Sitting room
Bring in some bling The owner of this gorgeous living room has teamed a pale pink sofa with dark walls and metallic finishes. The sumptuous surfaces take the pink up a notch, turning the space into a luxurious haven. If you’re going for a look like this, but are concerned it might be too dark, lift the mood with white surfaces, like the coffee table and rug they’ve used here.
Team with blue Pink and navy are a fantastic colour team, as the two tones bring out the best in each other. This room shows how the hues can work together to create a warm, cosy space. The dark blue walls and sofa form the smart, chic base of the room, while the pink accents provide a shot of warm colour. To bridge the two hues and add another layer of interest, the designers have included some green on the cushions.
Work in display space Our experts recommend having both concealed and open storage in your home. “When briefing a designer, make sure you mention any objects or collections you’d like to display from the outset,” Angus says. “A full-height bookshelf can be incorporated into a design very easily and can house a significant number of books or collectibles.” “If you want your space to look more designed,” Jane adds, “make sure you curate the visible objects and hide the rest away. You could select the display items based on colour, texture, shape or style to give a cohesive look.”
Don’t be afraid of the dark When faced with a small room, the instinctive response can be to paint it in a pale colour to boost the feeling of space. But in a tiny area, it can actually pay to try the opposite technique and paint it dark, to make a virtue of the small size and create a snug bolthole. This little living room corner, for instance, feels warm and intimate thanks to the rich, enveloping colour of the walls, curtains and furnishings, and shows how being bold can be really effective. It’s sometimes easier to be brave with colour in a small space, too, as it can feel like less of a commitment to experiment with paint on a small wall area than to cover a large roo
In the adjoining living room, three sofas give the space a cosy feel. “As they’re not very deep, they work well in the room,” Beth says. “So we bought loose covers, which match the ones on the dining chairs.” The soft walls showcase a couple of bright prints. “The owner already had one, but I encouraged her to get another to create symmetry,” Beth says. More colour and texture has been introduced with velvet and kilim cushions. “We replaced a big ottoman in the middle of the room with a glass and brass coffee table,” Beth says. “It feels lighter in the small space
The first floor is also home to a living room and dining room, separated by double doors. “The owners were unsure of how they wanted to use these two spaces, but we decided to create a formal dining room at this end for when guests come round,” Beth says. “The challenge was tying the two rooms together.” The design team laid sisal rugs in both rooms, and reinstated ceiling roses on both ceilings to capture the grand feel of the original building. They also had the floorboards stripped and stained throughout, added a pair of mirrors above the fireplaces, and fitted matching metal chandeliers in each space.
Go off-centre A midcentury sideboard adds a retro vibe to this modern living room, and the ornaments and artwork bring in some texture and character. The collection of ceramics is complemented by a gallery wall and, to give it a playful twist, the designers have arranged the frames in an off-centre pattern that dips lower than the sideboard.
The bookcase was another clever DIY project, made from Ikea Billy bookcases and some kitchen bridging units. The kitchen cabinets were attached to the base of the wall and a sheet of wood was laid on top for the bookcases to rest on. Malcolm then turned four Billy bookcases upside down and screwed them to the wall above the bridging units, then attached a cornice along the top. He painted the whole unit in the same deep grey as the walls. “The Ikea lights along the top were an afterthought, but they make such a difference in the evening,” he says.
This beautiful space is made for relaxing in, with armchairs teamed with footstools to invite lingering. Here, it’s individual side tables that are required: the sharing of a coffee table would look effortful, detracting from the sanctuary air. The chairs are angled to take advantage of the exterior views in this room, but note how the mirror gives a second take on the outside to make the most of the scenery.
Look over By opting to go without a coffee table, you can celebrate large living room dimensions. The owners of this home have left the area in front of the sofas and armchairs open, positioning side tables directly in line with the seating instead. The size of the space is emphasised by the luxurious velvety rug, which catches the light beautifully, and it makes all the more of an impact because there’s so much of it on show.
Group by colour If you’re partial to a particular hue, chances are you’ll have plenty of accessories in that shade. Putting them together gives a display instant oomph and, if you really want to up the ante, try to match the surface they’re sitting on, too. Here, a turquoise table further amplifies the vases, but a wood surface with wooden bowls, or glass with crystal objets would have the same effect.
Like the balance of the table lights on the dresser and the complementary shades on other lighting elements as well as the cool sophisticated colours
Layer your lighting Most areas of your home will benefit from a combination of task and mood lighting. This will enable you to change the ambience of a space at the flick of a switch. Where possible, it’s well worth putting the main lights in living and kitchen spaces on dimmer switches. In a bathroom, you may want to combine base-level mood spotlights with task lighting around the basin and a main ceiling light. In this formal living room, a large, tiered, Arctic Pear chandelier is used in combination with ceiling spotlights and a pair of eye-level wall lights either side of the fireplace. In a room of this size, the addition of table lamps would not be excessive.
Add warmth This stunning open-plan kitchen and living area owes its cosy feel to the pink accents dotted around the space. A concrete floor, black features and limited colour palette create a minimal, industrial look. To warm it up, the owner’s added midcentury wood furniture and those all-important pink textiles, flowers and accessories.
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