Living room “rules” that need to be broken!

Lily Cichanowicz Lily Cichanowicz
Ed's Shed, Ed Reeve Ed Reeve Minimalistische Wohnzimmer
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In the world of design there are some rules of thumb to live by. In addition to these basic principles, there are additional sets of guidelines to pay attention to when dressing your home in various stylistic persuasions like minimal design or Scandinavian aesthetics. Then there are the rules to follow in order to achieve a certain trend within your interior. Indeed, there are a lot of things to keep in mind along with ways of doing things that just work better than others. 

Still, sometimes rules are meant to be broken. Like many forms of expression, the best thing to do is to learn the rules so that you can break them. The same goes for interior design as well. There are some things in particular that we’ve been dying to change, and we need your help. Here are six rules in living room design that need to be broken, now!

It's OK to Skype from the sofa

The Skype interview is becoming an art of its own. Many of us relocated for jobs or work remotely, so it’s something we should all familiarise ourselves with. There are some rules of thumb to consider, like the composition of the backdrop to your call. 

This doesn’t mean that the Skype interview has to be limited to the desk or office space. If you feel more comfortable at your sofa, and the look is pulled together and professional, you can certainly nail your interview from this location! Just remember to make sure the space is neutral and not distracting. Remove animal hair and situate the pillows and cushions neatly. The sofa should be clean and well appointed. Other than that, we can’t think of any logical reason for barring Skype from the couch.

There is no rule that the TV has to be star of the living room.

As many of us begin to realise how addictive, draining, and distracting electronics can be, there’s no need to keep them around simply for posterity. Not to mention, many opt for watching movies and TV series on a laptop rather than a bulky television screen. 

If you’re not really into the television thing, don’t hesitate to reclaim the living room for its original purpose: socialising and relaxation. Arrange the furniture in a way that is conducive to socialising, like these sofas in this cosy living room by Juan Luis Fernández Arquitecto

In place of the TV you can choose to make the fireplace the focal point, add bookshelves to show off your personal library, and hang artwork or a mirror. This is a great way to get creative and do something unique with your interior.

If you are unsure of the wall colour, use white

You might initially be inclined to do something more to your colour scheme than stick to basic white. That’s because it can feel like you aren’t in command of your personal style or willing to take risks if you stick to this range of colour tones. We encourage you to break free from this convention! In fact, sticking to white is quite popular as Scandinavian, Japanese, and minimalist aesthetic styles are all on the rise. 

White comes in many different hues, and it can create a more spacious appearance to your interiors. In addition to this, you’re far less likely to grow tired of an interior that is predominantly white than if you opt for a bold wallpaper or bright sofa as the focal point of the space. White interiors also allow you to add new touches as tastes and trends come and go.

It's not true that a living room without plants is a dead living room

There’s no denying that the presence of plants in your interior has clear benefits. They can help improve concentration and creativity, for instance. Yet, some Feng Shui experts assert that plants can also drain the energy of your space for many reasons—perhaps you have a hard time properly caring for the plants, for example. 

Whatever your reasons, you no longer have to feel the need to justify them! There’s no reason your living room can’t look vibrant and harmonious in the absence of plants. We actually love the creativity of using other natural appearances to cultivate a sense of earthiness in the room. You can use sand or stones to make a Japanese rock garden, or mount some interesting branches on the wall as décor. You could even add natural materials like these to existing décor to make it more dynamic, as we can see in this image.

Don't be afraid of mixing furniture styles

homify Ausgefallene Wohnzimmer

It can be tempting to purchase living room furniture in a set. We get it. It’s far easier to buy all your furnishings at once and be done with it. However, mixing and matching furniture style will help you to express your own personal tastes whilst also creating a truly unique space. You could buy two matching chairs and splurge on a custom sofa, or purchase some vintage items from a flea market. 

Once you break from the idea of purchasing your furniture in set, you’ll begin to realise the immense aesthetic potential the space has. That alone can be quite inspiring. You don’t have to worry about the result turning out shabby and chaotic either. Take this eclectically furnished living room; there are several different styles at play, but the final result is as marvellous as it is cohesive.

Your windows can be beautiful without curtains

Living room Window Ed Reeve Minimalistische Wohnzimmer

On top of all the other decorative necessities, by the time you get to the window treatments it can feel more like a chore than a fun, creative endeavour. Thankfully, minimalism is all the rage at the moment. For this reason and more, we’re here to tell you that you don’t need to have window drapes to make the living room feel complete. A well-kept window can speak for itself. 

Window treatments can make a small space feel cluttered. Alternatively, ample natural light can help it to feel more spacious. If your living room isn’t lacking space, but you like to keep things simple or this part of your home doesn’t receive a ton of sunlight, you can simply ditch the draperies. You can also invest in some subtle pull curtains for adding shade without excess.

For more tips on how to break from the mould, check out this advice on how to create your own interior style

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