The living room is a space for relaxation and warmth, where we can be together with friends and loved ones. Often considered the hub of the family home, we know that comfort is a real priority when it comes to thinking about our living rooms. But that doesn't mean that your living room can't be beautiful too! We love creating stylish, practical spaces that are as beautiful to look at as they are to live in. Here's our top tips for creating your dream functional and fashionable living room...
Choose The Right Textiles
Choosing the right textiles for your living room is key! Not only do textiles add texture which makes the room feel more cosy and adds depth to the design, they're also practical! We prefer to choose natural fibres such as cotton and wool as they are often the most comfortable, as well as the most hardwearing, so they will stand the test of time.
Rugs are a great option for the living room, especially for adding warmth to rooms with wooden or tile flooring. However, they're equally great if you have a carpet that you don't love anymore, or if you're in a rental property with boring beige floors. We think rugs are a particularly great investment as they can be switched out into different rooms whenever you want to change up the decor in a certain space. They can also be hung up on the wall as beautiful, textural wall hangings. We love a rug with a print, as these often hide the grubby spots better than a rug in a plain colour, which is perfect for high-traffic areas like your living room. Our Indian Indigo Rugs are ideal for family homes as they are made from 100% natural fibres and dyes and they're machine washable!
Another essential for a comfortable, cosy living room are throws & blankets! We like to have a mixture of lighter, more breathable throws for the warmer months and heavier, warmer blankets heading into winter. As the British weather can be so unpredictable, having something warm and cosy to hand at all times is a must! Not only do these items serve an obvious purpose in your living room, but they can also be used to add some interest by injecting some colour, pattern or texture to the space. Think about how many people are usually using your living room and make sure to have enough to go around! We store ours in a basket for easy access, whilst making sure they look neat and tidy. A lidded basket is ideal if you want to keep them hidden away, or try an extra large basket for a more boho, relaxed look.
Layer Up Your Lighting
We love to layer lighting to allow us to control the mood in the living room. Don’t rely on just one light source! Consider overhead lights, wall lamps and floor lamps to help create ambience. The types of lights, bulbs and shades are all very important when it comes to creating the right mood for your space. Living rooms that don't get a lot of natural light will benefit from different lighting choices to living rooms that catch the sun for most of the day. We love a cosy space, so for us it is all about creating warm levels of lighting to help us relax and unwind. We always use warm-toned energy efficient bulbs and pick shades that give off a glow, such as our Indian Paper Light Shades.
Light shades also have the capacity to be wonderfully sculptural elements in the design of your living room. Table lamps can help to create height and dimension, and picking the right shade is essential to maximise your space. Our Zimbabwean 'Porcupine' Light Shade is the perfect statement piece to add some drama to your table lamps whilst still letting off a cosy, warming glow. Our Rwandan and Ghanaian Woven Light Shades are also an excellent way to bring more texture and depth into your space.
Don't forget to add candles as another source of lighting (without the electricity bill!) Choose between our minimalist soapstone candle holders or the more ornate recycled brass candle holders to proudly display your beautiful candles.
Show Your Walls Some Love
Wall decor is the easiest way to inject some life and personality into your living room. Walls are always a great opportunity to add more character to the room, with artwork, mirrors, and decorative items acting as the 'jewellery' for the room. These pieces really elevate the space and make the design look more intentional and put together.
Not sure what to hang? We recommend either focusing on one large piece that can really anchor the space, or create a gallery wall, depending on your style. We personally love a gallery wall as it allows you more scope to curate a specific look that is totally unique to you. We love blending together more personal, sentimental items such as family heirlooms and photographs with more contemporary and artisanal pieces. We have a huge array of wall decor to suit every style and budget - have a browse here. Adding a mirror to reflect the sunlight through the room is a great option for smaller or darker spaces.