Decorating a living room is a responsible matter. If the corridor (hallway), bathroom and kitchen are rather “auxiliary” rooms, then the bedroom or living room are the main ones. After all, it is in them that the most time is spent (not counting the hours of work of each housewife in the kitchen). When planning the design of a bedroom, you want to take into account many points at once, sometimes contradictory. We will try to tell you how to do this in this article. The first chapter will touch on the design features of each room of the house (apartment), the remaining chapters will be devoted specifically to living rooms.

Design of a room depending on its purpose

Living room

This is the case when we can talk about the scope of fantasy. After all, this is usually the largest room in the apartment; you can make many of your desires come true. But, if we talk about a certain standard, then the advice is this: choose a classic style or a modern style. It will not become boring for a long time, and will not irritate you with intrusive elements of bolder styles (just imagine a loft-style living room for a moment - how long will it please you?). You need to start from the meaning of the name of the room - living room. This is the heart of the house; this is where you, for example, take guests.

Bedroom

The first and most important rule is to focus on the gender, character and passions (hobbies) of the owner. It is unlikely that the personal room of a guy-athlete will be similar in design to the bedroom of a woman leading a social lifestyle.

Compliance with the tenant is the main criterion for choosing a room design.

Bathroom

It all depends primarily on the size. If the bathroom is very small, the proper arrangement of the necessary elements in it comes to the fore. Make the most of each square centimeter. You may have to abandon the installation washing machine(you can put it in the kitchen) and order (buy) a tall narrow cabinet. He won't "eat" square meters floor, but will accommodate everything you need.

Children's

It is clear that the tastes of an adult and a child can differ greatly. And what parents think is the most suitable option, their child may not like it at all. Therefore, first, try to find out which room the child himself sees. Discuss general idea and details, sketch out the project.

Corridor (hallway)

The most important guideline is size. It determines what kind of design you can afford to implement in this room. If this is a modest few meters, then first of all you will have to choose from the essentials (wardrobe, key holder, shelf for hats). The general one should be simple and unobtrusive. It is better to abandon colorful wallpaper and open shelves- this will “clutter” the room. It is also worth considering good lighting. Udachnoe lighting solution will help “push apart” the walls or visually raise.

A large corridor (entrance hall) provides more options when planning a design. In addition to the essentials, you can afford additional elements comfort and decor of the room (sofa at the entrance, large floor vase).

Choosing a style

So, the fundamental question is the choice of style for the living room. Let's look at a few of the most common options.

Modern

Undoubtedly, this style, like no other, will look relevant and modern (corresponding to the name). To prevent the appearance of the room from becoming boring, you can use some tricks. For example, to focus on those interior details that are easy to replace if desired (curtains, chandelier, paintings on the walls, various decorative items). By removing something and adding a new “zest”, you can easily give the room a new mood without resorting to global changes.

Classic

The style is suitable for those who love solidity and timeless design options. That’s what’s good about classics – they are always appropriate.

When choosing a classic style for a bedroom or living room, remember - classic does not tolerate cheapness! Everything, from furniture to the most inconspicuous part of the interior, should “breathe” with solidity.

Hi-tech

An excellent option for lovers of minimalism in the interior. Clear lines, strict functionality of objects, a free atmosphere in the room, clear colors - this is what you need to focus on when choosing a high-tech style.

Remember that this style is good for those who really like it. By choosing it for the design of a bedroom or living room as an experiment, you risk quickly getting tired of the unusual look of the room.

Minimalism

A style somewhat similar to the high-tech style. From furniture - only necessary and functional components. The general direction of the design should be observed in the main elements (wallpaper, furniture, curtains), avoiding small interior details.

Design options according to room area

Room 5 sq m

The size of such a room only allows for so much. It is worth refraining from many pieces of furniture and leaving the essentials, according to the purpose of the room. Bed, small wardrobe- perhaps this will become the decoration small room. Otherwise, the bedroom will turn into a “Chinese box” filled with its owner’s things. Guided by the principle of minimalism in the design of such a room, remember that one large (but shallow) closet is better than separate shelves, etc.

Room 8-9 sq m

This size of living room is undoubtedly more convenient. It is possible to place more necessary things. And design options can be “bolder”. In a room of this size, if desired, you can arrange useful pieces of furniture (, bookshelves, bedside tables) and “secondary” (small aquarium, TV on the wall, soft pouf or couch).

Room 12-15 sq. m

IN in this case You can choose a certain style and strictly adhere to it. The size of the room will allow you to observe all the subtleties of style and embody the chosen direction in everything, without saving on space.

