4 Things to Take into Consideration When Furnishing Your Living Room

The living room, or sala, is one of the most popular rooms in any Filipino home. More than a place for the family to rest and relax in, the living room serves as a venue for different important family gatherings and activities, like birthday parties and family reunions. Needless to say, it's an area where families typically receive and entertain guests and bond with friends.

Because the living room serves multiple functions, furnishing this area requires careful planning and serious attention. You can't just buy a sofa set or several chairs, position them however you want, and hope everything works well. When selecting and arranging furniture pieces, you need to consider several factors in order to create a living area that is aesthetically pleasing, comfortable, and functional. Here are some of them:

Your Budget

Before deciding on an aesthetic and looking for the actual furniture pieces, you should think about your budget first. Furnishing a living room can be costly, so it helps to know how much you can afford to spend to avoid money issues. If you have substantial financial resources, then you have one less thing off your plate. You can pick out the furnishings you wish without overthinking about the prices. However, if you have limited funds, you may need to get a bit more creative to save money and avoid overspending.

For instance, instead of looking for brand-new pieces, you may want to consider buying a few of the second hand furniture Philippines-based sellers offer on trusted online marketplaces like LookingFour. When you browse through the LookingFour website, you can find secondhand sofas, footstools, coffee tables, and other living room furniture in good condition and at affordable prices. Best of all, our platform allows you to make an offer for any product. That means you can stretch your budget a little more if you could find a seller who's willing to negotiate the prices of their wares.

Your Interior Design or Style Preferences

Aside from identifying your budget, it's also important that you have an idea of what aesthetic you'd like to go for when furnishing your living room. Do you prefer a traditional Filipino living room set up that usually uses furniture pieces made of solid wood like narra and other natural materials, or do you desire something more modern? If you're unsure about your design or style preferences, try browsing interior design resources online for inspiration. Lifestyle television programs, home living magazines, and image-sharing social media platforms can also give you plenty of remarkable ideas.

When you know what look you're aiming for, shopping for living room furniture will be less stressful and overwhelming. You don't have to look at every sofa, table, or chair when you walk into a furniture store or browse all possible options online because you already have something in mind. Picking out colors, materials, and other design elements will also be a breeze when you've narrowed down your choices beforehand.

The Available Floor Space

If you want to maximize space and create a well-balanced furniture layout, don't forget to consider the available floor space in your living room. Otherwise, your furnishing project may look sloppy or, worse, it could become a time and money drain. Imagine if you purchase oversized living room chairs complete with matching ottomans when you live in a small condominium unit. You'll hardly have any space left to move around the room comfortably, so you may have to exchange your items or buy more fitting furniture.

That said, take the time to measure your living space to determine the right type and size of furniture pieces to get. Start by drafting a floor plan to help you envision the room's layout and to get a sense of what goes where. Afterward, measure the length of the walls, the floor area, and height of the ceiling. Take note of the locations of the windows and doorways as well. If you want to position your sofa against a wall with a window, measure the window sill height so you could find couches that fit perfectly and won't block your view of the outdoors.

Lifestyle

Another essential thing you should take into consideration as you carry out your living room furnishing project is your lifestyle. Do you have a large family? Do you like hosting gatherings at home? How much time do you spend in the living room, and what do you do there? These are some of the questions you may want to ask yourself to help you figure out the ideal types of furniture that match your lifestyle.

Let's say you often have friends and relatives over in your house. If you're that much of a people person, you may want to design your living room in a way that offers plenty of seating options and space to mingle. Instead of getting traditional living room furniture, try to look for space-saving and multi-purpose pieces to maximize floor space and make your living space more functional. Perhaps you can also invest in quality sofa beds so you can invite guests to stay the night even if you don't have a guest room or large bedrooms in your home.

The living room is a special area in any Filipino home. It is where you make a lot of memories with your family and the space you often share with the people you love. As such, take your time when furnishing this all-important room. Take the above factors into consideration and look for appropriate inspirations to help you create a lovely and well-appointed living space that suits your needs.