How to make your living room ready for the colder months

How to make your living room ready for the colder months

Getting your living room ready for the winter is an excellent idea if you want to feel comfortable, cosy, relaxed and safe during the colder months. It isn’t as simple as adding a throw or extra cushion to your living space if you want to enjoy ultimate warmth and cosiness. There’s more to it, which you can find out by reading the below.

If you want to improve your living room and make it ready for the colder months, here are some excellent tips.

Install a fireplace

There’s nothing cosier than a wood fireplace. Adding a fireplace to your living room is a great way to enhance the warmth in the space on cooler days. Switching on the fire when you and the family feel cold will allow you to leave the heating off yet enjoy ultimate comfort and snugness on those days when you daren’t venture outside.

Turning on the fire at the weekend when you have nothing else to do but relax is, of course, going to make you feel relaxed and comfortable in your space on the colder days.

Insulate the room

Another way to keep your home warm and the living room cosy this winter is to insulate the room. Insulation will help to maintain the warmth, which is ideal if you turn the central heating on for a few hours to heat the home up.

With insulation installed, you will ensure to keep the living space warm and comforting throughout the entire winter (even on the coldest days).

Add a rug

When the floor is warm, it helps your body remains warmer. Therefore, it makes sense to add a rug. Even if you already have carpet installed, adding a rug will further enhance the warmth of the floor.

Plus, the more soft furnishings you have in your living room, the warmer the room will remain. The soft furnishings maintain the heat, which is ideal when you want to keep the living room warm after turning off the central heating or lighting the fire.

More throws and blankets

Although throws and blankets alone won’t make your living room ready for winter, they will help alongside the other measures.

Again, these soft textiles will keep the warmth in the room. Plus, if you do get chilly while you’re in the living room, you can grab a throw and ensure to remain comfortable and warm. You should never feel cold or uncomfortable in your home, and having a blanket to keep you warm while the fire gets going will guarantee you’re as comfortable as possible.

Double-glazed windows

If your living room gets colder than normal in the winter, consider updating your windows. Double-glazing helps to regulate the temperature inside, which will help it feel warmer than it did previously.

It’s a good idea to install the double-glazed windows before the colder months hit so that you do not allow too much cold air into the home while they are being fitted.

Install smart heating

Smart heating is a great way to keep your home as comfortable and warm as possible without needing to be at home to switch the heating on. If you know your heating can take a while to warm the living room, it’s a good idea to install smart heating, so you can switch it on before coming home. Then, you can enjoy a warm living space when you arrive home and never have to worry about waiting to warm up.

A smart heating system can be controlled from your phone, meaning you can control it from anywhere. If it’s a particularly cold day, and you want to be warm when you walk in the door, switching it on an hour or so before you return home means the space will be inviting and ready for you.

Furthermore, it means that if you forget to turn it off, you’ll not waste energy as you can switch it off no matter where you are.

Using this guide, you can guarantee to find smart and efficient ways to make your living room ready for the colder months. When you know the winter is coming, that is time to prepare your space to ensure that you’re as comfortable, relaxed and warm as possible (even on those freezing cold days). Utilise as many of these tips as possible so that you can have the cosiest and most comforting space possible for those cold evenings and chilly winter weekends.

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Furnishing your living room: How to get it right

Furnishing your living room: How to get it right

The living room is, as the name suggests, the part of your house where your family lives and relaxes together. If you have guests over, then the living room is where you welcome them into your home.

However, despite how important the living room is, it’s often one of the least appreciated rooms when it comes to furnishing and decorating. Here are some tips to help with furnishing your living room and give the space the love and attention it deserves.

Avoid the show home look

One trap a lot of people fall into when furnishing their living space is trying to make it look like a show home. While some people like this look, it can come across as sterile and impersonal.

The most important aspect of your living room is that it’s comfortable and feels like home. It should also be personal to you and your family, which means that every living room should feel lived in.

One of the best way to make your living room more homely is to get framed artwork. Artwork is a fantastic way to personalise your home as you can focus on choosing art that you like and that speaks to you.

You should also make use of other smaller accessories to make your living room feel more homely. Each item tells a story and says something about you, so put some thought and care into it.

Soft furnishings

Your larger pieces of furniture have both form and function. Your living room needs comfortable seating to accommodate your family and your guests. Sofas and easy chairs are by far the most popular options, and it’s always best to ensure that you have more seating than you need rather than less. Nobody likes to be the one that’s relegated to sitting on the floor!

However, you also want your sofa and seating to look attractive. Check out the top sofa trends in 2022 for some style ideas. Another good option to style your larger furniture is to invest in plenty of soft furnishings like throws, cushions, and blankets. Sofa covers are another good way to both style your sofa and protect it from dogs or children.

Soft furnishings, in general, are a great way to make your living room more homely. For example, the perfect rug can tie your room together and break up large expanses of bare flooring. Rugs are an especially good choice if you have hardwood floors or laminate, as they make the room look and feel warmer and softer. They also protect more delicate flooring and can be easier to clean.

Lighting

The lighting in your living room has a huge impact on how it looks. A brighter room seems larger and airier. You can use mirrors to enhance this effect and make it seem even more light-filled. However, you may prefer a darker environment for relaxing in your living room. As such, dimmer lighting is warmer and cosier.

Natural light is the gold standard, as it can improve your mood and health. You can control how much natural light is in your room by making good use of blinds and curtains.