The nuances of decorating a room for a girl and a boy

It is clear that there is a difference in the design of a boy’s and a girl’s room. It is important not to go to extremes and templates when decorating your personal room. Below are the main criteria that you should adhere to when planning your bedroom design.

The bedroom of a young girl has:

• Light (usually pastel) colors
• Lightness and elegance of furniture
• Abundance of decorative elements

Room young man usually different:

• Some asceticism (minimalism)
• Strict “masculine” colors
• Functionality of furniture

It is clear that each person is individual. And a girl’s room is not something predictably “girly”. Surely, an athlete’s bedroom will be very different from a young woman’s boudoir. Also with the choice of room design for a young man - there are many options. It all depends on the personal preferences and lifestyle of the owner of the room.

How to choose the right wallpaper for a room

It would seem that wallpaper is just the background of the room in essence. And you need to choose them, focusing primarily on color. However, the modern assortment expands the range of criteria that you need to rely on in your choice. First of all, the purpose of the room influences. After all, wallpaper for the kitchen will be significantly different from wallpaper for the nursery or living room! And the process varies depending on the type of wallpaper chosen.

Wallpaper for the bedroom

Whatever the style of the room, it is better to choose wallpaper for the bedroom in neutral tones. After all, the first and most important purpose of the room is relaxation. This is what you should start from when thinking about “clothing” for the walls. When choosing wallpaper in bright, specific colors or with a very expressive pattern, think ahead. Will you get tired of this wallpaper after just a couple of months and want a calmer option? If you want bright accents, let them be photo frames, unusual vases, and other accessories. Replacing them with new ones is easier than changing the wallpaper on the walls. If the bedroom style involves “expensive” decoration, you can choose seamless fabric wallpaper. By the way, they will do an excellent job of providing additional sound insulation.

Wallpaper for the living room

Curtains for the living room and bedroom: features of choice

Usually, when designing a room, it is done almost as an afterthought. Although this interior detail can carry no less stylistic load than, for example, furniture or wallpaper! Curtains - how business card rooms. They can make the room boring and expressionless, and when good choice revive the most laconic room in design.

There are rules for choosing curtains that should always be taken into account so as not to be disappointed with the result.

• Curtains should be combined primarily with the color and texture of the textiles in the room.
• Upholstery upholstered furniture and the curtains must be in harmony!
• The patterns of wallpaper, curtains and textiles in the room should not “interrupt” each other, creating chaos. If the wallpaper pattern is clear and pronounced, it is better to opt for curtains in one color, without a pattern.
• Using a contrast effect to correct room imperfections (vertical stripes on curtains are perfect for a room with low ceilings, and the transverse stripes will visually expand it). Also, do not forget about the size and shape of the window(s), the size of the room, the height of the ceiling and other features of the room.

When choosing curtains for a living room, it is important not to overdo it! Excessive pretentiousness of curtains, an abundance of details and a complex cut can do a disservice and make all other design elements look inexpressive.

Ceiling design in the room

When deciding on a living room, you need to be guided by many criteria. An important point is determining the amount of financial costs. After all, the ceiling can be either “budget” (simple whitewashing or painting the surface) or more expensive (there are many options here).

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Ceiling finishing options and their features
Ceiling plasterboard	Perhaps this is the most common ceiling design option in our time. After all, it has a lot of undeniable advantages: Ability to create complex original designs. The ceiling can become the main thing design solution in the design of the room! Additional sound insulation. Saving heat and adjusting the microclimate of the room.
	One of the fastest and easiest ceiling repair options. If you want something special, unique design, then the suspended ceiling can be combined with plasterboard elements. The disadvantages include its price (most often it is much higher than other possible options).
Fabric cloth	A very specific option, used only in individual, thoughtful room design.

A house is an indicator of the taste and sense of style of its owner; you can know a person all your life, but once you visit his home, you will radically change your opinion about him. Coming up with a room design is not as easy as it seems: you need to look through many websites, magazines, photographs, be able to combine the ideas you see and create a harmonious combination of them. The most difficult thing is for those who develop the design of a small room: maintaining functionality without losing comfort and creating cluttered structures is very difficult. Each room has its own purpose, its own characteristics, which must be taken into account when choosing interior elements. You can always turn to professional designers, but your own project will look better and less formulaic. An apartment with individuality evokes admiration from its owner - the creator. beautiful design. The rooms, depending on their size and location, are divided according to their purpose.

