM

Smith recommends using geometric patterns and subtle colors to create texture. Take note of the texture of the throw pillow in this contemporary living room and how it interacts with the patterned rug and geometric wall art. The mix of brass, wood, and black accents also creates a dreamy space that is so "now. "

05 of 20

White Arrow

Though the walls in this room remain neutral, the furniture and décor are far from it. "Contemporary [style] is about balancing the trends that are going on while integrating those modern touches," Smith says.

Here, subtle furniture mixes with a dynamic rug to create a balance of styles. It's all tied together with a brass legged glass table—the epitome of contemporary and modern.

06 of 20

BHDM

Smith pictures wooden buffet tables and tv consoles for a contemporary living room. The style is timeless, but when it's arranged with intricate wall hangings and a mix of patterns and textures like this BHDM-designed space, it becomes seriously in vogue.

07 of 20

Ragnar Ómarsson; DESIGN: Pella Hedeby

This living room features a portrait set in a black frame, another design element Smith considers distinctly contemporary. "Black-framed portraits with soft landscapes—nothing super colorful or eye-catching," Smith recommends.

08 of 20

Black Lacquer

A bold green accent wall creates a dynamic environment where wood flooring and a crisp white couch are challenged by a bright pop of color. While the wall might seem extreme, it works as a balance between subtle and daring.

09 of 20

Space Exploration

When it comes to contemporary furniture, Smith's home décor list includes basket-woven material. This living room pairs two woven chairs with a warm, earth-toned rug and a deep blue sofa. The elements come together to create a contemporary space that seems to flow right up the staircase.

10 of 20

Liljencrantz Design

This living room boasts a statement marble fireplace and linear furniture. The space feels open yet full of character and rather inviting, thanks to ample seating options and a coffee table that ties the space together.

11 of 20

Sharyn Cairns; DESIGN: Fiona Lynch

According to Smith, a modern lighting fixture works especially well in a contemporary living room when it's grounded by soft fabrics and light colors. This white-on-white space allows the lighting fixture to make a statement. In addition, the black-and-white marble fireplace elevates the entire room.

12 of 20

Katie Martinez

Use plants to update any living room into a contemporary yet calming oasis. "I'd recommend a large fiddle-leaf fig planted in a simple colored pot," says Smith. According to Smith, the size of the plant can help create balance in the space.

13 of 20

Katie Martinez

When it comes to fabric choices, a light leather piece screams contemporary design. Smith suggests going for anything in a chestnut, camel, or bone color. This unique light brown leather couch pictured creates warmth and plays well off the deep purple-toned rug.

14 of 20

Fran Parente DESIGN: Ashe+Leandro

Pops of creams and natural wood tones abound in this contemporary living room. This color palette, paired with linear furniture and clean shapes, strikes the perfect balance of fresh and warm. Plus, the high ceiling and large windows make the entire space feel open and inviting.

15 of 20

Arbor and Co.

Completely matching your furniture isn't required when going for contemporary décor. For example, feel free to pair your new upholstered couch with a worn-in, wood-backed armchair like this living room. Or place a rounded coffee table with a few rectangular side tables. Mix and match materials, patterns, and time periods.

16 of 20

Reena Sotropa

Commit to a monochromatic color scheme in a jewel-toned hue. Paired with clean lines and metal accents, this living room exudes contemporary décor vibes.

17 of 20

Maite Granda

Fabric and acrylic, marble and wood, whatever materials combinations you can think of, don't be afraid to express them in your living room. In this example, different materials are tied together with greenery and ample white space throughout.

18 of 20

Studio KT

Contemporary décor might just be about the ultimate luxury: Lots of natural light. So open those curtains and window treatments. If your drapes are too dark, replace them with lighter or sheer drapery. In this photo, we're loving this living room's bright white walls and clean lines.

19 of 20

Cathie Hong

Once you've nailed down natural light and clean lines, for example, infuse some personality into your contemporary living room with a few quirky details. Whether it's a clock in a standout shape (like this starburst-esque design, pictured), or a few plant holders in contrasting patterns, utilize home décor accents to make the space your own.

20 of 20

Reena Sotropa

Any space can benefit from open concept area-defining principles, like using rugs to delineate a space, and grouping your furniture to create gathering and seating areas.

