Article courtesy of Apartment Therapy
Working from home, working out from home, hosting friends, hanging as a family: We ask a lot of our houses. Sometimes, we have to get creative to make everything happen in the same place while keeping our style intact.
For professional photographer Samantha and her husband, the challenge was making their eclectic and artsy Los Angeles living room more efficient and multifunctional for the whole family. This airy 200-square-foot room needed to be able to host friends, foster family time, and allow enough room for their two children to play — without looking like a daycare center.
With some smart design strategy and the right furniture and decor from The Home Depot, Samantha found solutions that didn’t compromise on style. The Home Depot’s online-only, reasonably priced, on-trend furniture and home decor helped her add versatility and functionality to her space. Here’s how she did it.
1. Anchor the Room
When we walk into a room, our eyes want something to focus on. It helps ground the space and make the layout make sense. By using the beautiful fireplace as a focal point, Samantha had something to design around. Captivating seating, like these green velvet accent chairs, invites guests in. Then she layered in the largest area rug her space would allow: the Home Decorators Collection Griffen indoor/outdoor rug. The minimalist black-and-white design complements her decor, and the braided construction will stand up to foot traffic and toy traffic. By going large, the rug unifies the entire space, creating a common thread (ahem) through the living room’s different functions.
2. Create Distinct Zones
We love decor vignettes: self-contained moments of style that exist within a larger space. Think of a multifunctional room as an opportunity to create vignettes with a purpose. One pro tip: Make sure every seat has access to a table — ideally one as stylish as this ornate carved end table. It’ll create more cohesive “mini rooms” and lessen clutter elsewhere. Further differentiate your vignettes with decor, from cozy throw blankets to faux plants.
3. Go Lighter and Brighter
When a room is serving multiple purposes, it’s likelier to seem cramped. Keeping things light and bright will open up the space and add an airy feel. Start with a stately floor lamp, then add different sources of light to change the mood more easily.
A patterned ceramic table lamp adds texture and pairs well with smoother mid-century modern designs in the room.
And incorporating decorative mirrors into your gallery walls will brighten things up even more by reflecting light.
