You don’t often see a home decorating trend that doesn’t end up on next year’s list of to-don’ts. Tuscan kitchens, nautical motifs, Ikat patterns. All of these concepts were fresh and popular in their day, but those days have passed and now the elements are clogging up thrift stores and yard sales everywhere.

So, when the industry is graced with an everlasting design concept like mid-century modern (MCM), it only seems right to incorporate it into your home’s decor. This expert guide will teach you how to do just that.

Not only will you become better acquainted with this transcendent style, but you’ll also learn how to blend mid-century modern design principles into every room of your home like a professional interior designer.

Browse a specific category by clicking on any of the quick links below:

• What is Mid-Century Modern Design
• Why Is Mid-Century Modern So Popular?
• Mid-Century Modern Design Elements
• What Is Considered Mid-Century Furniture?
• What Are Mid-Century Modern Colors?
• How to Decorate Mid-Century Modern on a Budget
• What Patterns and Textures Go with Mid Century Design?
• Mid-Century Trends to Watch For

 

What is Mid-Century Modern Design?

 

Mid-century modern was a powerful design movement that is globally recognized for having a tremendous and lasting impact on home decor, architecture, and even graphic design. This movement was most prevalent between the 1930s and 1970s, but the echo of splayed wooden legs and the juxtaposition of materials continues to resonate with homeowners and designers to this day.

Mid-century modern is a unique result of the overlap between the Industrial Revolution and the Modernist Movement. Both of these influential time periods have left a permanent mark on the mid-century modern style, shining through the bold declaration of function before fashion and the raw appearance of materials.

While this style started blooming in the early 1900s, it wasn’t always so clearly defined and widely recognized. Author Cara Greenburg solidified and named the movement in 1984 when she released her book, Mid-Century Modern: Furniture of the 1950s.

Shortly after publication, the book sold over 100,000 copies and the term “mid-century modern” began to appear in interior design catalogs, fashion magazines, architectural galleries, and a variety of other publications. Elements were defined, shapes and colors were assigned, and this 50’s style with a modern twist became an everlasting favorite.

 

Why Is Mid-Century Modern So Popular?

 

 

There isn’t any one reason for the popularity behind the mid-century modern movement. What’s not to love about a style that embraces open spaces, a myriad of patterns and textures, and an unapologetic expression of the past?

If we had to narrow it down, though, we’d credit the wide-spread popularity to these three key components of mid-century modern decor.

 

It Is Extremely Customizable

There are many interior design styles, like industrial design, that require a specific setting or certain architectural components in order to blend well inside a home. The beauty of mid-century modern design is that the core fundamentals can be stretched, picked apart, and applied to almost any decorating style.

You can blend the core concepts with other complimentary styles, adopt a warm or cool color palette, and add in your own personal mementos and keepsakes without disrupting the vibe.

Whether you live in a bare-brick loft or a modernized apartment complex, you can easily pull off the 1950’s vibe to whatever extreme you prefer. Go all out with geometric wallpaper behind a sunburst clock, or stick to a mellow base of core elements. However, you choose to decorate, remember the wise words of Kelli Ellis, Celebrity Designer & RST Brands Ambassador: “BUT YOU MUST ADD classic mid-century eye-catching accessories.”

 

It Caters to Bright, Airy, Open Spaces

Near the end of the 20th century, just as mid-century modern was gaining popularity, more and more residential developers started to embrace the open floor plan. Being that the new and improved 50’s-style home decor was considered “new and modern” in its time, it makes sense that the trend was designed to shine in the new-age open floor plans.

However, coordinating trends aren’t the only reason that mid-century designers were partial to open spaces. Mid-century modern is nothing if not intentionally functional. This decorating style gracefully and subtly turns away from needless formalities—such as having different rooms for different occasions. Instead, this style aims to create a comfortable, liveable environment.

Additionally, classic examples of mid-century modern furniture are often large and curvy, which makes them better suited for larger rooms. In a closed-off floor plan with smaller rooms, adding mid-century furniture could easily result in a cramped, stuffy setup.

If you’re trying to implement mid-century modern decor into a smaller living space, we suggest you stick with the smaller furniture pieces and bring it all together with 50’s-style accents like geometric shapes, sunburst mirrors, and funky lighting.

 

It’s Fun, Fresh, and Creative

If you keep an eye on the home decor trends that circulate through Pinterest and other binge-worthy design feeds, you can almost feel the steady rise of bright colors and bold shapes in trending design.

Take a closer look, and most of the time, you’ll find that those images contain at least a small handful of mid-century modern design elements. This decorating style employs a delightful display of colors, shapes, textures, and materials that can be fashioned effortlessly in a fun and creative way.

Mid-century modern decor appeals to the child-like wonder in all of us. At the same time, it allows us to create a mature and sophisticated space in which we can gather and entertain—like bonafide grownups.

 

Mid-Century Modern Design Elements

 

 

While MCM decor offers a high level of personalization, it still adheres to a foundation of key elements. To achieve the perfect blend of modern accents and 50’s fashion, we recommend you keep in mind these 10 fundamental mid-century modern design principles.

1. A focus on functionality

2. Mixed textures and patterns

3. A contrast between natural materials and non-traditional materials (i.e. wood and vinyl)

4. Organic and geometric shapes

5. Sleek, clean lines

6. A lack of clutter

7. White walls and patterned wallpaper

8. A great variety of color

9. Unique, eye-catching lighting

10. Shapely, bold furniture

 

What Is Considered Mid-Century Furniture?

 

With so many different kinds of mid-century furniture, this topic can be a little tricky to define.

RST Brands Ambassador, Kelli Ellis, says, “There are specific design elements that make a piece mid-century. Splayed wood legs are the most prevalent and easiest to incorporate into a timeless design. Also, look for contrasting piping in cushions and pillows.”

Mid-century furniture comes in a variety of unique shapes that are either organic or geometric. Armchairs and sofas are often supported by wooden legs, either splayed or hairpin style. Cabinets, coffee tables, and other surfaces often integrate the same style of leg, which is usually the defining factor.

As you become more familiar with the curvy, retro furniture that plays on clean lines and colors, you’ll be able to easily identify mid-century modern pieces. Here are a few iconic examples of MCM furniture, all of which were imagined by renowned interior designers in the mid-century.

• Eames Molded Plywood Chair
• Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman
• George Nelson Marshmallow Sofa
• George Nakashima Cabinet
• Ludwig Barcelona Chair

 

Mid Century Modern Living Room Furniture

 

 

Create a cozy, comfortable living room for your friends and family to gather in. Don’t be afraid to let a single piece of bright furniture steal the show, or keep to neutral furniture to allow other elements of the room to take center stage.

Opt for spacious living room sectionals, a mid-century coffee table, and swap out your TV table for a Nakashima-style cabinet with hairpin legs. Add an accent chair or two, a geometric rug, some retro lighting, and you’ve got a flawless combination of mid-century elements.

