How to Make Your Living Room Look Bigger and More Inviting

With more friends, family, and acquaintances, our homes have become the central hub for all our social activities. To keep up with all the additional people coming by, it’s important to have a home that feels spacious and accommodating. 

If your living room feels cramped, dark, and impersonal, you might consider making some changes. But, unfortunately, it has the opposite effect if you feel like people aren’t spending enough time in your home. Instead of inviting others in, they feel like they’re passing through.

 To make sure your living room looks inviting and welcoming to guests as much as possible, follow these simple tips:

Decorate Strategically

The first step to making your living room a social hub is decorating it strategically. The most important thing to consider when decorating is how people will move through the space. 

Then consider how your living room feels and what colors or mood you want it to exude. For example, if you want your living room to feel like a modern, sleek retreat in contrast with your rustic cabin retreats, decorate it in charcoal gray and aqua tones. You might also consider painting the walls white or darkening them with an accent color like red or purple.

Dazzle with a Glitzy Throw Shade

One way to make your living room look more inviting is by using a glamorous throw shade. A beautiful shade can be your new favorite accessory for the fall, and it does have the potential to transform a tired space into one that’s positively radiant. 

Consider adding a stunning piece of artwork, like this eye-catching Murano glass work currently on display at Elizabeth Street in New York. If you’re looking for something more affordable and practical, consider going with drapery or an area rug. 

These pieces will help create an open feel while maintaining some privacy (in case you need it).

Light Up the room for ambiance

The first thing you want to do is increase the light in the room. This is important because it creates a space that feels inviting, warm, and welcoming. It also helps set the mood for your guests. 

Another way to improve lighting in your living room is with candles. These can be used to create ambiance or as a source of light. They can also be placed strategically around the room where they won’t be too bright but still provide enough illumination so that guests don’t get lost in shadows when walking from one side to another. 

Nightlights are another great option for lighting your home without turning on harsh overhead lights. Suppose you can install a nightlight that turns off automatically. In that case, this will save you time and money by avoiding turning on lights unnecessarily during the day and keeping electricity bills down at night when people are sleeping. 

To make sure your living room looks inviting and welcoming, use candles, nightlights, or turn on outdoor light sources like lamps outside your windows to help increase the mood in your home and keep it from feeling impersonal.

Get a new rug to balance out colors and textures.

Your living room is a focal point of your home. It’s where you spend time with family and friends, so it’s important to make sure that it feels comfortable and inviting for guests. 

• To do this, first get a rug on which to spread out. A carpet can help make the space feel bigger because it adds an extra layer of texture. 
• In addition to adding a sense of depth and dimension to your living room, color palettes are more balanced when there’s a rug present in the space. 
• Next, consider lighting options around your living room. Having lights available in appropriate places will make the space more welcoming and social. 
• Installing lamps next to couches or grouping together two or three near chairs is a very easy way to add light while ensuring that everyone has easy access. 
• Finally, be aware of how much natural light comes in through the windows. If you live in an area where sunlight comes in naturally throughout the day, don’t worry too much about making your living room look big or inviting. 
• If you live in an area where natural light only streams into your living room during certain hours of the day (like at night), then be mindful about having lights around that area so that it doesn’t feel like bedtime all day long!

Add a functional piece like a coffee table or stool

If your living room is feeling a little too tight, adding a functional piece like a coffee table or stool can make the space feel more spacious. 

You can also add an element of functionality to the room that guests will appreciate and are sure to use. A stool, for example, is an excellent addition to someone’s living room because it invites people to sit down and stay awhile. 

If you don’t want people disturbing your view of the TV or if you have a small dining area, then a coffee table can be used as an impromptu place for them to set their drinks to spare some floor space. 

Adding such pieces helps make your living room more inviting by giving people places to sit and relax.

Install light fixtures over your sofa and chairs

Many people mistake installing a light fixture in their living room or dining room that’s too low to put on the ceiling. This will make your living room feel like it has dark corners and shadowed areas that You can’t fully light up. 

Instead, try installing lights over your sofa and chairs so you can have enough light to see your guests and make them feel at home. This is especially important for those who live in apartments or small spaces because living rooms are often the only rooms where you can put a light fixture without it being too high to reach.

Don’t forget to dust and vacuum!

You might think it’s boring to dust or vacuum, but it can make a huge difference in how your living space feels. 

Make sure you keep any surfaces clean and tidy with a quick sweep of a feather duster or vacuum cleaner before the company comes over. 

A well-kept home is also less likely to be overwhelmed by clutter, which gives the impression that someone has their life together and is looking for some time off work.

Conclusion

When decorating your living room, knowing where to start and what to do next can be hard. Unfortunately, there are no hard-and-fast rules about how to decorate your living room, but there are some simple tips and tricks that can help make your living room feel more comfortable and inviting. 

You should first consider where the most traffic in your home will come from. For example, if you have a front door, it should be the first place people see when they enter your home. Decorate with a focus on that location, using beautiful pieces that reflect the colors of that area. 

Next, think about what mood you want your living room to be in. Not all rooms need to feel welcoming, so let your decorating preferences dictate what you use in each space. Let your thoughts guide the way with bright tones and patterns if you want a more playful or energetic space. 

Then, consider how often you’ll be entertaining in the room. If you’re hosting many guests or family regularly, consider adding some neutral pieces that mix with other colors. 

Lastly, consider how often you’ll be decorating and how busy you’ll be with guests.

If you would like to read more about 21 Best Color Curtains to Go With Tan Walls Today, feel free to check out this article. Or, if you’re curious about Unique Backsplashes That’ll Look Great With Taj Mahal Quartzite, take a look at our latest guide.