If you’re thinking of new ways to make your home really work for you, you might want to consider minimalism. Although it won’t be for everyone, if you do it right, minimalism can help you to really relax and enjoy your space more without any clutter or distractions getting in the way. If this is something that you’re interested in exploring more but you’re worried that you might not like the end result because it’s sterile and boring, don’t worry — it doesn’t have to be that way. With this in mind, here are some of the best ways to enjoy a minimalist living room.

Make It Warm

When people think of minimalism, they often think of stark, cold, almost empty spaces, which isn’t always very appealing. However, the fact is that with the right elements in place, a minimalist living room can be a warm and cozy space. The first thing to do is to choose the right color for the walls, and this should be a soft, neutral tone like warm beige or light gray, for example.

You can also have warm lighting to help you, ideally with more than just one main light. Have some lamps around the room (or just one standing lamp if you’re trying to minimize your furniture) so you can add a layer of warmth to the room when you need it.

Use Furniture Wisely

In a minimalist living room, the idea of less is more is something to keep in mind when you’re choosing furniture. Focus on picking pieces that are functional and look good, and if you can have fewer items in the room, that’s even better. A good example of something that can work well in a minimalist living room could be a jumbo bean bag chair — although it’s large, if this were the only piece of furniture to sit on, it could be an ideal addition to the room.

It's best to choose furniture that allows you to make the most of your space and reduce clutter as much as possible, so other ideas could include multifunctional furniture with storage, or things that have straight, clean lines. Choose things that you’re going to personally enjoy using, and the other ideas can fit around that.

Use Texture

The color palette of a minimalist living room will more than likely to be quite limited (on purpose, of course), so to make things more interesting and ensure that the room is more enjoyable, you can add some texture.

The texture can come from your textiles and décor or perhaps from your furniture itself, depending on the final look you’re going for. You could add some throw pillows made from soft fabrics like velvet or faux fur to bring a sense of luxury to the room, or have some smooth surfaces like glass or metal alongside natural ones like wood. All these ideas can work well, but the key is that you have to like them if you’re going to enjoy the space, so this has to be a priority.