Along with the kitchen, the living room is one of the most important rooms in your house. As the name implies, this is the room where most of the “living” takes place. Most of the time, this is the first (and sometimes only) room that your guests will see. And, this is the room where most of the family action will take place – watching TV together, doing homework, playing, reading, and any number of family activities. You will want to find a combination for your living room that is both comfortable for family living and a nice place to entertain guests. 

Furniture is an important part of making your living room work for you. Choose sofas and chairs that will look good enough for entertaining, but are comfortable enough for living. Choose multi-functional furniture that will help you keep the room cleared of clutter, but will keep things such as games, books, etc within easy reach. Some ideas for this would be tables that have storage drawers and bookshelves with storage spaces. 

Flooring should be chosen carefully. You will want flooring that will stand the test of time and the heavy traffic. If you choose carpeting, you should choose a type that is resistant to heavy traffic and is easy to clean. Choose colors that are less likely to show stains. Hardwood flooring is a great alternative, but you should use an area rug to give the children a comfortable place to play. 

Your living room should be a place to “live”. Your décor should be warm and inviting. When choosing knick-knacks and wall decorations, you should keep in mind that lots of clutter could make the room seem small and “full”. You want your knick-knacks, paintings or pictures, and other accessories to work well together. 

Lighting is an important feature of every room in your house. You want to use the lighting in your living room to make the room bright and inviting. Using dark colors in your décor will work as long as you have sufficient lighting. Make use of any natural lighting that is available for the room – large windows, bay windows with seats, etc. You can use lamps in corners to lighten the corners and reflect the light into the room. Mirrors can also help reflect the light into the room. 

The arrangement of your furniture will play a role in the overall appearance of the room. You should place sofas and other large pieces of furniture near the walls when possible to give the room an open feel. The placement of your furniture should allow your family and guests enough room to move freely about the room. 

The colors you choose for your living room should work with your furniture and décor to enhance the theme you are trying to create – a room that looks lived-in yet pretty to behold. You want to use colors that create a sense of warmth and belonging in your guests and family members – and colors that are relaxing to the eye rather than loud, bold, and busy. This is the room where your family and guests congregate to relax and enjoy one another’s company – and relaxing colors will help with creating this feeling. 

The main purpose of the living room is to create a place when both family and guests will feel right at home. Creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere will help you turn your living room into your “living” room.