What could be more cheering than a bright pop of colour in the middle of the living room. One of the easiest ways to freshen things up is to use accessories. Cushions rank among the most popular since they’re functional and they can literally transform a bland and boring living room.
If you want to spruce things up and pick the right accessories, you should definitely follow these tips from the Singapore interior design experts.
The entire process starts with picking the right set of cushions for your living room.
What should your primary consideration be? If your answer is colour, you’re correct. The selection of a cohesive colour palette is one of the primary principles of residential interior design. Talk to your interior designer if you don’t know yet what the living room colour scheme is going to be. For the cushions to be right, they will either have to be in a complimentary shade or they’ll need to contrast the primary tones.
The next consideration is prints and patterns.
A solid block of colour can look pretty stylish, especially if the rest of the living room appears to be somewhat busy. If you want cushions that stand out, however, and turn into a focal point, patterns and prints will be ideal.
Experienced interior designers will tell you that you can opt for a combination instead of having all of the cushions being the same. Once the colour scheme is chosen, you can opt for one solid colour, a simple print and a more complex print. This trio results in some dynamic appeal. The most ornate print is the one that will be setting the mood, hence the respective cushion should probably the largest and most prominent one.
Finally, think about the type of fabric that’s going to be best. Fabric durability is essential. Woven patterns tend to be much more long-lived that fabric that features a printed image. If you have pets, microfiber will be an ideal option because it’s very easy to clean and maintain.
The style will depend on the overall interior design concept. Velvety cushions are obviously not a good pick for an interior that is to look trendy and modern. This fabric is much better suited to vintage and traditional interiors. Leather is a good choice for modern apartments, plus it’s exceptionally wear-resistant.
Now that you’ve acquired the right cushions, it’s time to start think about how these can be organised and scattered in the living area for maximum effect.
One of the biggest questions that many Singapore homeowners have when starting with home interior design is where to start. The answer is simple – do what feels right. You can begin with a pair of matching, solid colour cushions. As you get a better understanding of the living space and what you’re trying to accomplish, you can get a bit more daring with the accessorising experiments.
A general rule of thumb to follow is the 2:2:1 ratio. This means that five cushions are considered the optimal number for a sofa in the living room. Choose two same sized, solid colour cushions for a start. You will also need two cushions with a simple pattern and one standout piece that’s more elaborate and eccentric than the others.
Such cushions can be arranged as follows – start from the outside with the solid colour cushions and place the statement piece in the centre of the sofa. You will have a symmetrical arrangement that doesn’t look too busy and that lets the most beautiful item shine.
Obviously, this is a general guideline. You’re free to break the rules if you feel that a different number of cushions or a different arrangement will work better for your HDB flat or condo.
To create a bit more visual interest, you can play with the sizes of the cushions. There is no need to have different colours and patterns if this concept isn’t well suited to your idea of a beautiful living room. Just choose several colour/pattern cushions that have different sizes. You can play around with the arrangements to ensure both comfort and visual appeal.
If you want the living room to feel more relaxed and casual, you can group the pillows together instead of arranging them in a specific way on the sofa.
A final thing you may want to try out is being a little bit more eccentric.
This is your home and chances are that you’ll be spending most of your time in the living room. If a traditional throw pillow is not a real representation of your identity, you should definitely opt for something bolder.
Metallic and shiny colours, even neons, are ideal for statement pieces. When you opt for such accessories, however, you should make sure that the rest of the residential interior design is simple. Having too many items that are fighting for attention will result in a busy design that looks cluttered rather than relaxing.
You can play with proportions, shapes, prints and even cushions that are handcrafted by artists. The guidelines are in no way to be enforced 100 per cent. You’re still to rely on your imagination in order to make your home unique.
Interior design professionals can help you with accessorising your living room and your entire home. Choosing professional assistance is a good idea when you have a certain concept you can’t bring to reality on your own or when you’re clueless about how to transform your living space.
Professional teams like the Home Guide interior designers can work really hard to create the home you’ve always been dreaming of. The approach is always personalised and based on your preferences. Don’t be afraid to share what you’re looking for – contact us today to make your home better and much more beautiful.
