Filed under: Your Home, Living Room, Furniture
If you're thinking of decorating your living room (or re-decorating) but don't know how to get started, a flip through one of the shelter mags may only confuse you more. We make things simple with a living room decorating series broken down by style. First up, traditional.Are you leaning toward traditional furnishings but your prized Saarinen Tulip table isn't going anywhere? Did you always picture decorating your space with richly-hued Baroque furniture, but you end up buying clean lines and muted tones? Whether you're a real wild child (patterns, patterns and more patterns), or you've got more traditionalist sensibilities (good book by the fire, anyone?), it can be challenging to create a look that's cohesive, let alone apropos of your personality and lifestyle.
Rich finishes and sumptuous, dark leather appointments convey opulence and transcend trends. Photo: Kenneth Brown
Don't sweat it: We spoke to several designers and asked them to break down what it means to decorate a traditional living room. Don't worry, there's a way to work in other design sensibilities, like modern and eclectic, but first let's stick to the basics. Here's what makes a traditional living room tick and tips for how to pull it all together.
Often seen as the safest choice in design, the traditional style implements classic appointments (solid wood furniture, rich finishes, sumptuous upholstery, dark colors) that transcend trends. But, if you're not careful, this style could have one drawback: It can easily fall into the matchy-matchy trap, says designer and host of HGTV's Redesign, Kenneth Brown. "The biggest challenge lies in mixing pieces that don't look exactly the same, because traditional interiors should always have a 'gathered over time' look. Be cautious of buying sets of anything."
Photos: Ethan Allen, Restoration Hardware, Broyhill
According to Brown, four key pieces that really make the traditional living room come together are: A large sofa, two matching chairs and one large, wooden coffee table. For example, as shown above, Ethan Allen's Modern Glamour Adler Coffee Table, $729, Restoration Hardware's Belfort Wingback Chairs, $699 to $999, and Broyhill's Austin Sofa, $1089. While there are countless ways to arrange this grouping, Brown suggests creating two, even three, seating areas if you're lucky enough to have a large, open space. They'll allow guests to have intimate conversations or be part of larger discussions and activities.
When it comes to smaller rooms, Brown says most folks gravitate toward smaller furniture. "Believe it or not," says Brown, "to make a small living room appear bigger, fill it with larger-scale furniture. Just use fewer pieces."
A large couch, a wooden coffee table and two matching occasional chairs round out the traditional room. Photo: Kenneth Brown
Brown insists traditional needn't mean stuffy. He weaves interest into the mix via patterned accent pieces (chairs, drapes), deep, warm paint colors and tactile, textural materials (leather, silk). "I've also been using antiqued-bronze finishes on mirrors and lamps, which adds a hint of Old-World charm," says Brown. He suggests bringing in a few oversize (22 inches versus the standard 18-inch fare) throw pillows in comfy fabrics: "If you can afford down pillows, all the better. Their softness will make the room feel welcoming and relaxed," he adds.
Brown suggests creating a wall "collage" in a traditional living room -- a blended showcase of similarly presented varying pieces -- to convey sophisticated opulence and a sense of history. Over the sofa, try hanging five to seven works. "They can range from landscapes to portraits to pen-and-ink sketches," he says. "Think of the entire collage as one piece, and keep frames evenly spaced."
Photos: Bellacor, Porter, Crystorama
He likes pairing linen liners with dark or rubbed-gold finish wood frames. As for lighting, Brown layers the room with table lamps and floor lamps, and accentuates artwork with picture lights. "And chandeliers, not recessed lighting," he adds. We like the traditional lamps shown above, from left: Bellacor's Medora Resin Table Lamp, $118, Gracious Home's Porter Brass Floor Lamp, $460, and Lamps Plus's Crystorama Seven Light Gold Leaf Looped Arm Chandelier, $670 (no longer available).
Brown also sees an area rug as essential in anchoring a sitting area and feels it's a "great opportunity to pull the whole room together -- from colors to patterns."
For more living room decorating ideas, don't miss:
-IKEA EXPEDIT, 5 Different Ways
-Love a Vanilla-Scented Home. You're Not Alone
-Decorating a Fireplace Mantel
Want more living room decorating ideas? Check out this great video!