 

Mid Century Modern Kitchen

 

The kitchen is a perfect room to explore bold colors or patterns in a controlled way. You don’t want to create a cacophony of clashing colors, but rather, make a statement with a refined color palette.

Always commit to smooth, clean lines in the kitchen. Swap out ornate, curved cabinets for flat, wood options. Invest in stainless steel appliances and marble countertops. When it comes to flooring, the flatter and smoother the better.

Throw in an egg-shaped dining table surrounded with Eames Molded Plywood Chairs and a couple low-back bar stools to complete the modern 50’s feel.

 

Mid Century Modern Bedroom

 

Just because you’re decorating with funky furniture and pops of color doesn’t mean you can’t create a relaxing and comforting bedroom design. Opt for clean neutral colors for furnishings and bedding, limit your ornaments, and choose gentle colors for your accents, like soft shades of blue and green.

For a space that feels open and uncluttered, we suggest you stick with classic wood bookshelves, nightstands, and dressers. You can even add in a tufted armchair for a pop of color or a neutral addition.

 

Mid Century Modern Office

 

 

The office is a perfect example of how neutral colors and clean lines can create a perfect atmosphere. You can choose a thick, statement-making power desk like the one in Don Draper’s office, or you can go for a simple, lightweight desk made from light wood or plexiglass—with the hairpin legs, of course.

The sophisticated Eames lounge chair captivated the attention of designers during this period, but if it’s not your favorite, don’t be afraid to try something new. There are plenty of different mid-century chairs out there that would suit your new office design.

Just remember to stick with clean lines, uncluttered surfaces, and a mix of traditional and non-traditional materials.

 

What Are Mid-Century Modern Colors?

 

Because MCM is such a versatile design, it’s no surprise that the style is capable of incorporating a wide range of colors that complement one another in high contrast. For an iconic mid-century home, create an even balance of neutral shades and vibrant streaks of color.

To give you a few ideas, here are some classic color palettes for a mid-century modern home.

• Bright orange and warm brown
• Soft greens and blues paired with varying shades of gray
• Cream, brown, and pops of teal
• Stark white with deep brown
• Varying pink shades with brown wood

 

How to Decorate Mid-Century Modern on a Budget

 

The versatility of this style makes it a great choice for budget-conscious decorators who can’t afford to redecorate their entire home in one fell swoop. You can add pieces little by little without getting stuck in that awkward in-between phase where everything clashes.

Here are a few more expert tips on how to pull together a mid-century modern design on a budget:

• Focus on developing a good blend of patterns, textures, and colors.
• Start with mid-century accent furniture, instead of splurging on an entire living room set.
• Paint old pieces to adhere to your new MCM color palette.
• Scour thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets for authentic vintage finds and antiques.
• Add affordable mid-century style accents, like a sunburst mirror or a funky lamp.

 

What Patterns and Textures Go with Mid Century Design?

 

Mid-century modern design embraces a heavy mix of bold patterns and overlapping textures, which add a great deal of depth to any room. The style employs geometric and organic shapes, vivid prints, clean lines, and high-contrast graphics.

As far as textures are concerned, a picturesque mid-century modern home is often draped in the thicker, heavier materials, such as fur, burlap, and wool. Not only is this an indication of price and quality, but it also adds the perfect textural spread.

 

Mid-Century Trends to Watch For

 

 

TERRAZZO SURFACES

Mid-century modern homes celebrate the beauty found in natural stone floors, including terrazzo. This year, the rest of the interior design fashion world has decided to join in the fun. Of course, terrazzo can be used in more than flooring. You can also expect to see it showcased in countertops, showers, etc.

 

BOLD HUES

Each of the major players in the color world releases a color of the year. While current color trends range from blue to red to black, they all have one thing in common: bold hues.

The trick to using bold colors in the mid-century modern design is using them as accents rather than backgrounds. For instance, a bold red door or piece of furniture can serve as an excellent focal point for a dining or living room.

An accent wall featuring patterned onyx wallpaper can add a bit of glamour to an otherwise neutral room. If you’re going to go with a heavy color like onyx, though, make sure the room has plenty of natural lighting to balance out the color choice.

 

WOOD

Wood is back and better than ever. Mid-century modern decor has always capitalized on the use of contrasting materials in the home, and woods like oak and walnut are popular staples. While wooden wall panels might not make a comeback, the use of natural wood in design is returning to favor in the design world.

A chair, table, modern bookshelf, or headboard are all excellent options for incorporating wood into various rooms in your home.

The true fun of using mid-century modern decor is the freedom it gives you to truly make your home a reflection of your unique personality. Above we’ve discussed various ways to incorporate mid-century modern design elements to various rooms in your home. With a few guiding principles and your individual creativity, you’ll be well on your way to creating this timeless look for your home.

Home is your one haven from the outside world, and it should be a place you go to feel relaxed, safe, and happy. Color schemes can go a long way to create this ideal setting. But there are many options out there, and you’ll need to choose wisely if you want a cohesive look to your overall design. Check out this easy guide to learn more about popular living room colors and living room furniture color schemes.

 

What Colors Make a Living Room Look Bigger?

 

Most people strive to make their living room look bigger by optimizing the furniture layout or adding mirrors to the walls. Paint and color schemes can also enhance the space to make it seem bigger than it really is. Choose light, neutral colors to create the illusion of a bigger footprint.

 

Greige

 

Greige is a very popular color at the moment because it includes traditional beiges, as well as taupes and greys. These colors are easy to match and are a timeless way to decorate a room. Choosing beige sofas and chairs and grey living room furniture gives you a chance to decorate with colorful throw pillows that really pop. However, matching grey or beige on it’s own can be difficult due to different undertones. This is where greige comes in.

Greige tones are great neutral colors that can balance out other bolder colors used throughout the room.Since greige is a safe and popular color, you can play it up by choosing to mix in interesting patterns with the rug and pillow textiles. These colors also reflect a classy look that never goes out of style but still have a modern touch. Pick very light and warm greige paint tones to stay on trend for 2019.

 

White

 

White shades for furniture give the impression of class, organization, and elegance. They are a clean, quaint, and timeless color choice. Whites are also a popular color choice because they pair well with most other colors, even brown and neutral colors.

If you’re choosing whites, you can add interest to the space with a diversity of texture and layers in your decor. They are great colors to use in your decorating scheme to balance a lot of other bold colors in a room.

 

How Do You Add Color to a Neutral Living Room?

 

Once you’ve refreshed your walls and made the space feel bigger with neutral paint, it’s time to add to the depth of the room. Add color to a neutral living room in the form of layered accessories. Throw pillows, blankets, rugs, wall art, and other decor items are your chance to get playful and bring the room’s color scheme all together.

Choose one or two accent colors that have the same undertones as your paint. For example, a cool gray room would look great with blue and green accents, while a warm beige room might look better with pink and orange accents.

 

What is the Best Paint Color For a Living Room?

