How do you make a living room cozy, without remodeling it from top to bottom? In this guide we’ll walk you through 19 ways to make a living room cozy, without breaking the bank.
The name says it all. A living room is made for living. It’s where you spend most of your time relaxing, entertaining your guests, watching movies, and having those special moments with your loved ones. Nothing beats the feeling of kicking back and relaxing in front of the TV after a long, busy day.
From bean bags to plants and finding a way to rearrange your furniture, here are some tips that will help make your living room more cozy:
1. Add blankets to your seating areas
One of the best ways to make a living room cozy is by adding a little bit more comfort in the form of a blanket. It adds a little softness to a room or piece of furniture full of angles and makes it warmer and more inviting.
2. Add soft, bright pillows to your living room
Everybody loves holding on to a pillow every time they’re watching a movie or reading a book or just engaging in light, after-dinner conversation. If your pillows are bright-colored, they will also add a light, cheerful look to the place.
3. Place tall potted plants on strategic spots
Placing plants in strategic places helps clean the air and bring the outside in. Plants in your living room help you to relax and reduce stress. If you place them next to windows or sofa or so that they are the focal point, it will make your place look creative and well thought of.
4. Trade dark curtains for white curtains
Dark curtains tend to make a room look smaller and more somber. If you want your living room to feel like a breath of fresh air, you can opt to throw out your dark curtains and hang white, airy ones instead. The effect is a comfy room bathed in natural light.
5. Improve the natural lighting
Even if you have large windows where the light streams in, you can never have too much natural light. You can even make your home look better by making it brighter when you improve natural lighting. One way you can do this is by painting your walls and ceilings with lighter colors or installing skylights in your ceiling.
6. Keep it neat and clean
Nothing is as stressful as a living room filled with too much clutter. When you have too many things lying around, you take away the comfort and coziness of your living room. One way to keep your place neat is by keeping everything out of sight. You don’t have to move your stuff to an extra room or get additional shelves especially if you have a small room. You can just get some storage benches or ottomans.
7. Create intimate seating groups
Creating an intimate seating group in your living room is all about arranging your furniture in a way that encourages conversation. When you have guests over, you want them to feel comfortable and at home, and you can do that by encouraging conversation. Create small seating clusters near your sofa or with a couple of armchairs that are standing side by side.
8. Trade your coffee table for an ottoman
Ottomans make a room look softer, whether they are round or rectangular in shape. They are made with fabric and can serve as an extra seat in case you have a few guests too many. Some of them also come with built-in storage.
Also read: Ottomans vs. Coffee Tables – Which Is Better?
9. Large sectionals go well with large living rooms
If you’ve got a big living room, instead of getting a couple of couches and several armchairs, it’s best to go for a large sectional. Having one as the focal point of your living room will encourage conversation and can be a great way for family, friends, and guests to bond with one another.
See more sectional sofas on Amazon.
10. Add dimmable light fixtures
When you’re relaxing at the end of a long day, it’s hard to feel comfortable when the lights are so bright. Having dimmable light fixtures allows you to set the mood of your place and helps you feel more relaxed and cozy. Instead of having pure white light in the evenings, you can also set it to a warm, softer glow.
11. Keep accent colors at a minimum
Sometimes, it can be tempting to throw all the colors you want into your living room. Nevertheless, having too many things going on at the same time in terms of design can be overwhelming. Keep your living room mostly neutral and just add a pop of color or two.
12. Add natural wooden elements to your living room
Wood brings about a certain freshness and coziness to a living room. You can bring in a wooden table, a wooden stool, a hanging wooden shelf, or even a wooden chandelier.
13. Clean up your walls and keep them bright
It can be tempting to bring out every picture you’ve got and hang them on your walls for the world to see. Nevertheless, if you want to keep your living room look more comfortable and cozy, you need to remove all the clutter, including those on the walls. Hanging a few photos at a time is good. You can also opt to put some floating shelves with plants or a book or two.
14. Add a rug for a more comfortable look and feel
Rugs add to the look of your living room and help to make it feel cozier and more intimate. You can have a plain one to match your walls or couch or something to match the accent color you chose.
15. Add a few personal items that mean something to you
It’s nice to display some personal items that you bought during a trip or that remind you of a significant memory or milestone in your life. You can set up some shelves in one corner of the room and display your items there. They give your living room a more homey feel and can also serve as great conversation starters.
16. Encourage conversation with the right furniture setup
If you are used to entertaining family and friends, you’ll want to fix your furniture in a way that encourages your guests to converse with one another. Make sure your sofas and chairs are no further than eight feet from each other. If you have a big living room, you can keep pocket conversational spaces aside from the main couches by placing armchairs side by side.
17. Add a lounger for ultimate relaxation
You’re probably familiar with the lounger—something like a mix between a sofa and a bed that you can lie down on. Though they are often seen outdoors or by the pool, there are also indoor loungers that you can put in your living room. They make the place cozier and provide a perfect chair for you to stay on while watching a movie or reading a book.
18. Bring a bean bag to the party
Nothing says cozy and comfort more than a gigantic bean bag in the middle of your living room. It’s a great place for you to lounge around while talking with friends or watching a movie. Plus, kids will love it too.
19. Keep it authentic, keep it rustic
If you want your whole place to look comfortable, you might want to consider redecorating it to have a rustic look and feel. For some reason, rustic means comfort. You can be in a modern apartment or townhouse in the middle of a city, but with the right furnishings, you can recreate the rustic vibe of the log cabin where you visit your grandparents every now and then. This includes adding comfy throws, wooden or leather furniture, dim lights, and more to set up a very snug vibe for your home.
Also read: How to Make a Room Look Like a Log Cabin