3 Must-Have Elements to Any Living Room

By Danielle Wirsansky on November 6, 2019

This article is brought to you by CORT Furniture Rental. We take the hassle out of furnishing your new place so you can do more important things like read this article. Learn more about why furniture rental is the best way to get a great looking apartment.

Once you move out of the dorms, most places that you will live will have a living room (and even when you did live in the dorm, you had a common room which was basically a living room anyways. Studio apartments are not exempt either, as most give you the option to make a living room space in there too).

Most people spend quite a bit of time in their living rooms. It is where you hang out when you want to be social, either with your roommates or with friends. Because it is a space that you inhabit so much, most people like to leave their mark on the space. But there are three must-have elements to any living room that you should really consider as you dive into adding those personal touches to your living room to make it comfortable for yourself as possible.

Photo by Chait Goli from Pexels

Life

A living room serves exactly the purpose that its name describes; it is a room where you do most of your living. Living means your breathing, your sitting, your napping, your lounging, your relaxing. You do it all in your living room. Of course, your room is a safe haven that is distinctly yours, especially in a shared living situation. But your living room is also a place for you to simply unwind, relax, and be at or find some peace with yourself. Your living room, to do its job effectively, must have signs of life in it.

Signs of life can be signs that you actually live there in that space (from a tousled blanket on the couch to the TV remote sitting on the arm of your favorite part of the sofa to sit) or even real signs of life, like a house plant (bamboo is an especially good option for college students since it is hardy, does not need that much light, and will not die if you forget to water it right away). Signs of life help make the environment of the living room less sterile and more into a warm, intimate space. This will make your living room seem more inviting not only to strangers but to you as well.

Personality

The next element necessary to any living room is a little bit of personality. Personality can go a lot of different ways in an interior decorating context. It can be displayed through a color palette, the style of furniture you choose, the way you arrange the room, even the art you put on display.

Sometimes, it can feel difficult to put your personality into your living room and the way that you decorate because most college students are short on funds. You cannot just go shopping and get all the furniture of your dreams. Many students just end up getting a furnished apartment or having to take hand me down furniture or whatever they can get for cheap. This means that the furniture that they get might not be exactly what they might have chosen should they have had free rein.

But just because you have a limited budget does not mean that you should allow yourself to get in a frump over it or let your living room have an awkward, unwelcoming vibe because you do not like the furniture and other details of it. Your limited budget does not mean you have to accept any old piece of furniture. Shop around and fight the best pieces or elements within your budget. You can even go and rent furniture, which might be more affordable and allow you to choose what your furniture and other living room accessories look like.

Light

Finally, the last element to consider for your living room is the light. Some people like darker spaces because the lack of light can make it feel more intimate. Other people like bright rooms because they find it cheery and it improves their mood. Be more creative than simply using your overhead light. Include lamps and other lights, like twinkle lights. These help you add more life and personality to your living room too. This way you can also play with the mix and balance of the light and darkness in your living room to better suit your mood, needs, or purposes.

You can also play with the natural light of the space. If your windows let in too much light, consider investing drapes (or even blackout curtains). Maybe you do not get enough natural light—change out your blinds for something that will let more of the light in.

Whether you are setting the mood or creating an ambiance, you can control so much of the intimacy of the space through light.

Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels

Having a healthy balance of these three elements in your living room will help make the space a success for you and anyone you invite over to spend time in it.

Looking for an easy way to furnish your off-campus apartment? Renting furniture from CORT saves you time and money. See how easy it is to get great looking furniture without breaking the bank.

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