By Lauren Flanagan
Family & Living Rooms Expert
Are you having trouble decorating your living room?
Maybe you can't get it to look quite the way you want? Have a look
around and see if you've got any of these 7 items. If so, it's time to
clean house! Because these 7 items should never be in a living room.
Futon
Futons
seem to be a rite of passage for young people living on their own for
the first time, but as a general rule they're not the most comfortable,
and definitely not the most stylish pieces of furniture. Sure, they're
practical for places where you need furniture to do double duty,
but futons tend to have a cheap look about them that can be hard to
mask. If you absolutely must have a futon (and if you're over 30 years old you shouldn't) hide it away on an office or guest bedroom - never put it in the living room.
BeanBag Chair
The
time of the bean bag chair has come and gone. No matter how much
they've improved over the years, or how much more "stylish" they've
become, there is absolutely no reason why anyone should have a bean bag
chair in the living room.
If you have a young child or teenager who
really loves them certainly let them have one in their bedroom or
playroom, but that's where it should end. Not in the living room. Ever.
Exercise Equipment
While
the effort to be active should be applauded, a treadmill or ski machine
has no place in the living room. Nor does a yoga mat, bosu ball, or any
other type of exercise-related equipment. If you must exercise in the
living room due to space restrictions, make sure to store everything
away when you're done. And if the living room is the only place where
you can put a treadmill, consider giving it up and running in the great
outdoors.
Sports Memorabilia
You love your sports team and
you want the world to know, and that's fair. But the living room isn't
the place for it. Instead consider displaying it in a rec room, home
office, or wherever you keep your sports equipment.
Dried Flowers
Dried
flowers have definitely gone out of style, and there's a good reason
for it. They're brittle, full of dust, terrible for allergies, and bad
feng shui. While in theory they can seem nice, in practice they just
don't work. Instead of displaying collections of dried, dead flowers
bring in something fresh and full of life.
Inspirational Words
Some
people love to put inspirational words on the walls, but generally
speaking, these 3-D words look dated, tacky, and very cheesy. Rather
than hanging words on the walls and making it feel like you live in a
1990s self-help book, find a piece of art that gives you the same
feeling and hang it on the wall. Inspiration doesn't have to spelled out
quite so literally.
Overscale Pregnancy Photos
Maternity
photo shoots are a great way to capture an important time in your
family's life, but the living room isn't the place for giant, blown up
pregnancy photos. Absolutely go ahead and put smaller photos together as
part of a family gallery wall, but leave the giant space above the sofa or mantle for something that suits the room a little better.
source: about.com
