Home Tree Atlas: Home Decor Ideas and Mood Boards

Sunken Living Room Ideas and Designs

There are two different design styles when it comes to sunken living room ideas. You’ve got designs where the whole living room is sunken like in picture (1). Then you have designs where only a portion of the living room is a step down.

If you have a large living room space, then having a section dropped down can create a cozy and intimate space, ideal for watching TV or socialsing – just like in pictures (2) (3) (4) and (5).

Most homes will have the whole living room a step down. This is to break up a large open area. You create a cozy room but in a larger space. At the same time you create a smooth transition from one space to the next – which doesn’t happen when you put up walls. When you start putting up walls, each space feels a lot smaller. Check out picture (6) where you have the living room sunken down and above you have the kitchen and dining room. It is all in one open space, yet divided up nicely. The same goes for the living rooms in pictures (7) and (8).

Things to Watch Out For

The step down living room is a design style taken from the 50-70s. So you’ll want to be careful to not build a dated living room look. In the pictures there are some living rooms that look a little bit more retro than others. While some sunken designs look completely modern.

Another thing to watch out for is safety of young ones. Depending on the floor plans, the sunken living room can have a few areas that could cause a fall. So railings might be in order. 1/2/3/5/6/7/8

December 30, 2013 in Construction, Living Room

Dream Features: Luxury Living Room Design Ideas

When it comes to luxury, is it about the amount of space you have, or is it about how well you use the space you have? Is it about how much money spent on the living room decor? I don’t think so. When it comes to luxury, everyones tastes’ differ. For me, these are the things that make up a luxury living room.

Lighting Like a Designer

I believe lighting can make a huge, huge difference in the look and feel of a room. It can turn an ordinary looking living room into a luxury one. What makes the modern living room in picture (1) so special? For me it is the great use of lighting. In this living room, two textured walls have been fitted in to create a great focal point. Without the lighting it wouldn’t look so great. The room has also been designed with symmetry in mind.

Picture (2) shows another well lit living room. Overhead recessed lights and cove lighting (The Beauty of Using Cove Lighting: Ideas and Designs) light up this room. You’ve also got the feature fire place. But another lighting feature in this high end living room is the display shelves on the side. Now these would’t look so great without the back lighting.

So the question is, how can you light your living room to add that luxurious touch? It can be something as simple as adding dimmers so you have full control over the lights – will tonight need romantic or reading lighting?

A Room With a View

The view in picture (3) would take some money to buy. This doesn’t mean you can’t create your own amazing view out of your living room. Think about what you’d like to see out the windows. Plants, sculptures, a fountain, a bird bath… Also light up your outdoor space in a magical way so you have a wonderful view at night. How about using string lights (Home Decor Ideas: Creative Ways of Using String Lights Outdoors)? Create your own view.

Looking Up

Here is another feature that would have to be bought with the house. Double height ceilings. Just check out the living room designs in pictures (4) (5) and (6). A high ceiling allows you to have hanging lights, like pendants or chandeliers which always adds a touch of glamor. The high ceilings also allow you to have a more decorative ceiling – like exposed beams.

If you move yourself into a loft, you’ll automatically have the luxurious benefit of having high ceilings – just like in pictures (7) and (8).

2 Interior Design Tips

1. In most living rooms the focal point will be the seating area and the coffee table. So I would put most of my attention here. Searching for great looking furniture and a unique coffee table, and a few elegant decor pieces.

2. If you take a look at picture (9) there is not a lot going on. I would say not a lot of money has been spent here, but I see it as a luxury living room design (everyone has different tastes). Once again, the coffee table is the focal point here, and a unique and elegant one has been used. Another thing that makes me see this as a luxury space is that it is clutter free.

If you want to take it up a notch – how about turning a room into a home theater: Designs and Ideas For a Basement Home Theater. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

Here are more living room posts to get ideas from:

December 30, 2013 in Living Room

Home Decor Ideas: Using Mason Jars

The reason I like Mason Jar craft ideas is because glass is a classic, timeless and premium material. Would you rather drink out of a plastic or glass cup? Because of the vintage feel Mason Jars have, a lot of people have done amazing things with them.

