Living rooms: inspiration gallery

TAKE A SEAT IN OUR PICK OF SPACES DESIGNED WITH RELAXATION IN MIND

Super social

When choosing seating, the go-to for most will be the sofa. While we love a cosy sofa to curl up on, there are other options. If your space is more geared towards entertaining than Married at First Sight binges, consider using a handful of armchairs instead. Not only will each guest have their own space, but the layout is easy to change around to create more intimate arrangements when required. Look for swivel armchairs for extra flexibility, allowing you to dip in and out of conversations. GET THE LOOK Dell swivel chairs, from around £1,700 each, Brigette Romanek for Mitchell Gold +

Bob Williams

In the zone

Open-plan living spaces will benefit from considered zoning to create nooks for relaxation. ‘Here, wall panelling was employed in the TV area to make it more intimate,’ says Guy Stansfeld, director, 23+GS/318, who designed this home. ‘Extensive built-in joinery was used throughout to make the most of the space available and accent colours were added to highlight various areas.’ You can highlight these not only through colour, but also via artwork and joinery. GET THE LOOK For a similar statement wall colour, try Gentle Olive, £18 for 2.5ltr, Crown Paints

Think pink

More often than not pink is a colour consigned to bedrooms. Mix things up by embracing it in the living room, while retaining a grown-up feel. Achieve this by looking to softer or slightly ‘dirty’ pinks, and layering these using furniture, soft accessories and artwork – neutral walls and flooring will stop any princess-y notes creeping in. Structure, too, is key. Reflect shapes from your art in the furniture, adding graphic lines to sofas and coffee tables or spherical elements to pouffes.

GET THE LOOK This space was designed by Natalia Miyar. Sofa and coffee table, both bespoke by Natalia Miyar Atelier. Rug, Sinclair Till

Material matters

Careful consideration of materials and their placement has the ability to transform your living area into something truly spectacular. ‘The living room in this Victorian home is anchored by the dramatic veining of the calacatta viola-framed portal to the kitchen,’ says interior designer Tamsin Johnson. ‘It adds a sense of drama and glamour yet doesn’t overpower a room of this size. The paredback soft furnishings help to create an overall feeling of luxurious simplicity, allowing the architectural details and marble to sing.’

GET THE LOOK The Utrecht armchair, £3,643, Cassina, has a similar shape

Get personal

When designing your living room, it can be all too easy to overly focus on making it look perfect – but learn to enjoy the beauty and energy that comes from mixing and matching unexpected pieces because you love them, rather than to create an Instagram-ready room. ‘Art is always part of the picture for me,’ says interior designer Rebekah Caudwell who owns this home. ‘Our paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures make up the story of our lives. For me, these final elements are what give a house soul and a touch of magic.’

GET THE LOOK Try 1stdibs for similar starburst chandeliers.

Walls in Hague Blue, from £52 for 2.5ltr, Farrow & Ball

Gallery space

Living room walls are the perfect backdrop for a collection of art. Create a gallery space by layering up your favourite graphic artwork, rotating the pieces every so often to keep the room fresh. Have a play with the layout by placing the art on the floor, or by using washi tape to stick prints on the wall before you commit to drilling holes. Furniture colours can complement your artwork, so choose pieces in tandem.

GET THE LOOK The tarnished steel cupboard is by Ochre, price on request. Try the Fashion Illustration Gallery for a similar selection of artwork

In the dark

‘Using darker hues in a room helps to make it cosy and intimate, especially when taken over the ceiling,’ says Lucy Barlow, founder of Barlow & Barlow, who designed this room. ‘A rich velvet always adds an extra element of warmth and softness to a room – particularly in a snug or TV space where you’ll be cosying up to watch a film or relax with friends. You don’t always have to compromise style over comfort or vice versa, they can easily go hand in hand. Adding patterned cushions helps to break up the block of colour, while also introducing an element of fun.’

GET THE LOOK For a similar wallcovering, try Master Evo in Alcantara, from £194m, Studio 198. Try House of Hackney for fringed cushions

Eclectic look

Combining old and new pieces can seem daunting, but by adding in vintage furniture and accessories a room becomes so much more warm, inviting and real. ‘We love to incorporate different design styles, including mixing new and antique pieces as it helps to make the space feel like it has been around for a long time,’ says interior designer Heidi Caillier. ‘We try to create different seating areas and tend to bring in a mix of sofas and varying sizes of chairs – this also helps to make the room feel more visually interesting.’ GET THE LOOK For a similar lounge chair, try the CH25, from £2,761, Carl Hansen & Søn

Gather round

‘Sourcing the right size rug for a living room is a great way to zone a room. Here we used a very large and sumptuously soft rug to unite the seating area in our client’s living room,’ say Katie Glaister and Henry Miller-robinson, co-founders of K&H Design. ‘Aim to create seating in groups or have one central point where all the seating faces into. When positioning seating in a living room always remember no one wants to be isolated from the conversation. Create seating in groups or have one central point where all the seating faces in to.’ GET THE LOOK The

Zig Zag stool, £248, Pols Potten, has a similar shape

Get the low-down

Take things low for a relaxed look. A sectional wall-to-wall sofa can help fill a space horizontally, but remains practical when paired with floor cushions and a low coffee table. Enhance the theme by painting the ceiling in a tonal shade – it adds to the warmth, while also drawing the eye up and stopping all the focus from being at the base of the room. ‘Scandinavian ski lodges were an inspiration for the earthy tones and textures here,’ notes Kevin Dumais, founder of Dumais Interior Design. ‘Leather panelled walls ground the room giving it a welcoming, cosy feel.’ GET THE LOOK Chandelier,

custom by Trans-luxe. Wall panels, custom by Dualoy Leather