 

While neutrals help to make a space feel bigger, some people prefer to have a splash of color. If you’re one of those people, you may want to choose from one of these popular living room colors to give your space a facelift.

 

Yellow

 

Yellow is a bold and bright color that speaks volumes. Yellow furniture colors display a fun and energetic style. Yellow living room furniture brightens anybody’s day and is a perfect pick-me-up for you and your guests. Yellow is a color that often pairs well with grey and purple, and can be used as a furniture accent color.

 

Navy Blue

 

Navy blue is a furniture color option that is vibrant and daring. It displays sophistication and elegance, as well as being fairly easy to keep clean. A navy blue sofa or chair creates a strong focal point for your room which allows you to keep accent colors and decorations minimal and soft.

 

Green

 

Green as a furniture color sends an air of surprise and energy. When using green as a furniture color, it’s important you use other colors that are complementary, like certain shades of blue and yellow, that won’t compete. Green can be a fairly dominating color to decorate with, but if you pair it with a neutral color like white, grey, or black, you can have the perfect color scheme.

 

Red

 

Red is a dominant and bold furniture color choice that often demonstrates confidence. When you choose to go with red, you are choosing a strong decor style that is bold and beautiful. Make sure you choose your accent colors carefully, and consider going with grey and white, so that you don’t have too many strong colors competing against each other.

 

Purple

 

Purple furniture colors encourage fun and excitement, but still offer an air of sophistication.. Purple sofas, chairs, and decor add a strong color to the room and can be the focal point of your decoration. Purple can be a fun color option to brighten up any room, but still keeps things on the classy side.

 

Black

 

Black sofas and chairs are the epitome of modern, simple design. Black is a clean cut color that is fashionable and never goes out of style. It’s the perfect backdrop for any decor and can be paired with nearly any design element or color. Black furniture is striking, bold, classy, and pairs well with almost any other color scheme you might be using in the room.

 

Tie the Look Together With Your Living Room Furniture Color

 

 

Living room furniture color schemes are an important way to tie the whole look of your room together. Don’t just settle for any sofa or chairs for your home; find the best furniture colors that are just right for your decor and style. The most popular furniture colors for 2019 range from soft pastels to bold jewel tones. Ultimately, the colors you choose should reflect your personality and bring you joy every time you look at them.

Choose from modern accent chairs or overstuffed chairs to bring in more seating and a splash of color to the space. A bright or neutral sofa can totally change the look of a room and offers a great spot to gather and make memories with those you love. Whatever direction you go in, RST Brands can give you the perfect look to complete your space.

Just thinking about decorating your house is probably pretty exciting, right? Whether you’re just moving in, or have finally decided to follow through on that redecorating job you’ve been meaning to get started on the past few years, doesn’t it feel like the possibilities are endless? Well, that is until you realize you’re working with a tiny space, and perhaps an even tinier budget.

Given the current downsizing trend and the fact that a bigger home just might not be in the cards for many new homebuyers, here’s a guide to decorating for small spaces. Whether it’s just one tiny room you’re unsure what to do with, or an entire apartment, with the help of these tips and tricks, you’ll feel like you’re living big in your small space.

Browse a specific category by clicking on any of the quick links below:

Getting Started	Bathroom
Evaluate Your Space	Living Room/Family Room
Get Painting	Kitchen
Master Bedroom	Dining Room
Kid’s Bedroom	Decorate With Purpose
Office	Apartment Living

Bonus: Check out our interactive guide to view room by room furniture recommendations. See what furniture is in-style and find inspiration for your home.

How Do You Make the Best Small Space?

Given downsizing trends and the fact that a bigger home might not be in the cards for many new homebuyers, here’s a guide to small space interior design. Whether it’s just one tiny room you’re unsure what to do with, or an entire apartment, with the help of these tips and tricks, you’ll feel like you’re living big in your small space.

Getting Started

Before you start shopping for furniture or make a purchase of any kind, you need a plan.

Have you set a budget yet? It’s important to address the money aspect before you head to the store or start pinning dream rooms on Pinterest. Set a budget and stick to it-you’ll feel much more satisfied at the end of your project when your house is beautifully decorated, and you aren’t staring at a credit card bill that will take years to pay off.

Evaluate Your Space

Once a budget is set (and you’ve pinkie promised you’ll stick to it), it’s time to walk your house and evaluate your space. Measure each room you want to decorate and keep those numbers handy while you shop for furniture-the last thing you want is to find a piece you love, only to get it home and realize it’s way too big.

It’s wise at this point to at least get an idea of the purpose you want each room to serve. If you know you want your living room to be more of a social sitting area than a TV-watching space, you’ll want to make sure you choose seating that will fit your needs. Similarly, if you live in a studio flat with no privacy between the bedroom and living area, you may actually want to think about dividing up the space with resin panels to act as false walls. This will help to separate the room into different areas, and will also be useful if you’re trying to get changed when you have company over. It’s much easier to stick to your budget and shop with purpose when you know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish.

How Do You Maximize Space in a Small House?

Many people get it all wrong when it comes to maximizing space in a small house. Consider the example of a modular electrical house (you can refer to this site https://bmarkostructures.com/modular-electrical-houses/). With the greatest advantage being cost-effective and customizable, these houses can be built in a warehouse away from being subjected to any kind of weather conditions and transported to the designated site, once completed. With optimal use of space, these houses do not interfere with other onsite activities too. And, with respect to building a house to reside in, instead of going overboard, you can consult with your contractor and architect and decide in prior all the issues regarding optimizing the space.

“Lots of people have the idea that they need to buy super-small furniture in a small space. I like to do the opposite. I like to normal-size furnishings that just fit within the space, maybe even push the limits just a little bit (within reason). Placing small furniture in a small space can have a dollhouse effect, making everything look diminutive. It is amazing how a room can visually expand to accommodate well-chosen contents, and you will be so much more comfortable.” – Christoper Kennedy

Get Painting

If your walls are anything but a light, neutral color right now, you may want to consider changing that. While painting each room a different color sounds fun, it will actually make your house feel smaller.

What Colors Make a Living Room (and Other Rooms) Look Bigger?

Choose a great neutral color like beige, gray, or even white and use it throughout your home to help unify the space. The darker the color, the smaller it will make your rooms feel, so choose something light, and watch your space open up.

What is the Most Popular Color for a House?

Neutral colors have long been the most popular paint color for a home, but the “it neutral” changes from year to year. Right now, gray reigns as the most popular neutral. But tides are slowly changing back to a trend of warm, pink-toned beiges in the lightest shades.

How Do You Make Small Rooms Look Bigger with Paint?

Paint the ceiling a fun color to draw the eye upward and open up the space. Another fun idea is to use wallpaper to create a beautiful constellation ceiling like this.

No matter what room you’re painting, it’s also important to think about the general color scheme of the home. Rooms will seem to flow more seamlessly if you choose a color scheme that goes together. Choose three or four colors that compliment each other and emphasize them in each room. For example, one room could have light blue walls with accents of gray, pink, and green. An adjacent room could have gray walls and incorporate accents of light blue, pink, and green, etc.

