https://www.houzz.com/magazine/decorating-101-how-to-start-a-decorating-project-stsetivw-vs~26609229

Congratulations. You’ve decided to decorate your home. Now what?

Whether you’re furnishing your first place or redoing the house you’ve owned for decades, decorating can be a challenging task, filled with costly decisions whose outcomes could haunt you for years. How do you figure out what style is right for you? Should you tackle the job yourself or hire a pro? How much should you spend? And what steps can you take to ensure you’ll be happy with the results?

In this series I’ll take you through the entire decorating process, from initial inspirations to final floor plans. We’ll talk about choosing colors, shopping for furniture, arranging furniture, where you should scrimp and where you should spend.

But before you do any of that, look around you.

Take a critical look at your current home. What do you like about it? What do you dislike? Are your feelings prompted by the aesthetics of the decor? The comfort? The fabrics? The colors?

Learn from that. Repeat the things you like, and don’t repeat the things you don’t like just because they’re familiar to you.

Write your list for Santa. Create a wish list — your Santa Claus list. Write down everything you would like to do if money were no object. Then figure out which things you can do, which things you can’t do, which things have to be done now and which things can wait.

“If you don’t have that master list, it’s hard to prioritize,” says interior designer Amy Luff of Viva Luxe Studios in Bristol, Virginia.

Collect photos. Start collecting pictures of rooms you like. Even if you’re going to hire an interior designer, this will help him or her get a sense of your taste.

Naturally, Houzz is a great place to begin, as you’ll have more than 15 million pictures at your fingertips. You can save everything into one ideabook or make individual ideabooks for each room or each aspect of the design (wall colors, furnishings, fireplaces etc.).

Don’t try to do this in one sitting — give yourself a few weeks or months to compile your photos, as your tastes might evolve during the course of the exercise. Something that appealed to you on Day 1 might seem trite by Day 23.

Get your better half involved. For many couples there’s often one person who’s more interested in decorating than the other. The other person might say, “Do whatever you want.”

Do not do whatever you want. Because as soon as you start buying things, Mr. or Ms. No Opinion will suddenly have an opinion. So make him or her spend some time with you at the very beginning just looking at pictures of interiors. “Spend an hour or two on the computer and look at some things together and talk about them,” says interior designer Alana Homesley of Woodland Hills, California. As you review each room, ask your partner, “What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it?”

Alternatively, you can each collect images independently, then sit down and compare what you’ve chosen. This way your initial selections won’t be swayed by the other person. As you review your selections together, your differences and similarities will immediately become apparent.

“I don’t know what I like.” Many people find it difficult to articulate what they want. Don’t let that bother you. Let those photos you’ve collected convey that information for you. Look at the characteristics that pop up again and again: the style of furnishings, the color palettes, the patterns, the materials, the quantity of furniture in each room. Let those characteristics guide you.

Most people have a basic comfort level, explains Homesley. They know what kinds of rooms they like to be in and what kinds they don’t like to be in. Although it’s good to venture outside your comfort zone every now and then, it’s unlikely that you’ll enjoy living in a minimalist contemporary space if your natural predilection is for French country. So trust your instincts.

Take another look around. Now that you’ve started to zero in on the look you want your interior to have, make a list of all your significant pieces and figure out which items should stay and which should go.

Keep in mind that if you love a piece of upholstered furniture but hate its fabric, it can be reupholstered. Wood pieces can be painted or stained. Objects can be repurposed. And if there’s an inherited piece that has great sentimental value but you can’t stand to look at it … well, life’s too short to live with things you don’t love.

All at once or in stages? If you have the budget to do everything at once, by all means go for it. If you want everything done at once but can’t afford that now, save your money and do it all at once later.

If you can’t afford to do it all at once and don’t care if everything is done at the same time, then you’ll be better off doing the project in phases. Complete one room before moving on to the next one, rather than doing a little bit in one room and a little bit in another.

“Living in a half-finished space isn’t going to make most people happy,” says Homesley. “I think it’s better to wait and do your project in phases.”

The living room is a good place to start, as it will leave you with something you can be proud of and can share with friends — a good launching point for the other work ahead.

