By Kelai WANJIRU
What do you see when you walk into a number of living rooms? Cluttered furniture all around the room, the must have leather seat, sofa sets lined up along the walls, white or cream walls, a wall unit in the living room, a brown carpet, the list is endless.
Of course you will not fail to spot the neatly arranged sets of different utensils in the wall unit, a television set to savour – and most certainly for the conservative types, embroidered fabric to cover the seats, table and the wall unit. The room is so “filled”, yet the enormous space in it isn’t representative of what it should really look like. Take away all this clutter and you will be surprised what you end up with.
I’m sure this scenario rings a bell. We are so used to this traditional way of laying our living rooms so much that it has ended up looking like a storehouse rather than an attractive homely aboard.
Extraordinary space
Well, the living room can be as common or as unique as possible. The question is, how do you make your living room an extraordinary space to die for?
Turn your living room from the conventional stereo type of the common Kenyan home into a unique and contemporary space that will be the talk of town. You can make your space so exclusive that it will be very hard for anyone to replicate your style.
The design of the living room is something one can do whether you are building or buying your home, renovating, or just changing the overall look of the home. With modern housing trends
today that has seen most people living in rented or leased homes, the design of the house is a luxury most people cannot afford. However, one can do a lot to personalise the living room as this is the one place where a home owner can express their taste and preferences.
If you are fortunate enough to be building or buying a house, you can get a builder who will let you have an input towards the interior design of the house. One can also work with interior designers who are better equipped to handle design. The size and shape of the living room is very important as it has to fit within the existing frame of the house.
Vital room elements
Take into consideration the elements of the room.Do you want to have a fireplace? Do you want a small bar in the room? If yes, make sure all these are put in the design layout and placed at proper points of the room. You do not want a fireplace that takes all the space in the room or does not serve all who will be sitting in the room. Another very important consideration is the ceiling. When building, the ceiling is usually the one thing that is thought about last. There arevery many variations when putting up the ceiling and creative adjustments are possible. Make sure the ceiling is not too low that some people have to stoop, and do not make it too high that installing a bulb becomes a problem. The common ceiling type in most Kenyan homes is the soft board which comes with some décor. One can put up a wooden ceiling or any of a desired kind. Many home décor and building supply companies stock a wide variety of ceilings.
Getting right arrangement
Who said that the living room has to be full of furniture and that all of it has to be lined up along the wall? The living room is the one place where one can be as creative as possible. Personalise this space and show your taste. One does not need to have a leather seat and a flat screen TV along the wall. Think about what you like? Do you want a space that you can relax in at the end of the day? Do you want a neutral, rustic or urban feel in the home? Choose versatile furniture that’s easy to maintain and serves its purpose. The walls in your home do not have to be the same colour – white being the common in homes.
Your living room can have a different colour of paint from the rest of the rooms. Be bold and place wallpaper. Wallpaper is a fairly new concept in Kenyan homes, but it is a very creative and interesting wall décor that will change
the look of your walls affordably and make a big difference in the appearance of your living rooms. Keep your space well organized and neat by avoiding the all too common cluttered furniture.
Even if your living room is large, you do not have to place a seat or accessory just to make the room look filled. Space is very important and you should be able to walk around the room without hurting your toes or knees.
Windows are the eyes
Another area to look at when looking to make over your living room or design, is the windows. Windows are the eyes into your home and they are the first thing people notice when they walk in. Windows should be put up in strategic points of the room to allow light in. Avoid hanging heavy drapery in dull colours. When buying a home or looking to rent a house, look for houses that have large windows and also have a good view.
Opposite the window, place a large mirror that will reflect the window and the view. Mirrors and windows have a way of expanding spaces to make them look larger, so make use of the windows in your space. Avoid placing furniture and heavy objects around the windows as this blocks view and makes the room look over-stuffed. So, take a critical look at your living room, stretch out the space and make some décor and design changes. With a little bit of colour, re-arrangement of furniture here and there, your living room will be a sight to behold.
