How Do You Brighten Up a Boring Living Room?

Our interior design team is often asked, “How do you brighten up a boring living room?”

As the entertainment hub of your home and a place where family and friends gather frequently, your living room is always on show. So, if you feel that yours might be looking a little boring, it’s time to change things up.

Here’s our expert advice on clever ways to do this without having to start from scratch.

Paint the walls a bright colour

One of the simplest ways to make a living room more cheerful is to give it a fresh coat of paint. Not only will it make it look clean and new but it will keep your walls protected and up the overall value of your home, making it an excellent investment.

Colour is also a wonderful way to infuse mood and can affect your overall experience in a space. For this reason, it’s important that when you make the change, you choose something you love and are happy to live with, long term. Here are some tips that will help you make the right decision:

• Find a colour that will complement your current furnishings - the best way to do this is to take swatches home with you and see what matches up.
• Decide on the vibe you would like to create. Warm tones will make your living room feel cosy and welcoming, while cooler shades will infuse your space with a sense of calm.
• If your furniture is eclectic, opt for something neutral to help tie everything together.
• Consider painting an accent wall in a complementary colour that will create a common thread with the rest of your furnishings.
• If your room is small or on the dark side, choose paler colours, but if it’s bright and airy, a darker tone will add a sense of sophistication.

Add a few pieces of furniture in bold colours

If your colour palette is neutral, you might want to liven things up with a couple of pieces of bold furniture - and 2023 is certainly the year to do it.

Luxury sofas in rich reds, vibrant oranges, sophisticated purple and a plethora of greens are all trending this year, so splash out and have some fun.

Sancal have produced a fabulous little Loop sofa in a luscious lavender that will turn your living room into a modern masterpiece. Or if that’s too much for you, stick to something more traditional with the sophisticated button-backed Brian sofa by Eichholtz.

If you’re not keen to go the whole hog, add bright accent pieces like a vibrant set of footstools or a colourful armchair.

If you’re going to go this route, be warned. Good quality sofas are investment pieces that will last you for years, so following the latest trends can land you in a spot of trouble if you find you can’t live with them sometime down the line. If you’re in any doubt, our designers advise that you opt for something more sustainable in a monochromatic colour like greige, cream or taupe.

Redefine your wall space

Using your wall space is a fabulous way to add visual interest to any room, and there are many ways to do this. Here are just a few:

• Find bespoke artwork - it’s a great investment and will add creative flair to your furnishings.
• Use mirrors - not only will they make your space look bigger, but they will help take advantage of any natural light filtering in.
• Create a photo gallery - adding personalised, meaningful accessories to your living room will make it feel homely and comforting.
• Invest in some wallpaper - it’s a fun way of adding texture and pattern. Just don’t overdo it.
• Put up floating shelves. They’re an amazing way to declutter, show off your favourite accessories and save space and come in many different genres from rustic to refined.

Use colourful rugs and throws to add texture

Area rugs are one of the most popular ways to tie your décor together. They add colour and texture, define your conversation spaces, provide warmth, stop furniture from sliding over your hardwood floors and absorb sound, which is useful if you live in an apartment.

When choosing the right area rug for your living room, remember to consider your lifestyle. If you have a household full of children or pets, find something durable because an elegant silk rug won’t cut it. Read more about this in our article on what type of rug lasts the longest.

At FCI London we have a fabulous range to choose from and have teamed up with bespoke rug manufacturers Knot & Loop and abstract expressionist Anna Kosa to bring you custom creations made specifically for you.

Plush throws are another useful way to brighten up your furnishings and will provide extra comfort on a cold winter’s night. You can also invest in new scatter cushions in complementary colours if you want to add layers of texture. Remember to play with different patterns, shapes and sizes to create an extra touch of glam.

Add plants or flowers

The biophilic trend is still going strong and infusing your living room with fresh flowers or indoor plants will help connect you with the outdoors, improve your air quality and promote an overall sense of wellness and joy.

We suggest that you find some beautiful planters or a bespoke vase or two and bring in some greenery!

Get creative with lighting

Lighting is one of the best ways to jazz up your living room and at FCI London, we offer a full range of options from fabulous floor lamps to shimmering chandeliers. Not only will it create ambience, but good illumination can bring height, depth and visual interest to any space.

When searching for the perfect lighting solution, make sure you take the following into consideration:

Functionality and purpose: Will your new fixture provide ambient, task or accent lighting?

Style: Does it match the look and feel of your room?

Intensity: Have you included a dimmer switch so that you can adjust the brightness for any occasion?

Proportion: Does your light overpower the rest of your décor?

In conclusion

At FCI London, our aim is to help you turn your homes into well-considered spaces and in order to do so, we offer an amazing selection of luxury furniture sourced from top manufacturers from around the world.