This is the third installment in a series offering tips and advice to help maximize your living room’s potential.

This week we’re continuing our series with tips on how to create the ideal living room. In previous blogs we’ve covered a range of topics including choosing the right sofa and how to hang artwork. Read on to find out some more great advice and suggestions.

Materials matter

Fabric is a crucial component of any living room. There is a vast range of materials and styles from which to choose, and that’s one of the reasons why interior design can be so much fun! However, there are pros and cons to each kind of fabric, so it’s tricky to give a ‘hard and fast’ rule as to what works best. Fabric choice comes down to personal preference, of course, but it also depends on your individual lifestyle and needs. Sadly, nothing is ‘life-proof,’ but clever fabric choices can significantly extend the life of your furniture. Silk or satin pillows won’t last long in a home with children and pets, but other materials will stand up to the rigors of family life. Crypton-treated fabrics are a strong contender for being the most suitable material for families. These fabrics are stain, water, and odor resistant. They inhibit the growth of bacteria, and are free from any dangerous chemicals, heavy metals, and carcinogens. Crypton fabrics are used widespread in hotels and cruise ships, so a family of five and a couple of dogs should be no match for its durability and toughness. Full-grain leather is also long-lasting, and of course dark fabrics hide marks and stains better than light fabrics. One interesting fact we stumbled across this week – cats hate scratching velvet. Food for thought, perhaps…

Less isn’t always more!

There is a misconception that smaller furniture or fewer pieces make rooms look larger than they really are. In actual fact, it is more about scale. When your furniture is to scale and reflect the room’s dimensions, they help make the area feel full. So don’t hamstring yourself by buying a smaller sofa than you’d like. Just make sure it suits the size of your room. Great ways to ‘fill-up’ your living room include adding console or side tables and anchoring windows with benches.

Too much leg?

One trap we can easily fall into is using too much of something. In this case, it’s legs. When planning out your living room, ask yourself “does everything have a leg?” It’s an easy thing to miss during the design stage and you could end up with a room that has 20 or more legs on show! To avoid making your room too “leggy,” add some solid pieces. This will provide some much-needed contrast and variety with your furniture.

Have a seat, please

Adding benches and stools is a simple way to provide extra seating for when you’re entertaining family and friends. They’re easier to move around than conventional sofas and much easier to store away. Benches pushed against the wall can function as a small side table when they aren’t needed.

Choosing a suitable cocktail table or ottoman

No living room is complete without a cocktail table. There is quite a range of different styles, from round, square, oval to rectangular. When choosing a cocktail table, bear in mind the other shapes present in your living room. If you have an L-shape sofa, you might use around the cocktail table or ottoman to break up the angular lines. A round table’s reduced footprint will also make it easier to move around the room if space is at a premium. If you already have a number of round shapes like side tables and lamps, then opt for a rectangular or square coffee table to provide some balance.

We hope you were able to take something away from this week’s blog. If you’re thinking about designing your home, or if you liked the furniture we’ve shown here, then visit our showroom today in Thao Dien to arrange an appointment with one of our designers. Look out for the next blog in the series, coming soon!