• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Property
      • Neighbourhood Guides
      • Work & Finance
        • CDNIS School newsWhat’s new on the school scene?
        • Dr. Stephanie JOHNNIDES Veterinary clinic3 Hong Kong veterinarians with a passion for pets
        • Hong Kong news - new book by Robert Ferguson, Wild Creatures of Hong KongWhat’s new in Hong Kong?
        • Business ownersBringing female business owners together
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Mid-Autumn Festival LanternsTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • Hong Kong news - new book by Robert Ferguson, Wild Creatures of Hong KongWhat’s new in Hong Kong?
        • Trivia Time: 20 Questions on TV
        • rugby world cup teamsRugby World Cup teams and timings!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • CDNIS School newsWhat’s new on the school scene?
        • CDNIS English teacherBuilding Momentum at CDNIS HK
        • Technology educationWhy STEAM and technology education matters
        • Paul Wicker - Headmaster Malvern CollegeMeet the new Headmaster at Malvern College
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Furniture & Décor
      • Real Homes
        • MARIANNE OBENA - decluttering, organising and organisation skillsMake decluttering the home a breeze
        • Interior eye candy, modern homes and resort luxury!
        • Home decor furniture Hong KongHome news: décor, furniture & more!
        • Best pillows HeveyaHow to choose the best pillow for you!
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
        • Live in Hong Kong reader survey 2023Expat Living Reader Survey 2023
        • Mongolia - kidsA family adventure in Mongolia
        • Mount DavisHiking Ideas: A Mount Davis Meander
        • Voco hotel MelbourneA cool Melbourne hotel in the heart of the city
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • new restaurants - bengal brothersNew nibbles: where to dine this September
        • Live in Hong Kong reader survey 2023Expat Living Reader Survey 2023
        • Middle Eastern Restaurants and cuisine in Hong Kong - Mama MaloufTaste Test: Middle Eastern Eats
        • Taste Test: Where to get great burgers in HK
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Hair and beauty salonOne-stop shop for hair, skincare and beauty
        • Lip glossesTried and Tested: Lip glosses and lip liners
        • Live in Hong Kong reader survey 2023Expat Living Reader Survey 2023
        • capsule wardrobe minimalistHow to build a capsule wardrobe
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • Dr Keith HarimanBusting myths around treatment-resistant depression
        • rugby world cup teamsRugby World Cup teams and timings!
        • Mindlife-ADHDIs adult ADHD affecting your relationship?
        • Live in Hong Kong reader survey 2023Expat Living Reader Survey 2023
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Close

How to bring your living room to life!

25 May, 2023 by Expat Living 4 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/living-room-design-tips-decor-carpets-lamps-ginger-jars/

A well-curated mix of decorative elements in a living room helps show off your style and personality. When adding these elements, the personal mantra of KAVITA MATHUR, founder of online treasure trove Red Velvet Designs, is to “retain a passion for design and colour, focus on the details and, most importantly, be courageous – create a space that is truly you.” Here are some key décor items that Kavita uses in her living room design – from carpets to ginger jars – and some tips on how to choose the right pieces for your home.

Choosing the right pieces

As Kavita points out, the “good old days” of a living room only being used to host a tea party or lavish dinner are gone; in modern times, we stay true to its definition and use the room as a place to live. It’s a multi-functional space; as such, you’ll need to consider both comfort and aesthetics in your design – and that means choosing the right pieces, and in the right colours, patterns and styles.

Designing your living room – tips on accessories

#1 Carpets

A carpet can serve as the foundation to your living room, allowing you to build your look there. It’s an opportunity to pull in colours that set the tone for the rest of the room’s palette and further inspire your design direction.

Selecting the correct texture of carpet is crucial: silk for a rich look, wool for comfort and ease of maintenance, or earthy like jute for an allnatural look. While placing a carpet, make sure it extends under all the key pieces of furniture. If this isn’t possible, it’s okay to have the front legs of major upholstered pieces on it and the back legs off. However, all the legs of smaller pieces should be on the carpet. The number one mistake people make when decorating with carpet is getting ones that are too small in size.

Carpets are a great way to inject playfulness and fun into the room, so embrace colour and pattern while shopping.

Living room design tips - carpets

#2 Lamps

We often forget this necessary detail, yet while recessed lighting is a basic component to brighten any space, lamps are a key to creating the right ambience in your living room.

In particular, table lamps are the easiest way to highlight a dull corner – you can place them on an end table or even a sideboard or console that sits against the walls. This is the perfect placement of a table lamp, so it doesn’t shine directly into your eyes. An adequately scaled table lamp highlights the elegance and sophistication of any room. And the element of design itself can add a huge amount of texture to your living room, depending on which material you opt for – ceramic, metal, glass, fabric and so on.

Home design tips - décor - lamps

#3 Ginger Jars

The living room tends to get heavy traffic, so it’s a prime place to showcase your style preferences. Furniture definitely plays a part, but the accents take a critical role in defining and highlighting your style.

A ginger jar is a chic and versatile option. What’s great about chinoiserie ginger jars is they can go almost anywhere – not just on coffee tables, but on consoles or inside cabinets and bookshelves as well. For example, put them on top of a favourite stack of coffee table books or couple them with other treasures to provide a warm, lived-in feel. Combining patterns, colours and heights can work well too. Their versatility is my favourite aspect; you can put them in clusters, use one as a flower vase, or add one as a filler in a particular spot.

Home décor tips - ginger jars

#4 Candles

These are one of the most understated décor pieces in a home. Far from only being used as a source of illumination, candles can instantly add a mystical look or a serene ambience to any room with their fragrance and colour.

Safety comes first: never leave burning candles unattended, and always place them on a heat resistant surface, away from any fabrics. Candles are ideal to decorate coffee tables. Mix and match with hardcover books and little flower pots and – voila! – you’ve got yourself the perfect coffee table. Using candles in jars is most convenient but if you’re experimental, try lanterns, hurricane stands, votives or candelabras to make a statement.

#5 Throws

There’s nothing better than getting cosy on the sofa to watch your favourite film or snuggling up with a good book, all wrapped up in a throw. A common sight in many modern living spaces, throws come in all different sizes, styles and colourways. So it’s easy to find one that will complement and enhance your existing décor, and add warmth or oomph to your home.

A throw can instantly add texture, colour and dimension to your couch. When choosing, keep in mind the material; it can be cotton with bold patterns or knitted wool for comfort and snugness. The most popular way to style a throw blanket is to drape it over your couch in a messy or neat fashion – both look fab for a casual laidback look. A throw that has been neatly folded can be placed over the arm of your couch or ottoman for a more elegant, put-together look.

A word on colours and patterns: Kavita says that 2022 is a year of “delicate greens, clarifying blues and earthy tones, and bold yellows and reds”. As for patterns, she says that “going maximalist is the trend”.

Browse and shop Red Velvet products at Shop 74, G/F, DB Plaza, Discovery Bay and online at redvelvetdesigns.net.


We hope you found this article interesting. See more home design and styling tips in our Homes section.

Categories: Editors Picks Homes

Get the latest events, stories and special offers sent to your inbox
Get the latest events, stories and special offers sent to your inbox

You May Also Like

village house Hong Kong water views

Swapping the Southside for Sai Kung

Interior eye candy, modern homes and resort luxury!

Live in Hong Kong reader survey 2023

Expat Living Reader Survey 2023

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.