Modern living room - how to furnish your living room?
Living room is one of the most important rooms in every house. It is the area where most social gatherings take place. Living room is usually also the room of relaxation, therefore furnishing it might be quite a challenge. Its design should be characterised by a certain level of coziness. Should it, however, impress your guests, it also has to comply with the latest trends. A modern living room is a combination of an aesthetically pleasing design and functionality.
Modern living room ideas
Living room is the most representative part of every house or apartment. Usually it is also a place in which one spends the most of the time. For this reason everyone who designs an interior of this type, should aim for a living room that is not only modern, but also comfortable. Wondering how to furnish your modern living room, one should consider the most popular styles and trends.
Living room ideas - modern scandinavian style
One of the most popular styles for a contemporary modern living room is scandinavian. It can be characterised by a dose of minimalism and bright, spacious interiors. A modern living room in scandinavian style combines pure whites and natural materials.
Wooden furniture or decorations made of twine or stone are quite common for this design. In many aspects, this style is similar to modern rustic living room. Furniture is upholstered with materials such as linen or cotton. Leather furniture, on the other hand, is out of the question.
White and shades of grey are dominating colours in modern scandinavian design. Designers often decide to expose one vivid colour, such as yellow or blue. Decorating a modern living room in scandinavian style it is good to choose one strong colour. It will highlight the interior without overwhelming it. The colour should be represented by accessories and decorations. Shades of one intense colour look very elegant against neutral backgrounds.
If you are wondering what is the best colour for your interior so that it matches Scandinavian style and ongoing trends, check the top rated colours.
Scandinavian style can implement antiques, especially old wooden furniture. Having that in mind, modern living room does not necessarily mean buying new furniture. You might as well use the elements you already own, and only repaint them - for instance in white.
Modern living room - minimalist design
Minimalist style is quite similar to scandinavian. It is a very good alternative if the interior is small. Minimalist design might be a perfect solution for a modern living room with limited space.
Minimalist interior design uses as little objects as possible. Aiming for simplicity, it rejects any unnecessary decorations. The most common forms in this style are simple geometrical shapes, such as rectangles and circles. Similar to scandinavian style, minimalism frees as much space as possible. You can safely get rid of drapes and curtains to let the light inside.
Designing a modern living room of this style, you should give up most of the ornaments and trinkets. It is best if most of the surfaces are left empty. You can leave a few decorations, however they should have as simple forms as possible.
Retro style for a living room - modern inspiration
A modern living room does not necessarily mean a rejection of classic decorations. If a trendy yet classic interior design is your aim, consider retro style. In contrast with the styles mentioned above, retro is more liberal with its colour palette.
A modern retro living room should employ decorations and accessories in strong and vivid colours. It is common for this style to combine contrasting shades, such as white and black or red and mint green. For balance, the background should be neutral. White or light brown walls will be perfect for this purpose.
Retro style combines different textures, such as wood, chrome metal, plastic and bricks. For decorations for such design, you can choose elements that you already own. Ornaments from the previous era are perfect additions for a retro modern living room.
How to furnish a modern living room?
As a matter of fact, a particular style is not the most important part of a modern living room design. The most crucial element is choosing one of them and picking suitable furniture and decorations. You can combine different styles, one needs to do it carefully. Before deciding upon an element it is worth to think whether it fits the whole design.
All modern interiors have certain common features. They should be kept in mind when planning each room of your house. A contemporary modern living room should have:
- Good lighting - every modern living room needs bright spaces. Let as much natural lighting into the room as possible. If the room is small, you can remove curtains and drapes. Choose lamps that illuminate the whole interior - consider installing several types of lighting (for instance a ceiling lamp and wall lights).
- Open space - do not overwhelm your room with too many objects. If the space is limited, consider choosing furniture with legs, which looks more lightweight. The furnishing should be simple, you can choose, however, one or two objects with an unusual form.
- Good additions - all decorations should fit each other. Use ornaments with moderation - too many would create a sense of disarray, which is just the opposite of a modern design.
- Comfortable furniture - regardless of the form, your furniture set should be comfortable. Multi-purpose furniture designed to save space is a good solution for every modern living room.
A hanging chair might be an interesting addition to a modern living room. It’s a perfect option for those who love unusual accessories.
Modern living room ideas for a limited space interior
Every modern living room should be comfortable and trendy. You can achieve this even with small spaces. A well designed room can combine aesthetics and functionality, as well as employ a good space organisation.
Contemporary trends are good for a limited space interiors. The mentioned before white colours fit any style and make interiors look bigger. The brighter a room is, the bigger it seems. It is a popular choice to combine functions of two rooms into one. This way one can transform a modern living room into a kitchen, dining room and bedroom. Removing division walls saves a lot of space as well, along with the right furniture.
The mentioned before multifunctional furniture can increase the comfort of a room. If you choose a sofa bed, you can combine a living room and a bedroom. A table that can be transformed into a desk is a good idea if you want a living room that is also a dining room and an office. Choosing the furniture it is good to pick glossy-surface materials that reflect light. Similar to mirrors, they make rooms look bigger.
A modern living room does not have to be difficult to design. Thanks to contemporary technologies you can furnish even the smallest interiors. You can also check the list of mistakes to avoid when designing a small apartment.
The tips listed above can help you to design a comfortable and unique living room. Make sure that your modern living room not only impresses guests, but is also space friendly for everyone.
đź“Ť How to decorate a modern living room?
The most important elements that make a modern living room are bright inside, simplicity and a limited number of decorations. Styles such as scandinavian and minimalist might be good sources of inspiration. Every room can be modern, all you need is a good design.
Featured articles