By purpose

Traditionally, large rooms are associated with a living room, small ones with an office or a nursery - these stereotypes are no longer relevant for a long time, getting rid of them is the most difficult part when starting to create designer rooms. Creating a project for an apartment or one of the rooms requires technical knowledge, an innate sense of style, and knowledge of new modern trends. There is no point in blindly following fashion, but taking it and implementing it into your project individual elements quite possible. This approach will protect you from template solutions and will preserve the uniqueness and originality of the design. Increasingly, professionals, in order to avoid the hackneyed design of a room’s interior design, are turning to unusual themes or outdated trends, which in a new version create a sensation, the same “loft” style. The purpose of a room is a determining factor in creating its image. Basic stereotypes, mistakes and possibilities of the type of rooms.

Room view	Traditional Perception	Modern features
Living room	the largest room in the apartment	· kitchen-living room in a studio apartment; · living room combined with bedroom or workplace.
Kitchen	· along the wall with a ventilation shaft; · with window access.	· arbitrary location due to the presence of high-quality air conditioning; · if there is no window - a powerful hood for large area premises.
Children's	the smallest room	if space allows, then a room of medium or larger size– for creating play and sports areas
Bedroom	small to medium sized room	part of the office or living room dedicated to the bed
Bathroom	connection to the sewer	modern equipment allows you to install a toilet or shower even on the balcony
Hallway	large area with a huge number of cabinets	Hanger, shoe rack, chest of drawers, mirror - other decorative elements
Corridor	wide, spacious, the size of a full room	lack of a corridor or minimal area for it

Living room

The function of the living room in different families and people often differs significantly. This can be a place for spending time together as a family, then we make it cozy and comfortable, complement it with a spacious sofa, a fluffy rug, a large round table. Or, the living room can be formal, in which case minimalism is popular: a sofa, small table, large TV on the wall with audio system. The notorious “slides” and “walls” have long lost their relevance - the capacity of such structures is small, but there are enough dust collector shelves. When choosing living room furniture or shelves dark color, it is worth choosing a high-quality antistatic agent in advance, otherwise dust will be visible on it after a few hours. A stylish living room is: pastel colors, bright accents, original catchy interior items (the main thing is not to overload, turning the apartment into a flea market). In the design of the living room, minimalism and neatness, clear lines and beautiful geometry are relevant.

Bedroom

A modern bedroom often turns out to be just a separate bed with little decor or photo frames overhead. At best, space is created for the bedroom in a small room. The situation is due to the fact that not everyone can afford a cottage, and in a simple apartment, even one consisting of more than 4 rooms, the space finds a more useful use. Is it possible to do without a bedroom and sleep on the sofa? It is possible, but after 5 years of this practice or if health problems arise, you will need a high-quality bed and an appropriate mattress. Modern folding sofas do not have a very beneficial effect on the quality of sleep and back health. Convenient and stylish option- combining a bedroom with a dressing room, which is separated by translucent glass. Relevant in the bedroom warm colors, creating a calm but respectable environment. It is popular to decorate the wall at the head of the bed with a different type of wallpaper or texture.

Kitchen

Kitchen interior design – design first kitchen set. Built-in household appliances look the most stylish, so before you start preparing a sketch of the kitchen, you need to know the parameters of the whole household appliances: size, power consumption, recommended distance from it to a wall or other device, cord length, hose length (dishwasher or washing machine).

Important! Before you start planning your kitchen set, you need to know the exact parameters of household appliances and the location of sockets!

Neglecting this information will complicate the installation of the headset and ruin appearance kitchens. Nowadays, more and more people are abandoning tiled splashbacks in kitchens in favor of glass, which is brighter, more impressive, and more hygienic. Designers partially support the trend by offering aprons made of wood, embossed plastic, or unusual tiles. Glass looks impressive when it has an original image on it, and not just “flowers, butterflies, horses.” An integral and convenient part modern kitchen- a bar counter, but if possible, it is better to move it, along with the mini-bar, onto an insulated balcony.

Bathroom

The interior of a bathroom greatly depends on its size. In a large room, it is appropriate to place large bath, shower stall, use large mirrors to decorate the walls. The design of a small bath will differ in favor of functionality. It is important not to overload the room with elements or clutter the space. A stylish bathroom gives preference to pastel colors: olive, beige, shades of gray, white, black and their combinations. The volumetric panel on the wall gave way to small decorative inserts. Small mosaic, ornaments from geometric shapes, relief, multi-level wall surfaces, stylized wood, brick and stone are trends in modern style. Good lighting plays an important role; colored lighting looks fresh. If the size of the bathroom does not allow you to combine a shower cabin and a bathtub, you can consider limiting yourself to a shower - this will save space and look presentable.