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3 easy ways to improve your living room

3 easy ways to improve your living room

You’ll likely use your living room more than you would many of the other rooms in your home, so it can experience a lot of wear and tear. It can quickly end up looking scruffy and uncared for; you’ll want to make everything look fresher and more attractive, but you mightn’t know how to improve your living room.

If you don’t, it could seem like a long and complicated process. It doesn’t need to be. Instead, it can be relatively simple, and you’ll only have to focus on a few particular areas. To get the most bang for your buck, it’s worth focusing on three specific tips if you want to improve your living room.

How to improve your living room: 3 top tips

1. Add some new shelves

Shelves can be a great addition to a living room; choose between wall mounted or free-standing options, depending on the space with which you have to play. If you have a large, clear area, a floor-standing shelving unit could act as an attractive room divider as well as a place for displaying your homewares such as vases, books, candles etc.

If you have a lot of free wall space, and happen to need more storage space, shelves could be a great choice. Perhaps you have an alcove either side of a fireplace – these nooks are the perfect place to erect a few shelves. It’s also the kind of task that you can DIY, so it wouldn’t be too expensive a job.

2. Update the fireplace

The fireplace is often the centrepiece of a living room, so it’s worth putting effort into making sure it looks and functions as well as possible. It could be worth updating your fireplace to improve the look and comfort of your living room. Bespoke Fireplace Designs can be an effective option to take advantage of this.

By updating your fireplace, you give the living room a fresh focal point, tying the entire room together.

3. Get low-maintenance plants

Plants can be a great addition to any room, and that’s especially true when it comes to your living room. Not only do they add visual appeal, they can also improve the air quality. You don’t need to choose types that take a lot of time and effort to look after. Instead, low-maintenance plants could be a better option, especially if you aren’t a green-fingered person. You’ll get all of the benefits of indoor plants without needing to put much time or effort into them. They can be placed practically anywhere – hung from the ceiling or put on a windowsill, letting you take full advantage of the visual appeal they can offer.

How to improve your living room: Wrapping up

If you don’t know how to improve your living room, it can seem like a complicated process. You may think that you’ll need to get a few renovations done, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Instead, it could simply be a matter of following a few simple steps.

Getting low-maintenance plants, adding some wall shelves, and updating the fireplace can all be recommended for this. They don’t need a lot of effort, and they’ll be relatively quick and affordable while making a significant impact on your living room.

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How to furnish your living room the right way

How to furnish your living room the right way

Living rooms are spaces that should be inviting and comfortable for all who enter them. They’re a place to relax and spend time with family and friends. Therefore, when you furnish your living room, it’s essential to keep in mind the different activities that will take place there. In addition, you want to create a space that’s both functional and stylish.

Begin by assessing the space with which you have to work

The first step to furnishing your living room is to take accurate space measurements. This will give you a better idea of what furniture pieces will fit and where they can be placed. It’s also essential to consider doorways, windows and any other obstacles that may limit your furniture choices. Once you have your measurements, you can start planning the layout of your room.

You may want to create separate areas for different activities if you have a large living room. For example, you could have a seating area for watching TV and a separate conversation area with comfortable chairs and a coffee table. If your living room is on the smaller side, you’ll want to choose versatile furniture that can be used for multiple purposes. Ottomans with storage, for example, can be used as both a place to put your feet up and as extra seating when guests come over.

Another important consideration when assessing your space is the traffic flow. You’ll want to leave enough room for people to move around comfortably without having to move furniture out of the way. Creating a clear path from the door to the main seating area is usually a good idea. You also want to avoid putting furniture too close to windows, as the sunlight can damage upholstery over time.

#2 Choose a focal point

After you have a good idea of the layout of your living room, it’s time to start thinking about what you want to use as a focal point. This could be anything from a fireplace to a large window or even a piece of artwork. Once you have chosen your focal point, everything else in the room should be arranged around it.

For example, if you have a fireplace, you might want to arrange your furniture so that everyone is facing it. If you have a large window, you might want to put your sofa in front of it to enjoy the view. Whatever you choose as your focal point, ensure that the rest of the room is arranged in a way that makes sense and looks good.

Choosing a focal point is a great way to make your living room look and feel more cohesive and put together. It will also help you to figure out the best way to arrange your furniture and make the most of your space.

Select the right furniture

After you have chosen your focal point and planned the layout of your room, it’s time to start picking out furniture. The type of furniture you select will depend on the overall style of your living room. Opt for classic pieces such as a Chesterfield sofa or an upholstered armchair if you want a more traditional look. Try a sleek leather curved sofa or a glass coffee table for a more contemporary space.

When selecting furniture, keep in mind both form and function are essential. Make sure that the pieces you choose are not only stylish but also comfortable and practical. For example, if you have young children, choosing a white sofa that’s easily stained might not be wise. Likewise, if you often entertain, ensure enough seating for everyone.

Add the final touches

After you have everything in place and arranged the way you want it, it is now time to add the final touches. This would include items such as throw pillows, blankets, candles, and anything else that you feel would make your living room complete. Again, take your time with this step, and don’t rush it. You want your living room to be a space that you love and feel comfortable in.

Take some time to browse through home décor magazines or even Pinterest for inspiration. There are endless possibilities when it comes to adding the final touches to your living room. Just have fun with it and let your personality shine through!

Furnishing your living room doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Take your time, plan ahead, and choose pieces you love. With a little effort, you can easily create a space that you and your family will enjoy for years to come.

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