Your living room is the place where your family gathers, where you entertain your guests and where you unwind after stressful days. This is why you want it to be a warm and welcoming place and it’s something that can be achieved through décor. Here are some ideas to guide you and help you make your living room a cozier place.

Words: Amelia Atkins

Choose the right colors

If you want a homey and inviting living room, the color scheme you choose for it should reflect that. Start with painting the walls in warm colors. For instance, some softer and more subtle shades of green, yellow or purple will add a lot to its appeal. If you want to warm up your living space visually, yet be discreet about it, you can even opt for red and orange, but make sure you tone them down and avoid bright hues of these colors. Finally, in case your walls are white or gray and you don’t want to repaint them right now, there’s always the option of adding fluffy and furry details, like sofa throws or cushions.

Use some decorative items

Even in those living rooms where the walls and all of the furniture appear cold and uninviting, there is still a way to introduce the desired warmth with decorative items. More noticeable things like window curtains in pastel colors or some beautiful art on your walls are a good place to start. And if you want to indulge more than just you sense of vision, you can get an oil burner and some vegan-friendly scented soy melts for a nice fragrance that lasts. Also, if you decorate your living room with framed photos of your family and friends, you’ll always feel good there. To top it off, several live plants in some beautiful pots will make the place greener in more ways than one.

Let plenty of light in

Those who have large windows in their living room can consider themselves lucky. Natural light is healthy and it can brighten your living space like nothing else. Just make sure your curtains aren’t too thick and dark, but rather light and transparent. However, you can’t always rely solely on your windows. Lighting fixtures you install in your living room can also determine whether the place will be nice and comfy, or dark and gloomy. Therefore, if your central, overhead lighting fixture isn’t doing the trick, replace it with a lovely chandelier and add a few lanterns on one or more of your walls. Furthermore, a nice lamp or two can serve as decorative items, while adding a lovely glow to your room when you need them to.

Invest in the right type of flooring

If you want a cozy space, you should opt for wooden, vinyl or eco-friendly bamboo flooring. All three of these options are easy to maintain and can add to the warmth of the room. If this isn’t enough, you can also get some carpets in different colors and patterns, made of natural materials such as jute, cotton or wool. Make sure they have thick and long threads, so that they’re lush enough for you to walk barefoot and enjoy it, and that they function as floor isolation which prevents heat loss and saves energy. In case you’re not a very huge fan of carpets, a reasonably-sized rug underneath your coffee table will do just fine, as long as your feet are sinking into something soft and pleasant while you’re sitting on your sofa.

Turning your living room into an oasis of peace and comfort isn’t as difficult as it may sound. In any case, following these tips should help. And remember, no matter what budget you have at your disposal, there are always some good and creative ways to make your living room the coziest part of your home.