The living room is one of the most essential areas in a house. It’s where the entire family gets together after they go about their own daily routines. Moreover, the living room is also where you hold intimate get-togethers or all-out parties. That being said, you must select the most suitable modern living room sets if you’re into modern home decor.
Choosing the right modern furniture doesn’t only constitute a visually-appealing living room. But thinking of the right modern living room ideas means you’ll have everything you need to entertain people — whether it’s a small group of five or a big turnout of 50!
Before choosing the perfect modern living furniture, it’s important to know the basics of modern home decor. Modern home decor is one of the most popular styles in the United States. This is from a Statista online survey that involves 511 respondents.
Most developed countries, such as the United States, put great effort into home furnishings to increase market value. Whether they plan to sell their homes or not, a beautifully decorated home undeniably has a higher market value.
What is Modern Home Decor?
Modern and contemporary home decors are sometimes used interchangeably. While the two have minute similarities, it’s crucial to know what entails modern home decor before buying furniture pieces.
Modern home decor dates back to Scandinavian architecture. It was referred to as the “age of machination.” The primary concept behind modern home decor is that form follows function. That said, the overall style, shape, and decorative elements of particular furniture must have a purpose. If living room furnishings and all of the decorating details don’t have a purpose, then it’s better to eliminate it.
It’s safe to say modern living room sets are stripped off of unnecessary decorative elements. The furniture pieces are typically made of natural materials, have earthy and neutral colors, and are beautifully simple. These design factors are contrary to its design counterpart, which is the contemporary home style. While contemporary living room sets may be adorned with a range of colors, modern furniture typically has monochromatic colors.
Characteristics of Modern Living Room Space
If you’re eyeing a modern living room decor for your house, get to know the characteristics first. This is to create a cohesive layout and overall look that will surely WOW anyone who sets their eyes on your pieces. Here are a few things to remember:
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The most essential aspect of modern living room decor is that it shows off an uncluttered look that’s simple yet elegant. Now that you know the basics of modern home decor, here are some modern living room sets you should look into and how to choose the perfect ones.
How to Choose the Perfect Modern Living Room Sets
In this section, we’ll delve into the most basic and ornamental modern furniture that should make your living room complete. We’ll also share some tips on how to choose some of the pieces to make for a harmonious overall look.
1. Living Room Sofa
A living room won’t be complete without a sofa. Sofas are typically considered the centerpiece in a living room, regardless of the style. Depending on the type of sofa you opt for, a beautiful sofa has the power to transform your living room into a stunning area. More importantly, make sure that the sofa is in the limelight in your living room.
When choosing a sofa, always go for comfort first than aesthetics. Of course, a sofa is the first thing you’ll see when you come into the living room. However, it’s more practical to choose one that provides maximum comfort, especially if the entire family lazes around on the sofa the entire day.
Modern living room sofas are subtle yet eye-catching. Furthermore, you have several options to choose from, and the choice is entirely up to your preference and lifestyle. Here are the most common types of living room sofas:
Leather Sofa
One of the most common sofa choices is a leather sofa. Due to its overall elegant look, people prefer this over other sofa types. Moreover, leather sofas are also excellent to pair with almost any type of home decor. Leather sofas typically come in black or brown colors, which make it very adaptable to any other design pieces.
Motion Sofa
Motion sofa provides additional comfort and convenience for homeowners. Simply put, motion sofas are reclining sofas that give you an option to adjust the backrest and height. These benefits are perfect when you have many people sitting on it as they can adjust it according to their preference. Also, a lot of homeowners prefer reclining sofas because they’re not only perfect in the living room. But you may also put them in the bedroom, entertainment room, or home office.
Slipcovered Sofa
If you don’t want the upscale look of leather, you can always opt for slipcovered sofas. This type of sofa is perfect if you have kids since you can easily remove the cover to wash it if it’s soiled. The cover can also be in velvet, cotton, and more.
Sectional Sofa
One of the most modern living room sets, sectional sofas are relatively bigger than other types of sofas. This type is ideal for big families as it can accommodate even up to 10 people! Plus, it’s easy to decorate sectional sofas as you can add throw pillows to create accent pieces.
Tips for living room sofa placement:
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2. Coffee Table/Cocktail Table
Along with your sofa, a coffee table is a must to put things like magazines, books, drinks, ashtrays, and more. On the other hand, a cocktail table is typically displayed in front of the sofa, especially if you’re hosting guests.
Although both tables have a similar purpose, the only difference is the shape and style. Coffee tables usually have round tops, and a few coffee tables also have rectangular tops or square tops.
When choosing coffee tables, there are two things you need to consider: table shapes and materials.