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/3293842/list/how-to-work-with-an-interior-designer

When most people think about hiring an interior designer, they zero in on aesthetics: wall colors, window treatments, pillow patterns. But that’s just scratching the surface of what a designer can add to a home. These pros go beyond cosmetic concerns to ensure that a space feels harmonious through and through, from its floor plan and architectural envelope to the last nail head, tassel and tuft. Many states have a certification process for interior designers.

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

A designer envisions, plans and outfits spaces in a way that makes them both beautiful and functional. He or she balances aesthetic considerations with structural planning to reflect each client’s lifestyle, set the desired mood, complement the home’s architectural features and ensure that less glamorous details (such as electrical outlets and air vents) fit into the scheme. An interior designer also cultivates relationships with trusted contractors, artisans, vendors and others who execute the design.

You may have a clear vision for your home, but an interior designer can help you bring it to life while making sure it satisfies nitty-gritty considerations such as space planning and functionality. A trained eye and a creative mindset allow for devising solutions that you might never have imagined, and attention to the tiniest details will transform your space into a haven that looks polished and pulled together.

What Will It Cost?

Interior designers have various fee structures. They might charge an hourly rate ($125 to $150 is common, but fees can range from $50 to $500). Or they could go with a flat fee of anywhere from a few thousand dollars to six figures. Some designers also take an approach called cost-plus, adding a markup on materials and furnishings they buy at a discount and keeping that as part of their fee. A few charge a percentage of the total project budget.

They also may combine fee structures on a single project, for instance, charging a flat fee for some work and an hourly rate for a different type of work. All these details should be made clear in your contract.

You might also be asked to pay a retainer before work begins. This retainer, which might be nonrefundable, could be applied to your total costs on the last invoice, or it could be used to purchase items such as furniture and accessories. Check with your designer (and review your contract) to be sure you understand how your retainer will be used.

Finally, if you’re on a tight budget, don’t assume that hiring a designer is beyond reach. Many will be happy to arrange a few hours of consulting or will help you find furnishings and decorative accents for an hourly rate or a set fee.

Where to Find an Interior Designer

You can find designers in your area and beyond in the directory of interior designers on Houzz, where you can also view their portfolios and save their photos into your own idea books. When you spot a room you love when browsing Houzz photos and articles, take note of the designer’s name. (You’ll see a link to professionals’ profiles in the upper-right corner of their photos.)

Friends with fabulous houses are another likely source. You can also visit show houses and home tours to see which spaces strike your fancy.

8 Tips for Working With an Interior Designer

1. Be sure the designer is a good match for your style. No two clients are alike, and good interior designers are nimble enough to hop from urban pied-à-terre to rustic farmhouse to beachside getaway without missing a beat.

Most do have a fundamental aesthetic that remains consistent throughout their work. When interviewing designers, ask them about their design approach, and look for parallels between their previous work and the design you want. Above all, look for someone you feel comfortable communicating with.

2. Collect samples. Even if you have trouble articulating your desired look, pictures of rooms you love can instantly give the designer a sense of what you crave. He or she will ask you about specific points of the design that resonate with you and use those as guidelines. Fabric swatches, paint chips, furniture catalogs and your own Houzz ideabooks are other good sources for showing items you like. On the flip side, pull examples of colors, motifs and furniture styles that turn you off, which can be equally helpful.

Browse inspiring home design photos and save your favorites

3. Decide in advance which pieces must stay. Not willing to get rid of your Biedermeier sideboard or your majolica collection? The process will go more smoothly if you share that information with your designer during the initial site visit and consultation. That way, he or she can plan around the items that you don’t want to give up.

4. Involve the designer as early as possible in the building process. If you’re remodeling or building from scratch, include the designer in the planning stages with your architect, building designer and contractor. This way, the pros involved will all be on the same page and can iron out any potential discrepancies — particularly those that involve the bones of a home, such as doorways, ceiling beams or interior columns. It’s one thing to reorient a window on paper; it’s another entirely to move it after installation.

5. Try to have key household members present at the outset. Having all the adults’ input from the get-go helps to avoid potential conflicts down the road. If a spouse or loved one objects to a certain color or reveals that he or she just can’t part with Grandmother’s antique dining table, it’s easiest to work out those issues right away.

6. Ask the designer to clarify billing procedures. Find out at the beginning when you’ll be charged and what for. In addition to the design itself, you may be billed for travel time, site visits, shopping, phone conversations and more. Also, ask how you’ll be billed for furnishings, accents, materials or other items. This way, you’ll be able to anticipate fairly closely what and when to pay.

