Technology

Alternatives To Fireplace In Living Room

Alternatives To Fireplace In Living Room

Skip to content

Making A Focal Point

Becky and I were chatting the other day about her rented new build and one of her biggest gripes, the lack of living room focal point.
It's an issue mentioned frequently particularly in living rooms that don't have fireplaces. If you don't want to make your TV the main feature of the room then how do you draw in the eye and make the space seem more balanced and inviting, not to mention a bit more interesting?

Fake It

Well if you don't have a fireplace then an obvious idea would be to add one. Not necessarily the whole nine yards of chimney and flue but a fire surround even if you don't have a fire – granted though in a rented property like Becky's this is a little tricker. My sister has a reclaimed fire surround propped against the wall to create a focal point. In Hannah's case this works really well as the alcoves suggest a chimney breast which indicates a fire should sit in this area. However if you take a look at Kate La Vie's swoon worthy apartment then her fire surround shows you can still mock up the grandeur of a fireplace on a flat wall.
Fire surround with shield mirror

See more of Hannah's renovation. Image by Richmond Pictures.

Emulate Proportions

Another alternative is to use furniture which mimics the proportions and shape of a fireplace. This image I've found on Pinterest isn't my style but demonstrates this perfectly. The chest of drawers styled with a frame over the top really anchors the room.
In a similar vein, the absolutely gorgeous living room at Allison Sadler's shows how you can use a sideboard and mirror to once again emulate the shape and storage that comes with a fire surround.

Sideboard and mirror
See Allison's full home tour.

Create Floor To Ceiling Interest

Another way to add a focal point is to add floor to ceiling interest. I'm giddy to share a sneak peek of a shoot we did last week at the jaw dropping home of Rebecca from Roses and Rolltops. The introduction of a mirror wall with vintage battered armchairs and an envy inducing reclaimed radiator takes up the entire height of the room and creates a central point which would work well in so many different settings. Extra brownie points if you have a gorgeous view to reflect back into the room. Even if you don't have all the elements shown here, going floor to ceiling with any form of collection will really pull the eye in.

Mirror wall

See more of Rebecca's home.

Dominate A Wall

If you don't have the space to create a floor to ceiling display then consider adding creating interest on one wall by using paint or wallpaper.
In Adam's old master bedroom the dark wall is a real feature.

Dark wall with open storage

See more of Adam's House.

Let The Furniture Do The Talking

Adding one piece of amazeballs furniture can also create a big wow. Greg's vibrant mustard sofa is going to steal the show in this room and proves you don't need nooks and crannies to create character in a room.

Mustard sofa
See Greg's full London Apartment tour.

So where does this leave the lovely Becky? The floor plan for her new build is in the header above so you can see what she's dealing with. The play area leads on to the garden and as it's a rental there's unlikely to be any scope to move the TV port. Therefore it's likely the furniture configuration will have to stay the same.
With this in mind I'd be tempted to say expand the gallery wall to cover the whole of the living space, creating a divide with the play space mixing in much larger frames and artwork as well as all the lovely family photos.
Anyone else lacking a focal point? How did you combat it and add more interest to the space?

Lauren likes Paris, Prosecco and Paint Charts Follow Lauren on instagram @mrslaurencoleman This post may include affiliate links.

Related Posts

Alternatives To Fireplace In Living Room

Source: https://rockmystyle.co.uk/making-a-focal-point/

Living Room Upholstery Ideas

Living Room Upholstery Ideas

The Benefits of Living in a Tiny House

CC0/WinnieC/Pixabay

With the cost of rent and the cost of living constantly on the rise, people are looking for more affordable housing options. This led to the tiny house movement that has swept the nation in recent years. The idea of downsizing to a couple hundred square feet might be daunting to some people, but there are a number of advantages. Learn the benefits of living in a tiny house and see if it's the right fit for you.

Tiny Houses Are Cheaper Than Traditional Houses

The average price of a new home sold in the United States as of October 2018 is $395,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While houses are available for much cheaper, you can still expect to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the purchase of a home. The average rent in the U.S. is $1,405 per month or $16,860 per year, notes CBS News. In contrast, you can find tiny homes for sale for less than $19,000 up to $50,000. If you rent a house or apartment, a tiny house will pay for itself in just a few years. If you are considering buying a house, opting for a tiny home will save you hundreds of thousands of dollars.

You Can Take It With You

Many tiny houses are built on a trailer, in an RV or are small enough to load on a flatbed truck to take on the road. You can travel the countryside and save money on hotel and lodging expenses by taking your tiny home with you. If you move for a job, there's no need to spend time looking for a new home in a new city — just take the tiny house with you.

