Formal decoration ideas for a living room

When you think of a formal living room, you may be thinking about an “adults only” room that your parents or grandparents used in their day. These used to be uncomfortable, with white carpets, plenty of upholstery, and fragile pieces that accent the room. But it does not need to be like that. If you are relocating to a new home, it is all up to you how your formal living room should look like. One of the considerations is the location of the room in the home so you might want to decide on that before hiring movers in Greater Philadelphia area to transfer your belongings. Other than that, you will want to design the room according to your wishes. In this article, we will provide you with several great formal decoration ideas so you can make the most out of your living space.

Formal decoration ideas – How to design your perfect living room

While it may be enticing to simply choose decor and go with it, we feel that it is much better to provide you a guide on how to make your own. That will make your room really be unique, and not a copy of someone else’s. If you ask any of the moving companies in Montgomery County PA about living rooms, they will note that most of them look rather similar. What you want is something unique, something that will make you and the visitors to your home really appreciate the effort put into it. With that in mind, here is what you want to do and consider:

• Avoid decor that matches too much
• Brighten vintage pieces with new fabric
• Art makes the room really stand out
• Cozy is the name of the game
• Functionality is important, too
• Simple upholstery is usually the best
• Consider seating arrangements
• It is all about location

We would also like to mention that there is absolutely no shame in simply copying someone else’s decor. Even so, you still want to add your own personal touches to the room. It is your home, after all, not someone else’s. Here’s how you can personalize the space:

Avoid decor that matches too much

In previous generations, the decor was all about matching your pieces with one another. These rooms look like every piece is a part of the set. While it may seem elegant at first, it is actually not a great way to arrange your formal living room. It is much better to mix styles, colors, and textures in order to create some variety. But if you are a traditionalist, feel free to disregard this piece of advice. It is your room, after all, and you want to feel comfortable in it. However, you owe it to yourself to at least give the “new age thinking” a chance. Usually, it improves on what was there before it.

One of the greatest formal decoration ideas – Brighten vintage pieces with new fabric

If you arrived at a home that has some great vintage pieces, you may want to hold off selling them and purchasing new furniture. Ideally, before you let your apartment movers remove furniture items, you will want to try using them to their full effect. Reupholstering can save you a lot of money and, with a bit of love, you can make something truly unique. Furthermore, they simply don’t make furniture like they used to, these days. Some of the vintage pieces may outlive us all, in fact. Why not keep this piece of history and add a “fresh coat of paint” to it?

Art makes the room really stand out

Speaking of a fresh coat of paint, you will want to consider changing the art of the living room to cater to formality. You can utilize art that is interchangeable as the seasons come and go, or you can add a bit of contemporary art to an otherwise traditional living room. Art has a powerful effect on a room and simply swapping few pieces around can make all the difference.

Cozy is the name of the game

But you never want to sacrifice coziness. Traditionally, formal living rooms were everything but cozy. This usually creates a feeling of being afraid to sit anywhere. Overall, people were simply not comfortable in these rooms. Do not make the same mistake, make the pillows and sofas as comfortable as possible!

Functionality is important, too

You can never disregard the functionality of the room itself. Traditionally, formal living rooms were only used for formal settings and to entertain guests. But it is much better to utilize the room to its fullest, which is to find a function for it in other settings apart from formal ones. Otherwise, you may be bringing items in and out of residential storage to cater to each group, every time. You want something that is both formal and casual enough to be inviting in the first place. Unless you have a huge house with more rooms than you know what to do with, that is.

Formal decoration ideas – Simple upholstery is usually the best

Don’t fall into a trap of selecting upholstery that demands attention, like zebra prints. Save those for the pillows. Try sticking to neutral variants and avoid using too many patterns. You can utilize them in smaller furniture pieces, such as chairs, to great effect. Or you can put them on a rug.

Consider seating arrangements

Depending on what you are using your formal living room for, you will want to arrange its seating accordingly. If you want to promote interaction, have sofas facing each other or position chairs outside of a center table. Do note that, these days, people tend to congregate towards the more comfortable pieces and might choose to settle there.

It is all about location

Lastly, if you have the freedom of choice, you may want to deviate from the traditional living room that is in the front of the house. You need to consider what the active spaces are and position your living room close to them. That way, your home will feel much more connected. As far as formal decoration ideas go, this one is more of a livability one, admittedly, but a very important one nonetheless.