Decorating your living room is a good idea. It will save you money and give you significant knowledge about interior designing. Also, you can do it as a pass time or a hobby. But, then things could also go wrong and you could make a fool out of yourself. Therefore, it is always better and recommendable to get your hands full with some ideas about how to go on with decorating your living room. So, here are a few things to know before you take the plunge to decorate your living room.

1. It is always advisable to set off with a plan in your mind and a generic outlook of what your living room should be like. It does mean that you should know every head and tail in advance but a general idea will add the icing on the cake. It will help you during the decoration. As behind every successful project, there is a strategy and a plan, same should be applied here.

2. You should do a lot of research work before deciding on the look of your room. Just go through some magazines or catalogues, or better you can surf on Freshome and search for the designs, colors or styles you are longing for. Just tear the page of the design which you like and keep it aside for future reference. After you get a collection of different designs, try to choose those designs which catch your interests and ideas the most. I agree that a lot of confusion will also prevail but you should be able to think and act fast and come to the conclusion as confusion will eat your time and take you nowhere. Also, once decided, you should not regret. So, you should also decide carefully and be firm by sticking to the decision.

3.Lighting plays a significant role in the success of your decoration. It does create a good ambience. It adds to the shine and glitter of the room, also making our moods shine and glitter. It can spur our senses and raise our oxytocin levels which are responsible for emotional joy. Also, scented candles can bring in an additional spark to the room.

4. Choosing the right furniture is as essential as oxygen is for our body. After choosing, placing the furniture in a proper way is also equally important. Mostly, you should not place the furniture lined up against the wall. Your room will be looking smaller by this kind of arrangement. If you want more tips on how to make a room bigger check our article.

5. Another thing important is making use of the right curtains. Your efforts may seem like a flash in the pan if the curtains are not proper. Mostly, choose the curtains which match he color of the furniture. So, do not lose it all in the last minute just because of one silly mistake.

6. Adding to the most important things, flooring is also another thing that should be kept in mind. It is essential for furnishing. The coverings of the floor can be tiles, carpet or wood. You should see to it that it should be of a similar color or a darker shade than the walls.

7. There should be proper amount of free space for the functioning of daily activities, for e.g. walking. Else, the room will appear like a furniture shop.

8. Any cool accessories could add a zing to your room. You could pick up some pieces from craft shows and flea markets. Mostly, accessories should be artifacts, goodies or some items that you treasure.

9. One could use plants, flora or trees to provide a kind of natural beauty to the atmosphere of the room. It will also fill in the empty spaces, and if you are not convinced yet about the importance of plants in your home check this article.

10. Some interesting paintings can really bring in a wave of deftness to your room. It acts as a style to your room.

Finnaly if you would like to add other tips you can post a comment to this post, and share your oppinion with others.

A few days ago a Freshome reader named Kendra Redman contacted me, to write a guest post for this blog, and here is her article. I must admit that her advice is very practical, because I went this year in Greece and after I’ve read this article I’ve found some mistakes that I’ve made.

We have all made the same mistake, c’mon admit it. While on that recent relaxing holiday you bought something you thought would capture that holiday feeling when you returned home to your regular routine. It might have been in a bustling local market, maybe it was something you saw created in front of you by a local craftsperson or an item spotted in a tiny shop presided over by an old stooped woman who smiled charmingly at you.

You were excited about your treasure and made sure it was wrapped and bundled securely for the trip back. Once home you unwrapped the gem eagerly with your mind racing as to where it would look best in your house. In the bright light of day you flinched when you saw your precious vacation souvenir in its new surroundings. Suddenly the colors of your prize, that seemed so bright and cheerful in its native land, only look garish to you now. The details on the pottery you found so charming and quaint clash with your post modern furniture. The tribal mask that seemed primitive ironic while trekking scare your children when they walk by it. What on earth possessed you to buy these things?

The desire to bring back an object to represent your vacation bliss is a natural one that everyone falls prey to on some vacation in their life. So how do you do vacation decorating right? Follow these few simple rules and you will won’t have another vacation decorating disaster.

Textiles – textiles are a great way to bring a splash of your adventures into the home in a subtle way. The textile can be hung, framed, made into a pillow, used to upholster a furniture piece or used as a table runner. A glimpse will still remind you of the village woman who wove the beautiful fabric but not be as jarring as hanging a Swiss cuckoo clock on your minimalist walls.
Photos – Travel photos are wonderful souvenirs. Don’t put them in a variety of mismatching frames or your walls and surfaces will look like one big photo album.Choose an odd number of the best ones and frame in the same simple frames, preferably black with a large mat, and wall mount giving an art gallery effect. To blend with any interior, have the photos developed in black and white.

Bowls – Bowls are functional, attractive and easy to find in any part of the world. You can buy a bamboo lacquered one in Vietnam, a pewter bowl in Norway, a pottery one from Portugal or a rustic wooden bowl from Africa. Lined up on a display shelf they will complement each other as well as telling the story of your journeys.

Artwork – Unless you are an investor, choosing art is always a personal thing. That watercolor from France would be a great addition to your guest bathroom.Or the large brightly colored painting can add the spice to your neutral interior.
So the next time you find yourself standing in front of that four foot fertility statue in some faraway place telling yourself it could go in that empty corner in the living room – just walk away.

Your living room will be a place for family or friends to sit and visit, so a special effort should be made to create a comfortable harmonious environment. Usually this is the first room you see upon entering your home, it is also a room that must show well and in most cases carry more than one function such as a playroom, office and even a dining room. If you would like to see more pictures you can check our previous posts : Living Room Furniture and Living Room Inspiration.

Do you find yourself seeing hundreds of “perfect” rooms and photographs in each issue of every decorating magazine ? I’m in this situation, and I’ve thought how I can escape from this overhelming feeling, and the internet is the solution as usual. I’ve found an interesting article that will help you to develop your own style, train your eye, and give insight into decorating principles.

Rather than just browsing a magazine, this is looking with a purpose . It’s not just paging through a publication, it’s sitting down with an assignment .

By consciously deciding what you want to learn, you can focus on a particular topic and teach yourself more about design. Learn how you can learn this from this article. - Enjoy !