How to Design a Colorful Open Living Room and Floorplan
Dress: Olivia Rubin (more options here) // Scarf: The Younique Foundation // Earrings: Wal-mart // Rings: Park Lane Jewelry
Location: Home Sweet Heel Clicks, College Station, TX
I have been dying to share with you guys my living room for some time now! I moved into this house over the summer and life has been a blur ever since. I did an insane amount of travel the past six months and am finally spending some time at home. I actually decorated the living room right when I moved in, but I didn’t love the layout. After the Christmas decor was finally put away mid-month I configured a better layout for the space. Sometimes you need to spend time in a space to really see the best way for it to be used. I’ve been making it a point to paint more often and finally added a newly finished painting above the TV and entertainment wall. It’s been so therapeutic to play around with color when I’m home. I’ll share a few tips about creating a colorful living room of your own. Not a single new item (outside of the canvas for the painting) was purchased for this space. I actually used things from my last apartment which was very modern and chic - you can see them here for yourself. I added pops of color throughout the space to give this huge open floorplan character. One last thing before we get started, I made no structural or textile changes to any of the surfaces. All tips below are perfect whether you are renting a home or you are a homeowner!
How to Style an Open Floor Plan
Open floor plans can be a little tricky. First, each area has to have some sort of defining element. In this case, I used a simple rug to establish the floor area of the living room. In the past, I’ve used bookshelves as dividers or a folding screen. I’ve also seen hanging curtains used as well. The key is making sure your space is zoned and defined. Rugs are an easy choice. When it comes to choosing a rug - go big or go home. Choose a rug that allows your sofa and seating chairs to touch the edge of it.
Choosing Lighting for an Open Floor Plan
This room happens to have a floor plug! If you do not have a floor plug, check out this battery pack for a side table lamp as an alternative solution. If you are currently building a home, you will want to put the floor plugin BEFORE you lay the concrete foundation. It’s costly and potentially damaging (to your foundation and pocketbook) if you wait until after the foundation has been poured. I love a lamp that has a little bit of weight to it. If you have littles and pets that run through the house, consider something that is not breakable when it’s knocked over. This room has recessed overhead lighting on a dimmer which is perfect for company. You can also have sconces on either side of your artwork or TV for low-level theater-like lighting. If you are looking for a floor lamp, I recommend something sleek with a few settings you can add in the corner of the room. The key is to make sure you have options at different height levels to accommodate all of the activities that take place in the living room.
Picking a Color Palette
For a colorful and bright open living room, I chose to pull a handful of colors out of the carpet and artwork to add touches throughout the space. In this case, I chose a pale powder pink, bubblegum pink, and teal color. I also used light grey and silver to pull in neutrals and other finishes. White pieces like bookshelves, an end table, and a small cabinet all contribute to a canvas for the color elements to pop. On the couch, I pull the entire color palette together with a mix and match look. On the bookshelves and the end tables, touches of vintage glass in pale pink, blue, and crystal hold collectibles. I recommend picking 3-5 colors to use throughout the space and sticking to those to create a cohesive look.
Adding Special Touches
A home must include showcasing elements and items that are special to you. For instance, I used a vintage ashtray to hold a deck of cards I picked up at Rosemary Beach in Florida that read “Happy to be here…” every time I see that on the end table it makes me smile. Each set of bookshelves is filled with small glass items I’ve collected or were gifted, a painting of a lake house I used to visit in Louisiana, and one of my favorite prints that read a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson that says, “It’s not the length of life but the depth.” That serves to remind me that I am here to live a purposeful and intentional life while I’m on earth. I also have a few framed postcards from my study abroad in Germany. All items bring me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Go around your home and collect 10 -15 special items that you want to display in your own living room. Think of them as conversation pieces. If someone visited and pointed it out, would the item carry a special story or memory?
Whether you have your forever home or you are living in a studio, you can do amazing things with any space. The biggest key is to find a theme in the things you have that you can share. Arrange your furniture a few times to figure out the best layout. Add special touches to make it cozy (throw pillows, blankets, and a few candles or a diffuser). Top with beautiful and soft lighting. You can absolutely make your current house the home of your dreams with a few changes.
What home projects are you currently working on? I’d love to hear about them! Send me an email at threeheelclicksblog@gmail.com or shoot me a DM on Instagram!
