Contemporary Living Room Design: Buying Versatile Furnishings

Versatile furniture pieces can provide a boon to your  contemporary living room design. When buying such pieces, ask yourself if it can be used in other places and rooms. Also, use your color scheme as a unifying element. Try to mix things up as well to give your space a new look once in a while. Here are more tips on choosing furnishings that will be useful enough to move to many different rooms.

• Pick furniture and accessories on the small side, so they will easily fit into most spaces once you move them around your home, or when you move into new homes.

• Collect useful storage pieces like a chest of drawers that can be used in a living room, foyer, bedroom, mudroom and more.

• Opt for 2 pieces of loveseat instead of one large couch. Just like the Ivory Bonded Leather Love Seat With 2 Accent Pillows by Monarch Specialties, they can be used separately or together in the living room, family room or den.

• Get upholstered furniture in a sturdy fabric of a pleasing natural color like the 3 Piece Distinct Style Italian Leather Sectional by EHO Studios. This will serve as your anchor color. Other colors to pleasing natural colors include tan, camel, dark green, navy and black.

• Collect fabrics, pillows and accessories that harmonize with your anchor. On a green loveseat, for instance, you can choose camel tapestry pillows for fall and yellow floral pillows for summer.

• Use slipcovers to change up the look of chairs and sofas without having to spend too much.

• Make your own side tables from plywood and cover them with an undercloth of felt for softness followed by a tablecloth of coordinating fabric. Aside from your living room, this should also be great as a nightstand by your bed.

• Buy some items in pairs like side chairs, vases, and lamps to add continuity and symmetry while still allowing some versatility by using each piece in different rooms when necessary.

• Come up with a versatile color scheme using your anchor color and while, and with other coordinating colors. Stick to these color choices for all your fabric and accessory purchases.

• If storage is an issue, consider adding furnishings that will incorporate storage. A coffee table with drawers like the Brooklyn Coffee Table by Nexera would be a great choice.

When arranging your furniture, think outside the box and use things in unexpected ways. You can put a loveseat at the end of a bed, fill a dresser with CDs and DVDs, or stash a TV under a tablecloth. Do not be afraid to experiment!