Essential Decor Elements to Eliminate from Your Living Room - Designers Assert They're Making Your Space Outdated
Ready to revamp your living room and ditch the décor that's weighing it down? Here's a list of items you might want to consider parting ways with, according to top-notch interior designers.
- Inauthentic Faux Finishes
Lucinda Loya, a renowned Houston-based interior designer, suggests opting for genuine materials like real stone, ceramic, or metal, which bring authentic texture and depth to your room, as opposed to imitations like artificial stone bowls and poorly aged faux wood [1].
- Oversized Coffee Tables
Jennifer Jones, the founder of Niche Interiors, a high-end residential design firm in San Francisco, recommends trading in your bulky, rustic coffee table for a more elegant, space-saving table with nicer, subtle curves [2]. Choosing nesting coffee tables can add visual interest to your room while saving precious square footage.
- Unbalanced Picture Frames
Scatterbrained picture frame arrangements can detract from your living room's overall appeal. Lucinda Loya suggests organizing frames in a balanced, cohesive way, or forming a stylish gallery wall, tabletop display, or leaning artwork on a console for a cleaner look [1].
- The TV as the Focal Point
Kathy Kuo of Kathy Kuo Home believes the TV shouldn't be the central focus of your living space. Instead, design your room for socializing, gathering, and conversation, rather than making the television the centerpiece [3]. Consider hiding the TV within your space using creative concealment methods, such as hanging it in a gallery wall or behind artwork.
- Generic Shiny Gold Hardware
Swap out yellow gold hardware for a more timeless, sophisticated look with patinated antique brass or brushed nickel [1]. Adding colorful cabinet pulls can be an effective and affordable way to instantly make your room feel luxe.
By simplifying your living room design by eliminating unnecessary items, you can enhance its aesthetic value and create a more intentional space. Keep in mind that not all unwanted décor needs to be eliminated; sometimes, a simple rearrangement can make all the difference.
Enrichment Insights:
- Look at your space and identify items that do not add to its aesthetic or functionality, such as old vases, unnecessary figurines, or out-of-place wall art [1][4].
- Streamline your throw blankets and pillows to a few matching sets that complement the room's color palette and style [1].
- Remove excessive lighting fixtures or replace them with more minimalist options to reduce visual clutter [4].
- Overly ornate rugs can create visual clutter, so consider opting for simpler, more minimalist options [1].
- Keep your bookshelves or decorative shelves uncluttered by limiting the number of items on display [4][5].
- Organize and curate collections such as books or decorative items in a thoughtful, intentional way to avoid visual clutter [2].
[1] - https://www.hgtv.com/design/small-spaces-big-style-top-revamping-tips-for-your-living-room[2] - https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/interior-ideas/a26123582/living-room-design-mistakes-gallery/[3] - https://www.bhg.com/story/organize/reduce-clutter-cozy-living-room-furniture/[4] - https://www.houzz.co.uk/photos/3602418/Reduce-clutter-in-your-living-room[5] - https://www.homedit.com/980/declutter-modern-living-room/
- To bring authenticity to your interior design, consider replacing inauthentic faux finishes with genuine materials like stone, ceramic, or metal to add texture and depth to your living room.
- For a more elegant and space-saving solution, consider swapping your oversized, rustic coffee table with a cleaner, styled table with subtle curves.
- If your picture frame arrangement is scatterbrained, consider organizing them in a balanced, cohesive way for a cleaner overall appeal in your living room.
- To make your living room less television-centric, design it for socializing, gathering, and conversation instead of making the television the centerpiece.
- For a more timeless and sophisticated look, swap out generic shiny gold hardware with patinated antique brass or brushed nickel and add colorful cabinet pulls.
- To create a more intentional space and enhance its aesthetic value, remove unnecessary items like old vases, out-of-place wall art, excessive lighting fixtures, overly ornate rugs, and cluttered bookshelves, or organize them thoughtfully to avoid visual clutter.