They Are Energy Efficient

People who build tiny houses for off-grid living often equip them with solar panels. This eliminates the need for a power bill, thus lowering your expenses even more. However, even if your tiny house is hooked up to electric power, it still uses less energy for heating, cooling, appliances and more. Tiny houses often have a square footage ranging from 100 square feet to 400 square feet. That's a huge difference from trying to power a 2,600-square-foot home.

Your Life Has Less Clutter

People spend a lot of their adult lives trying to deal with clutter. They look up tips for organizing closets, pantries, playrooms and virtually every room of the house. When you have a lot of space, it's natural to want to fill that space with things. You don't have that option when you live in a tiny house. You have to make hard decisions about what to keep and what to get rid of. Additionally, you won't be making frivolous purchases because you know there's nowhere to put it when you get home — more money saved.

Cleaning Takes Less Time

With just a few hundred square feet of space, there's not a lot to clean. Additionally, there are less things to dust and wash. If you have a busy schedule and usually rely on having a housekeeper come in to help, you can eliminate that expense. You can have your entire tiny house clean in a matter of minutes.

More Independence for Family

Some groups of people, such as aging parents, adults with special needs, students and others, rely on family for assistance with care and housing. Having their own home may be prohibitively expensive or the person may not be equipped for that level of independence. Rather than living in a larger home, having a tiny home parked in the backyard allows them to have a greater sense of independence while still under the care of family. Tiny senior citizen homes for sale have become increasingly popular in recent years and are lovingly referred to as "granny pods."

More From QuestionsAnswered.net

Living Room Upholstery Ideas

Source: https://www.questionsanswered.net/article/the-benefits-of-living-in-a-tiny-house?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740012%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex

Blue Sectional Living Room

Blue Sectional Living Room

A blue sofa is a hot trend at the moment, for good reason. They instantly inject personality and creativity into your space. There are also so many different ways you can utilize a blue sofa as a design piece: to create luxury, to add a bold pop of color, to create a dark, cozy ambiance. Plus, blue is a timeless fan-favorite color for people of all ages. Whether you go with a rich, saturated blue or a soft, playful blue, a blue sofa completely enhances the mood and ambiance of a space. Here are 7 ways to style a blue sofa!

1. Go Big or Go Home

blue sofa

Design by Garden Variety Design.

blue sofa

Design by Todd Alexander Romano.

A huge trend right now is creating spaces entirely with one color. Blue is a great choice because it is gender-neutral, transitions well into different seasons, and is perfectly mellow — it's not too loud or bright but it isn't dull or boring, either. This design approach envelopes you in this delicious color, instantly warming your heart. Plus, having an entirely blue room is sure to be a show-stopping feature of the house. In the projects above, the blue sofas coordinate perfectly with the blue walls. Warm wood floors help to break up the blue.ProHINT: Be sure to introduce warmth into a blue room by incorporating warm metals, rugs, and floors.

2. Comfy Casual Blue Sofa

There's something about a blue couch that is incredibly comforting. Going with an upholstered blue couch makes a space feel casual and laidback, perfect for informal spaces and family-friendly homes. An upholstered blue sofa is also a great alternative to lighter sofas because they're very forgiving of stains!ProHINT: When going with an upholstered blue sofa, it is that much more important to accessorize with throws and pillows to break up the blue. Be thoughtful with your accessories — do you want to reinforce the "comfy" look of an upholstered blue sofa, or do you want to elevate it with more luxurious materials?

blue sofa
blue sofa

Design by Summer Thornton Design.

In this colorful and sophisticated mid-century home, we paired a Room & Board sectional with side tables from Dot & Bo and a chartreuse armchair from ABC Home. The blue sectional, paired with the ottoman and rug, creates a comfy ambiance. Details like the throw, pillows, and paintings help to cohesively tie the blues and greens together. Design by Decor Aid.

blue sofa
blue sofa
blue sofa

The blue sofa below was custom-made by Moss Studio. Blue is a wonderful neutral for a family space — and the dark color can hide a multitude of sins.  When choosing a sofa, it is important to know all the ways it will be used. Kids? Crypton or solution-dyed acrylic fabrics. Lounging and casual television-watching? A little bit deeper, a softer seat cushion, soft and low arms for resting heads comfortably and an all-down blend back cushion with lots of pillows so that every member of the family can get completely comfortable. Cocktails and grown-up entertaining? 36" depth max, the pitch of the back should be a little more formal and a tight-backed or tufted upholstery style works well. Design by Carolyn Rebuffel.

blue sofa

Image credit: Pinterest.

