Beautiful Living Rooms Mix Comfort and Style

When we think of family rooms and living rooms, different images are conjured up for each of us. But what's true across the board is that we've come a long way from well-worn furniture camouflaged in ill-fitting slipcovers. Today a relaxing vibe doesn't need to leave style behind.

But while some styles easily transition into a dressed-down look, other styles are more difficult to reinterpret for the casual zones. Here's how to preserve your refined style while still kicking back.

If Your Style Is Classic

Often confused with traditional, classic feels a bit more updated than the formality of strictly traditional. It draws less on ornate carved details and complex patterns, favoring simplified versions. This look fits you if you enjoy a sofa with soft edges and a dark wooden frame and legs. If you also like distinctive molding and trim, coffered ceilings, dark wood tables and rugs with tight, soothing patterns, it's a sure fit.

Relax it: Use soft watercolor hues, like this blue. Choose large, deep, comfortable upholstered pieces. If you have multiple sofas, the message is clear: "Have a seat. We've made a place for you."

Toss in casually mismatched pillows to invite family and guests to curl up with a cup of tea and get cozy. Select relaxed fabrics. On the toss pillows shown here, ticking (stripes reminiscent of vintage mattress covers) reinforces the casual mood.


If Your Style Is Formal Traditional

Some people are comforted best by minimal items and a tidy aesthetic. For them visual simplicity — the opposite of visual clutter — is soothing. If you prefer rolled arms and carved legs on tightly upholstered pieces, and artwork depicting landscapes or woodland scenes, your style is more formal and decidedly traditional.

Relax it: This room is a bit formal, but again notice the use of calming blue, which relaxes it. If you like a bit of formality, create an orderly display of styling elements like those used on this coffee table. They remind the guest that everything is in its place. Use an informal wood piece like this coffee table to keep the look from feeling too stuffy. Then toss in lighthearted textiles like the ones used on these pillows.


If Your Style Is Eclectic

If you enjoy a mix of elements and feel confined by a strict category, this is your look. With a bit of modern personality and some references to tradition, it's a tricky look to get right. The artistry is in the mix. The success in the room shown here lies in the use of related wood tones that harmonize well.

Relax it: If your job is stressful and you crave modern simplicity, but you are still anchored in the past, start with very simple forms for your seating pieces. Choose soft, tactile fabrics for upholstery in a solid color (too many patterns can up the energy level). This will set the stage for an eclectic room. Add a graphic rug and some midcentury pieces to inject style, and you've got a great uncomplicated look.


If Your Style Is Transitional and You Have Competing Needs

Transitional rooms are neither too traditional nor too modern. If you prefer clean lines in furniture but still enjoy traditional molding, this is a good fit for you.

When you have competing needs, create a room that is multipurpose. Sometimes what`s needed is an all-purpose room that can be used as much for watching television as for entertaining friends and family on special occasions. Take some cues from this terrific example of transitional style.

Relax it: Accessorize to suit your needs. Select hard-wearing leather and neutrals for your main upholstered pieces, with clean lines. Keep a comfy throw tucked away for curling up in front of the fire to read a book. Choose dressier accessories that step it up for entertaining. Toss in a punch of color to give your room some personality. Your versatile room will be ready for a quick change from casual to dressed for the occasion.


If Your Style Is Rich, Masculine and Traditional

If more color equals more stimulation, then a room like this should bring your pulse down. Midtone wood built-ins anchor this room, which draws its success from the monochromatic palette.

Relax it: Select a deep, warm hue and soft, tactile fabrics to create soothing appeal. To add interest to your monochromatic room, the key is to use soft tone-on-tone patterns and lots of texture. Don't stray too far from your chosen color. Your room will soothe while still being interesting.


If Your Style Is Soft, Feminine and Traditional

This is a good style for you if you love rolled arms, gracious curving furniture and soft pastel hues.

Relax it: There is something about this sunroom that suggests the sunny South. Maybe it's the use of peach, which makes me think of Georgia. Decidedly feminine and traditional, this room takes its inspiration from small-scale prints in soft colors and gains momentum through their layering.

Look for traditional furniture pieces with deep seats, soft rolled arms and ball feet to capture this laid-back style. Peach and pink and creamy yellow add warmth, but remember to add some cool hues, like the gray here, to keep the temperature just right.


If Your Style Is Strictly Modern

Clean lines, a cool neutral palette and geometric shapes are the hallmarks of a modern look. Modern decor is the trickiest to warm up.

Relax it: Think like an architect. Look for places where you can introduce horizontal lines — a low media unit, a low-to-the-ground sectional, a floating shelf or, if a fireplace makeover is in the budget, an extended hearth like the one here.

Layer in a textured rug for soft appeal and complement it with hits of color toward the hot end of the spectrum to add vibrant warmth. Although we are told that cool colors are relaxing, the colors of fire add a soothing warmth to keep a modern look from feeling too stark.

Tell us: What's your style, and how do you make it comfortable?

URL: Beautiful Living Rooms Mix Comfort and Style http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-21390.html