Who wouldn’t love a beautiful, serene, and cozy living room! Whether you have guests coming over or you’re by yourself lounging at home. A warm and comfy space is always desirable!
There is a quote that I really love and it goes like this,
“Your home should be the antidote to stress, not the cause of it.”
Peter Walsh (Australian-American professional organizer, writer)
There are tons of techniques out there that can help you create beautiful homes, but the notion of Hygge (pronounced as hoo-gah) resonates with me the most!
After learning about the Danish concept of the Hygge lifestyle, I became very interested in applying what I’d learned to my own living space. Hygge is all about making your life simpler. Though it applies to much more than only the appearance of your home, I will be elaborating only on the visual aspect in this article.
Having tried out both minimalism and the Hygge lifestyle, I feel that a perfect blend of both is what works best for me. I believe it could work out beautifully for you as well! It has helped me create the home of my dreams! Warm and filled with love <3
The tips I’ll be sharing can be put to use not only in your living room but any other room in your home. Without any further delay, let’s jump into some steps you can take right now to create your Hygge + Minimalist home!
1. Maintain a clutter-free living room!
This comes as a no-brainer. Those heaps of magazines lying around on the coffee table, that giant pile of clothes on the sofa, and the empty can of soda by the television DO NOT say cozy in any way!
Before you can even think about creating a beautiful living area, your first and foremost task should be to Declutter! Clean out all the trash, old magazines, clothes, shoes, and other clutter sitting around. In other words, anything that makes your room look chaotic must GO! Once you clean up the mess, make sure it does not pile up again. That is more important.
With all of their toys lying around, this could be a little challenging if you have children. Keep a designated crate for toys and reward your kids for cleaning up after they play and keeping their toys in it.
You can check out how exactly you can declutter your home with some absolutely simple steps here.
2. Use decorative fixtures tastefully and sparingly.
Now, you may think that having a lot of showpieces and paintings would glam up your home. But the truth is, having too many artifacts and fixtures can kill the ambiance of your home. The concept of “The more, the merrier” does not apply here. It makes rooms look darker, messier, and much smaller than they actually are! Instead, having minimal elements in your living room makes it look much brighter and welcoming.
Ideally, I would suggest you NOT to,
- Keep a zillion showpieces, vases, artifacts, and other decor items.
- Hang too many pictures and wall hangings.
- Keep too many cushions and pillows.
Instead, you can
- Put out 1 or 2 showpieces that are very meaningful to you.
- Display just one or two pictures of your favorite memories or a simple yet stunning painting.
- Keep a minimal number of comfy cushions!
3. Light colors are your new best friends.
Lighter colors tend to make rooms look much brighter and extra spacious than they actually are. Pick soft color palettes for your walls, like whites and beiges, to accentuate the look of your home.
This theory of light colors does not apply only to your walls! If you have curtains, then choose softer hues for them as well. Lighter colored curtains will let in more sunshine making your room brighter. Avoid using bulky and heavy-weight curtains, as they do not allow sunlight to pass through them. Instead, select lightweight and transparent materials like polyester, cotton, lace, and linen.
P.s: Though lighter shades give a warm and fuzzy feel to your room, holding on to those few bright cushions that you love will not do any harm. Don’t worry. You can keep’em, but do not go overboard with them!
4. Opt for low-lying furniture for your living room.
Picking closer to the ground and low-lying furniture gives a more comfy vibe to your home. It adds extra vertical room making your rooms appear spacious. When choosing low-lying furniture, make sure that it is not too difficult to clean underneath. Dust buildup might form if the lower region is not cleaned frequently.
Do not stuff your home with too many pieces of furniture or gigantic furniture. Keep only essential and minimalistic furnishings. (Psst. Your favorite bookshelf or that coffee table you love can stay! 😉 as long as it is not as big as the hulk!)
One rule of thumb you can follow is this. The smaller the room, the lesser the furnishings and decorative items. As simple as that.
Opting for lighter-colored furniture or wooden-colored furniture that compliments your walls gives your home a much warmer and cushier look.
5. Use patterns in moderation.
Agreed. Patterns add flavor and texture to the room. There is no doubt that patterns add to the room’s aesthetics, provided you use them correctly and in moderation.
If overdone, they can have the exact opposite effect and make rooms appear smaller and stuffier. One accent wall, a few decorative cushions, or a single patterned chair adds charm to the room. But having too much of it is where the problem lies. A floral sofa with too many patterns or wallpaper with too many designs can be disastrous. So make use of prints and patterns with caution.
For this reason, single-toned sofas and wallpapers are always an easy choice. The probability of going wrong with solid colors is relatively lesser than patterns.
6. Bring a sprinkle of nature into your homes.
Doesn’t sitting in a meadow or a stroll through a forest soothe you in ways nothing else can! Would you not love for your home to be the same way?
