Space may be highly desirable in most reception rooms, but decorating a living room that is way too big for only a few sticks of furniture can be a bit of a challenge. Overly large living rooms can often look great in a photograph but feel like they are cold places to inhabit. However, you can help tame an oversized living room by making it seem a smaller than it actually is. And there is no need to spend a pile of cash on lounge furniture that you do not actually need.

Too much unused seating can make your living room feel like a waiting room, which hardly creates a homely feel. Equally, a large living room that is bereft of soft furnishings will give a Spartan-like feel. Instead of either mistake, break up the space with some advanced design tips. Use colors to your advantage and make the most of your wall space. With the right approach, even the largest of living rooms can be made to feel in proportion and even cosy.

Wall Treatments.

Lighter tones reflect light around a room just as darker colors soak it up. As designers know, it is for this reason that most people choose to paint small rooms in off white and soft colors. For a larger room, that you want to make feel less spacious, opt for the reverse. Select walls colors that are inviting and relaxing and don’t be afraid to cover entire walls with single tones of paint work. Good colors to choose include darker greens, soft browns and deep blues.

Bold Artwork.

Another way that designers break up large expanses of wall is to go for bold art displays. In smaller rooms an eclectic display of several wall hung images works well. In a larger room a single statement, with an oversized picture, will usually do a better job. Single pieces of wall hung art work, dominating a facade, will make the entire room seem like it is more in proportion, even if it has not been filled with living room furniture. Alternatively, a single piece of functional sculpture, like a bespoke chimney flue, will help with the effect of making the room appear more cosy.

Double Height Rooms.

Cavernous living rooms don’t just feel soulless because of their expansive floor space. If you are decorating a large lounge which is double height, the problem can be exacerbated. Nevertheless, take the same approach with a double height living room as you would with a regular one. Use visual cues that express a single storey height, but apply them from floor to ceiling. Use artwork that extends the eye line upwards. Fit drapes that cover the double height of the room, for the same effect, too.

Central Zones.

Create a room within a room by making a central zone in an expansive living room. This is an attractive idea if the room you are decorating is open plan with other living spaces and reception rooms. Place a rug next to a central living room feature, such as a fire place. The change in flooring material alone creates a new zone. Arrange your living room furniture around the rug so that it feels comfortable, and flood the area with light. Don’t worry about spare space behind the central zone. You don’t have to fill it at all.

Dividers.

Break up the space in your large room with some dividers. This way you create false walls that break up the visual look of the room. Dividers are a great addition to a central zone and can make them fell even cosier. Book shelves are great at providing this desirable discontinuity, but how about using a simple piece of fabric that is suspended between two zones instead? This is a very inexpensive way of warming up a cold and super-sized lounge.

Picture sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11and 12.