Samantha Pynn makes decorating a living room as easy as 1-2-3!

 

  Gone are the days of the formal living room. From hanging out with family and friends to watching TV, reading and playing, we’re doing everything in the living room! It’s no wonder that designing this space, which has to fulfill so many functions and look smashing, can give the best of us the decorating jitters. Follow along and I’ll show you how to design your space, step by step.

1. Make a Floor Plan

If I could give you one piece of advice on how to decorate your living room, it would be to start with a floor plan. Once you have a sense of where the major pieces will go, everything else – colour, pattern and style – will fall into place. A successful floor plan maps out the flow, function, and scale and proportion of your furniture. Skip this step and costly mistakes can happen. What’s more disheartening than a sofa that’s too large or a coffee table that’s too small? The good news: there are helpful online tools and services. Check out siandoui.com. I love that their floor-plan package also includes 3-D rendering, a shopping list and a mood board (hint: the photos on these pages comprise a mood board). Or go old school with graph paper or painter’s tape. I like to outline where my furniture will go with tape and then walk through the space to feel how it flows.

FLOOR-PLAN TIPS

The best layouts consider how you'll live. Ask yourself:

• Does your TV need to be a focal point?

• Do you need a hard-surface coffee table for drinks and snacks, or would you prefer an upholstered ottoman where you can kick up your feet?

• Have you created a conversation area where the furniture placement allows people to sit face to face?

2. Set the Mood

Next, focus on the main pieces. First up: where to sit. Test potential sofas and chairs for comfort, and consider whether you want a firm, sculptural sofa or, if you like to lie down, one to sink into. I suggest going as big as possible with the sofa, even in small spaces. Teensy furniture can make a room feel under-decorated. An area rug is a must to define and pull together the room. Make it big enough so the front legs of your sofa and chair will rest on it. Now make a statement by adding an unexpected element for depth and character, like a bright coloured chair or a sculptural coffee table. And avoid having everything  brand new; add in collected treasures or shop for vintage. As far as colour goes, the trick is to repeat it in varying shades and textures. Say you love mauve and want a minimalist, monochromatic look. Try this: a pale shade on the walls, shades of lavender in your art and rug, a soft blush velvet chair for depth and texture, and finish with wood and woven furniture. Maximalists will want to go bold with wallpaper and accents in analogous and complementary shades.

Don’t forget to include a layered lighting plan, with overheads (recessed, pendants or flush mounts), and floor and table lamps.

FRAMES, West Elm, westelm.ca.

 

SANTA FE TAN 2097-40, Benjamin Moore

 

 

 

HINT OF MAUVE 2097-50, Benjamin Moore

 

 

 

FEATHER DOWN OC-6, Benjamin Moore

 

 

 

3. Decorate!

When it comes to decorating, designers often suggest that you start with a rug because it’s a pricier item with lots of colour cues. However, these days there is so much to choose from at different price points that you can save and splurge in many ways, so start with what you love. Something as small as a pillow or vase could be the inspo for the entire room. So collect images of rooms you love with abandon – you’ll likely notice recurring styles, silhouettes and colours. Then run with whatever gives you design butterflies. Trends come and go. Creamy-dreamy walls, rugs and sofas with white oak floors and punctuated with varying wood tones and black accents is a soothing look with staying power. For forward-looking folks, maximalism (plenty of bold pattern and colour) is on the rise, so don’t be afraid to personalize your living room with patterned drapes, piles of fun pillows and colourful art. It’s your room for living, so I say put your own stamp on it.

Myriad 8' x 10' hand-knotted RUG, $1,499,

CB2, cb2.ca.

 

 

Woven LAMP, $50,

Winners, winners.ca.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seville LOUNGE CHAIR, $1,495,

Elte Mkt, eltemkt.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mauve linen 20" x 20" Eyelash PILLOW, $88,

CB2, cb2.ca.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natural colour patchwork CUSHION, $74,

Simons, simons.ca.