Large Living Room Decorating Made Simple
Decorating a large living room can seem like an intimidating task. With so much space to work with, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with design options. However, with some strategic planning and design tricks, you can create a large living room that feels cozy, inviting, and effortlessly styled.
The key is choosing the right furniture and decor elements that enhance the spaciousness rather than making the room feel empty and cavernous. Read on for simple tips to decorate a large living room with style.
Choose the Right Scale Furniture
When decorating a sizable living room, pay attention to the scale of furniture pieces. Oversized furniture like a giant sectional or sofa can make the room feel dwarfed. Instead, look for pieces that have generous proportions but aren't too bulky. An extra-long sofa or sectional still provides ample seating while defining the space. Match with substantial coffee tables, side chairs, ottomans and other accents that have visual weight to anchor the room.
a. Sectionals are Ideal Anchor Pieces
A sectional sofa is often the perfect furniture choice for large living rooms. Choose one with a chaise portion if possible. This helps delineate a comfortable seating space within the open area. Make sure to leave enough room for walking around the sectional.
b. Scale Matters with Accent Pieces
When selecting furniture like side chairs and coffee tables, opt for substantial pieces. Dainty occasional tables will look adrift in a vast room. An oversized square or rectangular cocktail table provides nice visual balance against a sectional or sofa.
c. Evaluate Traffic Flow
Before arranging furniture in a large living room, assess the traffic flow. Make sure there is enough space to navigate through the room without bumping into or squeezing past furniture. Measure the room and sketch possible layouts before purchasing pieces.
Zone Out Different Areas
One decorating strategy that works well for large living rooms is designating separate zones for different activities. For example, you can create a comfortable seating area around the TV for media time, a reading nook next to window with a cozy chair, and a conversation area with side chairs around a coffee table.
a. Use Area Rugs to Define Spaces
An excellent way to delineate different living room zones is placing area rugs strategically under each function. Pay attention to rug size--they should be large enough that front chair and sofa legs sit atop the rug. This visually defines and anchors the seating areas.
b. Get Creative With Furniture Arrangements
Don't just default to putting all the furniture against the walls. Floating furniture like sofas, chairs and tables in the middle of the room can help maximize space. Just be sure to allow ample room to comfortably move around each grouping.
c. Embrace Multifunctional Pieces
Look for furniture that serves double or triple duty--ottomans with hidden storage, coffee tables with lift-tops to hold remotes, side tables with built-in charging stations. This packs utility into every piece without cluttering the spacious room.
Choose a Cohesive Color Palette
Sticking with a cohesive, limited color palette keeps a large living room from feeling disjointed. Neutral hues like warm ivory, tan and cream have a calming effect. Incorporate texture and patterns through soft furnishings and accents for visual interest. Keep walls light to reflect light and make the space feel more intimate.
a. Neutrals Allow Pops of Color
A neutral color scheme provides flexibility to layer in accent colors through pillows, throws, artwork and floral arrangements. For a soothing ambiance, stick to analogous accent colors in similar tones like shades of green or soft blues.
b. Make a Bold Color Statement
For a dramatic look, paint one wall in a saturated accent color like emerald green or navy. This adds a stylish backdrop against neutral furnishings. Or bring in bold color through patterns like global-inspired rugs and tribal-print pillows.
c. Vary Textures and Patterns
Prevent a neutral color scheme from becoming bland by mixing up textures and patterns. Incorporate cozy knit throws, soft velvet pillows, jute rugs, and needlepoint ottomans. Just be sure patterns complement each other.
Use Strategic Lighting
Proper lighting is key when decorating a large living room. Wash the space in soft ambient lighting to avoid a stark, empty feel. Incorporate task lighting as needed. Use lighting to draw attention to specific living room features or zones.
a. Install Layers of Illumination
Relying solely on an overhead fixture can leave a cavernous room feeling dark and gloomy. Create a layered lighting plan with wall sconces for ambient glow, floor lamps for task lighting, and pendant lights above focal points.
b. Add Style with Statement Lighting
Make a dramatic statement and highlight conversational groupings with an oversized pendant or chandelier above. For intimate ambiance, install wall-mounted reading lamps or sconces with adjustable heads behind seating areas.
c. Use Dimmers for Adjustability
Install dimmers for ceiling fixtures, overhead lights and table/floor lamps. This allows you to control the mood and adapt lighting based on activities like entertaining or watching TV versus relaxed reading times.
Incorporate Greenery
Lush greenery is an easy way to help fill and soften a large living room. Large potted trees, bamboo plants or fiddle leaf figs make excellent living sculptures in bare corners. Displaying blooming orchids and other flowering plants adds pops of color and life. The natural elements keep the room feeling welcoming.
a. Choose Tall, Sculptural Plants
Search for plants with height and presence, like tall bamboo or a ficus tree, for hard-to-fill spots. Their sculptural shapes make living art. Place off to the side rather than central spots to avoid blocking views and flow.
b. Layer in Smaller Accent Plants
Place shorter, daintier accent plants like orchids and succulents on console tables, hearths, shelves and windowsills to bring additional greenery. Groupings of mixed heights and varieties make the prettiest displays.
c. Freshen the Air with Houseplants
In addition to visual appeal, indoor plants improve air quality. They act as natural air purifiers by absorbing pollutants. Evergreen houseplants work nicely as they don't shed leaves and remove toxins effectively.
Create a Focal Point
Large living rooms often lack a clear design focus due to their generous proportions. Draw the eye to a focal point to give the space purpose. This could be a stately fireplace, large piece of artwork or gallery wall. Bold patterned curtains or rugs work nicely too.
a. Spotlight the Fireplace
If your large living room has a fireplace, play it up. Draw attention by flanking with symmetrical sconces or pendants. Add substantial furniture opposite like a tufted bench or pair of leather chairs facing the mantle.
b. Hang an Oversized Piece of Art
Make a blank wall pop by hanging large-scale artwork like an abstract painting or oversized photograph. This immediately livens up plain walls and creates a focal point to anchor the space.
c. Create a Gallery Wall Display
Another way to spice up a large expanse of wall is hanging a gallery wall with a collection of framed photos, art or mirrors. Mix up shape, color and size for lots of visual appeal.
Hanging mirrors strategically throughout a large living room makes it feel brighter and more expansive. Place across from windows to amplify natural light. Or hang behind light sources like sconces to splash illumination around the space.