Today I’m bringing you a guest post from Isobel. She’s from London and has dedicated her life to her small cleaning company. In her spare time, Isobel writes cleaning and home organization articles.
The living room – the one room in your home you spend most of your time in. It’s there that you invite friends for a cup of tea or hot chocolate, where you watch TV or discuss trivial matters with other family members, such as how your day at the office went. That’s why it’s frequently referred to as the “family room”. Don’t allow things to get stale, give your living room a makeover every now and then for a modern, fresher look. Don’t worry about the expenses – there are ways to change up things a bit on a budget.
Tidying up should precede any makeover at all times. Actually cleaning is a makeover by itself! Otherwise it’s not worth the time and effort. Begin by picking up all clothes and kids’ toys from your living room’s floor. Items like shoes, socks, empty (or full for that matter!) laundry baskets and plates do not belong in the living room so distribute them to their rightful places. Wipe out all cobwebs from ceiling fans, light fixtures, nooks and corners of the room, then air the couches’ cushions outside and vacuum clean. Ideas and motivation come much easier in a neat and clean space. Clutter blocks not only your room but your ideas as well. If you are not able to provide the cleaning you could always book a cleaning services from professionals like DomesticClean Southfields.
Now that you have cleaned up your living room we can continue with the make-over suggestions. It’s always a nice idea to bring in some colour to your home. Why not do it in the living room? And it won’t cost you a fortune. The best part is you don’t have to do any painting either (unless of coarse your walls require it). Just toss a few colourful pillows with extravagant patterns over your sofas and couch. Make sure the colours match your furniture and upholstery though and last but not least don’t overdo it. Too much of something is just as bad, as you might end up with tacky-looking living room. Another way to invite colour into your home and life is by arranging fresh flowers in several vases or placing a few green plants throughout – this will definitely give your living room a personality and freshen things up a bit.
Make your living room cosy so that you enjoy spending time there. How? For me personally books always do the trick. And again the advantage is you won’t have to spend any money as you probably already have books at your disposal. Stack a few on top of your coffee table, throw in a few magazines too. You know what will make it even cosier? A warm blanket on the couch to cuddle in during cold winter days. A rocking chair in the corner might add a nice touch. Distribute a few scented candles around – place them on the table or your mantel piece. Floating candles in small bowls of water are both eye-catching and calming.
Play with the light a bit. A nice lamp will create an intimate atmosphere in your living room. You don’t have to go for expensive, crystal chandeliers though – these are pretentious in my opinion and very expensive. Chances are you probably already have a floor lamp next to your couch or in the corner of the room. Spice up things a bit by crafting a new lampshade for your floor lamp. If you’re a skilful knitter you can craft an interesting knitted case to upholster your old lampshade with. Choose a loose, web-like pattern so that maximum amount of light goes through.
In case your living room’s floor is hardwood and you don’t want to spend a fortune on carpets which are difficult to maintain, experiment by throwing a few smaller rugs over the boards. Place a larger piece underneath your coffee table, a smaller rug in front of the door and several more in front of the sofas – I personally dig the oval shaped rugs with elliptical patterns but you should choose a rug of your own liking.
Whether or not you follow any of these suggestions, make sure your living room says something about you and your family, it should reflect your personality and make a bold statement while at same time is cosy and organised. One thing’s for sure though – living room updates do not necessarily end up with you paying through the nose.
