Of all the rooms in your home, the most time is spent kicking back and relaxing in the living room. Anytime I’m designing a living room I like to think about how to merge design with functionality. That’s exactly what I’ve done with this modern traditional living room design.
In this post I’m diving into how you can create a living that is ready for movie nights with the kids, game night with friends and memories made with your favorite people!
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When thinking about your living room, I recommend starting with neutral colors and varying textures. In this modern traditional living room you’ll find a mixture of creams, blues, black and natural wooden tones.
Just like any other space in your home, you want to think about the functionality and flow of the room. How do you plan to use the room? What feeling do you want to evoke when in the room? How large is the room? These are all questions you’ll want to ask before making any big decisions.
Once you’ve nailed down your vision for the space the next step is selecting your furniture. To create a modern traditional design you’ll want to opt for clean lines and structured pieces.
In any room that you’re designing, you’ll want to start with the largest furniture pieces first. For this modern traditional living room, I opted for a large sectional in an off white color. The chaise on the sectional gives the room a more laid back feel, while the clean lines of the couch make the room feel elevated. It’s the perfect mix if you’re designing a living room for a family, but don’t want to sacrifice design for functionality.
I have a feeling the kids are going to be fighting over who gets the cozy corner spot! I also love a bench cushion on a sofa or sectional for this exact reason. It gives that “lived in” feel, but also allows the family to curl up on the couch together without having someone falling in the cracks.
I’ve added a few of my current favs that are great alternatives to this tufted sectional. The first option is a bit more traditional, while the second and third have a more laid back feel to them.
Something to keep in mind when selecting a sectional is sizing. A common mistake I see is furniture that is not appropriately sized in relation to the size of the room. You don’t want your furniture to be over powering, or worse, look miniature in comparison to the size of the room. A good rule of thumb is to have the sofa be two thirds the length of the wall.
Coffee tables are an easy way to add interest to a room. I opted for a round coffee table in this living room design to balance out the structure of the sectional and the arm chairs. The round shape fits perfectly into the space between the end of the couch and where the chaise comes out.
Another reason I love a round coffee table is that it’s family friendly! Anytime I’m designing a home for families with littles, I always consider adding in a round coffee table. No sharp corners, means one less thing to worry about as a mom!
I love the that the cement coffee table grounds the room. I’ve also rounded up a few great wooden options that give the same effect and are budget friendly!
Living rooms are where conversations take place. Creating a setting that is conducive to chatting is a priority for a cohesive design. You want the room to feel balanced and have a natural flow to it.
Depending on the layout of you home you may center the furniture around your television. In this case, I would place the set of two chairs adjacent to the sectional on opposite side of the chaise. Another option is the place the chairs directly across from the sectional. Think about the flow of traffic and what makes sense for the placement of walls and the layout of your home.
If you’re wanting to add height, dimension and functionality to your living room, I can’t recommend a statement piece like an arched bookcase. Not only is an arched bookcase stunning, it also give you a place to store things like those old DVDs, board games and more! If the bookcase is glass you can use this to display those pretty objects that have sentimental value. Add in a few woven baskets toward the bottom and place items that you don’t want on display inside the baskets!
When deciding on where to place your bookcase you’ll want to consider the layout of your living room. You can bump two together and create a built in look. Another option is to place one on an empty wall and balance it out with artwork and a bench on the side.
Your rug is the anchor for your room, it’s what truly ties everything together. In this modern traditional living room, I opted for a vintage looking floral print rug with darker hues. The shades of blue pop against the cream sofa and natural toned chairs.
When thinking about what rug to choose, I recommend doing your research! If you know the room will have heavy foot traffic, you may want to consider a more durable rug. You’ll also want something that is easy to clean in the case of an accident. Lastly, you’ll want to ensure the sizing of the rug is appropriate. For a sectional sofa you’ll likely need a 8×10 or 9×12 depending on the size of your furniture. A pro tip is to measure the space first. You can also use painters tap and outline where the rug and furniture would go on the floor before purchasing!. This helps to create a better visual for where the pieces will go in your space!
One of my favorite parts of creating a well designed room is the finishing touches! I’m a sucker for a throw pillow, just ask my husband. But in all seriousness, accent like throw pillows, a well placed blanket and strategically placed decorative objects can bring a design to life!
Throw pillows are also a great way to change up the look and feel of a room depending on the season. During the summer months I opt for light colors, linen fabrics and floral prints. As we move into the winter months I’ll swap out the pillows for heavier textiles, darker colors and woven textures.
I hope these ideas inspire you to create a modern traditional living room that you love!
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