Traditional Living Room

Relaxed coastal living room

Take inspiration from the coast by using natural materials, like wood, sisal, cotton and linen against fresh white walls. It’ll create a laid-back feel and evolve over time into a well-worn, casual look. Go for sofas with loose covers and open furniture for a light and airy touch, and don’t be afraid to combine different wooden finishes – it’ll add to the relaxed vibe. Layer up cushions in subtle washed-out stripes and tactile ribs for casual beachy appeal.

 

Bold florals living room

Give a traditional living room scheme a contemporary twist with super-sized and super-bright florals on the walls. Here, drops of patterned wallpaper are combined with drops of plain to create a bespoke effect. Neutral floors maintain a traditional look, while hits of punchy colour are added for a scheme that’s modern yet timeless.

 

Traditional white living room

Vintage and modern mix in this calm and elegant scheme. The dark wooden coffee table adds warmth to the palette of sofa grey and cream.

 

Oriental-style living room

Duck-egg blue is a classic choice and, combined with flashes of vibrant pink, creates a contemporary, elegant look in this living room. Neutral upholstery prevents the look from becoming too garish. Black furniture, embroidered cushions, and orchids on the mantelpiece complete the Oriental-style theme.

 

Textured pastel living room

Cushions in an eclectic mix of patterns in pale blue, cream and soft neutrals are united by sharp orange piping that adds a chic contrast. Lampshades covered in fabric to match the armchairs add a neat finishing touch.

 

Symmetrical living room

With practical storage and a modern scheme, this living room caters for everyone, whether they want to watch TV, play games around the coffee table or simply relax. Simple white furniture gives the room a contemporary edge, while built in shelving makes use of the alcoves to create storage for books, DVDs and photo frames. The room is arranged symmetrically, using the fireplace as the centre point, to add a sense of formality.

 

Warm living room

Themed soft furnishings, such as the angel cushion and crown motif throw, create a warm ambience that has a quirky sense of humour. Mixing patterns adds further interest and warmth.

 

Metallic living room

Add sparkle and light to a living room by using mirrored and glass surfaces to create a shine that is subtle.

 

Classic living room

Light wood, cream accessories and a brown leather sofa warm up this living room. We love the union Jack cushion, too.

 

Classic white living room

Classic furniture shapes and varying tones of white and cream create an elegant look in this living room. The plum armchair adds a touch of vibrancy, while the glass chandelier and silver lampshade bring glamour to the room.

 

Formal living room detail

In this formal living room, a potentially boring piece of empty space between windows has been turned into a centrepiece by clever use of furniture and accessories. The elegantly-dressed windows with blinds and draped curtains from Zimmer & Rohde frame a dramatic black Julian Chichester chest of drawers. A circular mirror reflects a collection of glassware, vases and a lamp, while Farrow & Ball wallpaper adds to the sophisticated look.

 

Luxury living room

To create luxury in your living room, use mother-of-pearl accessories from Emily Readett-Bayley, contrasted with a dark-wood side table. Choose a neutral background with soft furnishings and sofa from Laura Ashley; these contrast beautifully with oatmeal-linen curtains, accessorised with pale mohair throws and silk cushions.

 

Garden living room

A hard-wearing rug maintains a natural feel in the room, while pale greens and floral prints create a garden-related theme. Indoor plants are also essential for a garden room.

 

Highland living room

This living room has a modern Highland theme with lots of tartan. Combine heather-coloured walls from The Little Greene Paint Company with a flecked wool carpet from Cavalier Carpets and smartly-tailored upholstery. There are fringed tartan blankets with leather accessories and furniture arranged to surround the fireplace.

 

Bold living room

A white sofa, pale blue soft furnishings and walls painted in Rose Briar by Dulux are replicated in the colourful rug positioned in front of a well-used fireplace. Together with the dark-wood flooring they create a cosy, relaxed feel in this family living room.

 

Patterned living room

Use delicate florals and hot-pink piping to update a period style armchair. Team with muted stripes on the walls for a modern, eclectic look.

 

Classic living room

This classic room uses furniture and accessories in a subtle grey, caramel, taupe and cream to add colour to neutral walls. Stonewash linens, structured silks and brushed lambswool add texture. The rich brown of a Clockhouse Furniture footstool is echoed in the striped curtains, while a metallic lamp and beaded throw add shine. Crucial Trading flooring provides warmth.

 

Sleek white living room

Overlooking the garden, this living room lets the views take centre stage with pale furniture and flooring and a simple glass coffee table. Light pours in through the floor length windows, which cover one half of the scheme. Red accents, like the statement bold floral canvas and pretty cushions, add colour to the scheme.

