Life is for the living room, so it’s time to turn yours into a space that truly reflects your personality. Whether you want some ideas to empower you to get inventive with colourful paint, striking wallpapers or even tiles (they’re not just for the bathroom and kitchen!) we have just what you need.
Undertaking a major refurb? If you’re looking beyond the living room, have a browse through our stylish kitchen ideas and all the bathroom inspiration you could ever want.
EASY FEEL-GOOD UPDATES
Your living room, above all else, should make you feel happy. And there’s few things we find more joyful than a rainbow. This rug by Pieces in the Maine holiday home created for their lifestyling service An Aesthetic Pursuit is a quick and easy way to inject energy into a space without having to paint any walls.
LAYER PATTERN
Why choose one floral, when you can clash several with confidence? This home, belonging to jeweller and judge of BBC’s All That Glitters, is proof that by concentrating on complementary colours (in this case a verdant green) it is possible to pile on the pattern tastefully. As Solange says: ‘it’s about your own taste and what makes you happy’.
ZONE WITH PAINT
High ceilings and original features are blessings, but they can also be intimidating when it comes to decorating. By painting a low strip of colour around the walls and door in this living room, CaSA, the architects behind the renovation of this Barcelona apartment wrap the furniture in a warm embrace and create a cosy feel.
BE BOLD WITH COLOUR
Decorating for small living rooms doesn’t have to mean thinking small. In this Madrid home by architecture firm Plutarco restrictions in size were met with a joyful decision to go big when it came to colour. It only takes a few key pieces, like these ‘Ekstrem’ chairs by Terje Ekstrøm, to transform what could be a bland space into a memorable one.
DIAL UP THE WALLPAPER
Murals are a playful way to instantly add personality to a space. Interior designer Daria Zinovatnaya has chosen the striking abstract pattern of Wall & Decò’s ‘Floridita’ by María Gómez García for this contemporary living room, pairing it with light, elegant pieces that bring an element of calm to the oversized foliage and Miami-inspired colours. The aim is to allow the wallpaper to be the star.
GO WILD WITH PASTELS
When devoting an entire room to pattern, colour is key. Every surface in this striking living room is covered in a different geometric design, with the walls and floors married only by their shared palette of turquoise and white. By restricting themselves to these two shades, Spanish interior design brand Miriam Alía Studio was able to exercise complete freedom in all other choices. The result is a living room buzzing with energy.
ADD TEXTURE WITH TILES
Tiles are no longer just for the bathroom or kitchen. Whereas hard surfaces would once have been considered a practical but cold choice, now tiles with richly coloured glazes, intricate patterns and unusual shapes are an attractive alternative for stylish living rooms. Architect Hannes Peer used floor-to-ceiling enamelled terracotta tiles in cobalt from Fornace Bernasconi to bring an ocean-like shimmer to this space.
MAKE A FEATURE OF HIGH CEILINGS
Where high ceilings are involved, think about decorating upwards. This interior by Montréal-based practice La Shed Architecture makes the most of the room’s height with an elongating stripe of Benjamin Moore’s ‘Outrageous Orange’ paint. The coordinating stairs lead into the living room creating a sculptural effect.
COMBINE STATEMENT FURNITURE
Why restrict yourself to one standout piece of furniture? Create a confident explosion of colour by adopting a pick and mix of your favourite designs. The bold palette of Dimore Studio’s ‘Paralleli B1’ rug for Golran sets the tone, with its vivid stripes pulling together the bright red and green of Lucidi Pevere’s ‘Chignon’ chair for Gebrüder Thonet Vienna and the mustard hue of the small ‘Highline’ sofa by Sebastian Herkner for Linteloo.
MIX DESIGN ERAS
Weaving several historic styles into the design of your living room ensures a curated, well-rounded atmosphere. In this home, New York-based architectural and interior designer Giancarlo Valle lets the 18th-century timber ceiling anchor a look that nods to mid-century design and the contemporary. Modern paintings by Nathalie Du Pasquier and Landon Metz decorate the deep-blue walls, while the furniture is a mix of classics.