Children's

The size and interior design of a children's room depends on the age of the children, their number, if there are more than 2, then the difference in age and gender. If the children are small and same-sex, after a short period of time each of them will need personal space, their own workplace. Workstations should be located in different sides rooms or, if provided long table along the window, then at a sufficient distance from each other. Every year the child needs personal space more and more, and this also needs to be taken into account when designing the nursery. You shouldn’t openly make a “children’s room” by gluing wallpaper with cartoons and making everything framed with trains - after a couple of years, an “adult” child will not want to live in a room “for kids”. To save space, designers resort to tricks: bunk beds, beds that pull out from each other, podiums with pull-out beds. All this will free up space for doing exercises, active games or sports corner.

Hallway

Stylish hallway - minimum cabinets, maximum functionality. This does not mean that you need to give up built-in furniture - it is quite appropriate if the space of the room allows, but if the hallway is small, it is better to limit yourself to the basic elements: a shoe cabinet/shoe rack, a hanger for outerwear, shelf for hats, ottoman, mirror, rug, small decorative elements. Personal photos in the hallway and corridor look inappropriate; if you want to decorate the walls, paintings or panels are more suitable. Traditionally, furniture in the living room is chosen in a dark color, but white or milky will look more impressive and will not require too much maintenance. Small details, such as a plate for small items and keys, an umbrella stand, a hanger for a handbag, and a vase will add comfort and individuality. It is better to make the color of the walls in the corridor light due to the lack of lighting in this part of the apartment.

Cabinet

A workplace is one thing, but a full-fledged office is quite another. In most cases, the office involves following the office style, but for creative people there may be a more comfortable room with bright colors, bags scattered on the floor with chairs and intricate interior elements. A classic office should create a working environment, set the tone for work, and be suitable for business negotiations. The work space should not resemble a museum - it must be stylish: elements made from natural materials, combinations of dark and light colors, an interactive or simple board. Large personal photographs look inappropriate on the walls; it is better to use modern painting. Shelving and cabinets are a necessary part of the work process. You shouldn’t decorate your office excessively; this is, first of all, a place where you should be comfortable working.

By size and shape

Traditionally, rooms vary in size, shape and functionality. By size: large, medium, small. Shape: rectangular, square, L-shaped, round, quadrangular, polyhedron. The most common are square and rectangular. Of particular interest are rooms of unconventional shape. The first impression is that this will complicate the creation of a design project, in fact, the structural features of the room themselves suggest what and where it is better to place. If there are an abundance of corners, we hide them with built-in cabinets and shelves, leveling the space, achieving the correct geometry of the room. When designing a trapezoid room, we adhere to the same rules, or we emphasize the features of the room and arrange the furniture so that the trapezoid is clearly visible in the center. A quadrangular room with irregular angles other than 90 degrees requires adjustment with furniture and wallpaper with an abstract volumetric pattern. We don’t hide inappropriate walls, but emphasize them – highlight them with other wallpaper or texture.

Small room design

When designing a small room, you need to learn how to save space without compromising the overall style. Can be used hanging shelves, window sill, stylized as a workplace. Transformable furniture, for example, a wardrobe that transforms into a bed, will significantly save space. If a small room is L-shaped, it can be zoned into a rest area at the far end, and a work area closer to the door. When it is impossible to separate the work area and the bed, multi-sized colored pillows will help out, forming a cozy sofa from the bed. It would be appropriate to use a podium or loft bed. The design of a very small living room is much more complicated than a large one, but with the right approach you can get a unique, stylish part of the apartment. There are several ways to visually increase space:

• decorating a wall with photo wallpaper with a three-dimensional pattern or another texture and type of wallpaper;
• the advantage of light shades with elements of bright or dark color;
• high-quality lighting;
• V rectangular room traditional curtains are used to cover the window; in square ones, blinds or roller blinds are used.

Middle room design

Designing a medium-sized room gives you a lot of possibilities and options. In this topic, it is more appropriate to talk about how to make part of the apartment stylish. We use either catchy wallpaper and calm pastel furniture, or we make neutral walls and give free rein to our imagination in decorating the room. The second option is a win-win and does not require special knowledge and skills. An average square room can be divided into two rectangular sectors; built-in wardrobes with large patterns, voluminous panels or paintings on the walls, drawings with glow-in-the-dark paint would look appropriate. In matters of interior middle room You can resort not only to using shelves, but also hanging cabinets. Give preference to expanding the bathroom to the size of an average room and organizing a real home beauty salon. Such a bathroom will be very stylish and impressive.