7. Keep an open mind. It’s a rare client who loves 100 percent of a designer’s suggestions right off the bat. Your designer might recommend a piece of furniture or a wallpaper pattern that you’re iffy about, but don’t say no without giving the idea some time to sink in. Chances are that when you ask your designer why he or she chose it, and when you take a little time to live with it, you’ll appreciate the reason it works.

8. Look toward refreshing down the road. Even the best design doesn’t stay current forever. Ask your designer if tune-up visits in the future are an option, whether they involve simply swapping out a few accessories, reupholstering furniture or choosing new paint colors.

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/27152464/list/decorating-101-do-it-yourself-or-hire-a-pro

Once you’ve figured out what you want your home to look like, the big question is: Should you decorate it yourself or hire a professional? Or both?

Interior decorators and designers as we know them today barely existed before the 20th century. Before that it was taken for granted that you decorated your home yourself, unless you were Marie Antoinette or somebody with a similar pedigree.

Old habits die hard. Some people still think you need to live in a palace to hire a decorator, or are fearful of the cost (whether real or perceived). For others it’s not so much a question of money, but of ceding control and having the concern that the results might not reflect their tastes. Some dive into the collaborative process without hesitation, while others have confidence in their tastes and skill and prefer to decorate their homes themselves.

Which camp do you fall into? Here are some things to think about to help you decide.

Advantages of Decorating Your Home Yourself

Obviously, decorating your home yourself means you won’t have to pay someone else to do it. The results will truly reflect your personal taste, and you’ll be able to take full credit for them. If you’ve gone through the process before and were pleased with the results, there’s no reason not to do it again.

 

 

Whether the DIY route will work for you will depend on your strengths. “If you know what you like and you know what makes you tick, you’ll love everything you choose,” says interior designer Alana Homesley of Woodland Hills, California. You can also do the project in stages, as funds allow, and you won’t face the challenge of trying to convey your likes and dislikes to a stranger.

 

Disadvantages of Decorating Your Home Yourself

You could mess up. And you’ll either need to live with that error for years to come or pay a large sum of money to make it go away.

“Do you have the ability to visualize? Are you a creative type? If you’re not, then you need some help,” says Homesley, “because it is expensive, and you don’t want to make any mistakes.”

 

 

The DIY route won’t necessarily save you money. Decorating can be a time-consuming proposition with a steep learning curve and a huge number of decisions that need to be made. What’s your time worth? Will that outlay of time justify the fees you’ll be saving? If you make a mistake and something has to be redone, will you forfeit your savings?

In America a large percentage of home furnishings are sold to the trade only at wholesale designer showrooms. So what you’ll see in stores is only a fraction of the merchandise that’s available. While some showrooms permit public access, you’ll still need to buy through a designer.

Advantages of Hiring an Interior Designer

Hiring an interior designer will give you access to a large selection of to-the-trade-only furnishings, fabrics and wall coverings that otherwise you’d probably never see, and the services of workrooms and tradespeople that the designer has cultivated relationships with over the years. You can potentially end up with a beautiful home tailored to your tastes and lifestyle, and furnished with pieces chosen by an expert for their beauty, quality and durability.

 

“If you have the budget, that’s the way you should go, because you’re going to have something custom to you,” says Homesley.

“Having someone who can affirm your decisions is really positive,” says designer Amy Luff of Viva Luxe Studios in Bristol, Virginia. “Designers can save you money. And they can save you from repaying for something.”

 

Disadvantages of Hiring an Interior Designer

Working with an interior designer can be costly. It’s also a very intimate process. You will be sharing a lot of details of your life with another person. You might end up working together for months — maybe even years. A designer can become a confidant. Or, if you don’t pick the right one, an adversary.

Just because someone was on a magazine cover, Luff observes, doesn’t mean he or she will be the right fit for your home. So it’s extremely important that you like and trust your designer, and most of all, communicate well with him or her. Be clear about your budget up front, with no apologies and no excuses. Don’t hire someone accustomed to $250,000 budgets and expect her to shop for you at T.J.Maxx. Conversely, don’t expect a lower-budget beginner to deliver results like Mario Buatta.