 

Modern traditional living room

The Linwood Fabrics blind and striped Busby curtains with a contrasting edge add interest, yet are unfussy and light. A classic but contemporary chair uses the same shades. The lamp and coffee tables continue the traditional-with-a-modern-twist theme. Built-in bookshelves painted in the same colour as the walls give storage and maximise space.

 

Bold-patterned living room

A dramatically patterned poppy wallpaper from G P & J Baker provides a perfect backdrop to this bold painting by Jenny Thompson. Flooring and sofas are neutral to maintain focus on the walls. A large mirror above the fireplace balances the painting and reflects light.

 

Grand open-plan living room

Dark-wood furniture, gold accessories and classic-style seating give this living room a traditional feel. Soft colours on the walls and furnishings allow bold features, such as this distinctive doorway, to take centre stage.

 

Zesty lime living room

Mix festive red with a shot of lime for a fun, modern edge in your living room. The large upholstered coffee table is great to sit around while opening presents, and cute accessories like the noel letters give the scheme a personal touch.

 

Rich chocolate living room

Gold is a classic Christmas choice, but the addition of warm chocolate tones gives this living room scheme depth and sophistication. Festive accessories line the mantelpiece and mirror and make the cosy fireplace a focal point. The unusual coffee table looks great with a pretty bauble centrepiece.

 

Eye-catching living room

Give your living room a focal point by creating an eye-catching feature. For a quick and easy effect, add a display of framed photographs above a fireplace or console table, and then position the the sofas around it.

 

Comfortable living room

The coffee table mirrors the colour and texture of the rafters, while the white walls allow the golden glow of the fabrics and furniture to really stand out.

 

Classic striped armchair

Bring classic linear pattern into your home with a striped chair cover in the latest coral shades. Continue the modern feel with a co-ordinating ribbon picture and keep the rest of the colours neutral.

 

Screened living area

Permanent suede-covered screens divide the living space from the kitchen, and give this living room a distinctive Japanese feel. A lime throw and orange bowl add bursts of zesty colour to the neutral scheme.

 

Sophisticated living room

A smart, neutral scheme has been given a lift with rich purple velvet cushions. Oriental-style dining chairs add a touch of Far Eastern opulence, while quirky accessories continue the exotic feel.

 

Subtly striped living room

Combine warm creams and soft pastel blues for a calm look and introduce a subtle stripe on the wall for interest. Continue the stripe theme into the accessories and choose a co-ordinating blind fabric for a balanced look.

 

Oriental living room

To create this oriental look, keep the background simple in cream, stone or taupe, then define the space with a few pieces of furniture in sexy, gloss black or dark-brown wood.

 

Symmetrical living room

Create a strong visual theme by pairing matching furniture and similar accessories around the room's architectural focal point, then offset the symmetry with a bold statement such as flowers.

 

Living room with stylish wallpaper

Choose a wallpaper and fabric with the same pattern for a co-ordinated scheme. Go for a bold wallpaper on one wall and combine with plain painted walls in a corresponding colour so you don't over do the pattern. Use the matching fabric for curtains, taking the pattern across the room, and then use toning fabrics for throws and cushions to pull the look together.

 

Living room alcove

Storage tailored to fit a wasted alcove space is the perfect solution for displaying living room accessories. Shelves which are just over half the width of the alcove and fixed to alternate sides add interest.

 

Light living room

Soft yellow and wasabi green create a clam zen-like mood. The green sisal flooring, grainy oak furniture and off-white paint combine to create a natural-based backdrop to the bright colours.

 

Living room and kitchen hatch

A hatch between this kitchen and living room creates a sociable area for guests to sit and talk whilst the host is cooking. The graffiti-style print on the chair is a quirky addition, especially in contrast to the traditional gold paintings.

 

Family living room

Think practical and stylish: hard-wearing flooring, washable and wipe-down upholstery and loads of storage combine with bold blue walls, pretty fabrics and a luxurious rug.

 

Natural green living room

Create two distinct areas with a clever layout, but link the two by choosing furniture in matching woods and using the same chocolate and lime green colour scheme throughout the space.

 

Chocolate and cherry window seat

Liven up a dull window by adding an eye-catching window treatment like this floral blind. The cherry red is mirrored in the seat cushions and vases on the windowsill that go perfectly with the chocolate window-seat covers. Drawers underneath the seat provide extra storage making this area as comfy as it is practical.

 

Georgian living room

The owners collaborated with Architects at Gelmetti & Beltrame Studio Associates when restoring this room. Attention is drawn to the original shuttered window with by placing a beautiful antique chest of drawers in front of it. Dark glossy floorboards, painted in Farrow & Ball floor paint, are set off by the neutrally upholstered sofa from The Conran Shop. Antique prints on the walls add a finishing touch to the room.