Bringing nature into your home should not be a problem since nature IS our home! Humans are to blame for the disconnect between our homes and nature. There is a need now more than ever to bridge this gap!
Some simple ways to do this are,
Let in some sunlight! Do not keep those curtains closed at all times. Sunlight is vital for your health and your home! Vitamin D enhances your mood, and sunlight makes your room bright and breezy.
Say Aloe to plants! (Pun intended) They help purify the air and add to the aesthetic beauty of your room as well.
Fresh flowers are always a big yes! There is nothing like a bunch of lilies grown in your own backyard. Better yet is an indoor flowering plant. That way, you would not be plucking those beautiful flowers from the plant or wasting money to buy fresh flowers from shops. Orchids can be a perfect choice since the flowers are not only gorgeous, but they also last a very long time once they bloom.
7. Make sure you have sufficient lighting.
I could not possibly stress enough about the importance of good lighting. Good lighting is a deal-breaker and makes for a calm and comfortable atmosphere.
Often you may have noticed that entering a dimly lit room makes you dull and gloomy. According to researchers, a well-lit room boosts your mood and energy, while poor lighting adds to depression and sadness!
It is definitely best to have multiple sources of light than a single central source! Try mixing up the different types of lighting like,
- ambient (wall fixtures, floor lamp, table lamp)
- accent (directional lights)
- task lighting (desk lamps)
If you have abundant sources of natural light, that is great. But if you don’t, you can always use this hack. Place mirrors across from windows to reflect the light that comes in through them. This helps in illuminating the room.
8. Create a cozy corner in your living room.
Having your own cozy spot where you can unwind after a long day is just delightful, isn’t it? Hygge is all about creating this sort of comfortable life!
It does not have to be anything extravagant! Just pick a spot in your living room where you feel the snuggest! (If you have a nook or a corner, make the most of it!) Place a low-lying chair or soft mat on which you can relax comfortably. Having a warm throw blanket calls for brownie points.
I prefer keeping my plants near this corner since they add a little extra joy for me. Use this space to relax or perhaps read a book you love, to decompress after a taxing day.
9. Deep clean your home regularly.
Do not forget to deep clean your home frequently. All that accumulated dust on corners and windows can dull out your living room! It attracts pests, insects, bugs and can cause you a lot of discomforts.
Dusty rooms appear dimmer and tinier. The little nooks, corners, furniture, and windows are more susceptible to accumulating dirt. Dust also blocks light. Cleaning your windowpanes will allow more natural light to penetrate, making your room brighter while also keeping allergies at bay!
P.s: Though it may seem unnecessary, dusting your walls and washing them clean is equally essential. This applies to the leaves of your plants as well. If you don’t clean regularly, thick layers of dust will gradually accumulate on the walls and plants, making the room duller, dimmer, and not to mention UNAESTHETIC.
10. Let there be love in the living room!
No, I mean literally! Nothing beats the feeling of having a heartfelt and joyous time with your loved ones! These are the people you can go back to even after having the shittiest day, and they can brighten your mood just with their mere presence! (It is okay if you live alone! your furry friends and plants count as a family too!)
Your living room should be a space that encourages conversations. Make it a welcoming space for quality time with friends and family. Do not keep the television on at all times! (Unless the entire gang is watching a movie or match together, in which case, carry on!)
Do not get your office into your living room! That is a big NO-NO! Also, as far as possible, avoid using social media when spending time with somebody! Discourage your kids from doing it as well. Stepping out of the virtual world will make you realize just how beautiful the real world is!
Lastly,
These are a few other things that would be useful to know!
- Spare the negative talk! Your home is a reflection of your thoughts! Do not make space for any negativity in your head or your home! A happy you = A joyful home that radiates good energy and positivity!
- Less is the new more! Minimalism has helped me better my life in ways I could not have imagined. (LINK TO LEARN MORE) Having minimal things in your living room makes it all the more spacious, warm, and beautiful!
- Lighting candles adds a lot of comfort and coziness to your home! Top it off with some minimal string lights, and you are all set.
- Diffuse some essential oils to complete the feeling of being in a meadow! They do wonders to the ambiance of your home and also your mood! My personal favorites are lavender and eucalyptus. You can use the ones you love or find soothing.
- Using a light-colored rug to cover the floor makes it look more spacious. Pastel or neutral color themes are the best. Avoid carpets and rugs which have too much design going on. Solids do the job best.
- Let in fresh air regularly. Keeping the windows shut always creates a claustrophobic environment.
- Avoid using furniture or decorative pieces with sharp edges like spike-edged mirrors. They are risky and can also become unaesthetic if not used correctly.
- Have a designated place for everything and make sure that it STAYS there. This is to avoid the accumulation of unnecessary clutter.
Hope this helps you design the beautiful space that you have always desired. Please let us know in the comments below if you know any such tips and tricks that we can use to build comfy and elegant living spaces.
With love,
Ila