Insider insight
Finishing touches to style your living room
REUPHOLSTERING FURNITURE
Old or tired sofas and armchairs can be given a new, decorative lease of life and become pride of place in your living room. When choosing which material to use, it’s important to consider how durable you need the fabric to be – is it going to be in constant use or is this a more occasional piece of seating? ‘Velvets are ideal upholstery fabrics, as they are heavy, tightly woven and durable,’ advises Lee Clarke, director of Warner House. ‘Surprisingly, silk or mohair can wear well and can even improve in appearance over time. For pieces like ottomans, you could opt for style over practicality.’
TRIMMINGS
‘Trimmings have the ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary,’ says Marisa Gutmacher, executive design director, Samuel & Sons. ‘In its most traditional application, cords with tape can be inserted into the seams of upholstered furniture, providing the finishing touch and helping delineate the lines of the frame.’ Make sure to look beyond seating for trimmings. ‘Gimps and narrow borders can also be used for wall upholstery applications in the living room, working with fabric walling, or as a sophisticated finishing touch running around the skirting and woodwork,’ adds Marisa.
STYLING SHELVES
You can own some of the most beautiful pieces, but if you don’t style your shelves in an eye-catching way, they can quickly lose any impact they might have had. ‘When styling shelves, ensure to mix heights and depths of objects,’ says Sophie Pringle, creative director, Pringle & Pringle. ‘Living room shelves benefit from mixing things up – incorporate art, add plants, use odd numbers of objects grouped together; start with large pieces and build around that.’
WINDOW TREATMENTS
‘One of the easiest ways to create a decorative feature from window treatments is to choose a bold, large-scale design for curtaining,’ advises Hayley Mcafee, design director, Villa Nova. ‘This can create a striking focal point and will work best on large windows where the full pattern repeat can be appreciated. If you have smaller windows, opt for a small-scale pattern for a more refined look.’
FLOORING
Careful consideration of your flooring choices in a living room can have a big impact on the final feel of the space. ‘Carpets add comfort and softness and also deaden echoing sound,’ notes Deirdre Dyson. Make sure to plan the placement of rugs. ‘A larger rug will help pull the room together,’ advises Andy Guard, creative director, Roger Oates Design. ‘In open-plan living rooms placing all the furniture on the rug will define the space and unify the pieces. If possible the rug should extend 6-8 inches on each side.’
“ART IS ALWAYS PART OF THE PICTURE FOR ME – THESE FINAL ELEMENTS ARE WHAT GIVE A HOUSE SOUL”
REBEKAH CAUDWELL, founder, Rebekah Caudwell Design