The Ultimate Guide To Getting The living Space Of Your Dreams

When you picture your dream home, what tends to stand out to you?

Sometimes, you will only see the outside. So it’s more the style of the house that you’re keen to have. But more often than not, you’ll see the heart of the home – the living space. If you do, you’re not alone.

A killer living space is something that we all dream of. When you visualize, it’s highly likely that you see a space that’s bright, vast, and flows really well. Maybe the reception, living, dining, and kitchen space all kind of flow into one. Maybe it’s all open plan.

No matter what it looks like, it’s safe to say that this is the first thing you’ll want to work on when you move into your house.

It’s always going to be important for you to have a living space that you really love. It’s the one area where you can really feel settled and at home. So, of course, it should be your priority. But where do you start? And do you really know what you want?

If you’re keen to get the works underway, but you’re not sure how, you’ve come to the right place. From deciding on the design to following the right steps, that’s exactly what we’re going to work through in this post. So if you’re really keen to make this work, here are fifteen things to keep in mind.

15 Steps to getting the living room of your dreams

1. Do some research

It’s going to be really tempting just to get started. You may be dying to call a decorator, a contractor, or an architect and just get the work underway. But you have to think logically about this.

Before you even work with anybody at all, you’ll want to get a rough idea in your mind of what you want, and what’s possible. So do some research. Find some great interiors inspiration and see what kind of spaces appeal to you the most.

2. Decide on what you want

As you’re doing your research, you’re going to want to form up some ideas of what it is that you want to achieve. While these won’t be set in stone, it’s often great to know what kind of decorating style that you want. Or whether you want to do completely open plan, or section off some areas. Creating a mood board of ideas here can help you.

3. Add on

Now, before you make any concrete decisions on the actual design of the space, you’ll want to work out whether you actually have enough space to work with. Do you think that you might like to go with an extension to get the space that you want?

If this is the case, you’ll want to keep this in mind and speak to your architect about what you want. If you know that you’re quite limited with the downstairs space that you have, this can be a good idea.

4. Convert

But at the same time, you may also want to have the option of converting some of the space that you have. Again, this is something that the architect can really spell out for you.

But you may want to transform your attached garage into part of the living space too. You could even spill down into the basement. (Or keep this for vital storage so you get the most out of the living space you have).

5. Expand outside

But that’s not all, you’re also going to want to ensure that you expand outside too. A huge part of creating the living space of your dreams is making sure that what you have continues out in the garden too.

If you have to do concrete leveling with mudjacking or completely transform what’s there, so be it. To get the living space of your dreams, it will be worth it.

6. Create your ideal design

Now that you’ve really thought over all of the options that you have, you’ll want to get a design together. So for this, you’re going to want to not only find yourself a killer architect that will do a great job of designing the space, but you’ll want to consider hiring a designer to bring the look together too.

7. Hire a contractor

From here, you’ll then want to hire your contractor. Whether you decide to go with a project manager or not, you need to find a contractor that you trust.

A good one will be able to manage it all for you, and liaise well with the designer too. Because this is a relatively big (and important to you) job, you’ll really want to ensure that the firm you choose is going to get the results you want.

8. Plan the living space features

So when you’re about ready to go, you’ll want to plan in the living space features that you want. It’s often good to start with the lounging area first, as this will be the main area that you relax in. So work out whether you want a fireplace, and what kind.

Make sure that you know where you want the windows and how you’re going to use lighting. It’s important to ensure that this area will be as relaxing and inviting as possible.

9. Place your dining area

When that’s all thought out, you’ll want to decide where you’re going to place your dining area. Will you have it leading on from the lounge area and before you get to the kitchen?

Or will it become part of the kitchen? Or maybe you want it to be in its own separate, more formal, space and just have something casual included in the kitchen?

10. Pick out the kitchen design

With that done, you’ve then got the uber-exciting task out choosing your kitchen design. And remember, this is going to have to go nicely with the living space.

Here, you’ll want to make sure that you work in everything that you’ve ever wanted. Because you’re working on something special.

So now’s the time to get what you want. If you want a huge pantry – work it in, and if you want huge bi-folding doors that continue the space outside, go for it.

11. Laundry room or mudroom

You’ll also want to decide if you want a separate laundry room or mudroom so that you keep this area hidden out of the way. This is often why it’s a great idea to convert your attached garage or basement. Because you get to maximize the living space for your living area, then hide away this more functional section.

12. Add a bath

And while we’re being functional, you also need to ensure that you’re working in a bathroom too. As you’ll want this to be close to your living space for ease.

Again, this is something that you can hide away neatly with the laundry room or mudroom. Or you could add a second that’s worked in around the main living area.

13. Design The Patio Area

Next, you’re going to want to focus on the exterior space. And this is where things get fun. Once you have got the foundations sorted, you’re going to want to really go to down with the outdoor dining space.

Make sure that you have enough room, that you’ve got seating for eating and relaxing, and your cooking equipment too. You may also want to work in things like a fire pit or lighting to make the space really cozy.

14. Decorate cohesively

Then, when it comes to the actual decorating process, you need to ensure that this really flows. Theoretically, you’re creating one set space. So the rooms really need to work together. Create a cohesive colour flow and make sure that you get the right kind of vibe from the space to really make it work.

15. Furnish to perfection

And finally, it’s the fun part! Where you get to add in the furniture of your dreams and add the finishing touches too. Now, we’re talking about the entire space here. So if you do have a designer, this is where they will really add value. They’ll get to ensure the space really works.

And it should flow from your front door all the way through to the outdoor dining space. But don’t let yourself get too caught up. Have fun with it and make sure you inject a lot of your personal style in the finish.

So there you have it. Fifteen steps is all it takes to get the living space of your dreams. It’s not going to be simple, and it won’t happen overnight, but if you’ve always dreamt of having that wow-factor, impressive living space – you can have it.

You’ll want to really ensure that you’re working with a great team, as they can make all of the difference. By making sure that each of the separate spaces really work together, you’ll easily be left with a living space that flows, feels comfortable, and makes a killer first impression.

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