Large room design

When creating the design of a large room, you can use two options. The first option is minimalism. If there is a living room in a large room, a huge sofa and a massive armchair and table would be appropriate. Small details will get lost in such a space and will look out of place. If part of the apartment is very large, it would be reasonable to divide it into several interconnected zones. This could be a living room separated from the bar by a bar counter, or zoning based on interests: decorative partitions separating the TV viewing area from a hammock, sports complex or play area. It is better to emphasize zones with different types of textures or color combinations. A large room is suitable for organizing a large living room and two smaller sectors: for preparing food and for organizing meals. Large territories must be well lit, so the outer wall is made entirely of glass.

Rectangular rooms

A rectangular room requires adjustment and visual expansion of the space. This effect is achieved with the help of long voluminous curtains; their waves remove excess length, hiding disproportion. Empty walls are filled with square panels and the height is adjusted. Dividing into zones is an effective solution for a rectangular shape: on the side of the window we make a work area, and closer to the entrance there is a bedroom. If a large room is intended to be a living room, then the part farthest from the entrance will be equipped as a work area or bedroom. When zoning, it is not necessary to clearly separate zones - by color or partition; it is enough to leave a small free space or highlight one of the areas with a rug, and visually this part of the apartment will be divided. Shelving in the back of the room, podiums, a combination of different types of wall and floor coverings will help visualize the length and make it more comfortable.

Square rooms

The design of square rooms is more difficult than with rectangular ones, especially if it small size. A large square one can be zoned into 3 parts: bedroom, relaxation area, workspace. The square part of the apartment is more suitable for the interior of the living room; its inherent minimalism will be appropriate. If design is necessary for a very small square, you will have to prioritize and make do with the essentials: a sofa, small interior details, a TV on the wall. Square kitchen loses to a rectangular one - you lose useful space for the kitchen unit and gain an extra one in the center of the room. A square room is ideal for office design: strict lines and the ability to create ideal proportions will come in handy. Wall panels and paintings must be chosen rectangular, lengthening and visualizing the space.

Room styles

When choosing the style of a room, you need to follow it impeccably. By mixing one style with another, we risk getting bad taste. Modern styles They offer a solution for every budget and taste. With a limited budget, you can create a stunning room design in a loft or minimalist style. There is a general trend of preference in the interior for a combination of light colors and bright elements. The individuality of a room is given not by the chosen style, but by the elaborate details of the interior. The style depends on the purpose of the room.

Important! The styles of rooms in the same apartment should be close or identical!

Provence is often used for the kitchen, Scandinavian style, rarely minimalism. For the living room, loft, hi-tech, avant-garde are relevant. The bedroom can be made in eco-style or hi-tech. When choosing the style of a room, you need to take into account the general style of the apartment or house. There are the following types of interior design of rooms:

• Hi-tech. Characterized by the predominance of black and red colors in the interior and bright red and turquoise accents. It is distinguished by emphasized minimalism and strict lines.
• Vanguard. It manifests itself in an abundance of bright details and interior items when decorating floors and walls in pastel colors. Reflected in broken lines, asymmetry, light abstractionism.
• Eco style. The name speaks for itself - an abundance of plants, natural materials, lack plastic windows and synthetic carpets.
• Scandinavian style. Characterized by a predominance of white, shades of brown and gray colors, wood and imitation brick finishing.
• Loft. A subtle combination of simplicity and minimal renovation with designer pieces from unwanted, unusual old items. In the style we can see: a panel made from “aged” boards, an open fireplace in the shape of a bowl. The direction was supposed to be a solution in the interior of attic rooms, but now the implementation of this style is more solid and expensive.
• Minimalism. The owner of an impressive cottage can afford this style. By allocating a significant area for a centrally located bed or sofa, you can create a unique design, but at the expense of functionality.
• Provence. This style creates a doll-like interior and is popular in kitchen design. Stylized antique elements, vintage wallpaper, dishes on the shelves, artificially aged materials are a reflection of the sophisticated Provence style.

