Most people would love a large living room; there is plenty of room for everyone, and it’s the ideal place to entertain.  However, a living room that is exceptionally large can look stark or cold.  If you want to transform your living room into one that is warm, relaxing and inviting, the tips and ideas below will help make it easy.

Choose color carefully

Warm colors make a room feel cozy and add an ambient atmosphere.  Colors such as burnt orange, apricot, gold, rusty reds or golden yellows lend to a relaxed, right-at-home feel.

You can also incorporate sand and cream shades, along with green or blue as long as they have a warm base and not a cool base.

Consider warm, vibrant hues for the walls; by using colors such as apricot or pumpkin, the walls will draw in visually, creating a cozy effect.

Think outside the box when arranging furniture

In a large room, come up with new and innovative ways to arrange your furnishings.  Placing sofas, coffee tables and accent chairs against the wall has long been popular but it will only make the room look larger.  In a large living room, you do not want a walking path straight through the middle of the room.

Arrange furnishings in smaller groups, creating cozy conversation areas.  Move a sofa several feet out from the wall, place a large area rug in front of it, and arrange a couple of chairs and coffee table so that you and your guests will be facing each other in a smaller area during their visit.

You should also think about arranging furnishings on a diagonal – your furniture does not have to be lined up with the straight lines of the walls, and an arrangement set at a diagonal adds visual appeal to the room.

Floors should not be ignored!

Many people disregard the floor when decorating a room.  To create a cozy, warm effect in your living room, use a large area rug and smaller accent rugs scattered randomly.  A patterned rug adds a bold splash of color, and makes the room appear softer and more inviting.

A large expanse of floor with no rugs to break up the space looks stark and uninviting.

Color up the walls

Blank walls are perhaps the worst thing you can have when trying to make your living room warm and relaxing.  Think of the colors mentioned above; large prints or pictures incorporating warm colors add interest to the walls.  Metal wall art is a nice touch, as are large tapestries.  Tapestries are made of fabrics which are richly textured, which also adds depth to the room.

When it comes to decorating your walls, use an odd number of pieces in a grouping.  Try to avoid using mirrors in a large living room, as this will only make the room look more spacious.

When trying to make a huge living room look cozier, think rooms inside a room.  Designate spaces to be used for certain purposes, such as reading, playing video games, conversation or just relaxing.

Using the ideas and tips above, you will be able to create a living room that your entire family will love, and will impress your guests as well by welcoming them and drawing them in.