Every room is vital, but not every room is open to your visitors. Unless your guest(s) have a unique relationship with you, the living room is the only place where your guests have permission to access it. Just like you (unless you sleep for more than 7 hours!), they spend more time here than in other rooms. That’s the exact reason why you should pay special attention to the living room.
Therefore, it goes beyond considering the available space and price of the furniture. Quality, purpose, the appearance of the furniture, weight, and design of your living room are other vital factors you should never overlook.
Let’s discuss why.
Basics First!
The design of the furniture determines how much space it takes. Take, for example, the sofa with an extended arm. It takes more space than a sofa with a square arm.
So, when buying, for example, a coffee table, sofas, side tables, and an armchair, consider the design and amount of space each will take. The more space they will take, the larger your living room should be.
Room Size
The size of your room determines how to arrange your rooms. For instance, if you want your sofas against the wall, there may be more space that can allow you to have more tables. However, if they’re in the middle of the living room, your space may become smaller.
Do also consider the size of your doorways. Some furniture won’t go through the door.
I once was stuck outside with a bed that could not go through the doorway of my new bedroom. We tried everything possible; nothing worked.
The only possible way was to dismantle the bed. I feared that it would break in the process. It broke my heart because it was a classy bed with a unique design. But I was to blame! I had not considered the size of my bedroom doorway when making the purchase. While it’s possible to dismantle the bed, it’s impossible to do the same on the sofas and most modern tables.
Losing all the money you spent on your furniture because of the size of your doorway can be a pain. Take caution before making a purchase.
Comfort and Appearance
Everyone wants to spend more time where they’re comfortable. That explains why the appearance of your furniture is worth considering.
If you saw the same furniture in another home, would you love it? Would you be comfortable sitting on that sofa for more than one hour without having back pains?
If you’re not comfortable, your guests wouldn’t feel any better! You would rather spend more on buying the best remote control recliner and sofa than spending less on furniture that causes back and spinal cord problems.
Purpose
What’s the primary purpose of your living room? Will you be watching movies and drinking with family members and friends? Then, a TV stand is necessary. A side or center table is vital, too.
While one furniture may be more adorable than another, consider if it will successfully and effectively achieve the purpose it’s meant for.
Here’s what we’re saying. One center table could be more classy in appearance and design but too small to hold 7 glasses of water and a flask. If you have a large family or many friends, such a small center table wouldn’t be of any help.
Go for the less classy but big center table. Purpose outweighs beauty and appearance.
Colors
Consider the available colors in your living room, starting with the walls, tiles, bulb holders, (natural or artificial) flowers, and fans. The colors in the living room should harmonize well with that of the furniture.
Also, if you have open sections such as an open kitchen, consider the furniture in those places, too. Colors affect how we feel and react. That’s why, each time you visit a hospital, you will find colors such as green, blue, and red. Such colors are calming and soothe patients. Likewise, the type of colors in your home determines your moods and reactions.
Therefore, let the colors in other rooms blend well with the furniture in your living room. Only then will you have a warm and relaxing environment.
Quality
Furniture is a long-term project. So, invest wisely in it by buying high-quality furniture that is also durable. Though such high-quality furniture cost more, there will be no regrets in the long last.
Especially when buying sofas and tables made of glasses, quality should come first.
Tables made of glasses are vulnerable to breakage; hence, they have a shorter life than wooden ones. On the other hand, Sofas need to have solid and top-quality cushions that won’t wear out soon or lose their high density after a couple of years.
Weight
Don’t get confused; high-quality isn’t equivalent to heavy furniture. Furniture can be heavy but of poor quality. In fact, light furniture, in most cases, has better quality than heavy furniture.
So, don’t go for heavy sofas that you can hardly lift or move all by yourself. Even so, furniture such as light tables can be heavy to ensure they’re stable and hard for kids to move.