Did you know that the term living room is only around 100 years old? What we think of as the living room was first called the mourning room or death room. It was where people would gather to pay their last respects to loved ones. Cheery, right? By the early 1900s, health care was moving out of people’s homes and into hospitals. Coupled with a general fall in people dying from things like the flu at the drop of a hat, Ladies Home Journal decreed that the death room should be called the living room. This shift was also likely helped along by the newly blossoming funeral parlour industry! After all, if you didn’t have a purpose-built room to display your dear old great uncle, you would turn to them to do so.
Now that you’ve had a primer in the origins of the living room (and have a coffee table instead of a coffin table in it), it is time to take a look at your room and decide if some simple decor changes could make all the difference.
Giving it a refresh doesn’t need to be a blow to the bank affair. You can create a whole new look and feel with some simple changes.
Gallery wall shelves
Gallery walls are a hit. I Love being able to display photos, prints and even postcards. I don’t love the length of time it takes to arrange everything or the fact that if you want to change out images, you can be faced with recognising the whole wall. But, a gallery wall can easily add a ton of character to your room and give it a delightful new feel. If you want to achieve the look in half the time and avoid all those holes in your wall, get a gallery shelf to display wall art.
Check out the range of picture ledges and gallery shelves that Ikea has here. Simply attach them to the wall, and then you can display pictures, frames, records, and even small knick-knacks in less time than it takes to say, “Where are those picture hooks?”. The flexibility of gallery shelves allows you to swap out a picture frame for a tiny collection of new plants. Create a seasonal focal point with themed images and items, or even add a lighting feature using LED strip lights.
Change the radiator
Radiators are effectively the unloved stepchildren of home interior. Every room has at least one, but they are solidly ignored when it comes to thinking of them as part of your home design. Replacing that grubby, off white radiator in the corner with a sleek anthracite column radiator will give your room a whole new lease of life.
Changing out a radiator may seem like a big expense, but it doesn’t need to be. I love the affordable options from https://www.traderadiators.com, especially their own brand designer styles. If your new radiator is the same size as your current one, you won’t need to change any existing pipework, meaning you could do the actual swap yourself if you are feeling brave!
Add a floor cushion
Floor cushions are taking the world of interior design by storm. Think of them as grown-up and more sophisticated bean bags. Changing the feel of your room is easy with these. Opt for a bohemian look with a mismatch of covers with different patterns and decorative tassels or pom-poms. If you want something a little sleeker, stick with matching designs in more muted tones.
Floor Cushions are one of the few soft furnishings that work if you have a large or small space. If you find yourself with a massive living room they can break up the space and act as an area rug. They are the ideal temporary seating area if you have a small space to work with. Bring them out when you have company over and then easily store them away under your sofa or against a wall when you don’t need them.
I’d especially recommend floor cushions if you have kiddos and/or pets. Choose options that have machine washable covers, and you will easily be able to deal with spilt yoghurts and over-enthusiastic slavering.
Change the sofa cover
On a similar theme, changing the fabric of your sofa will instantly transform your room. Get that transformation on the cheap with these blanket hacks. Not only are they perfect for covering up stains when unexpected guests drop by, but they are a great way to see if you like the look of a fabric in your room before making it more permanent.
If you do want to take the plunge on completely new fabric, look into reupholstery. It won’t be a pocket money project but is surprisingly affordable compared to buying a whole new sofa set.
A new living space is within reach
I hope this list has given you inspiration for a living room refresh. A sea of floor cushions, a stylish new designer radiator or a gallery wall you change daily to suit your moods; whatever you choose, make your living room anything but deathly boring.