For a contemporary living room, think "soothing, calm, tranquil, and cool, but not cold," Smith says.

Definitive Proof That Modern Living Rooms Are Warm and Inviting

45 Contemporary Living Rooms for the Ways We Live Now

Design by Forbes + Masters

Contemporary living rooms aren’t defined by a single style. Instead, a contemporary interior is one that is current, updated, and reflects the times we live in and the ways we live now. More precisely, like contemporary architecture, contemporary interiors are generally those that reflect the aesthetics of the late 20th century to the present. This can mean that they feature anything from clean lines and neutral palettes to bold color and decor. 

While a house built this year according to current trends would be considered contemporary architecture, you don’t have to live in a contemporary house to decorate your living room with contemporary style. Using contemporary furniture and decor can bring a historic or midcentury home into the present and make it feel livable and tailored to present day lifestyles. Or it can make a dated cookie cutter apartment or new build home feel a bit more cutting edge.

Check out these living rooms for ideas and inspiration on how to give your space some contemporary edge. 

tips for choosing style, decoration and furniture - INMYROOM

The living room in the house is the place where, as the name suggests, guests are received. However, the owners themselves relax here, spending time in front of the TV or a book, with drinks, pleasant conversation and other activities. Therefore, the living room should be the most comfortable place in your home.

If your family consists of several people, it is important to consider the interests of everyone. It is quite possible that for one of the family members, when designing the interior of a living room in an apartment, they will have to give space for working at a computer, doing creative work, even sports. All these points must be planned at the stage of designing the premises. nine0003

Determine the center of the living room

Living room design is inseparable from a competent layout. After looking at examples of photos of the living room in the apartment, you can see various space planning options. Of course, the choice depends on your preferences, as well as on the size and functionality of the room.

Place sofas and armchairs around the perimeter of the room in no case is worth it. Firstly, this is the last century, and the modern design of the living room categorically does not accept such a layout. In addition, you will clutter up the space with only recreational items, leaving no free space for other functional areas. nine0003

The best option for the interior of the living room is to highlight the central group, around which the rest of the furniture will be grouped. As a rule, a recreation area with a TV and a sofa is chosen as the center of the composition.

A fireplace can also be a central element, next to which chairs, rocking chairs or even luxurious skins for relaxation will comfortably fit.

Standard set of furniture for designing a living room in an apartment:

If the room is large, or it has to take on a diverse functional load, of course, you should not limit yourself to this. The living room may well have a desktop for a computer, chests of drawers and cabinets, a bar counter.

In order not to clutter up a cramped room too much, give preference to the transformer models that are popular today. Such furniture is very functional and allows you to perfectly save scarce space. nine0003

Choice of colors

If your living room is located on the sunny side, then you are practically unlimited in the choice of colors for finishing and furnishing it. The contrasting interior design of the living room will look very interesting. For example, walls and floors can be decorated in cold colors, while furniture, in contrast, in warm colors.

Many modern interior styles welcome the clean slate living room design. This technique involves decorating the walls and ceiling with plain white plaster or paint. And furniture and decor elements can be selected in a variety of colors: bright or rich dark - to create a spectacular and stylish interior, delicate and pastel - for a light, cozy and elegant design. nine0003

For north-facing living rooms with little to no daylight, choose warm-coloured finishes. Such an interior design of the living room compensates for the lack of sun, makes the room cozy and conducive to relaxation no matter what.

And, of course, if the room is a bit dark, you should take care of good artificial lighting. Well-placed spotlights are best suited to illuminate every corner of your living room.

Of course, the choice of colors for decorating a room should also depend on what visual and emotional effect you want to achieve. nine0003

If the living room is intended for stormy parties and active pastime, then it makes sense to decorate it in bright, saturated colors.

If the owners want to indulge in a calm and relaxing holiday, then the interior of the living room should be to match. In this case, you should give preference to soft light tones or, conversely, deep and calm, but in no case flashy.

