Did you know the average American spends 93% of their life indoors?
With such a lot of time spent inside, you need to make sure your surroundings are aesthetically pleasing. Nobody wants to waste their life away sat in unpleasant surroundings, after all.
Your living room, in particular, is the primary spot that sets the tone for your entire house. This hub of the home is where you’ll spend most of your time as a family. And where you’ll most likely entertain from.
But how can you turn your uninviting, dumping ground of a living room into something spectacular? Read on for 8 modern living room ideas that will turn your home from drab to fab!
Modern Living Room Ideas
When you’re flipping through magazines and scrolling on Pinterest, those picture-perfect homes might seem out of your reach. But the good news is that they’re not impossible to recreate. All you need is some creativity and a flawless plan.
These next 8 tips will give you the inspiration you need to bring your Pinterest feed to life.
1. Style Lays at Your Feet
One of the top modern living room ideas for 2019 is making a statement with the floor. Using a statement piece has long been a home-style trend. But instead of opting for a statement sofa, fireplace or other items of furniture, use a bright carpet or rug to bring fun to the floor.
From neutral designs to bold and bright hues, patterned carpets and rugs can bring a bold punch to your living room design. Especially if your floor is nothing special. Check out Dash and Albert Rugs for some amazing inspiration.
2. Redefining Neutral
Modern living room design is usually on the neutral side. But neutral doesn’t have to restrict you to shades of white. Try other neutral tones for a relaxed and welcoming look and add splashes of brighter colors for some personality.
For instance, soft grey, dusty rose, navy or forest green. You can use these colors as a neutral undertone and accessorize with something colorful. For instance, soft grey decor with hot pink furniture and teal accessories.
3. Mismatched Harmony
Whoever said spots and stripes don’t match was wrong! In 2019, living room interior design is all about mixing and matching with patterns and textures.
The key is to find a variety of patterns that complement each other. You can do that by using color to bring the room together. For example, geometric prints on the drapes and stripes on the scatter cushions, all in the same hue.
It’s similar when mixing and matching with textures. For instance, traditional plaid throw cushions scattered over a modern leather sofa. Or a glam suede couch with metallic finishing.
4. Display What You Love
Whether it’s a collection of books or modern pieces of art, display what you love.
For instance, modern art is the perfect addition to a minimalist room. It can bring color and depth without overdoing it. You can take colors from the artwork and use them in your accessories too, such as throw pillows or quirky pieces of furniture.
Or try displaying your books in style by showcasing them in a floor-to-ceiling bookcase. Not only will it give a cozy feel to your living room, but it can create a trendy focal point.
Of course, if your collection is vast, you may need to only pick your favorites to display. Otherwise, it may create a cluttered look. You could always rotate your items each season to keep things fresh throughout the year.
5. Let There Be Light
In living room decor lighting goes a long way. But unlike most of the other rooms in your home, you can’t opt for one type of lighting. You need a statement light, ambient lighting, and possibly backlighting.
You can use your statement ceiling light to create a focal point in the room. For instance, try metallic fixtures or a rustic chandelier. Or for something understated, use an oversized paper pendant.
However, if your furniture is big and clunky and your ceilings are low, opt for statement lighting that is smaller and less dramatic.
6. Use Natural Lighting
And don’t forget the natural lighting you already have!
The way you dress your windows can either frame the view or hide the great outdoors. You need to dress the windows in your living room to not only look stylish but to let in as much natural light as possible.
Drape them with something luxurious, but not anything too heavy or ornate. For a particularly dark room, try sheer drapes to let in as much light as possible.
7. Something Old, Something New
When you’re thinking of new modern living room ideas, don’t forget to use what you already have.
Yes, try to retain some of the original features of your home. Whether it’s an exposed stone wall, a fireplace or art-deco style coving, give it a modern twist instead of starting afresh.
For instance, a 70s style brick fireplace may not match with your new modern theme. Try painting the exposed brick and swapping the mantlepiece with some reclaimed wood for a new look.
8. Go Wild with Wallpaper
One of the quickest ways to update your living room interior design dramatically is to use wallpaper. Don’t overdo it, just use it on one or two feature walls and keep the other walls neutral.
Don’t be afraid to go for something bold and bright. You can either mix and match with different colored furniture and accessories. Or you can get all matchy-matchy and use shades from the wallpaper to accessorize the rest of the room.
Style and Function for a Flawless Finish
So, which modern living room ideas will you try out? Whatever you go for, make sure it creates a cozy hangout where you can kick back relax and also entertain your loved ones. Style is important but function is key, after all!
But before you head out to the store to get supplies, you might need a few more ideas. Check out the lifestyle section of our blog for some more stylish home inspiration.
