Creating a Contemporary Living Room Without an Interior Designer

If you want to create a living room that’s contemporary in nature, then you’ll want to work around a minimalist theme. Choosing a relaxing yet clean and neat look is essential in achieving the type of decor appropriate for a modern living room. Therefore, the following living room ideas can help you create a modern living room on your own without the need for a designer.

Organize Your Living Area and Keep It Clean

For a modern design theme to work, you must keep your apartment spotless and well organized. Therefore, you have to be someone who likes an immaculate living area and detests the sight of clutter. Keeping things neatly arranged is important in designing an apartment around a modern motif. Using storage is an essential component of a minimalist look. Furniture then is often chosen for its clean lines as well as utility. For instance, some coffee tables and ottomans are designed and constructed so they can be used for storage as well. You can stow away miscellany such as DVDs, books and CDs in these pieces of furniture and add to a contemporary decor. To accommodate limited space, shelving is also a good choice when affixed to walls in hallways and in the living area to keep items arranged and orderly.

Use Basic White and Neutral Colors with Accents

White is the color of choice for a contemporary look. However, if you wish to convert your living area to a modern theme with a softer or more subdued feel, you might want to opt for earth tones such as pale beige, hunter green or taupe. Use colors such as white or the mentioned shades as the main tints in your design with one or two bright colors such as red or yellow or a deeper neutral such as brown for an accent. Include a vase in an accent color or a couple pillows embellished with one or two bright accents for added interest.

Keep Your Furniture Streamlined

Furniture should be modern and streamlined and made with leather fabric and natural woods. If you select white as the main color for your walls, then pick bright accent colors or accessory furniture made of steel, glass or chrome. Choose furniture with straight lines, glossy textures and natural fabrics. Stay with the minimalist theme by incorporating furniture that is light in weight and lower in height to give your room a more expansive look.

Window Treatments and Flooring

Window treatments such as blinds are useful for privacy and functionality in a modern design. For a softer look, select straight panels made of muslin or white drapes constructed with cotton or linen. Like the furniture, modern flooring should reveal clean lines. Hardwoods, laminate wood-looking floors, tiles and concrete are all suitable for a contemporary decorated apartment. Add a white or black shag rug or a rug with a geometric print to complement your furniture arrangement and window treatments.

Accessories and Lighting

Accessories are not essential in a contemporary or modern decor and should be used sparingly. Therefore, select an item of art in an accent shade that can be showcased as a conversation piece. Highlight it with directional track lighting. Recessed and track lighting work well in a modern decor and reinforce the minimalist theme.

With the aforementioned information in hand, you can modernize the look of your apartment on your own and make it stylish and comfortable as well.