Fall in Florida may not feature the same brilliant displays of color found in other parts of the country, but if you look closely, you’ll notice the season has already begun to subtly change the scenery. Leaves on black gum, red maple, and crape myrtle trees reveal their true colors, beauty berry and holly bushes generate fruit, and native wildflowers such as the sunflower, Pinkscale blazing star, and morning glory are in full, glorious bloom.
This autumn, take inspiration from nature’s seasonal transformation to make equally stunning upgrades in your home. You may imagine time-consuming, complicated renovations when you think about improving your home, but there are a variety of small, simple changes you can make that have a significant impact on the look and feel of your space. Your family spends much of the time in your living room, and it’s often the primary area for hosting guests, so this is the perfect place to start. Read on for our recommendations to elevate your living room, then visit the CRT Studio online portfolio to jump-start your creative process.
- Introduce Accent Chairs
In addition to your sofa or sectional, you should have at least two accent chairs to provide ample seating for guests and add an exciting sculptural counterpart to this larger piece. An armchair creates a comfortable spot for conversation. A coordinating lounge chair and ottoman are perfect for curling up with a book. A side chair with a slim silhouette and thin legs can be placed nearly anywhere for an extra place to perch. Your accent chairs should complement your sofa without looking too similar. If your sofa is a neutral color or features a flat weave, consider buying a patterned accent chair or one with a contrasting fabric, like leather, boucle, or mohair.
- Experiment With Your Layout
There are endless ways you can arrange the furniture in your living room. You can start with a few simple formulas guaranteed to ensure your space feels intentionally designed, looks more spacious, and effectively directs traffic flow. For example, two sofas and two accent chairs form a solid combination with pleasing symmetry. Consider placing your two sofas directly across from one another with the accent chairs at the end, or locate the sofas perpendicular to one another with the accent chairs placed together facing one of the sofas. The free space on the fourth side can be left open, or you can add a bench or two matching ottomans for layered side seating with maximum flexibility, as these pieces can act as seats or small tables when topped with a tray.
If you have one sofa rather than two, you can try adding a set of matching side chairs along one corner opposite the sofa and a lounge chair in the other corner. Be sure that the form of your accent chairs contrasts your sofa while still sticking to your overall color palette. For example, if your sofa is legless, choose accent chairs with lighter frames to help redistribute visual weight. Heavy fabrics like velvet and wool tend to hold more weight than fabrics like linen, so using both in different pieces makes for a stylish, multi-dimensional look.
- Set the Mood
Lighting is not simply a functional component of your home; it is an opportunity to add unparalleled drama and ambiance to your space. A successful lighting scheme involves layering three different types of lighting—ambient, task, and accent. Ambient lighting offers general illumination, often in the form of recessed lighting, chandeliers, and other ceiling fixtures. Task lighting provides concentrated light for reading, writing, and playing games and often includes desk lamps, arc lamps, and hanging pendants. Finally, accent lighting such as decorative wall sconces and picture lights inject contrast into your design and can be used to highlight your favorite elements, such as architectural features, décor, or textiles.
Be sure to place these light sources strategically around the room at different heights and vary the materials between metal, ceramic, wood, rattan, and glass. Install dimmers to ensure you can precisely control the amount of light you receive throughout the day. Lampshades come in a broad range of fabrics, shapes, and sizes, so you can also change the look of your lamps by replacing the shade. Avoid using the same shades on multiple lamps; instead, consider the form and style of each lamp base before choosing a shade that complements it.
- Personalize With Art
Even the most gorgeous and well-designed room falls flat without art. Buy art that speaks to you instead of choosing a generic reproduction of a famous piece or simply matching your color scheme. However, you can tie your artwork into your design by using black and white photography of forest scenes in a home featuring natural timber or retro travel prints in a midcentury modern ranch. If you really want to up the drama, mix up the time periods by placing classic oil paintings in a sleek, modern room or large-scale abstract art in a traditional design.
You can incorporate art into your home in many ways, from hanging pieces individually or in groups to configuring them in a gallery wall or placing them along a long ledge to make frequent changes with minimal commitment. Remember that art does not only consist of photos, paintings, and prints but can also include wall hangings, mobiles, textiles, vases, mirrors, busts, and other decorative objects. There are many online shops where you can buy original pieces, and it’s always a good idea to check out local artists so you can support your community while beautifying your home.
- Add Greenery
After you have updated your space with new chairs, a fresh layout, thoughtful lighting, and art, the final technique for improving your living room this fall is to incorporate greenery. Plants create a welcome pop of color, improve your interior air quality, and act as living sculptures that bring an organic touch to your space. You can place small planters on bookshelves, fill corners with tall indoor trees, or arrange a bouquet of fresh flowers for your coffee table. If you lack a green thumb, dried florals and branches are an excellent substitute. In addition, many designer home brands now offer high-quality artificial flowers that are indistinguishable from genuine blooms, so you can purchase seasonal arrangements that last and replace them throughout the year.
Elevate Your Space This Season
Contact CRT Studio today for professional guidance if you find yourself struggling to complete the steps above or you feel like your final design isn’t quite what you had in mind. Our award-winning, internally recognized interior design firm can help you determine your space needs, procure the right furniture, art, and accessories to reflect your unique personality, and offer expert advice on integrating your new purchases into your existing scheme. Contact Rob Turner (407) 440-4446 or rob@crtstudio.com today to learn more about how our services can transform your home.