Calming Interior Ideas for the Living Room or Lounge
The living room is the very center of your home and should be designed in a way that evokes a sense of calmness within the user. So, here’s a list of some unique and stylish ideas that you can use to make your lounge super calming and tranquil.
1. A soft, cool color scheme
The best way to design a calming living room interior is to opt for a gorgeous soft, cool color scheme. Pastels are always a great option. Millennial pink and lavender always make a beautiful impact, but powder blue and mint green are also pretty great. You can also go for a white backdrop with wooden accents. The main thing is to offset the soft colored surroundings with one dark-colored statement piece. The teal sofa against the light pink background in this image is a great example!
RELATED: Inspirational Choices for Sofas: Pick the best sofa that embodies your style
2. The magic of monochromatic
There’s just something charming about an achromatic color scheme. The combination of black, whites, and greys always weaves a wonderful, understated elegance. Plus, this color scheme is very sophisticated, so it’ll articulate really well in a posh, upscale living room. The whole color scheme makes a bold, beautiful impact and you can always get experimental with it. You could opt for white furniture against a black backdrop or vice versa.
3. Organic accents
Nothing beats the calming aura of organic accents, so they’re an essential addition when you’re trying to make your living room a calming heaven. There are many ways to do that. It could be in the form of wooden accents like stools, ottomans, end tables, etc. You can also use woven basket for storage and woven ceiling light pendant. Or it could be in the form of parchment-style artwork on a feature wall. or it could be stone or brick accents (maybe in the form of wallpaper) on the fireplace mantle. You can always get creative with your ideas!
RELATED: How to Choose the Perfect Lighting for Your Living Room
4. A lush green statement piece
A lush statement planter or a vase full of beautiful flowers can make your living room ambiance as calming as possible. The main thing is to place either or both things in places where they are easily visible. A large planter full of the heart-shaped leaves of a Swiss Cheese Plant or a Pothos will be an eye-catching addition. You could also opt for indoor creepers like Strings of Pearl or English Ivy if you want a stylistic effect. Other than that, you can also opt for horsetail plant or an aloe vera if you want table pieces.
RELATED: 15 Easy Spring Home Decorating Ideas
5. Royal but calming
If you’re not a fan of the casual-chic aesthetic, and want your living room to be on the formal side, then this is the perfect inspiration for you. You can select a deep purple or royal blue color scheme for your major living room things like the sofa, curtains, or accent chairs. Other than that, you can also opt for creamy white accents so that the ambiance has an inherent relaxation to it. Add in some gilded accessories and brass furniture and you’ll get the best of relaxation ad luxury.
6. Lots of outdoor views and soothing natural light
Natural light and great outdoor views are two things that can make your interiors feel super calming. You can opt for oversized windows (especially French ones) or feature-length patio doors so that there’s an abundance of natural light and gorgeous views. You can complement the whole thing with calming neutral colors, white accents, and lovely furniture pieces. Beautiful drapes can also make a stylish impact. You can opt for a combination of blackout and sheer curtains. Just layer them on top of each other and you’d be good to go.
7. Make it feel lived in
The more lived-in your living room feels, the cozier you’ll feel in it. However, the art of making a space feel welcomingly cluttered is super strategic in its own right. The best way to do that is by opting for comfortable furniture. A sofa with a relaxed silhouette will look way more inviting than one with a sleek tuxedo silhouette. You can layer your walls with lots of artwork; opt for wooden accents, beautiful textiles, and cozy accessories. Loading up your sofa and accent chairs with throw pillows can also do the trick. Drape a woollen throw over the edge of your sofa and you’ll have the coziest ambiance on your hands.
8. A shelf full of books
A cozy color scheme and what-not are all well and good, but a shelf full of books can make anyone feel like they’re in a dream. Even if you’re not a bibliophile at heart, you can always pluck a book out of such shelves and lay down on the sofa for some cozy reading. There’s also an intellectual quality to bookshelves that can make your living rooms feel smart, charismatic, and full of personality in addition to calming and serene.
RELATED:
9. Textures really matter
The textures that you emulate in your living room can make a lot of difference. A sleek leather sofa will feel unwelcoming in contrast with a distressed leather sofa. Similarly, there are lots of other objects in your living room whose textures you can tweak in order to create a calming aura. These include the rug (make it soft, fluffy, shaggy), the throw pillows (make then contrasting and cozy), throws, wicker baskets for planters, and more. You can even pick a light fixture made out of rattan or chick to get that cozy effect.
10. Don’t undermine spaciousness
Never underestimate the relaxing qualities of a spacious layout. You automatically feel super claustrophobic in a room that is cramped, with not a lot of space to more around. However, it can be challenging to make a room feel spacious, so here are a few tricks. Choose low height furniture so that your walls look tall. Opt for vertical elements like a tall media wall in a bold color so that it stands out from the rest of the surroundings. Choose light colors so that light reflects off the walls to create a spacious effect. You can also decorate with mirrors as they have reflective qualities and can double the amount of light that you already have in your lounge.
RELATED: 12 Amazing Ideas for Feature Walls: How to work with them
11. Scandi-modern inspiration
The Scandinavian and minimalist styles always pack a super relaxing punch. They’re themes that emphasize clean, organized spaces that are designed with cozy flair. Their neutral color schemes always feel stylishly articulated and the use of strategic décor (such as wall frames, simple shelves, stylishly minimalist furniture etc.) never fails to make any space feel the epitome of coziness. You’ll simply love how such a theme can make your living rooms feel trendy and totally serene.
RELATED: Floating Shelves Gallery: 25 inspiring wall-mounted shelf designs
12. Rustic accents
Rustic , cottage style, and country-chic accents can always make a space feel stylish, lived-in, and casually serene. There are a number of ways that you can merge these accents with modern elements. A faux-beamed ceiling always looks pretty stylish and unique. A rattan swing in a corner can look even more enchanting. A rustic style coffee table can also make a great visual impact!
RELATED: How to Achieve a Classic Country Kitchen Cottage Look
13. Stylish knick-knacks
A living room is always more of a sum of small parts, than a complete whole. This is why you should always pay special attention to all the cozy knick-knacks and accessories to make a space feel light, bright, and welcoming. A lounge can benefit from a rustic media console. You could opt for small foot tables and load them up with natural diffusers, plants, and clay pottery to evoke that natural vibe. Landscape artwork can also emulate relaxation within the ambiance.
14. Add a pop of color
While neutral color schemes are all well and good, they can turn very drab and monotonous to experience after a while. You can avoid this by featuring stunning pops of colors in between the greys and browns. Reds, yellows, and other jewel tones can be emulated in the form of wall art, planters, and cushions.
15. A bay window for the win
If you’re lucky enough to have a large bay window in your lounge, then spice it up with a beautiful bay window. You’ll love how the backdrop of beautiful outdoor views will make the sitting space the epitome of relaxation. You could just curl up against the cushions and read your favorite book with a hot mug of coffee in your hand.
RELATED: Picking the Right Soft Furnishings for Your Living Room
These are some calming interior design ideas for the lounge. We hope you find a few that can complement your own living room perfectly.
ZG