 

 

There’s a sense of accomplishment that comes with decorating your home yourself that you might not feel if you pay someone to do the work for you. A good designer will involve you in the process, however, and make you feel like you played a major role in the outcome.

Working With a Pro and Doing It Yourself

If you like the idea of working with a decorator or an interior designer, but not the cost or loss of participation, there are alternative working arrangements you could consider.

1. Hire a decorator by the hour to help you plan the layout and the furniture, fabric and color selections, then execute the plan yourself. Not all designers are willing to accept small assignments like this, but some will welcome it.
2. Design the project yourself but hire a pro on an hourly basis to hold your hand through the selection process, or to offer a verdict on items you’re considering.

 

 

3. Work with a virtual designer. A growing number of designers have hung their shingles on the Internet. You send them photos or a floor plan of your home, and they provide consultations for a fee, without ever meeting you (or your home) in person.

4. If there’s a furniture store you really like, see if it offers free interior decorating services. Some stores will work with you on your project without charge, although you will need to acquire the furniture from that store. “If you really like that store’s stuff, it’s a good way to go,” says Homesley.

https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/29590561/list/decorating-101-how-to-shop-for-furniture

Once you’ve decided what you want your home to look like, picked your colors, and figured out how much you can afford to spend, it’s time to turn your attention to furniture. Whether you’re fresh out of college or entering your golden years, chances are, you’ve already accumulated some pieces. But should you keep them or start from scratch? Where should you go to buy the rest of the stuff you need? And how do you avoid making a mistake?

 

First, take a look at the furniture you already have. If a piece is cheap and you don’t like it, get rid of it of you can. If the style is dated, let it go — unless it has sentimental value, in which case you might consider refreshing it with new upholstery or a new finish.

If you’re still uncertain about whether to keep things, consider hiring an interior designer, even on just an hourly basis, to help you sift through your possessions and tell you what’s worth saving. “The decorator will see things through a different lens,” says Allison Caccoma of Caccoma Interiors.

 

 

Once you’ve vetted your collection, you have one more step to complete before you start shopping. “Don’t purchase anything until you have the entire room worked out — the rug, furniture, window treatments and lighting,” says Caccoma. While it’s not necessary to identify the precise pieces, you should have a sense of what you want each piece to look like. In fact, you might even want to assemble a project board, with clippings of the kinds of pieces you’re looking for.

“People often make the mistake of buying an item, and then are locked into decorating the room around that one item,” Caccoma says.

 

But how can you know what pieces you want until you get a sense of what’s available? This is the time to do a little reconnaissance. Spend some time on Houzz and visit stores and antiques shops. Visit your local to-the-trade design center (most allow consumers to look, though not necessarily to buy) and get a sense of current styles, what’s available and what you like. “People need to broaden their horizons and just see what’s out there,” says designer Claudia Juestel of Adeeni Design Group.

Some designers advocate buying big pieces first. Whether you buy them first or last, it’s usually a good idea to keep those furnishings understated. “Keep your fabrics a little on the neutral side, and then bring the color in on your walls and your throw pillows,” advises Caccoma.

Comfort is critical. Don’t be afraid to sink your money into seating.

“Buy the best sofa you can afford,” advises Juestel. Try to sit or lie on the piece before you buy, and if you can afford it, upgrade your cushions from solid foam to foam wrapped in down. If you do most of your sitting in the family room rather than the living room, spend the money on those pieces, instead of on pieces that’ll never get used.

Upholstered pieces are a relatively large investment, so you’ll want things that will last through changes in your lifestyle and taste. As a rule, it’s best to go with simple, clean lines. And don’t fret too much about whether furnishings will go together, Caccoma says. Generally speaking, if you like the pieces, they’ll work together.

“Pick something because you like it,” she says. “Don’t worry about why and where it’s going to go.”

 

Where you should shop, Juestel says, depends on your style, budget and quality expectations — as well as the amount of time you have to devote to the project.

If you’re on a budget, consider shopping at secondhand stores, consignment shops, Craigslist and antiques stores, where you can often find top-dollar merchandise at bottom-dollar prices.

If you don’t have that kind of time, stick to trusted furniture outlets. Caccoma is not a fan of buying furniture from department stores, she says, because furniture is not their primary business, so the quality varies and the styles might not be current. Also, avoid fly-by-night operations. “Buy things from places where if there’s a problem, you know they’ll stand behind their product,” she advises.