Ceiling decoration - types of ceilings

The ceiling is a noticeable part of the room, it is difficult not to pay attention to it, so it must be perfect. There are not many ceiling options, and if the electrical wiring runs along the ceiling, then there are only two of them: plasterboard or tension. You can combine these two options or make a mirror ceiling. Currently, suspended ceilings and plasterboard can be of any color or with photo printing. Stretch ceilings may differ in texture: matte or glossy. Matte is used in large rooms, glossy in the bath and toilet. A leveled ceiling can simply be painted - it looks high-quality, solid, but not always durable. Decorating the ceiling in a room involves maintaining the overall style of the room, and color combination. A white ceiling looks win-win, but rather ordinary; you can add modern notes with the help of interesting lamps with original patterns or lighting.

Wall decoration - types of materials and wallpaper

The choice of material for the walls of the apartment depends on the room: in the corridor we choose a denser, wear-resistant texture. In the bedroom and living room we give preference to more delicate materials. This type of finishing such as painting can be used for the corridor or rooms with low temperature conditions: pantry, veranda, basement. Wallpaper amazes with its variety of types and colors. Often wallpaper comes in two styles at once: plain and with a pattern on the same background. Paper - economical option, in style and quality not inferior to expensive wallpaper. Non-woven wallpaper is easy to apply to walls - only the wall is smeared, which allows you to paste the wallpaper quickly and evenly. Vinyl wallpaper known for durability and good performance. Glass wallpaper, tiles, decorative plaster, stone, decorative panels– will allow you to create a unique style.

Floor decoration - types of floor coverings

A popular floor covering is linoleum - durable, unpretentious to use, and easy to repair. In second place in popularity is laminate, which is considered natural and requires a perfectly flat floor when laying and maintaining the distance to the wall. If the corner sways in one place, there is a high probability that when the humidity of the room changes, the floor will rise and it will have to be disassembled and filed. Ceramic tiles durable, requires professional installation and is fireproof, suitable for bathtubs, toilets and islands working area kitchens. The disadvantage is a cold surface in the absence of floor heating. Cork floor coverings are natural, wear-resistant, suitable for bedrooms. Polyvinyl chloride - fire-resistant high-quality coating, will last up to 30 years, has an elegant relief. The stone covering is durable, but heavy and cold. The self-leveling floor looks impressive - it provides ample opportunities execution.

Curtain design

Curtains are an integral part of the design of the room, you have to limit yourself to blinds or roller blinds, but it’s hard to resist the number of full-fledged stylish curtains. Classic curtains are often used, but curtains such as Roman curtains find their place in apartments and houses: they are distinguished by airiness, delicate shades, and horizontal folds. Austrian curtains They are distinguished by the presence of laces for lifting them and the predominance of expensive shiny fabrics in the design: cambric, silk. London curtains reflect a chic English style: graceful waves reminiscent of the Roman style, distinguished by high costs of materials and type of assembly. The design of a small room does not exclude the presence of curtains: you can choose them of the required length and color. Curtains with photo printing are popular - such an interior element will allow you to adjust the visual perception of the size of the room.

Each apartment has its own face, its own atmosphere and its own style. This is most evident in the rooms, which often gather all family members and are shown to guests during their visits. The living room is rightfully considered the “soul” and “heart” of any home, so the design of a living room requires careful consideration.

A room of any size can become a room for family leisure or relaxation with guests, although not everyone is lucky with spacious housing and rooms correct form. To do this, you just need to think through the layout of a small space or the design of a narrow living room, trying to hide the disadvantages of such a room and turn them into advantages.

Before you start decorating your living room, you should decide what style you want this room to be in. Almost any interior style can be embodied here, but it is advisable to proceed from the layout of the original room. This could be an African or other ethnic style in a small room, allowing you to decorate a sort of box room, or a minimalist design of a large living room, where the spacious room is not overloaded with details, and therefore looks light and airy, or classic design narrow living room combined with kitchen and dining room.

The design of a modern living room looks quite interesting in Japanese style, the historical traditions of which are considered to be some asceticism and impersonality. In the modern interpretation, in our reality, seating areas on the floor turn into podiums, which also perform the function of zoning space, coffee tables are replaced by low Japanese tables, symbolism in the form of hieroglyphs finds its place on pieces of furniture and accessories. That is, originally Japanese things, which are not very convenient for our realities, are replaced by convenience and comfort with a Japanese mood.

When thinking about the design of a small living room, you should decide whether you want to visually expand the room, filling it with light shades and using a minimum amount of furniture, using, for example, high-tech style or minimalism, or whether you want to decorate a box room, filling it with antique furniture and things , objects of art in carved frames, heavy curtains and other attributes of the classic style.

