La-Z-Boy: Living Room Do’s And Don’ts

Your living room is where you relax and unwind after a long day, where you entertain friends and family, and where you spend quality time with your loved ones. It is an important room in the home – one that you will no doubt be spending a lot of time in, and one that you will be showing off to your guests. As such, it is important to make it a comfortable and inviting space that reflects your style and character.

Says Claire Gibson from leading furniture manufacturer, La-Z-Boy: “There are literally thousands of different living room styles to choose from, and of course, you want a design scheme that reflects your individuality and stands out from the crowd. Even though there is most definitely not a one-size-fits-all living room design that would suit everybody, the fundamentals of creating the perfect living room design are pretty standard. By using these ‘tricks of the trade’, you can guarantee a beautiful and functional living room scheme that will serve you and your family well.”

Living room do’s:

• DO incorporate tables: Select the right size coffee table – Claire advises that you should aim for one that is about half the size of your largest sofa, and approximately 10cm higher or lower than the height of your chosen seating. She says that side tables are another very practical inclusion that can hold your beverages, as well as lamps for layered lighting. And lastly, Claire notes that console tables are a must for living room designs where your sofa is “floating” in the middle of the room: “A console table will hide the back of the sofa, and provid a great spot for display items and table lamps.” For sizing, she says that is should be around the same height and a few centimetres shorter than the sofa.

• DO invest in a sizeable rug: When it comes to living room rugs, the bigger, the better. The right sized rug can really unify a living room design, and to do this, the furniture must sit on top of the rug. Says Claire: “You’ll want to leave at least 80cm of bare floor around the edges of the room so it doesn’t look too big. Including a large rug that accommodates all your furntiure will actually make your living room look much bigger, which makes it an especially useful tip for smaller spaces.”

• DO avoid too much clutter: Living rooms have so many functions, which is why they often become so cluttered – these include being used to relax, entertain, play, eat, possibly exercise, and even work. However, Claire says that clutter is the enemy of a calm and inviting interior design: “It is imperative that only a few, chosen feature items are highlighted and left out on display. The rest should be hidden away in purpose-built storage, so make sure that you include a lot of it in your living room design.”

• DO include sufficient seating: Most living rooms will include a couch or corner unit, but it is important to include other seating as well, notes Claire: “You don’t want to overcrowd the room, but you also want to accommodte as many people as possible. To do this, occasional chairs and ottomans are a great addition in order to make the space more conversation-friendly.” She also notes that it is imperative that you choose comfortable seating: “You want to be able to really stretch out and relax in your living room, and the sofa is the palce where you will do this. As such, consider choosing motion furniture that will allow you to stretch out and put your legs up, such as reclining seating from La-Z-Boy for example.”

Living room don’ts:

• DON’T use scatters that match your sofa: Instead of choosing pillows that blend with the colour of your sofa, Claire advises that you choose scatters and throws with interesting textures, colours and patterns, in order to create interesting visual layers in the room’s design.

• DON’T forget about lighting: Interior lightng is an essential part of any successful living room design – it has the ability to change the mood of a room, the perceived size fo the room, as well as what you can do in the space. A single light in the centre of the ceiling just won’t cut it. The best kind of living room lighting design is a layered lighting scheme, says Claire: “Similar to the way interior designers use pattern, colour and texture to create visual interest, the same layered approach can be used in lighting design. The term ‘layered lighting’ refers to combining different lighting elements to create a harmonious and visually comfortable space, which is achieved through the use of three types of lighting – ambient or general lighting, accent lighting, and task lighting.”

• DON’T neglect standout visual features: Your choice of artworks and features is what will make or break a room’s appeal, so choose wisely. Says Claire: “It is important that the artwork you choose is large enough and in proportion with the rest of the interior composition, and that it is hung at the correct height. Other features could include floating shelves that feature various objets d’art, a block-coloured or wallpapered wall, or perhaps indoor plants or various soft furnishings.”

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