3. Luxurious Velvet Blue Sofa

blue sofa

Image credit: Pinterest.

blue sofa

Design by Amy Kartheiser Design.

There's nothing quite like the luxurious feel of a velvet sofa. While you can't go wrong with any velvet sofa — pink, green, any velvet sofa is stunning! — blue is a wonderfully moody choice that instantly elevates a space. In this classic home, the velvet blue sofa is truly a focal point in this white palette. It instantly plays up the white accent chairs because of the contrast it provides. Plus, velvet adds visual interest to the sofa because it is a material with lots of dimension — a great option when you're going for a large sectional!ProHINT: Use a fluffy white pillow or throw on a velvet blue sofa for an instantly luxurious impact.

4. Cool Curves

Design by Eve Robinson Associates.

blue sofa

Design by Jen Talbot Design.

The curved silhouette of this velvet blue sofa is truly what makes it memorable. Opting for a curvy blue sofa is a great way to soften a space, especially a living space with lots of hard surfaces and harsh lines. Its interesting shape adds visual interest to a room and makes it appear more extravagant. While blue sofas can be very heavy pieces — sofas are already typically visually heavy and the blue color enhances the amount of space a sofa takes — opting for a curvy silhouette helps to make this piece of living room furniture appear to have a smaller footprint. We LOVE how classic and regal this velvet blue sofa looks!ProHINT: Since curvy blue sofas typically have a lower back, keep pillows minimal and make sure that they're scaled nicely.

5. Best of Baby Blue

blue sofa

Image credits: Dixie Sofa from Loaf.

blue sofa

Design by Amy Kartheiser Design.

blue sofa
blue sofa
blue sofa

Design by Summer Thornton Design.

Baby blue is too cute of a color. Let's be honest: we've all claimed baby blue as our favorite color at one point in our lives. A baby blue sofa is a fun twist to your typical blue sofa. They are great for light spaces, and we all know how on-trend all-white palettes are these days!

ProHINT: If you opt for a lighter blue sofa, go for muted colors and pastel shades. Lavender, cream/beige, mossy greens, and silvery grays are great complementary colors. You can also go for lots of baby pinks to create a pastel palette — we love how the icy blue Dixie sofa from Loaf looks against the blush tones! Of course, white is a fool-proof color to pair with a light blue sofa. As you can see in the projects above and below, designers opted for white cushions, rugs, walls, and lampshades.

blue sofa
blue sofa

Design by Summer Thornton Design.

6. Crazy for Coastal

blue sofa
blue sofa
blue sofa

A fun variant of the blue sofa is the coastal blue sofa. Here, a patterned blue sofa is the perfect addition to this casual, laidback space. The marine tones perfectly mimic the sea and sky in this beachy house. Patterned sofas are great for larger spaces like this one because they don't look busy in large, expansive spaces with tons of natural light. Design by Summer Thornton Design.

7. Rustic Surprise

blue sofa

Design by Jeff Troyer.

blue sofa

Design by Tilton Fenwick.

Although velvet sofas are typically used in more luxurious spaces, they can also be used in more rustic spaces for a fun and whimsical effect. They are a playful surprise and enhances the warmth of wood or brick walls and flooring.ProHINT: Pair dark sofas with warm colors such as a dark red or burnt orange to create an appealing contrast. To tone down a blue sofa, especially the shine of a velvet blue sofa in a rustic setting, pair the sofa with organic materials like jute rugs, accessories, and window curtains. Metal or dark bronze accessories, like mirrors, frames, lamps, side tables, and even candlesticks and paperweights, will also pair nicely with a dark blue sofa. Lastly, a rustic coffee table will help to tie in a blue sofa with the rest of the space.

blue sofa

Design by Crowell Interiors.

Blue Sectional Living Room

Source: https://www.roomhints.com/blue-sofa/

Designing Living Room With Sectional

Designing Living Room With Sectional

A sectional is usually made up of two or more pieces. Generally speaking, the fewer pieces you use to create your sectional, the more reasonable the price will be. Sectionals bring softness and warmth to a modern space. The sharp lines, metal and glass of a sleek, modern apartment can feel a bit cold.

Whether your space is large or small, family friendly or slick and modern, see if there is a sectional that will work with your style and space. There's nothing like snuggling up under a blanket on a big, squashy sectional for comfort. Just be sure to aim the TV toward the center of the sectional so everyone seated has a decent view. Check out the choices we have below.

