Have you taken a look around your living room lately? Is it fairly old and outdated looking? It’s time to bring your room from the stone age to modern times. Here are a few ideas to help modernize your living room.
Add More Windows
Most modern houses have several windows in the living room to allow natural light to pour in. Install several new windows in your living room to add more life to the room instead of making it feel old and stuffy. This also gives you a chance to update all the window treatments in the room. Not only does an increase in natural light make the room feel alive, it can also help cut back on energy costs thanks to not needing to turn on the lights or heat (if it’s winter) during the daytime.
Install Floating Shelves
Modern rooms are all about streamlining everything, and sometimes that means things can come off the ground. Whether it’s a floating bookshelf or a floating bookcase, it’s fairly easy to make fixtures raised off of the ground. This not only frees the floor from any clutter, but it gives your home a unique look. If you decide to store artwork on the shelves, make sure it’s silver or white — any calm color should do, really.
Get New Furniture
One of the most expensive parts about updating the room is getting furniture to match. You’ll definitely have to either sell or toss everything out and find brand new furniture. Get a couch to optimize your home’s seating and a nice recliner so you can relax in your remodeled living room. You’ll want a coffee table to match, and because we’re going with a modern style, make sure it has a reflective surface with storage space underneath.
In this instance, “new” could also mean new to you. Check out local wholesalers and yard sales to find gently used furniture for your room. New furniture can quickly add up, so buying used or at wholesale prices might be an ideal tactic when furnishing your living room.
Add Art
Have your walls been feeling a little bare lately? The solution is simple: add some art. There’s no art that can be recommended here because everyone has different artistic tastes. It could be a sculpture; it could be a couple of different pictures designed to complement one another; it could be three-panel art; or it could be a colorful design that you made yourself. Art adds a personal splash of design to whatever room you put it in.
Hang a Clock
It’s been said that fashion goes out of style and eventually comes back around. Well, with the way technology is advancing, physical clocks kind of went out of style and were replaced by clocks on computers, watches, and cell phones. Things are coming full circle once again, and wall clocks are in style again. Grab a simple, minimalistic clock to add to your wall — preferably one that’s silent.
Place Mirrors on the Wall
Mirrors are a great idea for any space because they really open up the room. The more stylish, the better. It can be a conversation piece for those who visit. Mirrors are very easy to run across second-hand, so check local thrift shops and grab a large, stylish mirror for fairly cheap.
Turn Your Living Room Into an Office
With so many people telecommuting these days, it only makes sense to have your office at home. If you install a few tiny shelves, or even a floating cabinet, you can add items that you need to it and a desk and chair underneath. This will give you your own workspace if you work from home or frequently telecommute. Thanks to the shelves or cabinet floating on the wall, it doesn’t take up much room, so you can add it to the corner of the room to use space efficiently.
Minimize the TV
So now that you’ve got the room all set up, what are you going to do with the TV? Send it to the corner of the room, if you can. It’ll stay out of the way of the design of your room, but it’s still in a very watchable location. If it’s a realistic option, mount it on the wall. That way, you’ll get it off of the floor entirely.
There are many things you can do to bring your living room out of the stone age, but these are just a few suggestions. Have you ever remodeled a room? If so, what did you do?
