One-Up Your Living Room for more Drama

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Home Improvement

Judith Sutton ABR CRS IDS PMN ASP IAHSP SRES GREEN

Judy@JudithSutton.com   908 803-0472

EXPECT MORE

NEED TO REFRESH YOUR LIVING ROOM?  

Here are a few ideas!

Invited Guest Contributor House Beautiful

Keep It Simple

This living room is simple, clean-lined, and inviting, with a little bit of glamour and a lot of comfort. To highlight the architectural details, the moldings are painted in high-gloss white.

Go Shiplap Crazy

To up the farmhouse vibes, install shiplap. Joanna Gaines would totally approve. Then add something metallic, like a coffee table, for some unexpected bling.

 

Elongate the Ceiling

Blend neutral gray walls with sleek, modern furniture and lighting. It'll look chic rather than dated. A velvet throw pillow will add a nice iridescent flare, too. Also, pro tip: hang your curtains at the very tip top of your walls to make the ceilings seem higher.

Set Up a Few Sitting Areas

This rustic great room was built to resemble a converted barn. If you're blessed with a large enough open-plan living room, set up multiple sitting areas: one for hanging and snacking (a bistro table can break up the lower height of the other sitting areas), one for cuddling up with a good book, and one for formal entertaining.

Add Candles

Can you imagine how beautiful this room looks glowing in the candlelight? Opt for a chandelier with candles instead of lightbulbs for a rustic vibe. Or, if that's not an option, display them on your mantel and light them up when you need to strike a romantic mood. (Use flameless candles to play it safe).

Add a Rocking Chair

Chairs that look good but are uncomfortable? Not worth the cute factor. Besides, here's definitive proof that rocking chairs can be super chic. The camel leather contrasts perfectly with the cream wall and plays up the old-time-y rustic feel of the reclaimed wood mantle.

Take a Risk with Floor Art: Why Not?

Rather than focusing exclusively on the walls in this grand San Francisco (where else?) living room, the designer brought the abstract art onto the floors. How clever! With broad white brushstrokes on the black-stained hardwood, these floors are a gorgeous juxtaposition against the Neoclassical ceiling and antique mirror above the fireplace. The key to mixing all these divergent design aesthetics is to remain in the same grayscale color scheme. Pro tip: wall sconces always add a subtle but transformative finishing touch. Different and Dramatic!

Paint the Ceiling

Why only have fun on the walls when you can have even more fun with a statement ceiling?  Loving the romantic yet surprisingly fresh color combination of fire-engine red and violet. The bohemian embroidered throw pillows tie everything together nicely. That's another great way to approach the living room design process: Start with a fun pair of throw pillows, and then pull out your two favorite colors to highlight on the walls and ceiling!

For the love of success,

For the love of thinking about your home forward,

     Adding value for my clients and loving where we live!

Judy@JudithSutton.com 

COLDWELL BANKER...GUIDING PEOPLE HOME SINCE 1906 

 908 803-0472
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