1. 8th West Residence

living room sectionals

Rhodes Architecture + Light

Don't you just agree that choosing a simple design for a sectional, like this grey one in the picture. Goes well with the color palette the designer chose for this home.

2. Bond Street Loft

comfortable sectional

Axis Mundi Design, LLC

Warm things up by bringing in a generously sized, delightfully comfortable sectional to plunk down on. And unlike in the past, sectionals today are available in slimmed-down, modern silhouettes that look right at home in an urban loft.

3. Bowman

mocha brown sectional

Greenbelt Construction

This mocha brown sectional looks really comfortable and cozy! Because of the velvet material, this sectional sure will be easy to sleep on!

4. Breezy Beauty in 750 Square Feet

navy sofa

Nannette Wong

A plush navy sofa. On trend yet classic, a navy velvet sofa works equally well in eclectic, contemporary and traditional spaces. A big sectional like the one shown here can handle a large-scale coffee table – choosing white keeps it from looking too heavy.

5. Bridgehampton

open floor plan

Foley & Cox

If you have an open floor plan, tie the spaces together. It could be with an accent color, a material like rattan or reclaimed wood, or a collection that is spread out between the different areas.

6. Chicago Living Room

colorful tray

KannCept Design, Inc.

Try something as simple as adding a colorful tray to the center of your coffee table or ottoman. I love the colors of the Lacquer Wood trays at West Elm. For large coffee tables, get two to place side by side.

7. Dutch Apartment

compact sectional

30s Magazine

Since the space is small, they went with a compact sectional to provide ample seating. "We managed to fit in everything we needed without the room being cramped or cluttered," says van der Kooij.

8. El Marr Drive

custom designed

Garrison Hullinger | Interior Design

The sectional is a custom designed and built piece that helps meet the needs of the is family…you can sit at the game table and still engage with others in the room or the teenage boys can lounge on the bench sections of the sectional while a movie with the rest of the family.

9. Evanston Lakefront Home

windows design

jtliving.com

Warm, inviting, serene. The windows are the focal point.

10. Hampstead Artist's House

living room sectionals

Paul Craig

It seems like it shouldn't work, but filling a compact room with a sectional can actually make the space feel larger – and way more comfortable.

11. Madison Park Residence

simple palette

Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior Designers

A simple palette of concrete, wood, metal, and stone provide an enduring atmosphere that respects the vintage of the home.

12. Marin Remodel

multiple types

Niche Interiors

If you are changing from multiple types of seating to a sectional, brace yourself. The different footprint will take some getting used to. That's okay; just don't panic.

13. Newport Ocean Front

small-scale chair

Jeremy Harnish Designer Finishes

A small-scale chair has one wonderful advantage over the other chairs in a room: It's easy to move. It will readily go where you want it to go, when you want it to go, and it will stay there until told otherwise.

14. Pacific Hillside Retreat

ottoman

Kendall Wilkinson Design

An ottoman with exposed legs not only can keep the center of your sofa feeling light, but it can also keep the space formal.

15. Private Loft Residence

unique shape couches

jtliving.com

The unique shape of this pair of couches lends the comfort and space of a sectional while still leaving an open walkway.

16. San Diego Family Room

sectional sofa

Style on a Shoestring

Get over the fact that you think your room is too small for a sectional sofa. There are plenty of petite models available. If all you do in this room is lounge in front of the tube and fireplace, don't fret over a sectional that's a space hog.

17. San Francisco New Project

coffee table

Artistic Designs for Living, Tineke Triggs

Stunning coffee table right? It matches the cute sectional and arm chairs!

18. Sophisticated Beach

sectional sofav designs

Margaret Donaldson Interiors

The sectional sofa works to define the footprint of the living room. The designer had the client paint the doors dark to help give the room some depth.

19. The American Dream

rustic feel

Westlake Development Group, LLC

The size and the shape of this sectional sure is huge but comfortable and fancy! The rustic feel to this family room is really stunning.

20. Traditional Living Room

living room sectionals

Virginia Kitchens

I love the traditional feeling of this living room! Looking at the sectional in this living room, I can surely say that this space it worth every penny.

When you start filling up an expansive living space with smaller pieces of furniture – a sofa here, a few armchairs and a side table there – it can start to look cluttered. Choose a roomy sectional instead to keep things simple and streamlined. You can also try a curvy sectional if you want a different look!

Designing Living Room With Sectional

Source: https://homedesignlover.com/living-room-designs/living-room-layouts-with-sectionals/

Fashion

Sport

Hotels

banner