Finishing materials

The choice of finishing materials should largely depend on the style in which you would like to maintain the design of the living room in the apartment. So, paper wallpapers with romantic flowers are definitely not suitable for laconic hi-tech or minimalism. And Provence or country-style interiors will not be combined with bright carpets with psychedelic prints and ultra-modern wall coverings with fur or leather texture. nine0003

In addition, the shape and size of the room is of great importance. Properly selected finishes will perfectly smooth out the flaws of the room and focus on its merits. While a thoughtlessly chosen design can spoil even a spacious and bright room.

Walls

The classic rule is that for small rooms it is better to choose light shades. It always works flawlessly. However, if this solution seems too boring for you, you can try all sorts of interesting wall designs. Spectacular examples of wall design in the living room, photos of which are presented in our article, will help you navigate and choose the most attractive options for yourself. nine0003

For example, even smooth, light-colored walls can be made a spectacular interior detail by adding bright or simply contrasting color accents to them. See such unusual living room interior ideas in the photo below.

All kinds of plasterboard niches look very stylish. They not only diversify the interior, but also become its very functional detail. After all, they can accommodate both decorative elements and items needed in the household. And if such a niche is beautifully illuminated from the inside, this will create an interesting effect of depth. nine0003

The traditional option for decorating the living room walls is wallpaper. Fortunately, today there is a great variety of them: both classic paper, and modern non-woven, and washable, and glass, and even innovative liquid wallpaper. If you are a lover of change, then you can pay attention to the wallpaper for painting. With such a finish, you can easily change the look of the room, at least several times a year. However, please note that, as a rule, such wallpapers are designed for a limited number of repaints. nine0003

Smoothly plastered or painted walls look great in modern interiors. At the same time, if you are a fan of the original design, you can pick up plaster with all sorts of beautiful and unusual textures. With its help, you can add a twist to your design and create a truly beautiful living room interior.

One of the fashion trends in modern design is the combination of materials. It is very important to use combinations of several finishes in one room: different types and shades of plaster, paint plus wallpaper, or even a combination of two types of wallpaper with different patterns and textures. See examples of such a living room design in the photo below. nine0003

Using this technique, you will not only be able to make your interior bright, stylish and original, but will also successfully cope with the zoning of the room. As you know, for proper zoning, it is not enough to collect several diverse groups of furniture in one room. So that all this does not look like a "hodgepodge", it is necessary to highlight each of the functional areas with its own design elements. And here, the design of wall sections in different colors and even different textures is the best fit. nine0003

Ceiling

When choosing the design of the ceiling in the living room, first of all, start from the size of the room. No matter how much you like spectacular multi-tiered structures, in a small room, packed full of necessary furniture, they will look simply ridiculous. In no case do not overload the design of the room.

If the room is small, then the best option is a simple ceiling in light colors with built-in ceiling lights. A good design move would be a small cornice around the perimeter, it will add a sense of depth. nine0003

Another interesting solution for visually increasing the space is the so-called "floating" suspended ceilings. This is a two-tier structure with a small height difference and built-in lights mounted inside the "upper" tier in such a way that they themselves are not visible. This technique creates soft diffused light and an interesting depth effect. As a result, the room seems visually higher and more spacious.

However, remember that the design tricks you have listed are inappropriate for small rooms with high ceilings. If in such a room you try to “distance” the ceiling even more due to visual techniques, then you will feel in it like at the bottom of a bottomless well. nine0003

In narrow rooms with high ceilings, it makes sense, on the contrary, to reduce the height - through visual means or with the help of suspended structures. Then the living room will immediately seem more comfortable and suitable for a comfortable stay.

If you are lucky and your living room is spacious and has high enough ceilings, then feel free to experiment with their design.

Here, multi-level suspended structures, both laconic and intricate forms, stucco, columns, scallops, and complex lighting systems can be used. nine0003

The main thing is not to overdo it and stick to the intended design of the room. If the room is decorated in a ceremonial classical style, in the spirit of Baroque or Empire, then without a doubt, both bas-reliefs and columns will be appropriate. But for more concise modern styles, you should choose a simpler and more rigorous ceiling design.

If your living room will have several functional areas, then the zoning can be "supported" with an appropriately designed ceiling. nine0003

For example, a central seating area with a sofa group and a TV set can be highlighted with a second tier of false ceiling. Depending on the general style of the room, both strict rectangular shapes and soft rounded lines may be appropriate.

The ceiling does not have to be white. Delicate, warm pastel shades will look perfect in almost any room.

