Creating an Atmospheric Living Room : 4 Tips and Essentials for Styling an Open Reading Nook

Curate an Atmospheric Living Room

The previous articles have leaned toward abstract concepts, so this one focuses on practical implementation. After completing this piece, the recent Kingfolk:Home interior series will come to an end.

01

Let's observe these three typical living room layouts below, featuring long sofas, coffee tables, and chairs:

① Sofas are usually paired with cushions and a linen or wool throw blanket—never just a bare, empty sofa.

② The floor typically features a jute or wool rug that covers the area from the sofa to the coffee table, sometimes extending to nearby side tables. This creates visual zoning within an open space.

③ The wall behind the sofa usually displays artwork or decorative pieces that reflect the homeowner's personality and aesthetic preferences, preventing the white wall from appearing too empty or monotonous.

④ Next to the sofa, you might find stacked books, framed artwork, or a floor lamp or large plant. A simple floral arrangement or vase on the coffee table can also enhance the overall atmosphere.

For a more minimalist approach, you can actually eliminate the rug and simply fill the space beside the sofa with a floor lamp or plant. Artwork and decorative pieces don't need to be excessive (refer to the first image above showing the living room sofa design with a Raphael portrait).

However, the wall behind the sofa and the cushions or throws on the sofa are indispensable. These elements are crucial for adding layers and warmth to the space.

The case study below doesn't consider bookshelves—focusing only on the sofa area—and appears rather gloomy and oppressive: The sofa itself has a gray-green tone that isn't particularly bright, and without cushions or throws for accent, it feels cold and unwelcoming. Behind the sofa is a blank white wall, with a small, dark floor lamp beside it that has minimal presence and lacks any green plant accents.

Additionally, the color coordination is problematic—the blue coffee table appears particularly jarring and stands out awkwardly in the overall dark environment. While the wall-to-wall bookshelf is content-rich, when combined with this sofa design, it appears cluttered, making even the occupant prefer to stand by the window.

Regarding home color choices, refer to the suggestions mentioned in Slow Home Living isn’t cold minimalism, but the presence of Texture, Time and Meaning—try to minimize the use of cold industrial colors. In contrast, warm beige tones and natural wood grain textures make spaces appear softer, more welcoming, and better suited for long-term living environments.

Overall, choosing furniture with natural materials and colors makes people feel more relaxed and creates a warmer atmosphere.

02

Even when the living room lacks a large sofa and only has chairs or a single-seat small sofa, the four points mentioned earlier still apply.

Rugs can be omitted, but chairs or small sofas should have cushions or throws to increase comfort. The wall behind can feature framed artwork to create ambiance. A floor lamp or table lamp can provide supplementary lighting for corners while adding visual layers to the space. Adding one or two plants in corners provides gentle filling, making the overall feel more enriched.

These arrangement methods are actually quite popular on platforms like Xiaohongshu and Instagram, and they're well-suited for quickly creating atmosphere in rental spaces or short-term stays. However, when compared with the substantial furniture and building materials shown below, the difference in texture quality becomes immediately apparent.

This space features a more simplified arrangement:
① No rug
② No throws or cushions on the seating, but the chairs themselves have excellent texture. Combined with different colored chairs, tables, and small stools, the overall composition naturally becomes rich and varied
③ The space edges are occupied by structural corners of the house, with no table lamps, plants, or books on the coffee table. Instead, there's a substantial fireplace that commands strong presence
④ Artwork is certainly present—all genuine art pieces, even the frames have substantial texture

03

For corners without chairs or coffee tables, place cushions directly on the rug, maintaining bookshelves, wall art, plants, and lighting fixtures.

If conditions permit, having a solid, attractive cabinet would naturally be ideal.

Epilogue

Combining the four key points mentioned earlier, selecting natural materials and textured furniture with appropriate colors typically creates an atmospheric living room or reading corner effectively.

Elements like bookshelves, wall art, plants, and lighting fixtures are applicable to virtually any space in the home—whether it's a temporary dressing corner, bedroom, or kitchen—they all add layers and living atmosphere.

Our own small corner follows this arrangement, but ultimately, due to our home being too small with no dedicated dining area, we installed a large table in the corner, disrupting the cozy corner's atmospheric feel.

Plants require consideration of lighting conditions. This room only gets good southern exposure light from the balcony, so they must be placed there.

Therefore, adaptation to specific circumstances is ultimately necessary. Fully implementing all the concepts from these home décor articles will have to wait until we have a larger house in the future.

pamperherself