Is your living room looking a little tired and drab? It might be time to retire some of your old decorations and install a few modern updates. Consider the following contemporary living room updates that will both add value and improve your lifestyle.
1. Fireplace Makeover
Thanks to the rise of technology in the heating sector, we now have gas and electric fireplaces that can be installed anywhere, even in the most modern spaces. A modern fireplace makeover may be exactly what you need to dress up the living room and redefine your space as a contemporary dwelling.
There are many options for modern fireplace designs including the ever-popular linear fireplace with a long opening. Wall-hanging fireplaces, which are hung high on the wall or clean face fireplaces, which are low to the ground, are also popular in modern spaces.
2. More Plants
Current homes are also bringing in more plants and flowers to add life and vivacity to a space. Not only do a few well-placed plants in your living room look stunning, but they also help to clean the air. NASA research shows that houseplants can remove up to 87 percent of toxins in the air in a 24-hour period.
Studies have also shown that when you bring plants indoors, it boosts your mood. Findings show that it can boost productivity by up to 15 percent and reduce stress levels. Those are some pretty amazing benefits from such a simple addition to your living space.
3. Glass Walls
An edgy design feature in modern homes is to replace walls separating your living areas with glass accent pieces. A segmented glass wall can provide an open concept feel while still affording some privacy and blocking out sounds from other rooms.
This is not an affordable update, so if you’re going to do it, consider having an interior designer make the plans and have a highly-qualified contractor do the work.
4. Unique Art Pieces
Traditional decorating encourages plenty of family pictures and cute sayings as your primary mode of embellishment. But if you’re decorating according to modern constructs, you’ll incorporate more artwork into your space.
Artwork can look beautiful on the walls, bookshelves, tables, benches, and any other surface. You’ll want a collection of unique paintings, sculptures, photography, pottery, and other preferred works of art to vary the décor and show your personality through the pieces.
5. Muted Seasonal Decorating
The days of over decorating for the holidays are over, but that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to change out your décor every Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween. Instead of cutting out cheesy paper hearts and sprinkling your tables with paper egg confetti, consider a more muted way to design for the holidays.
For example, on Valentine’s Day, try black, white, and gold decorations. You can use hearts, X’s and O’s, and other classic decorations for the holiday of love, but the muted colors will give it a modern twist.
6. Add Texture
Novice designers often spend too much time on blending colors and balancing sizes and forget to add appropriate texture to the space. A modern living room will possess a design that you want to touch as much as you want to see.
Ideally, the texture you add to your living room will be soft and inviting rather than rigid. Plush throws, cross-hatched pillows, and faux animal-skin rugs will deliver a modern appearance while boosting the comfort of the space.
7. Wallpaper Accent Wall
Wallpaper has re-entered modern design, but in an updated fashion. Rather than covering every inch of your walls with wallpaper, choose just one wall to cover with a complementary pattern.
This accent wall will create visual interest as well as add texture to the space. Choose a modern pattern that’s not too flashy to stay on trend and maintain your contemporary theme.