How Do I Maximize Space in My Home?

There are dozens of ways to make the most of your space, no matter the size. These principles can also be applied to larger homes to make every square inch count and to avoid clutter:

• Create an outdoor living space to seamlessly take your home from inside to outside.

• Take down walls to open up the space.

• Install floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

• Use loft bunk beds in kids rooms.

• Create bench seating that doubles as storage.

• Use space under the stairs for storage.

Master Bedroom

Consider using cinder blocks (or investing in a nice new frame) to raise your bed frame slightly to allow for more storage space under your bed to accommodate bins for out of season clothes, socks, paperwork, books, shoes-really anything that might be cluttering up your space. A storage headboard is an excellent way to add style and storage to your space (you can even go the DIY route).

Consider creating a modular storage system in your closet to help store and organize your clothes and personal items more efficiently. Sure, you can buy a fancy, customized closet organization system, but why not build one yourself?

What Colors Are Good For Small Rooms?

White and other light colors are commonly known as the best paint for small rooms. But you can incorporate bold colors in other ways, such as furniture and accent decor. Try a bold couch in bright green or yellow if you really want to add some personality to a small room. Or purchase brightly colored bedding for your master bedroom and throw in some fun accent pillows.

Another way to enhance a small master bedroom is by adding an accent wall. Though light colors are best overall for small space interior design, an accent wall gives you a chance to go bold. Try something bright or dark on the wall where your headboard is to amp up the design of the room.

How Can I Get the Most out of My Small Room?

Make sure your bedroom furniture fits properly in your room. A king sized bed is good in theory, but isn’t the best idea if it’s the only thing that will fit in your room. Choose a bed to fit the size of the room, and try to be realistic. Even if you don’t have a lot of space to work with, you can use bright, textured pillows to decorate your space and make a statement.

You can also make the most of a small room by incorporating storage space everywhere possible. Raise the bed to use storage underneath. Add shelves to the closet to maximize out-of-sight storage. Organize shoes in a shoe rack or over-the-door organizer. Put shelves over the dresser to store books, jewelry, or anything else you want to keep in your room. You can even skip the dresser all together by adding hanging shelves in your closet. Think out of the box, literally. Try using a larger dresser or console as a nightstand to add more storage, then place a smaller side table next to the other side of the bed.

Kids’ Bedroom

Kids’ bedrooms are meant to be fun, brightly colored, and full of youthful decorations, but working with a small room can be challenging. Use posters, pictures, and décor that gives you the most bang for your buck, but doesn’t leave the room feeling cluttered.

Bunk beds are the best option to make extra space in the room. But it wouldn’t hurt to go through The Ultimate Vispring Guide or similar other sources and reading up a bit before randomly choosing bedding for your little one. If you must keep toys in the room, make sure they’re stored away out of sight-open boxes and cluttered shelves will make any small room feel like it’s closing in on you.

Office

Whether your office is located in your living room, jammed in the corner of your kitchen space, or a portion of one of your bedrooms, the most efficient use of space is a wall-mounted desk-think of a hideaway bed in desk form.

If you have a little more space, choose a small, streamlined desk-although something bigger could offer more workspace, it would likely just dwarf your room and look out of place. Wall-mounted shelves take up less space than bookshelves, making them a much better option.

Make your small office space more appealing by adding decorative pieces. Though the space may be limited, you’ll enjoy using your office more if you hang art pieces and add decorative items to your bookshelves.

Bathroom

You may not think you can efficiently decorate your bathroom, but there are a few tips to gain storage and make it feel bigger. To increase space and improve small space design, install a pedestal sink to make the space feel more open and skirt a decorative sheet around it to allow for extra hidden storage space. Install a curtain rod in your shower that curves out, giving the feel of a much larger tub or shower area.

Add storage by putting an organizing shelf over the toilet. Neatly store your toilet paper and other bathroom necessities in this convenient space.

Living Room/Family Room

Here are a few of our favorite tips on how to decorate a small living room or family room space:

• Use a behind-the-couch console table instead of a coffee table to save floor space.

• Add a rug to infuse style without taking up any extra space.

• Avoid bulky furniture to maintain an open feel in the room.

• Mount your TV to the wall to save space.

• Purchase a storage ottoman for extra seating and hidden storage for blankets, DVDs, remotes, etc

• Use a media console to increase storage space for books, magazines, etc.

• Raise the height of your curtain rods to make the room feel bigger.

• Hang shelves right below the ceiling to draw the eye upward.

• Color code your shelves to add cohesion and make the room more organized.

• Hang a mirror to create the illusion of space, especially if the room lacks windows.

• Choose a unifying color scheme that flows from room to room.

• Select furniture with exposed legs to add breathing room and minimize bulk.

How Can You Make the Most of My Small Living Room

The above small space design tips will help you make the most of a small living room. Some other principles to consider are making sure you still have plenty of seating so you can enjoy the room with guests. Even if the space is small, you want to make it functional and enjoyable to be in. Try a sectional couch to maximize space, or even purchase a bench that can be taken down and stored away when you don’t have people over.

You may also want to be selective with the fabrics you choose for curtains, couches, and rugs. Fabrics can have a subtle but big impact on the way the room feels. Choose lightweight fabrics to open up the room, such as linen or gauze for curtains. You can also choose fabrics in the same color as the wall to create a seamless look that makes the space feel bigger.

Kitchen

If you entertain often, you know what a difference an open, organized, kitchen and eating area can make. Open shelving makes even the smallest kitchen appear more spacious and eliminates the need to constantly open and close cupboard doors. A magnetic strip is a great option to attach knives or spice containers to your wall to keep them easily accessible and free up space.

How Do You Maximize Space in a Small Kitchen? Plus Other Rooms

If you’re looking for additional ways to maximize kitchen space, we have more great tips for you. These small space design tips can be applied to any room in the house to save on space and increase functionality.

Invest in space-saving storage options like spice racks, can holders, and drawer organizers. If your pantry and drawers are messy, you’re probably wasting a lot of space. You can also stack the pantry and cabinets higher if you have expanding shelves to make the most of otherwise unused space.

Add baskets and decorative bins to countertops in the kitchen and other rooms to save on space without it look messy. You can also invest in large glass jars to store everyday kitchen ingredients like flour, sugar, and oats.

Lastly, remember to keep your kitchen clean. A clean space will feel so much better and more inviting. When you have a designated place for everything, it will be easy to stay on top of the cleanliness. So make sure your drawers are organized and everything has a home. Even taking a minute to clean the counters and windows alone will do wonders to make a small kitchen feel more open.

Dining Room

Choose a small table with a lot of character to keep your eating space stylish, yet functional. Surround your table with clear acrylic chairs to give the illusion of more space, or create a built-in banquette to eliminate the need for some seating. If possible, choose chairs for your living room that can double as extra seating for your table when you have guests over. Benches are another good option to save on space while still allowing you to host a crowd.