Fans of more extravagant options can experiment with bright shades. It is not necessary to decorate the entire ceiling in saturated colors. However, if you highlight only part of it or one of the tiers with a spectacular shade, you will get a chic look. nine0003

As far as materials are concerned, it is best to avoid whitewashing and painting. After all, this will take a long time and carefully level the surface. An excellent modern solution is plasterboard suspended ceilings or stylish stretch models. They are quick to install, provide perfectly flat surfaces, and in addition, allow you to create a wide variety of design options.

Lighting

Just a few years ago, when choosing lighting, the issue was always decided in favor of a large ceiling chandelier. Of course, today there are many lovers of such lighting fixtures, including those decorated with numerous "crystal" pendants. However, you should not get hung up on this option, because modern manufacturers offer many interesting, stylish and comfortable options. nine0003

If you - due to adherence to traditions or in order to create a certain style of interior - have opted for a massive chandelier, you do not need to limit yourself to this. In any living room, additional sources of lighting will be appropriate: wall sconces, floor lamps and portable standing lamps.

Additional light sources perform several functions at once:

If you are a supporter of laconic design, then recessed ceiling lights are the best fit. They also allow you to create separate lighting in different functional areas of the living room. And besides, with their help you can always adjust the brightness and level of illumination of the room. And with all this, they remain almost invisible, do not overload the design and fit almost all interior styles. nine0003

It's safe to say that recessed ceiling lights are the best choice for a small room with low ceilings. But, at the same time, they will also be appropriate in a spacious hall.

Style Selection

Choose a style based on the tastes of the whole family. Look at photo examples of living room designs in a magazine, on the Internet, explore the various styles that are in abundance today.

Of course, the dimensions of the room must also be taken into account. In a small room in Khrushchev, a lush baroque or any other “palace” interior will look out of place. For small living rooms, it is best to choose a laconic design in the Scandinavian style, elegant classics or strict hi-tech or minimalism. Country and Provence are perfect, as these styles suggest comfort and emphatically home furnishings. nine0003

If your living room is large, then there is room to roam. In principle, a spacious room can be decorated in almost any style that you and your family like.

When choosing the style of the living room, be sure to take into account the features of the interior of the other rooms. Maintain style and harmony.

Classic

The classic style of the interior involves the use of the most natural materials. The whole environment should breathe quality and good taste. As part of this style, traditional furniture made of solid wood or at least high-quality MDF will be appropriate. nine0003

Classic interior colors are soft, calm, usually light. But in principle, within the framework of this style, almost any shades (except bright and flashy) will be appropriate if they are correctly beaten.

Elegant wallpaper, paintings, vases, traditional chandeliers, beautiful curtains - all this will be an excellent frame for an interior in a classic style.

Despite certain design rules, there are different directions for decorating a living room in the spirit of the classics. Within the framework of the classical style, several variations can exist at once:

Minimalism and high-tech

High-tech and constructivism can also be combined under this general direction. All these styles imply laconic finishes, emphatically simple and modern furniture models, built-in lighting, and an abundance of technology. nine0003

Minimalism is characterized by soft colors, calm combinations, stylish and simple shapes.

For hi-tech, for all their similarities, saturated tones, metallic luster and a lot of glass are more characteristic. High-tech furniture or decor can have very unusual, but at the same time laconic and streamlined shapes.

Minimalist interior of the living room is best suited for young and energetic people who keep up with the times, who do not attach much importance to luxurious surroundings, preferring simplicity and elegance of lines. nine0003

However, do not think that the interior in the style of hi-tech or minimalism is something from the category of "cheap and cheerful". Such a design may well turn out to be much more expensive than some magnificent Empire style.

Country and Provence

These styles are perfect for lovers of home comfort, antiquity and rustic simplicity. If you want to enjoy peace as much as possible, relax and forget about the bustle of the city, then these are excellent options for the living room.

At the same time, country is deliberately rough, emphatically rural, with simple, almost unfinished furniture and themed textiles. It is characterized by natural, natural shades: soft light and dark green tones, the whole range of brown, light yellow, ocher. Of the prints, a large cage, as well as various variations of floral patterns, will be especially harmonious. nine0003

The Provence style, as it should be for a true Frenchman, is more refined, distinguished by a special chic and charm. It is characterized by lighter shades of furniture and finishes: white, cream, pale blue, turquoise, beige. Decor and textiles can be very flirtatious: with ruffles, scallops, flounces, etc.

