As any homeowner knows, the living room is a major focal point of the home. From family gatherings throughout the year to sitting back and watching TV together at the end of a long week, the living room is often a home’s social center for family and friends alike.
That being said, furniture placement can distract from such gatherings, affecting the comfort and functionality of the room.
Here are some mistakes to avoid when it comes to arranging your living room furniture:
Forgetting the focal wall.
A focal wall is the first place the eye comes to rest when entering a room. While not every living room has a focal wall, if yours does, you don’t want to pass it up. Set up the furniture so that most of the seating is facing or angled toward the wall you’ve pegged as the focal wall. A fireplace, mounted TV or picture window are natural places to have a focal wall.
Too much furniture.
Don’t clutter your living room with too much furniture. The couch should be the biggest piece in the room and should get the focus it deserves.
Start by pushing everything else out of the way in order to see where the sofa fits the best. Then bring in smaller pieces of furniture to complement the sofa.
Adding furniture you don’t use.
After arranging the furniture so that it works well in the space, don’t add nonessential items to the living room that aren’t used on a day-to-day basis. For example, don’t let a small side table or a chair that’s rarely used take up space for the sake of filling up the area.
Extra furniture is a good thing to have when friends and family visit, but it doesn’t have to take up space in a living room every day if it isn’t used on a consistent basis.
Keeping everything.
When moving from one home to another, some people put the same furniture in their new living room simply out of habit. Even if the room is the same size as the old one, it doesn’t always make sense to incorporate the same furniture into the space.
If you recently moved into a new home—or have a move on the horizon—it’s important to consider how much you use something before integrating it into your living space. Surface areas such as coffee tables, side tables and desks may not be needed as often as you think. In the same vein, storage areas such as cabinets and trunks may not be opened for years but will ultimately take up valuable space in the family’s main gathering place.
A couch against the wall.
Pushing a couch against a wall can be the easiest way to set up the living room, but it may not create as much space as you think. Instead of simply pushing the couch against the wall, try pulling it out at least 12 inches. This will create some space, which will ultimately make the room feel bigger.
While pushing the couch against the wall may be a good idea if you’re looking to get it out of the way, it can create a lot of dead space in the middle of the room. No matter your style, take the time to think outside the box and try something new…and see what happens.
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The Art of Hanging Artwork
Hanging artwork is an art—literally. Too high, and the room feels off balance. Too low, and, well…you get the idea.
One of the most common mistakes homeowners make, according to Apartment Therapy’s Eleanor Büsing, is hanging pieces at the wrong level. To help you spruce up your place with properly placed artwork, Büsing offers the following tips:
Establish eye level. Eye level in most houses is approximately 57 to 60 inches from the floor. All artwork, regardless of orientation, should be hung so that the center (not the top or bottom) of the piece is at eye level.
Coordinate with orientation. The orientation of the piece—landscape (horizontal) or portrait (vertical)—should coordinate with the wall space it’ll hang on. The area above a sofa, for example, is horizontal, so the artwork should be oriented landscape.
Portraits can be hung in horizontal spaces, however—the trick is to hang them side by side so that they appear as one horizontal piece. The opposite also applies: Landscapes can be hung in vertical spaces, so long as they’re stacked one on top of the other.
Align varying sizes. A complementary duo or trio of artwork in different sizes should be hung in alignment with the pieces’ center points—this means that the tops of some pieces will be higher than others. Avoid aligning them by their tops or bottoms.
Stay uniform. Multiple pieces of artwork hung improperly can make a room seem cluttered and cramped. Make a gallery uniform by arranging the pieces in a precise grid format with matching frames, or by hanging one “anchor piece” at eye level and hanging other pieces outward from there.
Whichever of these tips you use, consistency is key. Keep eye level in mind as you hang artwork throughout your home to maintain a sense of flow
The Importance of a Fire Plan
If a fire breaks out in your home, every second counts. Most people understand the importance of smoke alarms and how they can be lifesaving in the case of an emergency, but equally important is having a fire plan for your family so everyone knows what to do if a fire does break out.
The National Fire Protection Association offers guidelines that can help people put together a plan. Here are some things you should do:
First, gather your family and talk about how the most important thing to do if a fire breaks out is to leave the house immediately. Don’t run into a room to grab photos or a beloved heirloom. Don’t stop to find your sneakers. Just leave the house. Fire spreads quickly and even if flames haven’t gotten to the room where you want to save something, you could find yourself trapped.
A great thing to do is go through your home and look at all the possible exits and escape routes so you know what to do if you do wind up being trapped. Those with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking the ways out of each room.
Walk through your plan and check to make sure the routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily. You may think you have an easy out of a window, but if it’s stuck and won’t open easily, it could lead to disaster.
If there are infants, older adults or family members with mobility limitations in the house, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in in the event of an emergency. And have a backup in case that person isn’t home if a fire were to break out.
For those with rooms on an upper level, having escape ladders is a good way to ensure that there will be a way out, even if the fire has permeated the floor. Practice setting up the ladder from a first-floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly. And store it in a place that’s easy to get to (like under the bed) so you can find it right away if needed.
Choose an outside meeting place a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet after they’ve left the house so you know everyone is safe. And never go back in the home. Your mind might start thinking about that valuable vase or irreplaceable collectible, but your life is worth more than anything ever could be. Once out of the home, remain out and let the fire department come and do their job.
It’s a good idea to run a fire drill at least once a year so you can make sure everyone knows what to do and there will be less uncertainty if a future fire event does happen.
Five Easy Organizational Tips
Do you feel like you’re constantly battling clutter around the house? You’re not alone, and nothing can feel more frustrating than not being able to locate something when you need it, or wading through piles of items to get there. Below are five, easy organizational tips that can offer major upgrades:
Tension Rod for Pot Lids
If you store your pots and pans in a drawer, install a tension rod along the inside and slip your pot lids behind it. No more rattling pots or hard-to-find tops!
