How To Design Modern Living Room

If you could only pick one room in your home to put your heart and soul into designing, the family room would top the list.

Pattern Play:

Trellis, ikats, florals, The secret to mixing patterns would be to pick a color theme-here, reds, browns, and blues-and to make use of big swaths of solid color (the brown sofa, red chairs, and green ottoman) to anchor the area.

Light and Airy:

You are able to pack a lot into your living room-even a dining set-if you retain furnishings from weighing the area down. Lucite dining chairs, an open-weave table, and an unobstructed wall of windows keeps this room from feeling cramped.

Game Changing:

An extra-large table with a feminine shape may be the modern take on the traditional game table. Invite friends over for game night; the advantage on the table will keep board pieces (and drinks) from sliding to the floor.

Touch of Trend:

Improve your living room as you would your wardrobe-with several new accessories each season. This neutral room is a straightforward canvas for a few pops of color and pattern-an aubergine throw, a zebra pillow, along with a metallic side table.

Writing on your wall:

For truly unique (and sometimes quirky) décor, try the internet retailer etsy.com. You can search by theme, type, even lyrics for your favorite Men Without Hats song.

Flower Power:

Here’s a bloomin’ brilliant idea: Keep oversized patterns under control by limiting them to well-defined spaces (here some blue flowers covers an intermittent seat and an oversized roman shade). It'll keep the powerful pattern from overtaking the room.

Playing Together:

Spike the eye level in a neutral room with some splatters of pattern. The bold designs on these throw pillows may be overwhelming in a larger scale, however in a petite form they give a casual chic vibe.

Work place:

Create a petite home office inside your living room that’s big on style: Rather than a traditional desk chair (that would look odd) appoint a living room chair that appears good facing the desk or even the rest of the space.

Viewing Area:

The eternal question: How to handle the TV? If space allows, try placing your television inside a corner so the flow from the room is uninterrupted (but where one can still enjoy Downton Abbey comfortably in the sofa).

Polished Pairs:

Ah, the strength of two: A pair of identical console tables flank the hearth and two different, but similarly-colored, sofas face one another for a pulled-together look.