15 Living Room Décor Ideas You Need to Try

Like many other Canadians, you've likely been hunkering down during these past winter months, and perhaps catching up on your favourite home improvement and reno shows. While it may be tempting to completely overhaul your kitchen, bathroom, or living room, homeowners arguably get the most enjoyment when tapping into their home's potential.

This article will give you 15 ideas on how to refresh your living room, creating a central space in which your family and friends can congregate and spend time together.

Painted Brick

In many older properties, a living room fireplace is a household staple. Unfortunately, many of these fireplaces either no longer work or they've become too costly or too difficult to maintain. And while that doesn't necessarily mean it's time to remove the hearth from your home (an endeavour which can be quite costly), there are ways in which to embrace your fireplace as a focal point without it being functional. For those with a limited budget, a simple coat of paint on the fireplace's brickwork that complements the room's colour palette can both rejuvenate this old fixture while making it look like it belongs in the space.

Incorporating Slate and Copper

When one tends to think about slate and copper being used in home décor, it invariably promotes a mental image of an overbearing industrial style. For the homeowner who is able to maintain balance, incorporating slate and copper into a room adds just the right amount of juxtaposition between old and new. Incorporating metallic accents, such as chic copper end tables, plays remarkably well off of traditional materials, such as wood and brick.  

Tropical Accents

Of course, when you hear the words "tropical accents" strung together, a room adorned with lush ferns and other exotic flora likely crosses your mind. One of the undeniable tenants of tropical design involves the generous use of large plants. Aside from the vibrancy of life, bringing plants into your home keeps the air fresh and fragrant, and adds an abundance of natural colour. Aside from the use of plants, a wide range of vibrant colours can be used to turn your living room into a temperate oasis.

Snazzy Candle Holders

Candles provide an undeniable charm in any room with their warm, whimsical light. Fortunately, this is one design element that can be accomplished at little cost for the buyer or DIYer with a keen eye. Got an unused fireplace? A series of monolithic candles can bring fluttering flames back to your hearth. Place tealights in water-filled mason jars for charming additions to mantles, end tables or coffee tables for a budget-friendly accent. For unique, one-of-a-kind place settings, wrap cinnamon sticks around stout candles using twine to infuse a spicy scent. When it comes to candles, the only limitation of their application is your imagination.

Vases

Like candles, vases provide an unobtrusive way to add elements of style to your living room—but don't feel as though every vase you own needs to be adorned with flowers in order to feel complete. While vases do provide the perfect setting for bringing the outside in, there are those that are stylish enough to stand on their own. Since vases come in a wide variety of sizes, colours, textures and shapes, there is literally an infinite number of products from which to choose.  

Vases tend to work best in groups (ideally two or more), and allow the homeowner to quickly and subtly change the appearance of the room by swapping in seasonal flowers and plants.  

Unique, Eccentric Accents

More people are increasingly opting for eccentric visual elements for their homes. This doesn't mean that those that have embraced eccentricity are breaking any design rules, but it does mean that they have no qualms about bending them a little. Of all the different ways to style a room, that which is eccentric is likely one of the things that give homeowners the most pause, so a fair amount of research should be done before making any big decisions. So what do eccentric accents entail? Well, it really depends on the individual, but some examples can include creating a feature wall adorned with a bold wallpaper, or floor to ceiling pictures in mismatched frames. It might also mean leaving exposed brick as is while updating the room's remaining walls for a truly shocking contrast. Ultimately, the eccentric is embracing that which offers a good chance of creating something jaw-dropping and remarkable.

Shag Rugs

Long regarded as a style relic of the 1960s and 1970s, shag rugs are once again in vogue. Shag rugs add visual and physical warmth to your living space. If one of the things you're looking to get from your living room is stylish comfort, look no further than a shag rug whose colour or pattern complements the rest of your décor. Many shag rugs feature modern patterns that help elevate a decades-old element into something much more contemporary.

Eccentric Wall Decor

Aside from the usual family photos and artistic landscapes, there are many more wall décor elements from which you can choose. Elements, such as geometric decals and stick-on flowers offer a quick and easy way to breathe life into an otherwise dull surface. Best of all, these items only require simple adhesion to the wall and can be removed without damaging the existing paint. If stickers or decals aren't your thing and you have a flair for the more dramatic, an unused wall can serve as a blank canvas on which you can apply a custom paint pattern that can be easily applied using a stencil. For those who aren't blessed with any discernible artistic talent, eccentric wall decor could come in the form of an oversized, mid-century modern clock, or a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork.

Adding an Accent Mirror

Mirrors make excellent accent pieces in any room of the home, as they create the illusion of space and light, and add depth and mystery. Like many of the other items discussed within this list, there is truly an innumerable number of mirror options from which to choose. For example, large, window-sized mirrors can help to bring a sense of symmetry and balance to a room. Alternately, an ornately framed mirror surrounded by pictures or sophisticated artwork can elevate the room's aesthetic.

Making the Most of Colour Combinations

When it comes to painting or fabric colour combinations, no one should ever feel boxed into using the tried and true combinations. For example, blue and white have always gone well together but they can be viewed as being a little cold. Instead of white, a soft grey paired with a punchy blue exudes warmth. Coral fabrics also create warmth and are fun and stylish. The point is, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to colour. As far as room alterations go, paint is a relatively inexpensive way to take a chance on a unique colour palette that can show-off your personality and style.

Chairs With Attitude

There are some chairs that look fantastic but no one wants to sit in them, so what's the point? If you're taking the time to make your living room more livable, you'll want to ensure that the seating is both stylish and comfortable. Granted, your living room will likely contain a family-friendly sofa, but there are opportunities you can take advantage of when shopping around for additional seating. A chaise, for one, offer an extremely comfortable place for you to curl up with a good book and let the hours pass you by. A pair of mid-century modern chairs are another eclectic throwback to decades past, and can be seamlessly incorporated into just about any décor.

Velvet Sofas

If you think your living room is lacking in luxury, consider swapping out the tired (though, perhaps, well-loved sectional) for a sophisticated velvet sofa. Velvet sofas tend to lend elegance to any living room, and velvet—a textile of royalty—is the pinnacle of luxury. Velvet has the added benefit of making the room feel bigger, so it's a delectable option in tight quarters.

Poufs, Anyone?

Poufs are an excellent alternative to the traditional ottoman or footrest, and their shape is much more whimsical and charming. Poufs may have been denigrated as passé in the not-too-distant-past, but they are experiencing a resurgence of late. In addition to being a comfortable place to support your feet after a long day, poufs offer up additional intimate seating for guests.

Create Colour Contrasts With Upholstery

These days, contrast is all the rage. And while the obvious method by which you can create contrast in your living space is through paint, this design concept can also be applied to choosing the upholstery of your furniture. We live in a time that rewards taking chances on colour palettes, so don't worry if something doesn't necessarily match. Sofas and chairs that don't match perfectly will only make your living room more interesting.

Go All in With All White

Going all white might seem boring, or even dangerous, at first glance, but overwhelmingly embracing the colour white within your living room has a number of benefits. The first is that it will make your room appear larger than it is. Second, your accent colours and accent pieces will literally pop-out against this neutral background. In a white room, a little contrast goes a long way, so if you're not excited at the prospect of making a ton of different design decisions, going all in on all white may be right up your alley.  

We hope that this list has inspired you to try something new. Whether it's the addition of a group of vases to adorn a wooden end table, or creating a feature wall to complement a velvet sofa. Whatever you decide, it's imperative that the space you re-decorate and live in is one that you love and can spend quality time in with family and friends.  

Be sure to check out some of our products to see if they can spruce up the look of your living room!