| The living room is one of the most important spaces in | | | | and you can fit everything in the wlorld in your living |
| your house. It is the traffic hub of life, the place where | | | | room. In general, simple is better, because it gives you |
| everyone comes together, friends, and family, to | | | | a blank canvas to fill, slowly with decorations. |
| congregate and enjoy the pleasure of one another's | | | | 3. Circles: The living room is a social space, and you |
| company. It is also the most visible space in the house, | | | | should do your best to facilitate this. Create a circular |
| and the room that is most likely to be viewed by | | | | pattern to all of the seating arrangements, which |
| guests visiting for the first time. For these reasons and | | | | forces people to look at one another, rather than a |
| more you should endeavor to make this as attractive | | | | focal point such as a TV. This makes conversation |
| and comfortable as you possibly can. | | | | easier, and almost inevitable. |
| 1. Seating: You need to have plenty of seating. It is a | | | | 4. Pathways: One of the basic rules for decorating a |
| rather unwelcoming feeling when you come into | | | | living room is that you have to position items in such a |
| someone's home, and they don't have anywhere for | | | | way that there is a flow to the space. That means |
| you to sit. Then there is always the inevitable search | | | | leaving clear walkways open for people to move into, |
| for uncomfortable fold away chairs that will sit | | | | out of, and through the space. You want the room to |
| awkwardly in a strange corner of the room. | | | | have a natural fluid feel that makes it easy for people |
| You should devote as much space in the living room | | | | to travel through whenever they have to. |
| as you possibly can to couches, sofas, and love seats. | | | | 5. Interest and Comfort: Everyone wants to have the |
| If you plan to entertain a large number of guests, you | | | | most interesting interior. The problem is that sometimes |
| might want to compliment these with some | | | | interesting is bad, it can even be offensive, or tacky. |
| comfortable occasional seating, such as been bag | | | | Since the living room is such a social space, it is on |
| chairs, or sofa cushion floor seating. You can also use | | | | public display, and the decisions you make here will be |
| comfortable dining room chairs as a more solid | | | | judged by anyone who enters the home. |
| alternative. | | | | While it is wonderful to personalize the space to your |
| 2. Clutter: A room that is full of useless junk will feel | | | | own tastes, it is also possible to go too far. You should |
| chaotic and uncomfortable. If there is garbage | | | | try and find a compromise between pieces which are |
| everywhere, then you are just being lazy, and this will | | | | powerful and evocative, and those which are bland |
| reflect on you whenever someone comes over. | | | | and inoffensive. We all live within our own heads, and |
| On the other hand, it might be that you are just a little | | | | sometimes its hard to see how someone else will |
| too enthusiastic about decorating, and so you have | | | | react to an item that you absolutely love, such as a |
| crammed every cute, beautiful, or interesting thing that | | | | controversial work of art. If you are unsure whether a |
| you could fin into the space. | | | | piece is a little too extreme for such a public forum, try |
| What you have to understand is that decorating is a | | | | to get as much feedback as possible. The opinions |
| form of art, and art is about making choices. When a | | | | you get the closer you will come to understanding the |
| painter starts a portrait he has to decide what he is | | | | true reaction people will have. |
| going to paint. He can't paint everything in the world, | | | | |