A living room should be a space where you can relax, yet also entertain guests and socialise. Creating a multi-faceted area doesn’t have to be hard with simple style updates to maximise space and make it work for your lifestyle. By planning your living area around the scale of the room, conversation nooks and traffic flow, everything will work cohesively for the whole family to enjoy. We’ve outlined
our top 4 styling tips to transform the heart of the home with ease.
Zone out
It’s important to consider how you want the living room to function overall, then with some clever styling, create defined zones within the open plan area. The aim is to have a blend of both practical spaces and more intimate nooks conducive to reading a book or having a conversation. A generous sized rug and large sofa can be used to anchor the living zone. We can’t go past the Toulin Vintage Turkish Carpet with its intricate design, hand knotted from cotton and wool making it perfect for high traffic areas like a lounge room. Our Manhattan Sofa 4 Seater is a classic style that works harmoniously with any design aesthetic you pair it with. On the flip side, smaller pieces such as side tables, ottomans and armchairs can be utilised to create quiet spaces as well as mark the perimeter and pathways of the living area. Our pick is the gorgeous is the Yves Ottoman, crafted by hand from metal and rich leather that will patina beautifully over time. While the Savvy Swing Chair in olive is a firm favourite, inspired by mid-century design and sure to turn heads. When placing the furniture, we recommend not pushing it up against walls as it can make the room look smaller. Instead, create the perception of more space by pulling the furniture away from the walls.
Let there be light
Rather than over lighting a living space, let the placement of lights be influenced by the zoning. There needs to be the option of dialling down the brightness for mood lighting, while also considering more activity centred lighting to ensure your space works effectively for different purposes. Try placing a lamp beside your reading chair like our Bolzano Lamp pictured, pendant lights over the coffee table for a statement feature and a floor lamp near a vignette or side table to showcase your treasures as the sun goes down. We’re in love with this woven rattan Flexure Floor Lamp, a stunning addition to any corner of your lounge room.
Rug rules
In our eyes, a living room is not complete without a rug to bring much needed texture and interest. Whether your home has floorboards, tiling or carpet, a rug will work perfectly to complement the space and create added warmth to lounge around on. However, the key is to ensure the rug matches the size and style of the area. When in doubt, big is better! Small sized rugs will imbalance the room,
while a large rug will make it feel more spacious and cohesively ties the room together. A styling tip is to opt for a rug that the front feet of all your lounge room furniture can be placed on it. Hand knotted with 50% wool and 50% cotton, we think the patterned Umai Vintage Turkish Carpet will look right at home in your lounge room.
TV time or quiet time
If you walk into most informal living rooms, you’ll often find the television placed front and centre. However, don’t let this deter you from trying something a little different. Although the TV is often the structural focal point of a space, it doesn’t need to be the visual focus. Make custom joinery your friend by offsetting the screen with bespoke shelving that displays beautiful ceramics, plants and
artwork. For those who prefer not to see the television at all when it’s not in use, add in a stylish barn door to hide it away out of sight. You can also maximise wall space by creating a gallery wall. Simply curate your favourite artworks and photographs, then hang them on the wall surrounding your TV. It’s important that you vary the frame sizes, picture orientation and placement heights for
the best impact.
Achieving the perfect living room starts with careful planning and considering all of the elements that you want to include. By following our tips for tv placement, rug size and placement, lighting and zoning, you can create a stylish and inviting living room that is comfortable for your family and friends. If you need help putting it all together, book a styling consultation with our stylists and interior designers who will work with you to create the perfect space for your home.
