6 Ways to Create a Summery, Laid-Back Living Room
My friend recently moved into a new apartment and has trouble decorating her living room. She wants a fresh start so I’m stopping by to help her dabify it with AllModern. I’m excited to partner with them for another fun makeover! They are my go-to shop for modern and stylish designs. They have a curated list for all the hot summer finds. And you know what makes shopping even better? The fast and free shipping!
Let’s check out the before space shall we? My friend chose a great space with lots of potential. The living room has gray walls and you all know how I feel about that. She isn’t a fan of the drab color either, nor the ceiling fan. But the space is a good size. It’s about 16 ft x 13 ft. It has original hardwood floors, and a faux brick fireplace with shelving that adds a bit of architectural detail. And since summer is just around the corner I’m going to create a fun, laid back vibe for her. Here are my 6 tips to creating a summery living room for all year round.
1. Paint Your Walls and Ceiling a Vibrant Color
First things first, we are getting rid of the gray walls. One of my friend’s favorite colors is actually yellow and having grown up in Kansas City, the sunflower is also one her favorite flowers, too. That made my job easy because we love yellow here! To start, we’re painting the walls with Valspar Sunday Brunch. And not just the walls, we’re painting the ceilings too to make the room even more bold and dramatic. We left the big fireplace white for a bit of contrast. Nothing screams summer like a warm yellow!
2. Play with Curves
Next, it’s time to find the right pieces. The laid back vibe is all about curves and organic shapes. We chose a comfy, curved sofa and an armchair with rounded edges which gives a soft and cozy vibe. The coffee and accent tables are also rounded which creates a smooth flow around the space instead of running into sharp corners. Even the chandelier and table lamp have curvy designs to make it feel relaxed and airy.
3. Mix Materials
Mix in wood, woven textures (knits, throws, and pillows), and ceramics to add warmth to a space. Here we picked a tripod wooden floor lamp, pillows with woven touches in warm hues, and also a painted ceramic vase to give it a handmade touch.
4. Lean Back
A fun way to achieve the laid-back look is by filling your space with artworks. Instead of hanging the artworks above the mantel, we chose to lean them against the wall for a more casual look. We love the abstract blue print against the yellow wall. And the rust color print ties in with the color of the sofa. Be sure to overlap them in different sizes as well to create variation in height.
5. Invite the Outdoors In
My friend doesn’t have a backyard or patio but we are not letting that stop us from bringing the outdoors in. Did you know that AllModern also sells plants? We chose this snake plant which does well with low indoor light.
6. All About the Balance
Since we painted the walls and ceiling a vibrant color, we chose a more neutral rug to balance it out. It’s like the color of sand. And this rug with black lines adds enough visual interest without competing with the walls. So just imagine yourself at the beach with this bright yellow warm sun shining above and soft sand under your feet.
