12 Things in your Living Room you Should Get Rid Of
1 Piece of Furniture: Oftentimes in our living rooms, we have too much. Over the years of accumulation we find pieces of furniture that we fall in love with and MUST have. I challenge all you readers to find one piece of furniture that perhaps doesn’t fit the rooms’ aesthetic or compromises the flow. Alternatively, if your readers don’t want to do this, they could move around items in the living room to create a more inviting atmosphere. It’s important to note here, that we should never waste items: donate or perhaps find another place in the house that the piece fits better.
The TV: This may be controversial, but it has to be said. Only in modern times have we compromised the atmosphere of our homes' gathering space. We have forgotten that the living room is meant to be lived in! It’s a place for creating, reading, thinking, talking, playing games, and celebrating. Furthermore, the TV in many homes is the determinant of the furniture layout: chairs and sofas are directed towards it and not towards each other. This makes us watch TV by default when we enter a room. Ideally the TV could be placed in its own separate room, or if you dare, removed entirely.
The Collection of ‘Dollar Store’ Family Photos: Perhaps another controversial opinion, but remove the collection of photos in $10 frames that take up enormous amounts of landing space and never get looked at anyways! A solution to this would be to choose a few of your favorites that encapsulate the beauty of your family, buy frames that suit the design of the living, and appreciate them constantly.
Wires: A simple fix, but a big difference. If you can’t hide them completely, get creative with how they show up. You could choose the dollar store clips that keep them intact but try and use some imagination: my son uses an alligator head to hold his power cords beside his bed!
Outdated Media & Technology: Remove the collection of CD’s, VHS Tapes, etc... Nowadays we have streaming services that make these forms of media obsolete. Also remove outdated technology. A great example of this is oversized speakers! New systems allow for smaller speakers that can utilize bluetooth thus no wires.
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Dated Items: Never lock yourself into a decade; keep up with the world, and understand that styles and colour change every ~10 years. Remove all items that would signal purchase in another decade. A few pointers: empire lamp shades; the colours burgundy and dark green; pillows with moss fringe…
Throw Pillows: This is often one of the cheapest and most effective ways of bringing life into a space and giving a room a new look. Remember that oversized pillows are in right now and that less is often more. Allow for a couple lovely ones, not many mediocre ones.
The Odd Object Out: Oftentimes, we find ourselves falling in love with objects, without having the space we intend to put them in mind. Perhaps we picked up that rug in Morocco on our vacation last spring. It might be the most beautiful piece in the world, but that does not mean it works with a room. You have to think about it from an objective perspective!
Landing Spot Clutter: we tend to pile up things in certain areas of our living room. Remove the backlog of magazines and the years worth of newspapers because you’ll never read them. Free your space, free your mind!
It’s important to note in this last remark that these are general recommendations and are subject to the context of each individual home and homeowners’ identity! Every person is different and subsequently so are our spaces. You need to create a space that YOU love!
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Margaret Wilson has been designing interiors for 20+ years, however, her love of design and art goes far beyond interiors and follows her as she sees the beauty in everyday, ordinary objects. After studying Fine Art at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Margaret turned her love of color and spaces into a Interior Design firm that has been designing grand spaces for 15+ years. At the forefront of her design process is her clients’ personality, followed by a delicate harmony of beauty and functionality.
Her expertise in design has allowed her to work for people such as Paul Shaffer and The Seinfeld Family and has brought her from Park Ave, New York City to Paris, France and everywhere in between.
This year, Margaret has partnered with Purchase College to create a Design course for children to help spread her passion and give back to the community.
If you would like to learn more or discuss this topic at further length, please do not hesitate to call MW Design at 914-234-3094, or email Margaret@margaretwilsoninteriordesign.com