Decorate with Purpose

The best small space design living ideas are the ones that infuse style into the space while helping the room function more efficiently. Make sure that the decorative elements you add in your home do not leave it looking cluttered-there’s a fine line between a well-decorated home and one that looks tacky. With the help of properly placed statement pieces and brightly colored furniture, you won’t need much more to make your home look beautiful.

How Do You Make a Room Look Bigger?

g is that it’s better to choose smaller decorative items if the room is small. Conversely, many interior design experts recommend choosing large statement pieces to make a room feel bigger. One rule of thumb is to never choose a decorative accent that is smaller than a cantaloupe. Otherwise, the space will feel cluttered.

Though many people also try to avoid patterns in a small space, certain patterns can make a room look bigger. Try adding stripes to draw the eye upward and open up the space. Stripes can be incorporated in wallpaper, pillows, and rugs.

Apartment Living

In addition to the above, some excellent small apartment decorating ideas include adding in a strategically placed mirror to make your space look bigger, and utilizing the natural light in your apartment. Let’s face it-apartment living isn’t always glamorous, especially when you’re renting and can’t really personalize the space.

How Can I Make My Room Look Cozy?

Though we recommend minimizing clutter in small living space, this doesn’t mean the room has to feel sterile. Make any room cozy by applying a few surefire principles.

Make a plan to enhance the lighting in your room. Whether you’re working with a bedroom, living room, kitchen, or any other space, it’s important to layer the lighting and provide options for any situation. The most cozy rooms usually have five different light sources, including accent lighting, main lighting, task lamps, etc. Add fairy lights or Christmas lights any time of year to really amp up the cozy factor.

Layers of texture are another great way to increase the coziness of a room. Lay a throw blanket over the couch or bed. Add textured throw pillows to a couch or armchair. Put down a fur rug on a hardwood floor or even layered on top of another woven rug.

Lastly, a room will feel much cozier when you add a personal touch. If your room is lacking art or photos you love, hang some in a gallery wall or above the bed. Take a trip to the antique store and choose some unique pieces to instantly make a room cozier. Bringing in indoor house plants could be another great way to add interest and make a room more inviting.

How Do I Maximize Space in a Small Apartment?

When working with a small apartment, give the illusion of built-ins with the help of a few bookshelves, lay down rugs in every room, and hang curtains. All these design elements, when carefully chosen to match your own style, can open up your small apartment and make it feel like a home.

Many people try to avoid busy walls in a small apartment, but removable wallpaper can be a fun way to jazz up the space and add a unique touch. Try wallpaper in the bathroom for something that’s less of a commitment.

Interior Design Ideas for Small Flats

If you have a small flat, don’t be discouraged.

“Most of us have far too many possessions. I recently downsized slightly, to accommodate my busy work and travel schedule, and it made me really rethink everything I own. Do I love it? Does it enhance my life? Does it bring joy? If not – get rid of it! One of the tenets of modernism, to me, is surrounding ourselves with fewer things, but things that have utility and meaning.” – Christopher Kennedy

Tips to Remember

The most important thing to remember when considering all of these small space design living ideas is to keep things organized and ensure you have ample storage space. Decorating small rooms is difficult, but when done right, can take even the tiniest space and make it look bigger.

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Who doesn’t love that warm and cozy feeling of being in a cottage-themed home? Delicate details, refurbished furniture, and vintage finds are the makings of a great cottage living room. However, if styled incorrectly, the end result could resemble your grandmother’s outdated decor more than a charming countryside cottage.

In this article, we’ll show you some super simple ideas on how to create a darling cottage living room with five key elements.

1. Use Natural Aesthetics

Any interior decorator will tell you that the first step to designing the ultimate cottage living room is to use natural aesthetics. Instead of hiding those worn-wood walls with a thick layer of paint or wallpaper, let the wood tie the room together. Buy comfortable living room chairs comprised of bare wood, wicker, and soft, natural earth tones. Choose wall hangings and accent pieces that accentuate the natural feel of the design like burlap pillows, handmade flower pots, wicker baskets, birch tree branches, and a wool rug. Hire one of those interior designers Billings (or anywhere near your home) as they would be able to give you more ideas regarding your home decor.

2. Distressed Cottage Furniture & Antiques

The best cottage furniture is largely comprised of distressed focal points and refurbished antiques. Distressed furniture is an extremely popular home decorating trend. Look for rustic, quaint cottage-style media consoles to add an organizational element to your living room. Distressing furniture is also a common DIY project to take on — all you need is a can of paint and a sander.

Of course, you don’t want to distress every piece of furniture in your home — that’s just overkill. Choose the focal pieces to distress, like the media center, shelving, or the kitchen table.

3. Make It Super Cozy

With all of these natural aesthetics and raw materials, you’re going to need to add plenty of comfort to your cottage living room. After all, what is a countryside cottage if not cozy? Creating a place of comfort and relaxation takes a great deal of cushion, plenty of soft fabric, and the best cottage furniture.

When choosing your cottage furniture, opt for deep-seated armchairs, plush sofas, and maybe even a chaise lounge. Once you’ve filled your space with plenty of comfy seating, take your cottage living room to the next level by dressing the room in overstuffed pillows, knit throws, and a super-soft and fluffy rug.

4. Mix White With Warm Colors

It wouldn’t be a cottage home without a balanced mix of colors. When styling your cottage living room, we recommend you start with white as the foundation for your color scheme and layer warm colors to add depth. A distressed white coffee table, white eyelet lace curtains, and white wooden floors are all great ways to establish your base color.

Once the white paint has set, it’s time to start layering warmer shades. Your natural aesthetics and distressed cottage furniture will play a great role in laying the foundation for a warm color palette, but you shouldn’t stop there. Add rugs, pillows, and wall hangings to the mix to accentuate the warm colors in your design.

5. Repurpose Vintage Finds

One of the most important steps to designing a cottage-style home is to repurpose practically anything. All those vintage finds that you’ve accumulated over the years can be incorporated into your design as accent pieces or functional focal points. For example, sliding barnyard doors, vintage shutters, and three-tiered cupcake stands are all the rage in rustic home decor these days. You can repurpose an old door to be a charming dining room table or a simple, but darling headboard. Use a wire cupcake stand as a makeshift fruit bowl. Paint old mason jars and fill them with peonies (you can order peonies, or other flowers of your liking from a Doncaster florist, or elsewhere). The possibilities for repurposing vintage finds are virtually endless and will add a great deal of personal detail to your home.

If you use these five home decor tips to craft your cottage living room, your result will be a warm, inviting, and comfortable space. Enjoy the creative process and don’t forget to add those personal touches that make it your own.

Arranging furniture in an open floor plan can be tricky-you want to preserve the open space that makes the room unique while still providing flow, order, and stability.

