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A living room sets up the mood of your home and may range from a casual friendly place for your friends to gossip to a most sophisticated and luxurious setting to make a life style statement about you and your aspirations, classic, contemporary, traditional or ultra modern each is a design statement.
The living room is where we spend a lot of relaxation time, so when planning a redesign you really want to make sure it's a room you will enjoy spending time in.
With modern life becoming more hectic it's important that you find the right furniture to make your time away from work as relaxing as possible.
Home Entertainment
If you don't want the television or stereo to be on view, hide them in a decorative cabinet that is a focus in its own right. There is a large range of specially designed cupboards for this purpose nowadays. Or use mobile furniture to wheel them out of sight when not in use.
Tables
Decide exactly how many occasional, coffee, chests and side tables will you need but leave enough space to move around. Go for tables of differing heights to hold lighting and accessories.
Storage
You want a clutter free living room. Only store what actually needs to be stored in the living room. Things of enjoyment such as music, books, photos and mementoes, whether you display them or store them. Cupboards and open shelves are a good solution. Built in cupboards and shelves are practical, though can't go with you when you move.
Seating
Carefully selected seating and the way it is arranged is a key factor in achieving a relaxed and comfortable living room. Two and three seater sofas or a combination of both are better than individual chairs. Corner sofas are good for smaller awkward shaped rooms, especially modern flats. Similarly sofa beds are useful for properties without a spare bedroom. Loose covers are more practical than upholstered if you have children or pets as they can be washed easily. Chairs are the perfect complement to sofas, though in smaller spaces opt for floor cushions, beanbags and foot stools.
Lighting
Make the most of natural light - if your sitting room is dark, use pale colours and choose a simple window treatment which will block as little light as possible. Install a mixture of fixed and moveable lighting - dimmable down lighters and recessed spots with a mixture of lamps for various tasks and different atmospheres.
Colour Scheme
If you are planning to sell, opt for a classic neutral style colourscheme and add colour with furniture and accessories. If your flooring has a lot of wear and tear - eg if your living room is on a way through to a garden or if you have children, it may be a good idea to lay rugs to protect it.
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