Today, these design trends are very popular not only in the design of country cottages, but also in the decoration of city apartments. Therefore, in stores you can easily find furniture, decor and finishing materials that perfectly match these styles. nine0003

Scandinavian

This style is incredibly popular right now. The secret of its success is in the harmonious combination of minimalism, comfort and homeliness. It involves a simple and concise finish, convenient and comfortable furniture of simple shapes, stylish, but at the same time soft and not defiant decor.

The Scandinavian style is characterized by calm shades: white, beige, light gray, gray-green, pale blue, dark blue. Often in the colors of such an interior there is a certain marine theme. nine0003

Living room interior in Scandinavian style is the perfect balance of functionality, convenience, modernity and home comfort. Stylish and modern upholstered furniture for the living room is perfect here, a photo of which you can see below.

Choosing furniture

Before you start choosing furniture for your living room, carefully consider which functional areas will be allocated in the room. Beautiful furniture for the living room, the photo of which can be seen below, is not all. It is important to correctly arrange it so that all the inhabitants and guests of the apartment feel cozy and comfortable. nine0003

If it is intended exclusively for families, then a comfortable sofa, armchairs, a TV stand and a couple of shelving will be enough. If space allows, you can add a coffee table, as well as small cabinets where you can place various decor items.

If you often arrange parties, like to receive and treat guests, then you will need a bar counter. It looks stylish, modern, spectacular, can serve as a place to store all kinds of items and will allow you to organize the serving of drinks and treats for guests in a very small area. In addition, the bar counter can be an excellent dividing element if you need to zone the living room. nine0003

Choose the dimensions of the sofa and the number of chairs depending on the number of family members and the possible number of guests. It makes no sense to choose an airfield sofa and three armchairs if you live alone and rarely receive guests. In this case, it is worth limiting yourself to more compact options and leaving more free space in the room - to create a feeling of spaciousness or to accommodate other functional elements.

If you expect your guests to occasionally stay overnight, then the choice of sofa should be approached especially carefully. Choose folding models, on which, if necessary, you can fully sleep. If there can be several overnight guests, then it makes sense to consider options for transforming chairs that can fold out and turn into a bed. nine0003

Modern design solutions, as a rule, do not involve the placement of solid cabinets in the hall. It is assumed that this tradition should remain in the Soviet past. However, if you don't have a walk-in closet and don't have enough space to place storage items in other rooms, no one can force you to give up a spacious closet in the living room.

In a classic interior, it can even be a solid wall. However, if you prefer more modern design trends, then it is better to pay attention to stylish wardrobes. For a small room, models with mirrored doors are perfect, they allow you to visually expand the space, and will not weigh down the interior as much as their counterparts with solid doors. nine0003

A small room should not be cluttered with a large number of pieces of furniture. Such an "abundant" environment will overwhelm, distract, and simply interfere with free movement around the room. If you don’t have a lot of things, then you definitely shouldn’t put a massive closet in the living room, limit yourself to a light and elegant rack. If you want to create a truly light and stylish design, pay special attention to the modern style living room furniture, the photo of which can be seen below.

If you do not plan to receive guests often, it makes no sense to purchase a grand dining table in the hall. In order to drink coffee or have a snack in front of the TV, an elegant coffee table will be quite enough. To save space, you can choose a functional transforming table, which will serve as both a stand and a storage for books and magazines, and, if necessary, can be expanded into a fairly full-fledged springboard for home meals. nine0003

Fireplace in the living room interior

If you want your living room to breathe genuine comfort and hospitality, consider purchasing a fireplace. Naturally, it is almost impossible to establish a real hearth in a city apartment. But today there are a lot of magnificent imitations on sale that will emphasize the elegance of the interior, create an atmosphere of comfort in the room and even be able to heat it.