The typical open floor plan includes a single open space for a kitchen, living room or great room, and dining room, all without walls to indicate where one room ends and another begins. Your goal in arranging furniture for an open floor plan is to create aesthetic and functional boundaries between each space while preserving overall cohesion.

Open floor layout has skyrocketed in demand, and even offices, schools, etc., are also incorporating such design strategies. However, in offices, the cabins can be separated by portable partition walls, which are easy to transport and join together. To gain knowledge about the best partitions for an office, you can either ask around locally or search online.

Designer partition walls can be used in home interior as well. Otherwise, furniture such as shelves, glass cabinets, etc., could also be employed to split the area. You may need the expertise of companies like Easy Bathroom, and others similar to it, to help with anything that requires a renovating aspect, so you are getting it done professionally and exactly how you like it. To design a beautiful, grounded look in your home, start with these ten open floor plan ideas.

1. Choose A Cohesive Color Palette

Before getting started, select a base color, like cream, gray, or tan, that can be carried throughout each room. Paint adjacent walls the same colors and include accessories throughout the space with similar and matching hues.

2. Match Floors, Walls, & Ceilings

Along with matching colors and textures, use the same flooring, ceiling, and wall treatments throughout the space as much as possible. For example, if you choose to have a matte finish on the walls, make sure that you don’t use shiny paint or finish on the ceiling. If you have polished wood floors that are naturally shinier, you might want to use a shiny finish on your wall and ceiling paint.

It could be much better if you can decide on one specification you want in your house, for instance, a hardwood flooring from a company similar to Hardwood Planet. Wondering why, out of all the flooring options, only hardwood flooring has been mentioned as an example? Well, the reason is that hardwood flooring can be durable, easy to maintain, and add a touch of a rustic look to your indoor space. The best part, however, is that this kind of flooring can be installed easily without any hassle if you choose skilled professionals similar to the ones at BM Handyman Watford. So, as you can see, it might be a good idea to go ahead with the choice of hardwood flooring!

That said, once you have decided on the color and finish of the flooring, then you can start looking for a wall and ceiling finish that can go with hardwood, probably something with a wooden texture. This method can build cohesion, underscore the open layout, and create a blank canvas to fill with decor and furniture.

3. Separate Spaces With Furniture

The best way to separate your living room is a well-placed indoor sofa. Heighten the effect by adding a console table with accessories that match the adjacent space. By adding a table you can help visually create a separate space, and provide areas for organization as well. While your whole house can be an open floor plan, creating separate spaces within the floor plan can help foster conversation and relaxation.

4. Build Around Anchor Pieces

Choose an anchor piece for each separate area: a kitchen island, dining room table, and large sofa are traditional. Arrange each of these pieces either perpendicular or parallel with each other to build clean lines and create a balanced, thought-out look.

5. Define Spaces With A Rug

Placing a large rug in your living room will create cohesion within the space and mark it as separate and distinct from the rest of the room. Use rugs to create multiple conversation spaces within the open floor plan. Under the dining room table is another great place for a rug. This can help the space feel warmer and protect your flooring from your chairs. It can also help separate the room from the rest of the house and establish a space for dining.

6. Create Focal Points

Another great way to separate open floor plan spaces is by placing a focal point in each area. For example, use sofas or luxury chairs to point the eye to a fireplace or antique furniture piece, invite natural light into your kitchen with a large bay window, and add a chandelier over your dining room table to make the area seem more formal.

7. Consider Viewpoints

What do you want to look at while you’re chopping vegetables or sitting on the sofa? For example, you may want to position the kitchen island so that it looks into the living room, where you can see the TV or keep an eye on your children. If you have large windows with a great view, this is another great alternative focal point.

8. Plan Travel Paths

As you decide how to arrange furniture in an open floor plan, consider how people will get from one part of the room to another, as well as to stairs and doors. Create clear and open paths of travel that aren’t obstructed by furniture, houseplants, or other decor.

9. Vary Light Fixtures

Use different (but matching) light fixtures in each space. Bright overhead inset lighting is perfect for the kitchen, while you might want more elegant fixtures over the dining room and dimmable lights and lamps for the living room.

10. Break The Rules

Don’t be afraid to blur the lines between rooms a little bit-as long as you still have clear boundaries. Place a built-in bookcase next to your kitchen cabinets, position luxury armchairs near a kitchen island or dining room table, or build a bar into your living room.

These open floor plan ideas and furniture arrangement ideas will get you started on designing a beautiful, functional space in your home.

As more and more people strive to find peace and harmony in their often chaotic and harried lifestyles, a few simple and easy tricks can help create a haven in your home for enhanced mood, less stress, and better sleep. Whether you are meditating, practicing yoga, reading your favorite book, or drinking coffee sitting in comfortable silence, home relaxation is key to recharge your soul and settle your mind at the end of a busy day.

Follow these simple steps to create a relaxation room in your home that invites tranquility and peace.

#1 Explore Color

Color impacts you in many ways, especially your mood. Bright colors invite energy so you should look for neutral or pastel tones to complement your relaxing furnishings. For a more quiet, relaxing atmosphere, tranquil blues, greens, and greys lend to soft, quiet moods. Soft blues welcome warmth and harmony while whites and beiges help make a small space appear larger.  

#2 Choose Comfort

Choose chairs that convey comfort and relaxation. To create a space that looks and feels softer, calmer, and more relaxing, add throw pillows, soft blankets, and a cozy rug that invites you to curl up and unwind from a hectic, crazy day.

#3 Feature Flowers

When designing a relaxing, calming home, flowers and plants are incredibly soothing. They stimulate us both visually and aromatically and help clean and re-oxygenate indoor air. Having fresh flowers around you brings the outdoors into your home allowing you to slow down and breathe deep.

#4 Conquer Clutter

Clutter is distracting and immediately gives one a sense of chaos and disorderliness. Clear away clutter on tables and countertops. Organize daily papers and mail by having a designated place for every item with chic organizers to help keep chaos and clutter under control. Use stylish coffee and side tables to display items that soothe and inspire you. Once clutter is removed, your mind opens up and stress begins to drain away.

#5 Relaxing Scents

When you walk into a room that smells amazing, you react positively. Our sense of smell impacts relaxation, but not everyone reacts the same way to the same scents. You should find a signature scent that reminds you of your home and will help you leave all stressors behind when you walk through your front door. Search for a special scent (such as a favorite candle or essential oil) that encourages relaxation for you.

#6 Natural Materials

Natural beauty is all around us and these same elements in nature can be used in a home relaxation room. A fountain with water running is a soothing sound that brings a sense of peace to many. A sheepskin throw over a chair, smooth rocks, or cork bring earthy texture into a meditation room. Find a comfortable, neutral sectional that invites you to curl up and nap or sit quietly and listen to the sounds of water or meditative music.

#7 Natural Light

Natural sunlight is ideal to boosting one’s spirit. When air is trapped inside your home behind closed windows and curtains it becomes stale, creating disharmony and discourse. Open your curtains to allow natural sunlight to stream in and fill your rooms. Open the windows, if possible, and breathe in the fresh air.