There are four common coffee table shapes and they are:
- Oval — Perfect for homes with kids as there are no sharp edges
- Rectangular — Rectangular coffee tables are more modern looking and offer a vast amount of space
- Round — Versatile for families or guests who want to share a meal in the living room together
- Square — Has symmetrical appeal that is excellent for a modern living room decor
Another thing you should consider about coffee tables is the material. Coffee tables are all about texture, so choose the material wisely. And since we’re selecting the best modern living room sets, we’ll give you five common ones:
- Marble
- Brass
- Wood
- Glass
- Mirrored
3. Chairside Table
Don’t stop after you’ve picked out your sofa. Chairside tables are extremely useful for aesthetics and functionality. A chairside table is also different from a regular side table. And the difference lies in the shape.
Regular side tables are typically square-shaped and are usually placed between sofas. These tables can act as the “joint” that connects two large sofas. Although regular side tables are perfect for use, they sometimes don’t weave into the other furniture pieces like recliners, armchairs, and whatnot.
And that’s why choosing a chairside table is a smarter choice. They are narrower and don’t pose as a hindrance anywhere you put them. Here are a few tips when choosing a chairside table:
Height. Make sure that the table is just right below the seat’s arm or level with it. You want to ensure that it’s easy for you to access whatever you’re putting down on it. A typical sofa arm is around 24 to 32 inches in height. So your table must be between that range.
Look. Always go for a look that complements the other furniture pieces. There’s a variety of shapes, textures, materials, and overall style to choose from. So when you’re in a pickle about what to pick, assess your current modern living room sets. Either make it similar or create contrast.
Shape. No one can ever go wrong with a round-shaped table! It’s the perfect shape that creates balance in your living room. But if you prefer more space to work with, a rectangular shape is better.
Storage. Another benefit of a chairside table is storage. If you want additional storage, go for a table with drawers or shelves. The added function can keep clutter away from your living room as well.
4. Chaise Lounge
Another beautiful and luxurious piece of furniture you can add to your living room is the chaise lounge. Also known as the “long chair,” a chaise lounge is basically a chair that can also support your legs. So you can lay on it like a small bed.
The popularity of the chaise lounge dates back to the 16th century in France. French craftsmen created the chaise lounge to rich people so they can comfortably lay down if they need to rest without going to the bedroom.
Now, the chaise lounge has become a status symbol. But more than that, the overall appeal also screams luxury, elegance, and comfort. If you’re still undecided whether or not a chaise lounge is necessary, here are a couple of reasons why you need a chaise lounge:
- They make your living room look bigger because they don’t have bulky backrests
- Chaise lounges are versatile
- You can have two of them without overwhelming visual appeal
- They are a perfect reading spot
- These chairs don’t block your view because they don’t have large backrests
- Adds a nice sculptural appeal with its nice lines and curves
- They’re very glamorous
5. Accent Cabinet
Choose modern living room sets that also showcase its innate texture. For instance, displaying an accent cabinet could create a focal point in your living room. Accent cabinets are huge and can be the center of attention in a large space as well.
When choosing one, take note of the texture and style. Make sure that it stands out but isn’t left out of place when scrutinizing all the pieces. Moreover, an accent cabinet doesn’t only act as an ornamental detail, but it also lets you store things to prevent clutter in your living room.
6. Bookcase
If you want to make your living room more interesting, display a stunning bookshelf. This is ideal for book lovers and avid magazine readers. A bookcase is another lovely display that can make heads turn in the living room. Additionally, it also doubles as storage to keep everything in excess.
When choosing a bookshelf, make sure that it accentuates the overall style of your living room. Remember that modern home decor is more on simplicity, away from excess decorative details.
As for the shape of the bookcase, take note that when choosing one you need to remember how to create visual balance in the living room. A bookcase is typically very tall. That said, try to spread tall furniture pieces throughout the living room instead of grouping them together. Putting all tall pieces together will make for an unbalanced look.
Here are a few bookcase placements you can consider to establish visual harmony:
- Behind the sofa
- Around the entertainment center
- Either side of the fireplace
- As a side table
Ensure that you know the proper placement of your bookcase. Or else, it will hinder the living room’s natural flow.
7. Entertainment Center
If the entire family spends most of their time in the living room, an entertainment center is one way to strengthen that bond with family members. An entertainment center doesn’t only create a focal point in the living room, but it’s excellent for showcasing your television, surround sound system, gaming consoles, speakers, and more.
An entertainment center in the living room is also another way to bring the family together for movie marathons, friendly games, and watching the news together. Plus, when you’re regularly inviting friends over, it can be the element that entertains them throughout the night. Here is an example of a modern living room entertainment piece.
Wrap Up
Finding the most suitable modern living room sets means you’re one step closer to your dream living room. Ensure that you know how to create visual cohesion and symmetry to make for a beautiful living room. Check out Local Furniture Unit for more of those exceptional modern living room furniture.