Also very interesting is the design of a small living room in the loft style, which involves creating a bright space that is not overloaded with furniture. Loft style implies visual extension space due to the minimum amount of decoration and the use of the simplest furniture needed in the room. Extra pieces of furniture and decorative elements are not used for decoration at all. This urban style is highly valued by modern young people who love space and the absence of boundaries in everything, even in creating an interior.

In private homes, the design of a large living room in an eco-style can be used, which provides unity with nature. It is rarely possible to successfully create such an interior in apartments, since the eco-style is characterized by the presence of good natural lighting, which is often absent in apartments with modern layouts. In modern cottages, many rooms have large number windows, and the living rooms on the ground floor of the house are often walk-through, where the garden is connected to the house by transparent sliding doors. In eco style, only natural, harmless materials are used - cork, wood, stone, wicker, rattan, natural fabrics, etc., which looks very natural and simple in a good way.

Also, the design of a large living room can be classic with all the pomp and luxury inherent in this style. Stucco molding, columns, traditional fireplace, mirrors in wooden carved frames, gilding, forged furniture elements, heavy curtains - all this distinctive features classicism, which does not accept one thing - cheapness. This design of a large living room will be very useful for collectors, who will be able to place their collection of paintings, sculptures, old toys, etc. in the same room, hanging them on the walls or placing them on special pedestals or niches in the wall. Such private galleries for collectors of traditional art objects are made in the classical style.

Minimalism can also be used in large spaces if you need to create a place for active pastime, parties and other similar entertainment.

In general, you can choose any style for the living room in your apartment. The design of a modern living room provides for some deviations from the traditional principles and canons of a certain style in the interior, because today designers, architects, and homeowners think more about people’s comfort than about realizing the wildest, but often not entirely livable, fantasies. After choosing a style, decorating a living room raises questions of space planning, choice finishing materials, arranging furniture, using accessories and decorative items.

Layout

The layout of any room must address the issue of functionality and rational use of the available space. It is important to clarify what functions the room should perform in order to consider the presence or absence of partitions, the correct arrangement of furniture and the use of finishing materials for visual zoning of the space.

If you plan to combine a living room with a kitchen and a dining room in the room, it is important to determine where the dining table will be (the “wet” kitchen area cannot be moved from its original place), and where the soft seating area will be, so that you can then use various types finishing visually distinguish these zones. Moreover, when thinking through the design of a narrow living room combined with a kitchen or dining room, you need to skillfully divide the space crosswise so that instead of one long “pencil case” you get two or three square zones.

To place a workspace in the living room, it is important to place it close to the window if possible or carefully consider the lighting for this area. To create a children's play area in the same space, it is important to insulate the floor and think about filling this area with modern educational toys and sports equipment. If you also plan to have a small stage in the room for home concerts, you need to choose a place for a small podium.

There are a lot of options for combining functional areas in the living room space. It’s rare that anyone can afford to place here only a soft seating area for the whole family to gather in front of the TV, or a traditional dining table for lavish family celebrations. It is only important to follow the rule that the center of the space is still these zones (dining and living room), and skillfully hide the remaining zones or combine them with the main ones.

Finishing

When the issue of planning the living room has been resolved, you can begin to select finishing materials. Finishing options depend both on the chosen style of the room and on the design of different functional areas.

The most representative materials are often used for the living room floor: parquet, parquet board, cork - for eco style, carpet, especially if there is also a play area for kids. Lately, self-leveling floors have become very popular because they look great in the living room. To zone the space, you can build a podium or use different colors or patterns when decorating the floor.

Wallpaper, plaster, imitation brickwork (for loft style), and paint can be used for walls. You can highlight one of the walls with interesting photo wallpaper or textiles. Most often, light shades are used for walls to visually enlarge the room, but sometimes they use the opposite technique and emphasize the intimacy of the space by choosing dark colors for the walls.

Ceilings in living rooms can also be different, but appropriate general style premises: whitewashing, suspended ceilings, complex structures suspended ceilings. In ethnic and eco styles, decorative elements are often used. ceiling beams. The design of a small living room may include decorating one of the walls with mirrors to visually expand the space. In the same case you can use glossy surfaces, which will create an airy atmosphere in the room.

Furniture

When choosing furniture for the living room, it is worth considering that in any case there should be a sofa or sofa area in the room, and the sofa should be as large and comfortable as possible. If space allows, you can use two sofas of different colors and the same textures (for example, leather) and a couple of armchairs to create a soft zone in the room.

