How to Decorate a Large Living Room With a Fireplace in the Middle of the Wall and a Sectional Couch

A large fireplace often dominates the decor in a living room.

When decorating a living room with a large fireplace, first decide if you want it to be the focal point of the room. No matter how the room is decorated, the fireplace will stand out. But whether it is the heart of the room depends on furniture placement. Other decor distracts and draws the eye to other parts of the living room to add balance once the wall that holds the fireplace is decorated.

Instructions

1. Select a paint color that complements the bricks or stones in the fireplace. Eggshell, cream-white or neutral colors complement red brick. Add bright paint such as lime green to complement a river rock or stone fireplace. Avoid selecting a color that matches the brick. For example, don't paint a room gray if the rocks on the fireplace are predominantly grayish.

2. Enhance the fireplace by hanging a large piece of artwork, TV or mirror above the fire opening or mantel. Art helps draw the eye to the fireplace and keeps it as a focal point in the room. Avoid hanging expensive artwork above the fireplace since heat can damage art and use caution when placing a TV there. If you want to play down the fireplace, leave it bare.

3. Place the largest portion of the sectional couch toward the fireplace if the fireplace is the focal point. The largest portion of the sectional holds the most people and provides balance to the fireplace. If the focal point is another feature in the room, such as a bank of windows, turn the sectional so the largest portion is facing that feature instead.

4. Flank one side of the fireplace with a large object such as a plant, grand piano or chair. This adds to the fireplace wall without detracting from the fireplace. Add a smaller object on the other side of the fireplace. For example, a grand piano facing the couch on one side of the fireplace could be accompanied by a chair facing the couch on the other side. Avoid placing the same type or size object on each side of the fireplace to add more interest.

5. Hang artwork on empty walls in the living room. This helps balance out the intense decor on the fireplace wall. For example, the wall opposite the fireplace wall could display three or four large paintings or numerous portraits.

6. Place accessories, such as a small vase, on the fireplace mantel. Use couch pillows in fabrics that coordinate with the colors in the accessories. Select wall hangings that incorporate this color scheme.

References

• Country Living: Decorating Ideas for a Living Room
• Good Housekeeping: Living Room Decorating Ideas