Large Living Rooms Don't Have To Be Stuffy To Have Classic Style

Achieving the right balance is particularly important in a large room. If there's too much space between furniture pieces, the room will have a chilly atmosphere. Push furnishings too close and the look may be too cluttered.

Scale is also a concern, because large pieces will fill blocks of space better than small furniture, which could become dwarfed by a large area. But without the right furniture arrangement, homeowners run the risk of devising a room plan that's too formal and stuffy.

The answer is to separate the space into several conversation areas so that it becomes a comfortable place for both everyday use and entertaining visitors.

Divide and Decorate
When a living room is a long rectangle, the shape can be used as an advantage, according to Houzz.com. Arranging the space into two squares, with bookshelves or a sofa table placed as dividers, will break up the area naturally. Using different rugs also divides the floor into distinct sections.

A fireplace may serve as a focal point with an equally weighty piece of furniture - such as a large bookcase or hutch - to counteract it across the room. Having two loveseats face each other in front of the fireplace is often more inviting than placing one long sofa along a wall. Or, two easy chairs can face a sofa, with a small table and a lamp for reading set between them.

By installing electric floor heating, homeowners can eliminate the baseboards and air ducts that may intrude on their room arrangement. Radiant heat operates by turning on an electric switch to bring uniform, energy-efficient warmth into a room.

In cases when a formal style works best for a particular room, the room design should be symmetrical. Or, home decorators can try a modified symmetry by having two identical sofas face each other but place different lamps or side tables alongside them.

Maintain Classic Style
To keep a classic look in a large room, the fabrics on a sofa and a loveseat can be different as long as they coordinate well in colors and patterns. Homeowners may use furniture already in the home by upgrading some pieces with new upholstery or slipcovers that can be changed seasonally.

A living room can become a warm, but classic space with the simple addition of special details - curved arms and backs on seating, metallic accents or a glass-topped coffee table. It's all about the details that give a room a personality of its own.