Housing Memories

One of my favourite kinds of DIY projects is finding different ways to create photo stands. Yup, you can use Mason Jars to showoff photos just like the ones from a wedding in picture (1). The more vintage looking the photos the better – how about using black and white photos?

In the Kitchen and Beyond

A great way to decorate a kitchen is to showcase great looking kitchenware in open or glass cabinets. Say you have copper pots – why not hang them on the wall. Or if you use mason jars as bowls (2) or even as a drink mixer (3), have them out on display. You could even attach Mason Jars to a strip of wood to create a storage rack, like the crafting wall in picture (4).

Getting Technical

This next Mason Jar DIY project was an eye opener. Sarah Pease created audioJar, speakers made out of Mason Jars (5). I wasn’t expecting that…

Lighting Up the Jars

Next we come to the lighting section. I really like the rustic DIY Mason Jar chandelier that uses candles in picture (6), created as wedding decor. Pigeon Toe use to make mini ceramic votive lanterns, using the Mason Jar design (7) – which are classy. And what a great way to light up a garden (8) – sticking colored crafting paper inside the jars, then using battery candles to light them up. Then there is always the option to turn the whole Mason Jar into a candle, as seen in picture (9). These would make great gifts or centrepieces.

Customise and Decoration Ideas

You can create your own Mason Jar designs by taking an ordinary jar and using a glue gun you can write your own words. A little spray paint later and you have your own jar design (10).

Or how about taking out some glass paint to colorise the jars to your liking (11). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11

December 25, 2013 in Decor, DIY

Getting Crafty: DIY Outdoor Lighting Ideas

With a little creativity, there is a lot that can be done in the DIY department when it comes to outdoor lighting. The good thing about the DIY outdoor lighting ideas below is that they don’t require any hard wiring.

The Beauty of the Flame

One quick way of adding lighting outdoors is by using fire! Design Sponge has 2 great DIY lighting projects. The first is a tin can lantern that has holes punched in them to add a decorative flair seen in picture (1). The second project is a how to guide to making the elegant bottle tiki torches in picture (2).

If it is winter time, why not use 2 bowls (one small bowl weighed down in a bigger bowl) to create ice lanterns. Freeze in some plants or flowers at the same time to add in some decor. Pop in a votive candle and you are done – you have your own ice lantern (3) perfect for a winter wedding or just garden decor.

Any outdoor table, like on a patio (Low Effort Decor: Easy to Do Patio Lighting Ideas), can have some tabletop lighting added to it. Candles in lanterns (to protect from the wind) work as seen in picture (4), so do oil lanterns and battery operated/wireless lights.

Hanging votive candles are a beautiful sight. Head on over to In My Own Style to see how to make the hanging glass globe votive holders seen in picture (5).

And how about this simply ingenious idea by a A Subtle Revelry (6). Just by using candles and wooden stakes you can quickly make your own tiki torches.

Oh String Lights

One of my favourite light fixtures (they are so cheap, and so much can be done with them!). Check out my post here for a bunch of photos and ideas on what can be done with them outdoors: Home Decor Ideas: Creative Ways of Using String Lights Outdoors. In picture (7) string lights have been stuffed inside an old oil lantern to create a hanging lamp.

Wrap string lights around a hola hoop and hang that up to create your own DIY outdoor chandelier. Wrap them around trees, railings – anything really! Hang them overhead to create a nice soft glow (8). Paper lanterns can also be added to the mix to create a romantic and whimsical outdoor setting – just like in picture (9).

From the Sun

On the solar front, old mason jars and solar lights can be combined to create elegant SunJars seen below. You can follow along with the instructions at Creative Cain Cabin. Mason Jars can also be used as votive (or battery powered) candle lanterns – just like in the picture below. Check out my post here for more Mason Jar ideas: Home Decor Ideas: Using Mason Jars.

An Outdoor Chandelier

There are a few ways you can go about creating your own outdoor chandelier. One way is to use string lights and a hula hoop, mentioned above. In picture (10) a chandelier has been made using jars, a piece of wood and candles. Or how about using a large plant basket to hang up an arrangement of candles (11). 10/11