How to create your dream living room
*This is a collaborative post
Of all the rooms in our home (a relatively small three-bed semi), our living room is the one where we spend the most time together as a family. If I’m honest, it’s also the one that’s been a little neglected of late. Having invested in a kitchen extension during lockdown and a recent decoration of our hall, landing and stairs; the rest of the house had to go on the back burner for a while. That said, in 2023, the living room is finally on our list for a refresh.
The living room is the very heart of any modern home. It’s the setting for snuggling up with the popcorn for family movie nights, the place where we host and entertain friends and family and the place where we relax and share stories at the end of the day.
From super sofas to terrific TVs and copious amounts of natural daylight, here are just a few of the elements I think make the perfect living room (and hopefully a wishlist to be shared with my partner to bring to fruition!)
A dream sofa
Probably the most important element of our living room – the place where we all rest our legs at the end of a busy day of school, work or play. Our sofa has certainly seen better days and is definitely due for an upgrade.
This time around, it will be a toss-up between fabric and leather. Now that the girls are older, a fabric sofa may just about be feasible, although leather has certainly survived its fair share of child-related trauma over the years.
I’d love to have an L-shaped sofa big enough for us to all cosy up together over the weekend, watching the latest Disney+ movies with space to stretch our legs. I also love the idea of a footstool, big enough to stash magazines and books out of sight when guests arrive unexpectedly!
Add cushions, a big cosy throw or weighted blanket – I may never want to leave.
A cinema-style TV
With our trips to the cinema being few and far between, I often feel like we’re missing out on that cinema experience – the awesome sound quality and the amazing large screens that make totally captivating viewing.
I’d love to be able to invest in a qled tv, which are not only super thin and lightweight but also have 8K screens that take 4K Ultra HD to the next level. Qled tvs also come in 65 – 85” screen sizes, meaning we can watch our favourite movies on a big screen at home, with striking contrast and superior colour depth.
Good quality lighting
Confession time. Our living room currently has a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling and it’s been that way since 2013. The result? A poorly lit, dull lounge with shadows galore – it doesn’t exactly scream comforting and homely.
This time around, I’d like to consider a combination of ceiling, wall and floor lighting to create a warm and cosy ambience in my living room. Not only will we be opting for smart bulbs (Alexa turn on the lamp anyone?) but I love the idea of a large industrial-style lighting as a focal point on the ceiling – with fully adjustable brightness so we can tailor it to meet our mood.
Plants
I may be just getting old, but I am officially turning into a plant lady. It’s not just a result of me rapidly approaching 40 however. House plants are actually proven to boost your mental health and wellbeing, reduce stress and can remove pollutants from the air, making your living space a more attractive and relaxing space to be.
I’d love to invest in some larger-sized plants such as a potted kentia palm, yucca or snake plant, to bring some greenery in to the room, as well as some trailing ivy or vine on wooden shelves in our alcoves. Obviously they’ll be surrounded by books I haven’t got round to reading yet. #keepingitreal
A personal touch
Last but not least, I want our living room to feel like home – a little insight into our world and the people in it. To achieve that, I want to display some photos of us – our family and the moments we cherish and will remember the most. I take photos ALL the freakin’ time (current camera roll balance 61,129) but in the modern world it’s rare I actually get them developed and display them.
From high quality frames to a canvas or gallery wall with a few of our favourite prints, the challenge now will be agreeing on which ones make the cut!
What would be in your dream living room?
