The living room focal point is designed to draw the eye, to act as the heart of the room from which the rest of the design grows. It’s all about finding that one part of the room that captures the most attention. Here, I’m going to look at some ideas behind excellent focal points for your living room, as well as a couple of mistakes you should avoid. I plan on following my own advice with these tips as we are looking to make the most out of our own living room focal point at the moment, having recently moved.
Use Them To Make The Room Look Bigger
If you’re decorating a small room, then you should use every trick in the book to make it seem a little more spacious. Using a wide mirror, such as above your mantlepiece, is an excellent way to do that. Mirrors are great at reflecting natural light, helping it fill the space much more effectively. You can space wall art on either side of it to help draw the eye towards it, as well.
Don’t Let Your TV Be Your Focal Point
Often, a large TV will be the focal point of a room by default since they tend to stand out and be positioned to draw attention as much as possible. However, this can be a little tacky and undermine the rest of your décor choices. You don’t have to get rid of it but you can hide or disguise your TV, such as by using closets, so it doesn’t demand more attention than it needs. We’ve always made this mistake in the past.
Do Highlight Architectural Features When Possible
Older homes will have the easiest time doing just this. Highlighting architectural features such as fireplaces or cubby holes shows off what’s most unique about your home, adding a sense of time and class to it. If you don’t already have one, inset electric fires can help you create a focal point out of nothing. Few things look more welcoming and warming than a hearth, but you don’t have to deal with all the hassle that comes with having a natural one. I certainly couldn’t be chewed with the clearing out and relaying of an open fire.
Living Room Focal Point Tips: Don’t Clutter Them
You want attention to naturally be drawn to the living room focal point but surrounding it with endless stuff can have quite the opposite effect. Make sure you plan your living room layout to give it enough space and make sure that your furniture isn’t crowding around it too much. It can end up distracting and detracting away from it.
Use Living Room Focal Points To Cover Up Empty Walls
If you have a large empty wall in the room, it’s going to attract attention for the wrong reason. Big walls can be awkward spaces, but you can just as easily make them a focal point by turning them into a feature wall. Wall art, photo galleries, and the like can add a lot of personality but, if you’re aiming for a more minimalist look, feature wallpaper can give them more character without filling them with tons of stuff.
A well-placed living room focal point can set the mood for the room, bring attention to the most attractive features, and make a real statement. Hopefully, the tips above give you a better idea of what it should and shouldn’t be. Now I need to find myself a feature wallpaper. Or a mirror.