Often, extraordinary techniques for decorating a room with your own hands become the main highlight of the entire interior. But here it is important to take into account the style and design of the room: futuristic objects are a very dubious decoration for an English-style living room, wooden pallets with inscriptions in the rhythm of Provence are not suitable for the interior of a kitchen with high technology, just as aluminum signs are unlikely to fit into elegant Art Deco. When trying to create sophisticated eclecticism, you can easily make a mistake. It is very important to think through everything in advance, namely the location and fastening of decorative elements.

We suggest you consider interesting solutions for the room, in addition to paintings, posters and photos. However, let's not forget about them either.

Window as a decorative element of the interior

A window built into a wall that is interior partition, is a rather extraordinary technique for dividing space. Such a solution will not only become the main decoration of two zones at the same time, but will also allow more passage natural light from one room to another.

A window frame can also be an extraordinary independent art object. Hang it on the wall or place it on the console - this technique will radically transform the atmosphere, adding lightness and elegant charm to it.

An aged wooden frame with a large number of sections looks very colorful. It’s easy to make such a decorative item yourself at minimal cost.

A decorative window frame can not only serve as a decoration for a room, but also be a functional piece of furniture. So, mirrors with glazing like a window frame look quite interesting. A good example shown in the photo of the bedroom interior.

Door against the wall

In addition to windows, used old doors can become an unexpected decoration for the walls of a room. A sophisticated idea is to hang on them something obvious in traditional wall decoration, for example, paintings, panels, photographs.

Large scale panels

Room decoration volumetric panel– a great opportunity to show your creative imagination. Here, try experimenting with textures, colors, materials and other components.

Dimensions decorative panel must be correlated with the square footage of the room and the load on all other walls. A large panel in a small room will look ridiculous: after all, its texture and color sometimes consume the space. Please note that panels and wallpaper are two different things! The larger the panel, the brighter its role in the home interior, the more neutral the adjacent walls should be.

Take a fresh look at ordinary material. An old metal sheet hung on a chain will become an original and extraordinary backing for a poster or photographs.

Squares from sections of simple fiberboard, painted with stain and silver (by the way, you can safely use painting and stencils) will be beautiful in the form of panels. In this presentation, it will fit perfectly into the luxurious industrial loft style.

You can also easily decorate one of the living room walls with your own hands. The composition of impressive large-scale tiles captivates with its originality and simplicity. You can fantasize about this topic endlessly.

Take a look at how your playful mood tic-tac-toe on accent wall unobtrusively distributed throughout the room.

Panels with 3D effect

A recent fashion trend for multi-dimensional decorative elements is rapidly gaining popularity. The 3D panels presented in the following photo literally attract the attention of others. Reasonable prices allow many to purchase such panels for decoration, while the texture and pattern can be chosen to suit your taste. There are many design options: engravings, plaster bas-reliefs, compositions from various multidimensional parts.

We should not forget about the fragility of such products. Installing and transporting them is very difficult, but the visual result is worth it.

Decorating a room with shelves

Shelves in a room can serve not only as a functional piece of furniture, but also creative decor in the room. It is important that the shelves contrast in color with the wall. Think carefully about how to fill them beautifully and harmoniously - half-empty shelves create a feeling of some imperfection in the interior. Excellent decorative contents will include candles and lamps, hourglasses, original book holders, and colorful ceramics.

An even greater decorative effect will be created by cute compact shelves of non-standard shapes (triangles, multifaceted cells, unnatural angles).

Posters and paintings

Decorating a room with paintings, photographs and posters is perhaps the most common decor today. In order for the result to live up to expectations, to look decent and unique, you need to carefully select the elements of fine art.

Show your imagination, choose a non-standard approach: frame herbariums of plants instead of painted still lifes, tin panels and retro-style posters instead of flowers on canvas, pencil sketches of animals instead of waterfalls and beaches.

If you still decide to purchase something unique, buy paintings at exhibitions, special sites or on trips abroad.

Photos can be designed in a completely non-standard way.

Unusual Attributes

Giant letters in inscriptions, quotes in posters, deer antlers - all these objects are so often found in interiors that today we would hardly like to see them again. But even from these seemingly familiar details you can create an original combination in your own way. You just need to interpret them skillfully.

So, for example, a composition of five medallions with deer antlers already looks unusual, and the inscriptions made in a non-standard font and placed on atypical canvases (not in rectangular frames, and, at least, in a hexagon) – are perceived completely differently.

More ideas for do-it-yourself room decor are presented in the bright selection in the photo.

Original decor from flowers and plants