| The living room is the most difficult room in | | | | entertain a great deal perhaps another chair |
| the house to decorate, because most | | | | or two. But if you don't entertain, don't |
| families...well..live in it! It has to be all | | | | bother to get those extra chairs! They just |
| things to all people. In the contemporary | | | | add clutter. So does having three or four |
| style, this effect is easy to achieve. If | | | | decorative pillows for each chair as well as |
| you're like most people, you and your family | | | | for the couch. Simplicity is the watchword, |
| spend most of your time at home in the living | | | | let each piece of furniture speak for itself, |
| room. That's where you have the couch and | | | | don't try to hide it or "dress" it. Windows |
| chairs, the television and entertainment | | | | Windows come in all shapes and sizes, and |
| center, the bookcases and the ornaments. It's | | | | depending on how large they are can be that |
| the living room, therefore, that can be the | | | | focal point of the room that we were talking |
| most difficult room to decorate. The | | | | about earlier. What is the size of your |
| essential item to remember when doing any | | | | windows? In which direction do they face? (Do |
| kind of decorating is to have each room as | | | | you have the sun streaming into the room in |
| livable as possible. If you have a lot of | | | | the morning, or in the afternoon?) And what |
| young children you won't want a lot of | | | | is your view? Do you have a pleasant view |
| breakable bric-a-brac in your living room. No | | | | across a greensward, or are you looking at |
| matter how many times you impress upon them | | | | someone else's house across the street? Each |
| not to touch, there's always a chance that | | | | of these factors determines whether you'll |
| they will touch, and break, your breakables. | | | | decorate - or "dress" your windows for |
| That's one reason why the contemporary style | | | | privacy, for light control, or to complete |
| of home decorating advocates having only a | | | | the design of your room. Whatever the |
| very few accessories placed around the room. | | | | purpose, the window "treatments," as |
| Another reason for having only a few | | | | decorators call it, will be simple ane |
| accessories - from flower vases to statuettes | | | | elegant, in the contemporary style. Walls |
| to decorative cups or plates - is simply that | | | | It's a given that light, solid colors are the |
| the contemporary design style advocates | | | | best for walls - such colors make the room |
| minimalism. An absence of clutter. Not only | | | | appear larger and brighter, and show off any |
| does this make it easier to keep the room | | | | and all wall hangings - from paintings to |
| clean - no need to dust all your | | | | posters to masks - to best effect. Beige and |
| dust-collecting knick knacks - but it also | | | | white are the easiest colors to work with, |
| makes the room look neater. What is the focal | | | | and blend in well with the rest of the room. |
| point of the room? For most people, that's | | | | Lighting In contemporary interior design, the |
| usually the entertainment center - complete | | | | lighting comes not from a central fixture in |
| with large-screen TV, DVD player, CD player, | | | | the ceiling, but rather from stand alone |
| and storage areas for DVDs and VHS tapes. | | | | lamps of elegant metallic design, and a few |
| However, contemporary design doesn't insist | | | | desk lamps - which can be in bright colors to |
| that you have an entertainment center - so if | | | | add a splash to the room. Balance Leave |
| you're not into television don't worry about | | | | yourself plenty of room in which to move |
| it! The principle behind decorating a room is | | | | around, and don't overstuff your living room |
| to center everything around a focal point - | | | | with furniture or decor that you don't need. |
| whether that's the entertainment center, a | | | | With contemporary design, simple is always |
| fireplace, or a lovely sofa. Of course in the | | | | best! |
| living room you may well have a fireplace and | | | | |
| an entertainment center, in which case you'd | | | | Adam Peters contributes adding content to . |
| probably choose the entertainment center as | | | | For additional information on floor lamps or |
| the focal point. Around the entertainment | | | | contemporary decorating subjects have a look |
| center you'll have furniture. The traditional | | | | at his web. |
| couch and two armchairs...and if you | | | | |