- Determine how much change you want to implement in your living room design. Make an inventory of your furniture pieces and decide which ones you will retain and which ones you need to dispose.
- Determine the budget that you will be setting aside to get the new pieces of furniture, lighting fixtures and possibly paint and/or wallpaper and rugs for your contemporary living room design.
- Check out contemporary living room furniture displayed in furniture showrooms. You can also check online and see if some furniture pieces and lighting fixtures that you have in mind are available. Check the dimensions of all the pieces that you are thinking of getting. Ikea is one of the stores where you can find plenty of inspiration for contemporary designs.
- Measure your living room area to determine if you have enough space for the new furniture. Remember that you are after low and modular furniture pieces that can be arranged in different ways to fit different living room areas. Space is a big factor when designing a contemporary living room. You are also trying to create a lighter, cleaner and sleeker look in your living room therefore you have to carefully select the furniture pieces, including shelves and corner tables.
- Decide if you need to paint your living room with a new color or replace your wallpaper. Light colors make the room seem larger and more airy. The living room colors should be a perfect foil for your new furniture pieces. Choose neutral shades, as these are easier to match with existing and new furniture items.
- Make use of bold colors in your living room accessories for contrast. Bright and dramatic colors for throw pillows and accent pieces will make your contemporary living room design come alive.
- Be eco-friendly and incorporate living plants into your design. These are perfect accents to provide contrast to a neutral background. Look for indoor plants with lush green leaves. Indoor plants not only clean up the air inside your house, they are also great fillers for some of the empty and barren spaces.
- Wood, glass and stainless steel, leather and acrylic are some of the materials that are used for contemporary furniture pieces. You can easily find furniture made from any or all of these materials in furniture showrooms. Choose those that are constructed sturdily.
- Choose energy-saving lighting fixtures to complement your contemporary living room design. There are various lighting fixtures that are very functional as well as creative and innovative that will blend well with your living room design. There are discrete lighting fixtures, those that can be dimmed and brightened to provide dramatic lighting when needed. There are some very functional lights that are housed in translucent acrylic globes that not only provide good lighting but function as decorative accents as well. Some of these can be placed on the floor, on top of a corner table or hang from the ceiling.
Consider your lifestyle when you are designing your contemporary living room. Choose furniture that is comfortable and stylish and can fit into a large or a small living room. If you want to sit in a comfortable and relaxed position when you are watching television or listening to music, a recliner will be very ideal. Look for furniture that can also double up as storage spaces to help minimize the number of furniture items you will place in the living room.