Gallon Bags for Drawers
Organize your underwear or t-shirt drawer by separating your items and storing them in gallon-sized plastic bags. You’ll never lose 10 minutes hunting for that pair of socks again.
CD Holders for Tupperware
Remember those old CD racks? Repurpose them in your Tupperware cabinet by using them to keep your lids separate, sorted and easy to grab.
Repurposed Wine Rack
Gifted a large wine rack that rarely feels full? Use it in a hallway or closet to store shoes, scarves and other items that need to be tucked away.
Muffin Tin Magic
Have a junk drawer that never stays organized? Slip a muffin tin inside to separate your odds and ends.
Healthy Ways to Manage Stress
We all have stress in our lives. Busy days at work, problems at home, traffic jams and money trouble are prime examples of stressful situations. However, chronic stress can lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and depression, so preventing and managing stress is essential to living happier and healthier.
Here are some tips from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help you deal with stress:
Prepare yourself. Prepare ahead of time for stressful events like a job interview or a hard conversation with a loved one. Stay positive, picture what the room will look like and what you’ll say, and have a backup plan.
Plan your time. Feeling in control of your situation could lower stress. Think ahead about how you’re going to use your time. Write a to-do list and figure out what’s most important-then do that thing first. Be realistic about how long each task will take.
Relax with deep breathing or meditation. These are two effective ways to relax your muscles and clear your mind.
Relax your muscles. Stress causes tension in your muscles. Try stretching or taking a hot shower to help you relax.
Get active. Regular physical activity can help prevent and manage stress. It can also help relax your muscles and improve your mood. Aim for 2.5 hours a week of physical activity. Try riding a bike, taking a walk or lifting weights. Be sure to exercise for at least 10 minutes at a time.
Eat healthy. Give your body plenty of energy by eating healthy, including vegetables, fruits and lean sources of protein.
Talk to friends and family. Tell your friends and family if you’re feeling stressed. They may be able to help.
Get professional help if you need it. Stress is a normal part of life. But if your stress doesn’t go away or keeps getting worse, you may need expert help. A mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or social worker, can help treat stress-related conditions. Lots of people need help dealing with stress-it’s nothing to be ashamed of.
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Four Mantras to Make You Happy
Some days, keeping a smile on your face can be a struggle. Whether you’re dealing with a stressful career, medical issues or just feeling weighed down by your daily routine, repeating positive mantras can help shift your mood—if you’re open to it.
Below are four helpful happy mantras to lift your mood.
You can do it. Whether you’re under a huge deadline for work or trying to finish that last mile on the treadmill, telling yourself that you can do it will make your success more likely. Be your own cheerleader!
Just breathe. Feeling overwhelmed? Remind yourself to breathe. Pair this mantra with big, deep inhalations to feel calmer and happier.
Thank you. Gratitude goes a long way, and can shift your perception of things (and the way people perceive you) if integrated into daily life. Be thankful for getting to work safely, even if you had a longer-than-usual commute. Be thankful you have the funds to buy groceries, even when your list of errands seems endless. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
No judgements. This is easier said than done, especially in a world where other people’s lives are constantly popping into our news feeds. Annoyed at your co-worker’s cheesy engagement photos? Irritated that your college roommate seems to be traveling constantly, when you can’t even afford a staycation? Remind yourself to pay attention to your own life, and don’t judge or envy others for their choices.
Avoid These Common Mistakes When Arranging Living Room Furniture
As any homeowner knows, the living room is a major focal point of the home. From family gatherings throughout the year to sitting back and watching TV together at the end of a long week, the living room is often a home’s social center for family and friends alike.
That being said, furniture placement can distract from such gatherings, affecting the comfort and functionality of the room.
Here are some mistakes to avoid when it comes to arranging your living room furniture:
Forgetting the focal wall.
A focal wall is the first place the eye comes to rest when entering a room. While not every living room has a focal wall, if yours does, you don’t want to pass it up. Set up the furniture so that most of the seating is facing or angled toward the wall you’ve pegged as the focal wall. A fireplace, mounted TV or picture window are natural places to have a focal wall.
Too much furniture.
Don’t clutter your living room with too much furniture. The couch should be the biggest piece in the room and should get the focus it deserves.
Start by pushing everything else out of the way in order to see where the sofa fits the best. Then bring in smaller pieces of furniture to complement the sofa.
Adding furniture you don’t use.
After arranging the furniture so that it works well in the space, don’t add nonessential items to the living room that aren’t used on a day-to-day basis. For example, don’t let a small side table or a chair that’s rarely used take up space for the sake of filling up the area.
Extra furniture is a good thing to have when friends and family visit, but it doesn’t have to take up space in a living room every day if it isn’t used on a consistent basis.
Keeping everything.
When moving from one home to another, some people put the same furniture in their new living room simply out of habit. Even if the room is the same size as the old one, it doesn’t always make sense to incorporate the same furniture into the space.
If you recently moved into a new home—or have a move on the horizon—it’s important to consider how much you use something before integrating it into your living space. Surface areas such as coffee tables, side tables and desks may not be needed as often as you think. In the same vein, storage areas such as cabinets and trunks may not be opened for years but will ultimately take up valuable space in the family’s main gathering place.
A couch against the wall.
Pushing a couch against a wall can be the easiest way to set up the living room, but it may not create as much space as you think. Instead of simply pushing the couch against the wall, try pulling it out at least 12 inches. This will create some space, which will ultimately make the room feel bigger.
While pushing the couch against the wall may be a good idea if you’re looking to get it out of the way, it can create a lot of dead space in the middle of the room. No matter your style, take the time to think outside the box and try something new…and see what happens.