#8 Positive Thoughts

When associations with things in your home are negative, these reminders can drain and exhaust you. Remove negative thoughts so you can create a serene space. Think of memories that bring a smile to your face and find items from these memories that will remind you of good times and uplifting people (such as mementos and picture frames).  Place them around your home to boost, nurture, and inspire you.

We each have unique needs and look to our homes to create that relaxing, soothing, and tranquil escape from the frenzied pace of our days. With these relaxation and meditation room ideas, create your perfect escape and find some time for you.

Decorating family rooms can feel like a delicate balance between maintaining the overall style of the home while creating a space that says “welcome home” to your family and friends. Use these tips to find the right balance for your home.

#1 Start with the Entrance

Creating a welcoming family room starts before anyone ever enters the room. If the hallway or entryway that leads to your family room is dark, bare, or otherwise unwelcoming, that vibe can carry into the room itself. Cheer the area up with adequate lighting and a rug that naturally leads people into the room.

#2 Light Up the Room

Lighting a family room can be tricky. If the lighting is too harsh, you’ll lose the cozy, welcoming atmosphere you’re trying to create, but no one wants to sit in an overly dark room. Create a cozier look with multiple light sources for adjustable lighting. Invest in a few lamps for your family room. You can also help to lighten a room by doing a quick clean of the area. Make sure the blinds, windows, and furniture have been cleaned. All of this can help increase how light your room feels and make it seem more welcoming.

#3 Conceal the Television

Many people make the television the focal point of the family room. While this makes sense for family movie nights, watching the big game, etc., it can also hinder quality family time as it may discourage conversation. You can move the TV to a different room, like the den, or you can conceal the television with an accommodating entertainment center or you can add sliding doors in front of it.

#4 Invest in Several Seating Options

Everyone has different preferences when it comes to seating; some people like sofas, while others prefer their own space in an armchair. Choose family room furniture sets that accommodate individual preferences with multiple types of seating

#5 Make it Personal

You don’t have to choose between having a beautiful family room and having personalized family room decor. There are many elegant ways to add a personal touch to the room. Display treasured family photos or items you’ve collected during your travels on classic, mid-century high quality accent tables.

#6 Arrange Furniture Accordingly

If you want to create a welcoming atmosphere, arrange your furniture in a way that encourages interaction and face-to-face conversation. Avoid placing your furniture all in a line; arrange your living room sofa and other furniture to facilitate interaction. Place seating close to each other when possible to create a sense of intimacy and closeness. However, make sure you don’t take this advice too far by making people feel claustrophobic.

#7 Choose an Inviting Color Scheme

An important element of family room decor is color selection. Warm colors will make a room feel more cozy and welcoming. Colors like brown, peach-orange, soft yellows, and reds can achieve this atmosphere. This doesn’t mean you are banned from picking white furniture if you enjoy the clean, crisp look. Just soften it with warm-colors like these accent pillows.

#8 Emphasize Physical Comfort

No matter how much you try to create a welcoming atmosphere, if the textures and furniture in a room are not actually comfortable, you’ll struggle to actualize your vision. Choose comfy, plush furniture sets and cozy textures for throw pillows, rugs, etc.

#9 Define Space in Open Floor Plans

It can sometimes be difficult to tell where one space ends and the next begins in open floor plans. This can be especially hard if you live in a home that was designed for a different time. However, there is a way to make mid-century home and furniture design work in your favor.The way you arrange your furniture can be a valuable tool, but that’s not your only option. Look at  ways you can tie your furniture together and help your room and floor plan flow together more smoothly. A high-quality area rug can tie together the family room decor while defining the space.

#10 Plan Around the Ceiling Fan

If your family room features a ceiling fan, try to avoid placing seating directly under it. While it can offer a delightful breeze on warm days, most people will subconsciously feel on edge if they are sitting directly below rotating blades. Just plan for a coffee table or empty space to be right below the fan.

When the leading names in color selection release their seasonal color picks, it can be difficult to decide how to update your home interior design to match current trends. As winter comes to a close, the spring colors have been released along with plenty of living room color ideas.

It’s important to remember that not every color is going to be a fit for your house interior. Keeping up with trends is all about incorporating the interior home decoration ideas that fit your personal sense of style. We’ve outlined a few ideas that work with different decor preferences. No matter whether you like loud color combos, a softer approach, or sticking to neutrals, you can keep up with the current trends.

Bold and Striking

If you like to make a strong statement with color, you’ll love the popular living room colors for Spring 2018. Gone are the days where the only spring house decoration options came in various pastel palettes.

Bright, bold colors like Lime Punch, Cherry Tomato, and UltraViolet are taking center stage both on the catwalk and in the home. That being said, you probably shouldn’t rush to paint your walls lime green while simultaneously picking out bright purple carpeting. When using strong shades like this, it’s important to balance the room with neutral colors, like high quality cream furniture especially in spaces like living rooms.

Pick the specific elements of the room you want to make a statement. If you choose to paint the walls a vibrant color, choose neutral colors for your flooring and larger pieces of living room furniture. If you’d like to pull in multiple strong colors, then use accents like throw pillows and other smaller pieces of furniture.

For those who prefer deeper shades, you may find a new favorite home decor color in Chili Oil, a deep crimson shade that can look good in any room in the house. When using such a dark color in spring, make sure to pair it with softer hues in a room with a lot of lighting. Otherwise, the room can start to feel heavy, dark, and small. Try a crimson rug, couch, or wall paired with a herringbone gray high-quality armchair.

Soft and Subtle

Those who enjoy incorporating color in their home but aren’t a fan of loud, vibrant hues will find comfort in the traditional, soft spring color selections. Make no mistake, when we use the word traditional, we’re not referring to old, overdone looks. With the Spring 2018 colors, you’ll be able to keep your home fresh while incorporating the soft and subtle color palettes you love.

Both Blooming Dahlia, a peachy pink, and the soft Little Boy Blue are very popular colors right now. You can choose to bring in subtle influences of these colors through rugs, tables, and lighting fixtures, or you can use furniture, walls, and cabinets.

Though it is not a pastel or subtle color, we recommend adding in splashes of a bright color, such as yellow furniture, if you want to add a brighter feeling to a room.

One of the dangers of using soft, pastel-ish colors is creating an almost childlike atmosphere. These colors are often associated with nurseries. To combat this problem, unless you are decorating a nursery, it’s important to pick furniture and decorations that are of high quality and look more refined.

Staying Neutral

Many are saying that all-white interiors are on their way out, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up your love of neutral tones. Break up the white with other neutral hues such as cream, grey, sand, and blues. Don’t be afraid to bring in a few pops of Sailor Blue, a navy-like shade that pairs well with neutral color palettes.

When choosing living room decor sets, consider sand-colored living room coffee tables with natural wood legs paired with a white sofa and blue throw pillows.  These simple looks will continue the clean look you enjoy while staying on trend.