An electric fireplace is perfect for an apartment. Do not think that this is a more beautiful analogue of the heater. In fact, modern manufacturers produce incredibly realistic models that amazingly imitate real flames. There are even models with sound and aroma accompaniment. That is, in front of you there will be not only the illusion of an open fire, but also real crackles, as well as the smells of burning logs. nine0003

Fireplaces are produced in a wide variety of styles: exquisite classic, ultra-modern laconic high-tech models, mysterious gothic, luxuriously decorated with gilding and marble in the rococo style, cozy stoves in the spirit of the country. In addition, fireplaces in the living room can vary in location: wall, corner, island.

Such a variety of models will allow you to choose exactly the option for your living room that fits perfectly into the layout and style of decoration. nine0003

Photo

See our gallery for 212 more amazing living room design ideas.

15 options with photos, designers' comments

RBC-Nedvizhimost talks about the main rules and mistakes in arranging a room for relaxing and receiving guests

Photo: JRP Studio\shutterstock

not only a place to receive friends. Here they dine, work, read books and watch movies. To create a welcoming environment for any type of activity, you need to take into account many design nuances. nine0003

How to furnish a cozy and stylish living room.

Style

adv.rbc.ru

The design of the living room can be done in a variety of styles. The most common are classic, modern, Scandinavian, minimalism, country and Provence.

Design of a living room in a classic style

“In the interior of a living room, the type of furniture, decor, details, and overall color scheme are important. Often, a person may like elements from completely different styles - for example, classic decor and modern furniture. In such cases, there is a risk of making the interior absurd, even though today few people follow exclusively one design style,” said Anna Budnikova, architect-designer, co-founder of the M-A SPACE studio. nine0003

High-tech living room design

There are also visually similar styles that combine with each other. For example, modern, Scandinavian, minimalism. “Our customers prefer modern style in living room design or Provence style. The first one is multifunctional, universal, practical. It is characterized by color contrasts, the principle of "nothing more" applies. For Provence, details that are usually characteristic of country houses play a key role. Due to them, the overall comfort and “warmth” of the space is created, ”summed up Budnikova. nine0003

Minimal living room design

Tips

Zones

Zoning plays one of the most important roles in living room design. “You can separate the zones with glass sliding partitions or low pieces of furniture so as not to overload or reduce the space. Furniture should not be dark in color. Bright colors are acceptable - for example, for the children's area, but only if they support the overall range of the living room and do not hurt the eyes, - said Anna Budnikova.

“You can create a themed living room with places of interest - for board games, a musical group (piano is better than a piano) with a place for singing; large table for activities with children and work. In a separate area, you can place a fireplace group with firewood around. The dining area will be decorated with a transparent glass cabinet with porcelain and faience,” advised Irina Dymova, interior designer, board member of the Association of Interior Designers and Decorators (ADDI).

Divide your living room into themed areas

Light

Ambient Light

The living room is the perfect place to watch movies and series in the evening. “With the help of a background lighting system that synchronizes with music or the image on the TV so that the viewer is completely immersed in what is happening on the screen, you can enhance the experience of your favorite films,” said Natalia Neverskaya, head of corporate communications at Signify in Russia and the CIS.

Don't forget about background lighting

Local lighting

We all love to read comfortably on the sofa, so the seating area should be equipped with local lighting. “Floor lamps are suitable for this, as well as table or portable lamps that do not require connection to an outlet - thanks to the built-in battery, they can be placed anywhere in the room. By the way, the presence of a variety of lighting effects will allow you to choose the right shade for your mood,” Neverskaya advises.

Portable lights can be placed anywhere in the room

LED strip

An excellent lighting design tool is also the LED strip, which can emphasize the graphic character of individual elements of the living room. It can be placed along the contour of the ceiling, along the shelves with books or around the TV, creating the effect of floating in the air, advises an expert from Signify. According to Neverska, so that your original living room design details do not go unnoticed, you should use the accent lighting technique.

