Decorating Your Living Room With Dark Furniture

Your house will be genuinely called yours once you have your own touch with it. How will that be? People usually see our personalities through the way we dressed up. It is the same in a way with homes. People will see it with how we will decorate our home But like with clothing, pieces should be complementing each other for it to look good. And some people will have no idea how to start decorating their homes. Maybe you are one of them. There are a lot of options to choose from the furniture and how you will piece them together. Why not start with the color? Having dark-colored furniture will look classy and practical, so you cannot go wrong with it. But how will you decorate the rest of your living room with it?

1. Paint and Wallpaper

If you have dark furniture, it is advisable to have your walls painted in a brighter shade. This way, the room will not look too dark. It is recommended to have them white, but some people are intimidated with it, and if you are one of those, you can choose another light color that will complement your dark furniture and also reflect light. It would be the same if you decided to have wallpaper instead of painting them. Walls are not the only ones to be painted light but also the ceiling so that it will pop out and contrast the dark furniture.

2. Lights and Windows

With dark furniture, your living space would definitely be more shaded. That is why lighting is essential. You would need the right mix of overhead lights and lamps placed around your living room. This way, your living will have enough ambient and task lighting. But in the morning, it would be great to give your living room natural lighting. To have that, you would need to have your drapes open to bring the light into your room. Mirrors will be helpful to reflect light around the room.

3. Decor and Accessories

Lighting and walls at times will not be enough to light up your room. You will need to have the right decor and accessories to go along with them. It is not just about brightening the room but also making it pop. Start with the drapes or curtains. Have them in white or light color so that not only it will contrast the furniture, it will also illuminate natural light in the morning. Then this includes the accessories and decors you will place around the room. You can have throw pillows that are brightly colored and will be a good contrast against sofas. Then you should have some rugs and textiles that are more colorful. You can also add some decorations such as paintings and plants that will add color to your room. You can also add other furniture that will complement the furniture you already have. For example, you can get smaller chairs or tables that are lighter in color and also have your shelves in contrast.

How To Mix and Match Sofas and Chairs

Furniture is an essential and staple in our homes. With it, people will know what your style and personality for it reflect. It is not that simple to choose and buy, though. There are many choices out there in different shapes and sizes. Sometimes it is hard to determine what is best for you. Add to that, you have your budget. There will be times you would want to have the cheaper ones, but it does not suit your home. You would find something, but it will be out of your price range.

There is a solution to that, though. You will have to look further like in thrift shops. There is also a variety in there, and if you are into DIY or crafting, you can fix them on your style. Why not also try mixing and matching. You would find different kinds of furniture that seem to be different, but you have to gain some knowledge about style. Let us start with something simple like sofas and chairs. You might find various kinds of them, but you can have them in the same room. You do not need to have an interior designer with these simple tips:

1. Color

Color coordinating is simple. It does not have to be the same. Having different kinds makes it more interesting at times. But they should be organized, and as said before, it is simple. Just choose a color then find something that will match or looks good with your eyes. Sometimes, neutral and warm colors such as brown and blue can mix with bright colors such as yellow. So as an example, if you have a blue sofa, you can mix in a yellow chair then match them with accessories for added effect.

2. Size

Like colors, the key to this is coordination and balance. The term that they would love to use when it comes to this is symmetrical. For example, if you have one big sofa, you can pair them with two smaller but even in size chairs and have them arrange with the big sofa in the middle. When it comes to size, it is usually about the numbers.

3. Materials and Fabrics

Sofas and chairs can be made from different kinds of materials. It could be wood, metal, or even plastic. It is the same as with the fabrics. It would be fine to have them together, but the principle of color coordination applies here. Like with the woods, which also has different kinds and colors, it is advisable to have one dark then have a lighter with another.

4. Patterns

When it comes to patterns, it is advisable to have similar or the same. If not, your living room will tend to look busy and not pleasant to look at. So it is either you will have a patterned sofa with plain chairs or vice versa or pick ones that are the same in pattern.

Additional Tip: Since it is all about coordination, be sure to have your accessories and decor coordinated as well.

Types of Furniture Wood

A home will not be complete without any furniture. Without any of it, where will you relax or do anything you need to get done? Be it beds where you will sleep or sofas and chairs to sit on. You would also need a table whether for eating or doing your work or simply to have something to put things on. Maybe you are tight in space or constantly have visitors and have futons for that matter.

Furniture is really an essential part of your home. It is also an investment because you will be using it and the longer time you will have it, the more you will save. For this reason, you will have to choose furniture that not only looks good and fits your style but is also durable. In order to know this, the materials from what it is made are very important. It will have a great effect on the cost and sturdiness of the furniture.

Often times, pieces of furniture are made of wood. By knowing about the different types of wood, you can understand the price range and how long the furniture will last. Here are some of them that you could look into:

1. Oak

It is one of the most used in furniture. It has two kinds: the red oak and the white oak. It is an inexpensive wood too. The white oak is resistant to moisture, so it is mostly used in the outside furniture. 

2. Maple

It has two varieties, hard and soft, and both varieties are harder than any wood. It is also durable and heavy. It is also more stable than any other wood. It is less expensive than other hardwood though. 

3. Cherry

It is an all-around great wood and is popular for furniture because of its dark color. Because of this reason, it is one of the demanded woods that makes them more expensive.

4. Pine

It is the most inexpensive wood but less durable because of its softness. It does make great furniture though and because it stains very well, it is ideally used as an additional piece of furniture for home’s existing set because they can match easily. 

5. Cedar

It has many types but the most common would be the red variety. They are mostly used for outdoor furniture because it naturally resists weather and can handle moist environments. Another reason is that it repels insects. 

6. Teak

It is the wood that is a staple for outdoor furniture because it is highly weather-resistant. It is getting rarer though. It is said to be a really beautiful wood but a really expensive one.

7. Walnut

It is known for its rich brown color and strength. It is easy to work with and very versatile. It is expensive though and getting rarer to find.

8. Mahogany

A wood that is known for its reddish-brown color. But as it ages, it becomes more of a deep red. It is great for fine furniture and is traditional and versatile but it is an expensive wood to buy.

9. Poplar

It is an inexpensive and soft wood. It is not the most beautiful wood though. It is mostly used for making drawers instead of fine furniture.