Tips for Redecorating Your Living Room

Your house isn't a home without a living room there's a reason they called it the "living" room, after all. Your whole family can use the living room to watch TV, do homework, talk, play games, work on projects, relax and enjoy each other's company. But if your living room isn't warm and welcoming, you might find everyone holed up in his or her bedrooms. Here are some great tips for redecorating your living room.

Does your living room feel too small and pokey? If you can't knock out some walls to create open plan living, one thing you can do is create the illusion of more space. First, paint your walls a cool colour like a light blue or sea green. Then, replace your old, dowdy, heavy curtains with smart modern venetian blinds in a contrasting colour. Next, remove as much furniture as possible, and recover what remains to give each piece a new lease of life. Add a colourful beanbag and you've got a spacious and comfy living room.

But what if your living room is too large? Perhaps it feels sparse and uninviting. If so, you can easily fix this. Paint three walls in a neutral shade and cover the forth wall in a bold colour like bright red or blue. Hang some large, fun art pieces (large, bold colours like abstract art help balance your space), and add some funky modern furniture. Use rugs, carpets and tiles to break up the floor spaces into separate "pods" of activity. And finally, use roman or venetian blinds in matching colours to give a modern look to your old windows.

Lighting is also an important part of good living room design. In a small space, wall-mounted lights will add a cosy feel without cluttering the room, while hanging lights can reduce the size of a large room while adding interest and a bold splash of colour.

Before you start redecorating, stop and think about what you really want. Read design books and look at the displays and show homes and cut out pictures of what you like. Redecorating your living room will give your home a new, cosy vibe.

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