How can you tell a good piece of furniture from one that’s not so good?

• If you’re buying an upholstered piece, lift up a corner and shake it; if it feels light or wobbly, take a pass. Likewise, the heavier the cushion, the longer it will last.
• When shopping for cabinets, look for drawers with dovetail joints in the corners.
• In the market for a mattress? Pay attention to coil count: the higher the count, the better the support.

 

 

Juestel and Caccoma both say the biggest mistake they see homeowners make when they’re shopping for furniture is misjudging its size in relation to the room and other things in it. A piece that looks perfect in a showroom with 20-foot ceilings may not look the same under your 8-foot ceiling at home. Before you buy, mark out the piece’s dimensions on the floor with newspaper or painter’s tape, or build an approximation from cardboard boxes. And by all means, measure every opening between the curb and the piece’s final destination, to make sure it’ll fit through doorways and elevators and around corners.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/447449/list/could-your-living-room-be-better-without-a-sofa

Do you have a living room where it seems impossible to place a sofa? Lately it seems that even in large homes the formal living room is getting smaller. Many of them are designed so that all four sides of the room have either an entrance, a window, a fireplace or a television making all options poor placement for a sofa. Open floor plans complicate things even more so that a sofa almost always has its back turned on something important.

And have you noticed that when guests come over, most people seem to prefer sitting in a single chair? I know I hate being the one in the middle of the sofa being jostled from both sides. Give me my own cozy chair with plenty of elbow room!

The good news is that there is no interior design law that requires your living room to contain a sofa. The photos in this ideabook all show great living rooms where the designers created beautiful, inviting and functional furniture arrangements without a sofa.

In this living room, the unusual combination of a daybed and two armless chairs face each other over a narrow coffee table. The daybed gives you room to lean back against an arm and stretch your feet out toward the fire. It also assures that whether there is another entrance to the room on that side or a window, the furniture won’t have its back to it.

This classic arrangement of four armchairs placed on the diagonal around a circular coffee table is one of my favorites. I’ve recommended it many times to clients who have difficult living rooms, but find that people are often afraid to try it. It is amazingly functional. The fireplace, window and entrance are all clear.

A square cocktail table turned on the diagonal works well with these four luxuriously proportioned chairs. The side tables offer a great spot to place lamps for flattering lighting without blocking anyone’s view of the others seated there. One advantage this type of grouping has over a sofa is that it is easier to face each other than when you are seated side by side on a sofa.

I always think a room feels so unfriendly when you enter it and are faced with the back of a sofa. Here we see two daybeds placed so the entrance doesn’t feel blocked. These daybeds are a great choice to make this compact room feel very open.

In this long, narrow space, the diagonal grouping of four chairs avoids the bowling-alley feel that a sofa facing the fireplace would have created.

If you decide to go with four chairs, they don’t all have to match. Changing up the style of chair and fabric adds flair to this grouping.

Okay, I’m sure this isn’t the living room of this gorgeous home, but I think most people would have put a sofa against the wall under the art. This pair of elegant chaise lounges creates an intimate and relaxing spot for two people to stretch out and enjoy the view.

The furnishings used for this living room include a daybed, upholstered chairs, a sleek banquette with dining table, a bench, ceramic stools and an upholstered ottoman … but no sofa anywhere. The designer wrote in her description that the living room has been transformed into a “sophisticated salon suited to reading and reflection, intimate dinners and cocktail parties.” I’m a big fan of furnishing a room to support the way you want to live in it.

One more view of this great room. Oh, yes — add cushions on the fireplace hearth to the seating choices. Still no sofa.

 

This beautiful room foregoes the traditional sofa in favor of a piano. I can imagine these homeowners enjoy many hours enjoying music and don’t miss the sofa at all.

Looks like more than one person has decided that a piano is a better option for their space than a sofa.

Piano music, a spectacular view of the ocean, and your own comfortable chair to enjoy it all with friends.

Who needs a sofa?Would your living room be better without a sofa?

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/14544174/list/why-you-should-forget-about-the-usual-coffee-table

Being bound to the singular coffee table is a rule worth breaking. Instead of fussing over a table that takes up all your floor space, or trying to decide which side tables will work with your coffee table, think in multiples. Incorporating two, three, four or more smaller coffee tables instead of one large one celebrates both function and form — and will give you a contemporary look that’s as practical as you can get.

