Living Room Inspiration & Design Ideas
Your living room is the heart of the home – the place you come to relax & recharge, escape & entertain and to make years of happy memories. Whether you’re refreshing a room layout or starting from scratch on a whole house renovation, it can be challenging to find the perfect balance of style and functionality. Here at Roomes, our in-house interior designer Holly is on hand to share her fail-safe tips to creating a living room that is as beautiful as it is practical.
Make a statement with your sofa
Being the main focal point of a living room, your sofa should be something comfortable that you love the look of.
When buying a new sofa, there are five key points to consider – size, shape, style, colour and comfort. If you have a modern aesthetic in mind, you may prefer to go for a sofa with clean, straight lines or a quirky, curved back sofa.
To really make a statement with your sofa, be brave and go for a bold colour like emerald green, teal blue or burnt orange and contrast this against a neutral colour palette so the sofa really shouts out against the pared down paint colour of the room.
If you are somewhat limited for space, a snuggler, (a cute term for a piece of upholstery that is smaller than a sofa but larger than an armchair) or an accent chair can work wonders to maximise seating whilst not consuming the whole room.
For larger rooms, a luxurious corner sofa can create a cosy yet stylish vibe that is perfect to chill out and watch a film with family or to socialize with friends.
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Think multifunctional
A coffee table is much more than just a surface to put your morning cup of tea on. If you’re lacking on storage space, look for a coffee table that has built-in storage underneath to store books and blankets etc. Nesting tables are also a convenient way to save floor space when not in use.
Sleek, glass topped-tables add an air of sophistication and help to make a room feel bigger. Although if you need to cater to family life, these may not be the most practical choice as glass tables tend to show fingerprints easily! For such living room designs, wooden or ceramic tables may be better as they not only look great but are much more hard-wearing and durable.
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Watch telly in style
No modern living room is complete without a well-considered TV unit – it is not just a piece of functional furniture to store your media boxes and hide away ghastly cables but it can also double up as a key design feature of the room.
There are lots of styles on the market to choose from - for example, free standing units that add character or contemporary wall-mounted low boards. Make sure you select one that is big enough to house all of the media boxes your family TV set up requires!
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Layer with rugs
A rug can pull together the colour scheme and style of your living room whilst adding warmth underfoot.
To make your lounge feel modern, consider a rug with a geometric or abstract pattern. Those inspired by the ‘Hygge’ lifestyle may prefer a shaggy or textured woolen rug.
It is also very important to choose the right size rug for the space. A rug that's too small can throw off the entire proportion of the room. Ideally, the rug should anchor the seating area with the front legs of the sofa and armchairs resting on the rug to tie the furniture together.
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Enhance your space with lighting
Lighting sets the mood and ambience for a room so it is important to consider its functionality.
If you will be using the room to read or work, you may want to choose cool and bright lighting; while soft and warm lighting would be best for creating a cosier atmosphere.
Complementing your lighting with a combination of table and floor lamps will help to enhance the snugness of the room. For a modern touch, consider statement pendants in either a chrome, brushed brass, matt black finish or even a sleek LED option.
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Maximise storage space
A clutter-free room not only makes a room feel bigger and more inviting but can help us to think much more clearly too.
The 'shelfie' trend on social media can be a useful source of inspiration for styling shelves with books, ornaments and decorative accessories. Not only does this provide a storage solution, it also expresses your unique personality.
Built-in shelving and cupboards in chimney breast alcoves are a timeless look that make the most of what could otherwise be wasted floor space. Free-standing units, on the other hand, allow for flexibility if you like to frequently re-arrange the layout of your living room.
Multi-purpose furniture with hidden storage compartments can be a great way to kill two birds with one stone – think lift top footstools and storage side tables.
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Accessorise!
If you think of your living room like baking a cake, the furniture is the sponge but it’s the accessories that add the icing on the top!
Firstly, whether you choose brass, chrome, copper or matt black – the finish of your lighting, electrical sockets and other small details, (e.g. the legs of your sofa or coffee table,) will enhance the look you are trying to achieve. For example, brushed brass will add a touch of luxury compared to matt black which is a nod to industrial design styles.
Soft furnishings like curtains, scatter cushions and throws can either coordinate or contrast with your colour scheme to help make a room feel more cosy and inviting.
Also, whether you choose real or faux – adding plants to your living room will help connect to nature and bring in an element of the outdoors.
If you’re in need of some inspiration, browse our selection of mirrors. As practical as they are decorative, mirrors not only give the illusion of making a space feel larger but can also bounce light around the room making it brighter.
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A Feature Wall
Every living room benefits from a striking focal point that catches your eye as soon as you walk in. This could be a stunning piece of artwork found on your travels or a gallery wall of family photos. However, have you ever thought of going one step bolder and making a whole wall a piece of art instead?
There are lots of ways that you can add a feature wall into your home to create a stunning centre point which your whole scheme can then be built around. Paint one wall in a contrasting colour, decorate it with a bespoke mural, or wallpaper it in a botanical, animal or floral pattern. Get creative!
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Embrace open plan living
There has been a huge increase in the number of people choosing to stay put, extend and renovate rather than move house which in turn is leading to a lot more people opting for open plan living.
Open plan is a complete lifestyle change – it provides the option for everyone in the family to relax, entertain, work, cook and dine together and can really optimise the space a house has to offer.
However, all of this extra opened out space makes it is essential to create defined zones. This can be achieved through furniture placement, room dividers and rugs to differentiate the kitchen, dining and living areas.
Make sure to keep a consistent colour scheme throughout these various zones to maintain a cohesive look throughout.
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Keep it sustainable
Modern living rooms don’t just focus on aesthetics – sustainability is also at the forefront.
When it comes to lighting, choose energy-efficient lighting to make your living room as environmentally conscious as possible.
To ensure it stands the test of time, invest in high-quality furniture that you won't get bored of too quickly – this means less furniture going to landfill and less need for replacements.
Consider upcycling your old furniture too – perhaps re-upholster your tired sofa, make a new coffee table out of reclaimed wood or find a hidden gem in your local charity shop to give that worn piece of furniture a second life!
If you would like to share your newly designed living space with us, do get in touch via our socials. We look forward to hearing from you!
- 8th January 2025