LED strip highlights individual living room elements

Furniture

Easy chair

Easy chairs are a fundamental part of the interior, they look good in pairs, side by side, at an angle or straight, it’s good to place a small coffee table between the chairs — it’s convenient to put a glass or a mug on it, the manager noted " Design Bureau No. 1" Sergey Petrov. According to him, the chair should be as comfortable, cozy and spacious as possible. In the living room, chairs with a tilted back or even with a recliner look great - a footrest that comes out from under the bottom, which makes the chair a couch, the designer believes. nine0003

Upholstered armchairs look cozy side by side (Photo: jafara)

Straight-back hard chair

Older people and guests with mobility issues love hard chairs because they are easier to get up from. “Yes, and often you need to sit down for a short time - not to fall into a chair, but to sit up straight. In addition, the suit wrinkles less on hard chairs. Such armchairs bring great variety to the interior,” Petrov explained. nine0003

Hard chairs suitable for older family members (Photo: Hofpils)

Sofa

Probably the most influential and significant element of the living room interior is the sofa. “Do not be stingy, carefully choose soft filling and upholstery, try to sit on it when choosing,” advises Petrov. “The sofa should give you incredible pleasure and comfort, wrap you up and look perfect.” nine0003

Choose a quality sofa - it is the main element in the design of the living room (Photo: Hofpils)

Small sofa, canape

The small sofa has an aesthetic function. It brings even more variety and layering to the interior of the living room, creates additional comfort, the head of Design Bureau No. 1 believes. According to him, this is a good way to fill the voids of a large living room. nine0003

Canape will help fill the gaps (Photo: jafara)

Stools and banquettes

Stools, banquettes and armchairs are good to use in pairs near a sofa or coffee table, Petrov noted. According to him, you can put them under a table, a console or a shelf on the wall. Banquets are easily used as tables, they are mobile, multifunctional and perfect for a party. nine0003

Banquettes can be used as party tables (Photo: Followtheflow)

Spare chair

Spare chair is usually waiting in the wings away from the main furniture or in the back of the living room. “The main thing in it is its light weight and ease of movement. Such chairs are needed when you suddenly have a lot of guests, and you do not want your dining group to look like a densely stocked collection of chairs every day. Spare chairs can often be in the image as an interesting object or artifact - that is, even defiant and contrasting, ”Petrov summed up. nine0003

Make sure you have a spare chair (Photo: Photographee. eu Related)

Mistakes

Illiterate zoning

Incorrect zoning is one of the most common mistakes in living room design. When it is inevitable to fit an office or a nursery into the living room, it is important not to block the passages and not allow “transit” zones, said Anna Budnikova from the M-A SPACE studio. According to her, the zones - recreation, kitchen, work, children - need to be isolated, but there should be a direct connection between them. nine0003

Do not block passages in the living room (Photo: New Africa)

TV against the light

A common mistake is placing the TV screen in front of a window or against the light. “You need to place it perpendicular to the window to avoid glare. For example, it is placed along the long wall of the living room, opposite the sofa. In the combined kitchen-living room, you can provide a monitor with a swivel screen so that it can be viewed from the kitchen. In rooms with elongated proportions, we sometimes recommend placing a cabinet with a TV in the middle of the room, thereby zoning the “long” space,” Budnikova specified. nine0003

However, in this case, you need to think about the direction of people's movement, so as not to block it, the designer emphasized. According to her, one-room apartments and studios are quite popular today, so the issue of proper space zoning is important.

The TV should be placed perpendicular to the window (Photo: MAX 3D Design)

Wrong climate

Another global mistake in the design of the living room is the incompatibility of interior design with the climate, Sergey Petrov is convinced. “In cold climates, for example in our latitude, wood, wool, velvet and suede have historically been used. In a warm climate, for example, in Sochi, wicker furniture, stone flooring, and cotton look more appropriate,” the designer believes.

It is better to give up wicker furniture if the climate is cold

Monotonous furniture

The mistake that most living room interiors have is the lack of variety of seating furniture and its dull arrangement, Petrov clarified. According to him, upholstered furniture, chairs, banquettes and a bar area should be selected and arranged in such a way as to contribute to the maximum and varied pastime - from intimate conversations to lively conversations at a noisy party. nine0003

“The secret is to have furniture with different ergonomic properties and functions in the interior, it is not necessary to give the interior an ideal, fundamental and finished look, which brings cloying, stiffness and suppresses the motivation for spontaneity and dynamic communication. You can hardly call a good interior where your guests, instead of sitting down or sitting comfortably for a conversation with a new acquaintance, are embarrassed, not daring to move a chair to the sofa, afraid to disturb the perfectly adjusted composition of the dining group,” the designer summed up.

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