A grouping of four side table stools makes a sculptural statement, and can be easily rearranged or moved when necessary.

We’ve all seen the idea of a bench as a coffee table, but how about two bench-style coffee tables? Each bench can be moved near a couch section, something not possible with a traditional coffee table.

In a space too tight to have it all, a pair of shapely wooden stools provide a functional surface without the space requirement, leaving more room for comfy seating.

Three ceramic garden stools, contemporary takes on the traditional Chinese garden stools, make a casual coffee table that can double as seating. Similar items are available in a wide range of colors and styles to use indoors or out.

Today’s martini table looks elegant and sophisticated in a group of three.

Two slick and modern coffee tables become stunning indoor sculpture paired with white walls and neutral colors that allow the metallic finish to take center stage.

Here, two coffee tables, each one a trio form in itself, nicely balance the space in front of a long couch.

This rustic variation of the Chinese garden stool features intriguing cutouts.

This sleek side table would look fabulous as a set. Group four to create the look of a square coffee table.

A wooden grooved stool looks like a ceramic vase in the works, and even appears to be spinning. It’s perfect for multiple groupings in a large or small space.

Do you prefer one big coffee table or a more interactive group of two or more?

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/65639797/list/living-rooms-that-dont-revolve-around-the-tv

Somewhere around the mid-aughts, it became common to buy an extremely large flat-screen TV and hang it on the wall, and then organize your living room around it. Until that point, buying a huge TV was more of a commitment since the bigger the screen, the bigger the back end.

The flat-screen changed all that. Suddenly, even huge TVs were only about 4 inches deep, and so they started appearing on walls above fireplaces, even built into their own nooks, and there was nothing around them. And when this happened, the focus of our living areas changed.

But some people still organize their living spaces around things other than the television, such as a conversation area or a fireplace. And even when there is a TV in the room, there are myriad ways of hiding it.

Provide a DistractionSometimes you don’t have anywhere to put the television except on the wall, facing the couch. One way to minimize a TV screen is to think of it as one part of a collection of things you might like to look at, and hang framed artworks around it.

Or you can hang the TV in a narrow space next to a bookshelf displaying beautiful books.

Hide It in Plain SightOr you can put the television inside the bookshelf. The books will do the talking when the TV’s not on. Here, a beautiful custom-built wall of storage houses books, magazines, records, mementos — and the TV. The speakers stay out all the time for stereo listening.

When the owners are ready to watch, they slide the wood doors back and there is a large screen readily accessible for watching.

In a long, narrow space like this one, you might need to take a different approach — put the television in a cabinet a little higher up, which will give you room at ground level for displaying beautiful things such as ceramics, books or flowers. The cabinet doors can be slid back when you’re ready to watch TV.

Go MinimalistThe owners of this appealing living room can watch Mad Men, and their other favorite shows, projected right on the wall. Don Draper would surely approve. If you don’t have a big blank white wall for your home theater, you can install a retractable projector screen.

Take It UndercoverThis TV is hidden behind a piece of custom woodwork that makes a thing of great beauty out of something prosaic. Note how the grain from the original pieces of wood flows across the doors, and how the cabinet is square rather than rectangular, like a big oil painting. Instead of a big black screen sitting above this fireplace, there’s a beautifully crafted piece.The other key here is that the chairs are facing each other — two of them have their backs to the TV.

Here, the TV cabinetry is designed to match the panels built into the box around the fireplace. When the doors are closed, they look just like the paneling that surrounds the rest of the room.The key to making this work, again, is the placement of the couches. When they’re set perpendicular to the fireplace like this, you’re not expecting to look at anything.

Choose a Different AngleThe living room couch doesn’t have to be positioned to look directly at the TV. In this Brooklyn, New York, duplex, the TV is tucked under the stairs, along with some books, at an oblique angle to the couch, which faces out into the room in a friendly, conversation-inspiring sort of way.

Or hang the screen behind another couch.

Hang Some Art InsteadThis conservatory could easily have had a TV on the wall. Instead, there are a couple of elegant white shelves and a revolving collection of framed prints, without a television in sight.

Put It in a NookThe television here is tucked away to the right of the fireplace, inside a dark little space — there’s no door, but the positioning and the deep, dark cabinetry and its low position close to the floor de-emphasize the box. Sitting here, you first focus on the view through then floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and then on the fireplace.

