Our homes have many rooms, and they all have specific uses. Unless you live in an open-concept space, you have dedicated areas that provide specific functions, but the one exception is the living room.
A living room is the largest room in your house; for a good reason, it’s where you spend most of your time, alone or with family and friends. This is also a room that allows for decompression and leisure where your work day is left behind, and you can sink into comfortable furniture while resting your weary body.
Does your living room give you all that? If not, then you need to make some changes. Let’s look at how to create a relaxing living room.
1. Pick a Soothing Colour
Before you even sit down in a living room, start the calming experience with your chosen colour palette. Harsh, bold colours are loud and trigger strong emotions, but for a relaxing space, you should stick to neutral tones and gentle shades.
Light blues and greens evoke a peaceful vibe and give you a sense of nature. Greys are also perfect for creating a serene feeling in your home. Create an emotional sanctuary with soft colours.
2. Couch Comfort
Everyone has a couch in their place that allows for multiple orientations like:
- Sitting
- Lying down
- Reclining
- Sleeping
As versatile as it is, you can up your relaxation game with some essential, comforting additions. Check out a furniture store for various items you can match with your living room couch.
Pillows are perfect for finding comfort because you can put them wherever you need them, and even when you aren’t sitting on the couch, they look good, especially when you match them with your decor. A warm blanket adds literal warmth so you can snuggle up for a not-so-quick nap or a cuddle up with a loved one. These items can be stored in an ottoman or bench storage and brought out when needed so your room doesn’t look cluttered or messy.
3. Flexible Furniture
While it’s essential to have comfortable furniture to relax in your living room, you also want it to be easily moved. This creates a flexible layout, allowing other activities to reset and center you.
When you can re-orient the room and open up space, you can practice activities like yoga, meditation, stretching and even working out, which is healthy for the mind and body. Light-weight furniture makes the task easier, so look for pieces that are not too bulky and can be slid around without much effort.
Coffee tables and chairs are typically in the middle of the room, while a couch will be on a wall, so make sure these floaters are light. Storage furniture is also important for hiding away a yoga mat or resistance bands.
4. Living Room Rugs
The floor can let you down even when you have set up a zen-like living room. You may have hardwood floors that are a little cold on the feet or carpet that doesn’t add to the decor, but you can make a quick, soothing change with an area rug or two.
Rugs allow you to bring colour, pattern and texture into the living room; it just feels good on the feet. You will be warmer and cozier with a rug in front of the couch or a larger one that provides softness underfoot and a nice layering effect.
5. Include Personal Touches
Feeling a sense of relaxation isn’t only physical. It is also your mental state and what soothes your soul. You can create a soothing space by surrounding yourself with items that touch your heart and give you peace, like:
- Family photos
- Fresh cut flowers
- Artwork
- Antiques
- Travel mementos
- Family heirlooms
These things you see when you are relaxing in your living room to stir up positive emotions and memories to warm your heart.
6. Scents And Sounds
Our senses inform us about our environment, and you can use these to create a relaxing living room.
Buy an essential oil diffuser and plug it in when you are home to create an aroma therapy experience. This soothes stress and anxiety, and any tension you have built up relieves headaches and even aids digestion.
Sounds can also be calming, so put on some of your favourite music and enjoy it or sing along. You can get a water feature like a tabletop fountain to hear trickling water because this adds pink noise that blocks out other noises and improves focus and calmness. There are also nature soundtracks you can play in the background that helps to bring peace.
Creating a relaxing living room is essential to a balanced life because we are going hard all day and need a space at home to disconnect and recharge. Use these ideas to transform your living room and see how you feel better.
