Now that I'm almost done with the TV/entertainment room, I've shifted focus
onto my living room. There are some more posts pending from the other room
which I'll write about shortly.
What's been happening over the last few weeks is repeat trips to the timber market, doing recces for fabrics, scanning home decor shops and markets for finds... stuff like that. And of course, feeling terrible about the million and one pictures of Goa Fest getting uploaded on Facebook!
In this post, what I really wanted to speak about is light coloured interiors. I'm sure I'm not alone in my love for whites and creams in the living room. It's elegant, classic, beautiful, delicate and simply divine! But that's the short lived good side of it. Waiting on the other side is dust, dirt, filth and every satanic characteristic in that range.
However, if you’re a die-hard, like I am, and must get your dose of light colours at home then here are a few tips I’ve gathered going along.
1. Curtains/blinds: One of the most obvious things in the room, and it also takes up a large part of the visual experience. Hence, go for the lightest lights and the whitest whites as far as curtains or blinds are concerned. Maintaining it is as simple as a trip to the dry cleaners like once (if you push it) or twice a year.
2. Sofas: The second largest piece you find in living rooms. Unless you have a grand piano! Which I don’t so sofa counts as number two. Go for colours in the range of biscuits and beiges. Maybe a tad darker too. But avoid lighter because just about anything will show. With biscuits and beiges you go scott-free for long because it almost matches dirt and dust!
What's been happening over the last few weeks is repeat trips to the timber market, doing recces for fabrics, scanning home decor shops and markets for finds... stuff like that. And of course, feeling terrible about the million and one pictures of Goa Fest getting uploaded on Facebook!
In this post, what I really wanted to speak about is light coloured interiors. I'm sure I'm not alone in my love for whites and creams in the living room. It's elegant, classic, beautiful, delicate and simply divine! But that's the short lived good side of it. Waiting on the other side is dust, dirt, filth and every satanic characteristic in that range.
However, if you’re a die-hard, like I am, and must get your dose of light colours at home then here are a few tips I’ve gathered going along.
1. Curtains/blinds: One of the most obvious things in the room, and it also takes up a large part of the visual experience. Hence, go for the lightest lights and the whitest whites as far as curtains or blinds are concerned. Maintaining it is as simple as a trip to the dry cleaners like once (if you push it) or twice a year.
2. Sofas: The second largest piece you find in living rooms. Unless you have a grand piano! Which I don’t so sofa counts as number two. Go for colours in the range of biscuits and beiges. Maybe a tad darker too. But avoid lighter because just about anything will show. With biscuits and beiges you go scott-free for long because it almost matches dirt and dust!
3.
Protecting sofa fabrics: One of the simplest ways to
protect your sofa fabric is by having false covers made, of course. But here’s
one that I discovered recently, and I think is pretty cool. Scotchgard
sofa-guard.
Call your local dry cleaners or even the little upholstery shop in your neighbourhood and they’ll come home and do it for you. Basically what it is is a layer of some waxy solution that they put on your sofa fabric. It’s non-transferable, odour-free and children/animal safe. And what it does is forms an oil coat which prevents liquids from soaking into the fabric.
Call your local dry cleaners or even the little upholstery shop in your neighbourhood and they’ll come home and do it for you. Basically what it is is a layer of some waxy solution that they put on your sofa fabric. It’s non-transferable, odour-free and children/animal safe. And what it does is forms an oil coat which prevents liquids from soaking into the fabric.
4.
Carpets and rugs: This one is the most challenging as
far as looking after goes. And the biggest colour-block in a room. Because of
which, the most obvious choice is to go for reds and browns and blacks. My
solution to this is go for sisal rugs, or other rugs made from natural fibres.
They’re not woven like a traditional Persian carpet or a Kilim rug. They’re
broad weaves and clean up with just a weekly run through with a vacuum cleaner.
5.
Accent sofas/chairs/benches/ottomans: Have you ever
looked at something and thought it ugly, and then seen it in a totally
different context and thought the world of it? I have. That ugly turned lovely
thing is faux leather. I was looking at some fabrics for an ottoman and one of
my concerns was, they look so comfortable, it’ll be difficult keeping my dogs
off them. And I was hopelessly going for a dark colour when it struck me that faux
leather is water-proof. Which means, if it gets dirty, stained or dog-pawed, I
just need to wipe it and it’s clean! I have to say that was a very proud moment
for me. So yes, go ahead and try it. Some of them actually look darned good.
Far cry from the rexines that all waiting rooms across industry have adopted
like a family member.
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| White stool/accent table, silver frames, light cushions. Images: Google |
6.
Tables and accents: Avoid dark browns and blacks. When
you buy a coffee table, see the lightest you can go. Even as basic as natural
wood colour with a gloss coat over it and voila, you’re done! What I’m
currently a fan of is very basic metal frames with glass, and if you’re feeling
edgy, even a mirror top looks great!
Accent tables too, similar rules. Additionally, go completely white too if you want. What it does is visually, most things in the room, from the smallest accents to the curtains, they’re all in that white/cream/light brown area.
Accent tables too, similar rules. Additionally, go completely white too if you want. What it does is visually, most things in the room, from the smallest accents to the curtains, they’re all in that white/cream/light brown area.
7.
Wall decor: If you want to go for the light feel
throughout, try avoiding paintings and pictures with too many bright colours.
Go for pastels and very light colours. As for pictures, black and whites rock.
Frame them in thin white, silver or light gold frames, with neutral margins,
and you’re good to go.
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| Floor lamps, table lamps. throw blanket and of course flowers. Images: Google |
8.
Cushions and throws: This is a really nice and easy way
to make a room feel pretty and welcoming. Throw in different sizes and fabrics.
What they also do is take away a little of the beige-ness of the sofas.
9.
Lighting: Invest in lamp shades, tall and short ones.
They create warmth that ceiling lights just can’t compete with. Give them different
shades, maybe in some pastel colours too if you like. They’re cheap and you can
keep changing them too when they get unmaintainably dirty. Throw in a black too
if you want some relief.
10. There’s
no more. I just wanted it to look like a top-10. But enjoy these living rooms which are done up in a similar easy-to-maintain-yet-wonderfully-pleasing-to-the-eyes manner. :)
This is basically it for now. If you’re looking to do a makeover
of your living room, and yearn for light colours, try some of these tips out. And
let people keep guessing how you keep your whites looking so white. As always, if you have any thoughts, ideas, and/or tips I would absolutely love to hear from you!  |
| Image: Google |
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| Image: Google |
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| Image: Google |