Let It Pop — or NotIn this Sydney home there was nowhere else to put the TV except here — so it rises out of the cabinetry when it’s needed. It’s very James Bond, and in the wrong hands could have been a little tasteless.

Here’s the same room with the TV hidden.Tell us: Where is the TV in your living room? Is it the focus of the room or do you hide it? Share your ideas and pictures in the Comments.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/11734542/list/things-you-need-to-know-about-buying-a-sofa

A sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you’ll make — and one of the most permanent. Even if you’re just buying one for a temporary fix, it’ll eventually get demoted from the living room to the family room to the basement and, finally, the dorm. Before you know it, a decade or more has passed, and that impulse purchase has become part of your life. So give some thought to it before you buy. Then buy the best-quality sofa that you can afford. Your purchase will be amortized over many years.

How to Spot a Quality SofaTest its sturdiness. Quality sofas should feel solid and heavy. Flop around on one to test its sturdiness, then lift it up by the corner and shake it a bit. If it feels light or wobbly, take a pass. Look for a frame made from a kiln-dried hardwood such as oak, alder, birch, maple or, alternatively, high-quality hardwood plywood or marine plywood. Eight-way, hand-tied springs are a hallmark of fine furniture, but sinuous S-shaped springs can provide nearly as much comfort. Drop-in coil springs are a less costly alternative.Consider the cushions. Most cushions have a core of polyurethane foam; the denser the foam, the heavier it is and the longer it will last. In the cheapest furniture, the cushion is filled with just the polyurethane foam core. In better furniture the core is wrapped with Dacron batting. Higher-quality options include poly-down cushions, which have down mixed with the batting; spring-down cushions, which feature a core of springs surrounded by foam and feathers; and all down, which is all feathers (and all work, so avoid this unless you have servants).Check the joints and frame. The best sofas have joints that are double doweled and fitted with corner blocks that are both glued and screwed (not stapled) into place. Quality pieces have legs that are part of the frame, not just attached to it (although removable feet do make it easier to get items through doorways).

How to Make it Work With Your RoomIf your interior is traditional, look for a sofa with rolled arms, a contoured back, skirting or tufted cushions.Contemporary sofas tend to have cleaner lines, fewer flourishes and understated upholstery.
Consider the proportions of the room and determine what height, length and depth of sofa would look best in the space.If you’re uncertain, mock up a footprint on the floor using masking tape or blue painter’s tape. Or consider “building” a sofa out of empty boxes — then live with it for a few days to see how it feels.If you plan to spend a lot of time lying on the sofa for reading or naps, make sure it has enough space between the arms. Don’t rely on overall length alone, as the width of the arms will affect the space between.

If you’re short on space, think about buying a sofa with low arms or no arms — it’ll make your room look larger.

How Many People Do You Want to Seat?That might sound like a silly question, but the truth is, nobody likes sitting on the crack. So if you get a sofa with two cushions, expect just two people to use it. To accommodate more people, get a sofa with three cushions or a single long cushion, called a bench cushion.Sofas generally come with one of two types of backs: a pillow back, which has removable cushions or pillows along the rear; or a tight back, in which the upholstery is tailored to the contours of the sofa’s back.

Pillow-back sofas are generally considered more comfortable and inviting, but there’s a downside: Unless you’re diligent with your fluffing, the cushions will usually look slightly askew.If you’re the kind of person who is driven to distraction by something like that, you might want to consider a tight back.How to Choose the Right Sofa Cushion

When it comes to sofas, one size does not fit all. The depth of the seat and the angle of the back will influence how comfortable you feel.How do you know what depth is right for you? Let experience be your guide. If there’s a sofa or chair that you find particularly comfortable, measure the distance from the inside of your knee to the spot where your lower back hits the back of the sofa, then buy a sofa that has similar dimensions.

Think About the Long TermSince sofas are such a big investment, you’ll want yours to stay in fashion as long as possible. Given that, it’s often best to stick with a neutral fabric. You can always add color and pattern with throw pillows. Plus, pillows are easy and inexpensive to change if you decide to redecorate.

