Get the Living Room of Your Dreams in 7 Simple Steps

Every five years or so, our rooms start to look a little dull and tired. This is in a big way thanks to the fading colours of our decor. Ceilings don’t look as white as they did, and gloss paint on the woodwork loses its shine and begins to yellow.

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Yes, that time for a living room revamp has come around again, all too quickly. This time, instead of just redecorating, why not go the whole hog and get the living room of your dreams? Here’s how to go about it.

Strip out the Room

Hire a skip and throw your old suite into it. Lift the carpet and underlay and consign it to the skip also. The wallpaper, skirting boards and architraves will need to be removed. The woodwork is simply pried off by using a hammer and a crowbar. The wallpaper is best removed with a steamer to prevent damage to the plaster on the wall. Steamers are great inventions and take all of the hard work out of stripping the paper. If you find that the wallpaper has already come away from the wall in one spot, or that the paint has bubbled and flaked, it may be a sign of rising damp. Before proceeding with your project, it is best to get this problem sorted. You will find damp proofing services for your home listed in internet search engine results.

Call the Electricians In

It is best to have the wiring changed at this stage, to suit the new scheme. You will probably have new lighting installed, and power points may need to be moved. The electricians will carry out the first fix.

Gas

A gas engineer will be needed to disconnect the existing gas fire, if you have one, and alter the pipework so suit the new fire.

Flooring

Now the room can start being put back together. Install a clean, modern, laminate floor. Now you can see why the skirting boards were removed. The laminate floor itself is simple to lay. Modern systems have done away with the need to glue boards together. They now use a click system. This system allows the boards to be lifted and refitted several times if it is ever needed. Once the floor is down, fit new skirting boards and architraves.

Decorate

The process of decoration can begin. Modern rooms are painted in a neutral colour. It is left to the lighting systems to provide light and shadow in different colours. The plain walls also display a few choice pieces of artwork perfectly. Don’t overdo it with too many pictures, it spoils the scheme.

Lighting

Recessed ceiling lights are most desirable these days. Make sure that they can be dimmed. Mood lighting can be created by using table lamps with coloured bulbs placed strategically around the room. They can be moved to create different effects whenever you choose.

Furniture

You will have already chosen your dream furniture, and now it can be moved in. Accessorize as you see fit with window blinds and drapes. This is the stage where your inner artist makes an appearance.

By now, your room will be looking staggeringly beautiful, and we haven’t even touched upon soft furnishings and luxurious touches like wall hangings. The project is never finished; there is always more that can be done if you have vision. But for now, sit back with a glass of wine and soak up your luxurious new surroundings.