living
room
THE living room is a place to work, relax and play. It's also the room where friends and family come together, so it has to have that kind of aura that invites people to linger there. Furnished with comfort and style, a living room can be a place of refuge at the heart of your home. It is, by definition, the space in a home that's most full of life and spirit. This is the place that accommodates the widest range of activities important to you and your family.

Decorating with style should be fun and the whole concept of interior decoration ought to be demystified. The pictures show a large living room. The floor was initially made of a discoloured mosaic. Floors are one of the largest surfaces, so they have a major textural impact. These were replaced with rustic tiles and a patterned border, which brightened up the whole atmosphere.

The slim wooden false ceiling spans the room, and its curved shape has a dramatic visual effect, and the lover patch is really eye-catching. Lighting is a key consideration. Since the living room is the most public room in the house, the lighting should be both prominent and flexible. Ambient lights have been placed in the false ceiling to provide diffused illumination. Spotlights have also been installed for those occasions that demand brighter light.

A large space is ideal to set with furniture in a different placement. Well-planned use of space guides you effortlessly from setting to setting; a place for family and friends to gather together in comfort, a niche for quiet reading or daydreaming. With that in mind, two separate corners have been arranged for two different conversation groups. These share a sofa back, a table and antique chairs. Space for traffic flow has also been allowed, which is important in an open-plan living room.

Choosing a colour scheme is always more of an emotional decision than a logical one. It is also important, though, to keep the whole house in perspective. Choosing colours that are related in temperature, family, or tone for adjoining or surrounding rooms helps maintain a sense of harmony. A beige tone was used for this living room, and a little brown-textured paint takes one wall. The colour scheme matches the other elements of the room, creating a soothing, intimate, and inviting mood.

Texture can play a major role in the dé
cor of a living room. To make every surface pleasing to the touch and to the eye, careful consideration must be given to the choice of fabrics, furnishing and finishes. Textiles of all kinds enrich a space, and a living room presents endless possibilities for showcasing the beauty of fabrics. White and beach tones are used in predominance for the living room in focus, but upholstery in pastel olive stripes have been used for the secondary seating area to lend some variety.

Window treatments are a visual filter between indoors and outside. You can choose to let light come streaming in, or create a shelter with a soft wall of texture and colour. Synthetic fabrics with a floral print in olive shades were used as curtains. The floral print was selected to echo the floral border tiles on the floor.

Accessories are expressions of our spirits. They are touchstones for memories, items that make a room come alive. A room should never be just a place to pass through. Use accessories to lend character to your space and offer reasons to stop and linger. This room was accessorised by choice pieces selected from the house owner, Ms. Nagina Sinha's antique collection.

The key to making your living room come alive is to decorate it with love. Remember to change minor details every once in a while, by changing or rearranging accessories to keep it fresh and interesting.

By Nazneen Haque Mimi
Interior Consultant
JOURNEYMAN
For further details, contact e-mail: journeym@citechco.net
Photo Credit: Hasan Saifuddin Chandan