INTERIOR STYLING | TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

 

 

With bundles talent, energy and a superior eye for detail it’s no wonder awarding Interior Designer Caroline Flananery is making waves! This week on the blog we are delighted to have her expertise onboard to tell us how to make the most of the all important living room!

The M&B Team x

 

NOTES ON DESIGNING YOUR LIVING ROOM By Caroline Flannery, Owner of Level Interior Design

 After the kitchen and bedroom, the living room is possibly the room you will spend the most amount of time in and should be designed with this mind.  The living room is generally the place we retreat to after dinner or a long day at work.  It is often a space which is used more in the evening to relax with family or friends, catch up on some reading or to chill out on the front of the TV.

 

Invest in Comfort

The largest item in the living room is usually the sofa and the room layout should be carefully considered prior to deciding which style, shape, size and colour you should go for.  Purchasing a sofa is a commitment as hopefully, you will be relaxing on it for many years to come rather than regretting your decision for many years to come. Getting it wrong can be an expensive mistake! Luckily you can easily make the right choice by following some basic guidelines!

Measure Twice

Obviously, your sofa must be comfortable but it should also work with the architecture of the space and size of the room for example if the room is quite small look at sofas with legs and slim tapered arms.  Alternatively, if you are fortunate enough to have a large space with high ceilings a corner sofa with chaise and high back could work very well.  It is important to measure the room to determine the size which will work best if you are having trouble visualizing I sometimes suggest to clients to map out the sofa size on the floor with newspapers.  Remember that your sofa and other furniture items should never be pushed up against a wall, I try to leave at least 30cm between the back of sofa and the wall if possible.

 

Broaden Your Horizons

Seating, of course, does not have to be limited to the sofa, is there a recess in your living room which may be suitable for a bench seat or how about a comfortable arm chair with a foot rest or ottoman?  M&B have a great range to choose from, I particularly like their Vintage Leather Cocktail Ottoman which doubles as a coffee table.

Decide how you will be using the room and arrange your furniture to comfortably achieve your goal.  Ideally, the sofa will be positioned to face the focal point of the room for example fireplace or a window with a view (or TV).  Perhaps you would prefer your living room to be a more sociable space if so consider two sofas facing each or a sofa with some comfy armchairs.  If you like to read it will be important to have a light source close where you will be sitting, look at floor lamps and table lamps.  Where will you place your drink or snack whilst sitting on the sofa, do you need a coffee table or would you prefer side tables and perhaps a foot stool with a tray?

Style with Colour & Pattern

Finally whilst I usually recommend that the sofa design and fabric choice be quite classic to avoid it appearing dated before its time I whole heartedly embrace the infusion of fun and character by adding a random selection of scatter cushions and throws.  We live in a world of touch screens and hard surfaces so tactile materials can add a real sense of luxury and warmth to our lives!

M&B’s stock a wonderful range, I recently purchased their Buffalo Check cashmere throw in navy which regularly goes missing on me!