The lounge is an important room in the day to day life of your home, but when it gets to winter, we use it all the more. After all, where do most families set up their Christmas tree, gather to watch festive movies, or end up having a sneaky snooze when they have eaten too much turkey? Of course, it’s the lounge, and if you read the post below, you can discover how to make yours perfect for a rocking Christmas.
Sofa
I think that the most important piece of furniture in any lounge is the sofa, as this is where most of the family will sit, lounge, or lie, and it also usually takes up the most room too. That means you want to choose it well.
However, there are a lot of factors that need to be considered before you make your financial decision, not least the cost of a sofa, as they are definitely not cheap. Then, you will want to think about the colour, pattern, and fabric choice, remembering to match these to both the style of the room as well as the particulars of your life. That means, for example, if you have young children, a white damask may not be the best choice. Something darker that won’t show the spots and can be wiped clean instead, like a leather sofa, may be more practical.
You better get your sofa right for Christmas if you want somewhere to relax.
Above all else, though you will want to make sure that the sofa you pick for your lounge is comfy. No one wants to sit their bolt-upright when they are jammed full of turkey and watching the Queen’s speech. With this in mind, check out models that have reclining features or chaise sections so everyone can stretch out and enjoy themselves.
Tables
Question: Where do you put your hot chocolate, a cup of tea, and a bowl of Christmas snacks? On a side or coffee table, of course, meaning that they are also essential elements of a Christmas suitable room.
However, deciding which to get and in what style can be problematic! Do you go for side tables than sit at the end of the sofa, or for something lower and larger like a coffee table that stands between the settee and the TV?
The best way to decide is to fit your tables around the sofa you have. A settee that is part of a three-piece suit is often a little more formal, and that means two end tables placed at either use can work better.
However, if you have a large modular or corner sofa, there may not be room for this, so a coffee table is a more practical choice. Just remember, whichever you choose get some festively themed coasters to protect the wood and spread a little Christmas cheer for when people place down their eggnog or sherry.
Will your eggnog be sitting on a side table or a coffee table?
Curtains
Curtains keep the heat in and the big wide world out. Something that makes them an essential part of any lounge decor. They are also critical in setting the tone of your room and giving you the ambience that you are looking for this Christmas.
All curtains should be as thick as possible and double lined if you can afford it, as this not only makes them hang wonderfully but also acts as extra insulation, saving on the heating bill in the winter. Pick plain curtains in heavy fabrics to accent modern style living rooms. While a carefully selected pattern can work best for a more vintage look.
Remember to measure your window space in the correct way before purchasing any premade curtains to ensure they fit perfectly. Alternatively, if you have an unusual window size or shape go for custom made curtains instead to get the right look. Add some tie backs to keep them looking their best during the day, and you can ‘batten down the hatches’ when it starts getting dark at 4 pm and enjoy those long Christmas evenings.
TV and entertainment
Like it or not, the focal point of most lounges these days of the television, and this isn’t likely to change during the Christmas period because of all the great telly that will be on. That means you might as well just embrace it and make that area of the room look as pleasant as possible.
To do this is a good idea to consider an entertainment unit. This is a large series of shelves that fix the wall. There you can place your TV and other media systems, so they look neat and tidy, but are still easily accessible for the Eastenders Christmas special and the Christmas Carol episode of Blackadder that they show every year.
You can even get them with a door attached too. Something that means if you do decide to play charades with the family after your turkey dinner, you can shut the goggle box away for a bit!
Floors
In the winter, it’s always nice to have carpets in the lounge, then you don’t have to worry about cold feet when you get up for another mince pie. However, installing carpet just because it would be nice for Christmas may be a little expensive. Luckily, you can get similar benefits from seeking out an attractive rug instead.
You could go for something with the vintage hippy vibe in a Persian style. Alternatively, many of the larger homeware retailers have pretty reasonably priced rugs that will fill a decent spot in your living room. Something that means you can at least have space under your feet protected from the cold.
Lighting
Last of all don’t forget the joy of being able to settle down in front of the telly in the lounge, dim the lights and watch The Snowman. Of course, to be able to do this, you will need dimmable lights and fixtures that have traditionally been a bit of a pain to install.
However, now you can get Smart bulbs that are dimmable from your phone, which makes it all a lot easier. Check out this guide to find out more about them so you can get them installed before Christmas proper hits.