If you have kids and a neutral sofa sounds like an invitation to disaster, consider a darker color or a sofa with a subtle overall pattern.As a rule, synthetic fabrics are more durable, colorfast and cleanable. Tightly woven fabrics and fabrics that are heavy will stand up to wear and tear better, as will leather. Avoid satins, brocades and damasks unless the sofa won’t get much use.

Whatever fabric you choose, ask the store for a sample or cutting that you can take home on approval before you buy. (If no sample is available, ask for a cushion.) That way you can see the material under the light in your room and with other pieces of furniture. When you’re spending this kind of money, the last thing you want is a surprise.

http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/5998099/list/how-to-plan-a-just-right-living-room-layout

Whether you’re building a new home, remodeling an existing living room or simply rearranging furniture you already have, laying out your living room is best done with a plan in mind. It might seem like a simple matter of rolling a chair over here and squishing the couch over there, but even the most straightforward parts of space planning can get complicated quickly. Before you start doing any heavy lifting, consider these professional living room layout tips.

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Planning. Analyze the way you spend time in your living room. Nashville interior designer Kippie Leland suggests writing down everything that you plan to do there. “This will help you prioritize when you reach the furniture planning stage,” says Leland.Then think about traffic and conversation flow. How do you enter a room? Move between chairs? Get around the corner of a sofa? “You never want to feel trapped or feel as though you’re making laps around a room to get in or out,” says Minneapolis interior designer Lucy Penfield. And “don’t locate the back of a sofa by the entry,” says Colorado interior designer Andrea Schumacher. “It should be set up so one can walk in and out of the room easily.”Don’t leave too much space between seating, so conversation can flow easily.

Arranging and rearranging. Everyone has an individual preference when it comes to arranging furniture. Some people like to take their time and plan out every detail. For those, Leland suggests starting off with a scaled drawing of the space, measuring the existing furniture and making to-scale cutouts of each piece to play with. “It’s much easier on your back to rearrange on paper than to physically move the furniture,” she says.There’s a different route for those who prefer to be spontaneous. “Block out a good hour or so, bring a friend along or your family, and really move things around,” says Penfield. Move out everything that’s easy to carry first, just to get a new view of the room. Then switch it all up — even take out the rug to see what the room looks like without it. “Each time you come up with a new configuration, take a moment to sit down and see how it feels,” she says.A few things to keep in mind, no matter what arrangement you decide on:

• Try to keep 15 to 18 inches between upholstery and the coffee table.
• Make sure you have 2 to 4 feet of walking space in a main pathway.
• If you opt to put your furniture on an angle, know that it’ll take up a lot of extra space.
• Try symmetry first — this often works well in living rooms.

Keeping things to scale. All of the designers here emphasize the importance of furniture size in a living room. “Correctly scaled furniture can make or break a room,” says Austin, Texas, designer Allison Jaffe. “Having too much room or too little room can really throw off the look and feel of the space.”Just because the size and scale of a piece looks right in a store doesn’t mean it’ll feel right in your living room. Larger rooms require larger furniture, and smaller rooms require a smaller scale.But above all else, make sure whatever you buy is comfortable too. “Select furniture that fits you,” says Schumacher. “Try out different sized pieces. We’ve found some people prefer larger furniture they can curl up in, and some people prefer more petite furniture.”

Buying furniture. A new living room usually means some new furniture — at least a piece here and there. Jaffe suggests choosing the sofa first, since it tends to be the largest piece in the room. “When buying a sofa, go moderate in size, for it might be used in a future house in the den or library,” adds Leland.Consider your entertaining needs and choose furniture that can be used with larger groups if necessary. Slip a bench under a roomy console for extra seating or find ottomans that can be used as side tables or seating.

Dealing with the TV. The TV isn’t necessarily pretty, but for many of us, it’s a must-have in the living room. Luckily, flat-screen televisions lessen the design dilemma. Keep comfort in mind when placing your TV — make sure not to hang it at a height that’ll make your neck ache. Above the fireplace can be too high, unless the couch has enough distance so your neck doesn’t have to strain. However, Jaffe advises not to put the TV more than 10 feet or less than 6 feet away from the sofa.You might not want your TV to become the room’s focal point (no matter how proud of it you are). “Do you want a black hole hanging in an important visual place in the room?” says Leland. Try putting it on a bookshelf that flanks the fireplace or on a buffet against the wall.More about placing your flat-screen TV Tell us: What have you learned while laying out your living room?