The Spring 2018 colors accommodate amateur and professional home decorators of all preferences and abilities. With the wide variety of colors, decorating your house interior while staying on trend has never been more customizable or more accessible.

Different types of furniture require different types of care, but you can clean furniture such as upholstery, wood, and metal by creating custom cleaning blends that will make surfaces shine like new. One approach is to use a soft-bristled brush and a water-based cleaning solution of water and dish soap to clean furniture. A second approach is to use specialized cleaner for the type of material your furniture is made out of, like wood, and cleaning by polishing the furniture. A third approach would be to use an upholstery attachment on your carpet cleaner and use that to clean your upholstered furniture.

There’s nothing like a deep cleaning to give you a mood boost and make your home sparkle. Here are some tips for getting any type of furniture back to peak condition.

Furniture Cleaning Tips

Cleaning your furniture regularly will preserve the quality of your pieces, bring a noticeable lift to your room, and even reduce symptoms for those who suffer from allergies and asthma. To best care for any type of furniture, consider these tips:

• • Give surfaces a basic clean up by vacuuming upholstery or dusting off glass and wood.
  • Always check cleaning instructions on the furniture before you begin.
  • Start with gentle cleaners to see if they will remove stubborn stains. You can always move on to something more powerful if it doesn’t work.
  • Regularly rotate cushions to redistribute the wear and tear.
  • Repeat the cleaning process for a more powerful effect.
  • Spot clean surfaces as soon as a spill happens to avoid long-term stains.

  Cleaning Upholstery

  Cleaning upholstery by hiring a professional can be an expensive undertaking, but luckily any layman can do the job by learning a bit about different fabrics. Upholstery tags can be an excellent indicator of how to care for your sofa or chair, so start by looking for a tag to advise on how to clean your piece. Here are the steps to follow once you’ve ensured the piece can be cleaned at home:

  • • Make your own water-based upholstery cleaner by mixing one cup of water with ¼ cup of dish soap.
    • Beat the liquid with a mixer until it turns into a thick foam.
    • Vacuum all sides of cushions and detach anything that can be taken off the furniture.
    • Use the cleaner in a discreet place to make sure your fabric does not water stain or have any other unpleasant changes.
    • Use a soft-bristled brush to rub the foam around on the cushions in a circular motion, especially focusing on any furniture stain areas.
    • Remove all the foam and wipe away with a washcloth. Keep liquid and foam away from wooden parts of the furniture.
    • Allow the cushions to dry before replacing.

  Cleaning Wood Furniture

  Years of polish buildup will leave your furniture looking dull. Here’s how to revive your wood furniture to bring it back to its original state:

  • • Remove old polish by soaking a washcloth in tea and wiping it aggressively on the furniture.
    • Remove water stains with the help of non-gel toothpaste wiped around the spot with a washcloth.
    • Ink marks and other stains can be removed with one tablespoon of baking soda mixed with one teaspoon of water.
    • Add a new layer of polish by using lemon oil or one cup of olive oil mixed with ¼ cup white vinegar to buff until shiny.

  Cleaning Metal Furniture

  Cleaning metal coffee tables, dining tables, or other furniture is a relatively easy task since it can be done with materials you most likely already have at home. Here’s how to go about it:

  • • For steel, galvanized metal, or tin, you can simply dust the surface, run a wet cloth over the top, and finally use a general household cleaner to pick up spots or spills.
    • Toothpaste or stainless steel cleaner can be used for added shine.
    • If you have a copper table top, you will need to use cleaner specifically made for copper furniture. Another option is to cut a lemon in half and dip it in salt to scrub the surface clean.

  Time To Get Cleaning

  With these tips, we’ve covered how to clean living room furniture of all types. It may be overwhelming to think about cleaning your furniture, but with additional information and tips it’s something that can easily be done. Hopefully cleaning your furniture will be a less overwhelming task from here on out.

Pets are wonderful companions to have around—they’re part of the family, after all. Pet ownership can help prevent loneliness & help you stay fit. Pets are increasingly used for purposes like physical therapy, music therapy, and help with autistic and elderly populations.

Despite all their positive qualities, pets can take some adjusting to. Though they’ve been domesticated for quite some time, animals like dogs and cats can sometimes do a number on any pet owner’s living space.

By taking these tips into consideration, you’ll be able to minimize pet hair and fur, prevent furniture damage, and maintain a level of cleanliness that will leave your guests wondering if you hired a full-time cleaning service.

1. Learn about the reason for your pet’s behavior

There are many things our pets do that humans misunderstand and deal with incorrectly. By learning the motives and natural tendencies behind your pet’s habits, you’ll be able to find healthy compromises to make you both happier. Case in point: pets love chewing. Puppies and kittens especially love to chew because they are teething, just as human babies do. Dog toys or catnip are good distractions to keep dogs and cats from chewing other things. Give your pet a healthy outlet for their natural tendency to chew, and they’ll stay away from your cords and furniture. That being said, when purchasing furniture consider if your home has a pet or if it will in the future. Consider getting durable pet friendly furniture that won’t stain easily. Replace your wooden coffee table with a durable coffee table that has a metal frame instead.

1. Minimize shedding

Shedding is one of the biggest giveaways of a pet house versus a non-pet house. Hair can collect on furniture, transfer to clothes, and make its way to the car and all over your belongings. The best way to keep shedding down is to regularly brush your pet. But you can also try these tips:

1. 1. Sprinkle baking soda on carpet before vacuuming to loosen pet hair and more effectively act as a pet hair remover.
   2. Use a microfiber dust mop on hardwood and tile surfaces at least once a week.
   3. Use natural pet shampoos that help rid your pet of their undercoat.
   4. Try using “self-grooming” brushes, so pets can rub up against them as they walk by.

2. Use stain-resistant fabrics

The quandary of how to protect pet furniture from pets is a decision all pet owners have to face. No matter how much time you spend potty-training your pet, there may still be circumstances where they pee or make a mess of your furniture. You can protect furniture from pets by using stain-repellant sprays and couch covers, but a big part of a pet-friendly home is buying chairs and sofas that have stain-resistant fabrics. Crypton fabrics, leather, and ultrasuede are great for pet-friendly furniture that can stand up to handwashing and spot-cleaning.

1. Keep things smelling fresh

Smells are another dead giveaway that your pet rules the roost. But there are measures you can take to keep smells to a minimum. If you have a cat, make sure the litter box is in an area that allows for ventilation. Frequently sprinkle the box with baking soda and scoop it daily. For other pets, air purifiers and humidifiers will greatly improve smell and overall air quality. Bacteria-killing sprays and plug-in scents can go a long way to keep your house smelling fresh as well.

Having a pet can be a very rewarding experience, but it comes with hard work as well. However, it’s easily manageable if you have some tips and tricks under your belt. With these four tips, you can keep your stylish, pet friendly furniture in excellent shape—and enjoy your furry friends, too.