4 useful ways to transform the look and feel of your living room

The New Year has always traditionally been a time when we all take stock of things, evaluating what we like and don’t like, and what we’d like to change for the year ahead.

And if you’re already thinking about a change for your living room this year, sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start. Personally, we always think a new loose sofa cover is worth considering first – for reasons we’ll go into in just a moment – but we’ve got a couple of other cool ideas for you too!

Revitalise a favourite sofa or chair

Your sofa has a hugely influential effect on your space, and indeed, one that’s often underestimated! Its size, shape, and colour and style all set the tone for the overall feel and atmosphere of your room, which is one of the reasons why something as simple as new sofa cover can have a transformative effect on the space. Choosing luxury velvet – honey for your furniture can give a vibrant, fun and energetic atmosphere to your living room, while switching to something like Everyday Velvet – Royal can give it an altogether more thoughtful and contemplative atmosphere.

As an extra bonus, a new sofa cover can be used to not only change the colour of your furniture, but also completely conceal any old stains or scuffs or marks – helping it to look as pristine as it was on the day you bought it.

Style out your storage

Storage is always a consistent consideration in almost any room in the house, from kitchens to bathrooms to bedrooms. It’s no different when it comes to your living room! One of the main reasons it’s so important, obviously, is basic functionality – you can’t properly enjoy using your living room if you’re having to dodge, clamber over or scoop up clutter all the time.

But beyond being a physical nuisance, it’s easy to underestimate just how much of a profound effect that clutter can have on our overall sense of a space. Essentially it’s the source of a lot of extra visual stimuli that requires extra mental energy to process – which is one of the key reasons why even the sight of it can be so stressful.

So, what are your options? Well, for starters, it’s a good idea to clear out anything you can. If an item can feasibly live in another room, then don’t hesitate about relocating it there. (And if it’s time to dispose of it, then try and be brutal in your clearout!) As for what’s left, you can consider a range of options depending on the size and style of your room. Traditional storage solutions like cupboards, sideboards and shelving are all solid bets, but you can go with more innovative solutions too. Dual-function footstools or ottomans can be opened up to provide some handy storage – particularly useful if you’re short on space.

Don’t forget that your storage solutions don’t have to be purely functional – they can also be fascinating decorative pieces, especially if you’ve taken care to keep them adhered to the feel of the room. If you’ve got a more traditional space, then it might be best suited to a tall, ornate wooden cupboard. If your living room is more modern and contemporary though, hollow ottomans and similarly ergonomic storage solutions will fit right in – in all senses of the phrase.

Light up the room

Here’s an often overlooked idea – light fittings. It might sound simple, but once again, you might be surprised at the kind of dramatic effect they can have on your space. Your choice of light fitting probably depends largely on the amount of available space in the room – if it’s a relatively snug area, you might find that something too large and ornate can be somewhat overbearing. However, if your room is big enough, or you still feel it needs that special something to tie it all together, feel free to get a bit more adventurous!

The great thing about a well-chosen light fitting is that it can serve as a kind of decorative art piece in the right sort of setting, in the same way as a sculpture or painting. A bold, striking piece boasting its own unique colours, pattern or shape can command attention all on its own, or you can use a slightly more modest piece to complement the colour or pattern of another focal point in your room – such as your sofa – so that they both support each other in establishing a definitive theme or atmosphere for your interiors.

Rethink your natural lighting

This is another crucial element in your interiors, especially in the winter months! Now, we won’t bore you with the intricacies of circadian rhythms and that sort of thing. Instead, we’ll cram millions of years of evolution and complex science into the following simple sentence: basically, sunlight makes us happy. So the more natural light that you’re able to get into your living room, the more energetic and content you’ll probably find yourself to be.

So, it might be worth reconsidering those heavy fabrics for your curtains, and swapping them out for lighter options instead. (Alternatively, you could even go for blinds!) Another worthwhile course of action is to experiment a bit with rearranging the room, so that you can be sure no avenues of sunlight are being blocked by wardrobes or sofas.

We’ll leave the specifics to you though – it’s your room, after all! As for us, we’ll stick to what we do best; providing you with a fantastic range of sofa covers, chair covers and more in a wide variety of colours to choose from, encompassing everything from red and orange to blue and yellow – and plenty more!

And if you’re having trouble making a decision, or you’re looking for something in particular, don’t hesitate to let one of us know. You can get in touch using the contact form on our website, or through our Facebook or Instagram. We’re always happy to hear from you!