Back in 2020 I was asked to give my two pence worth on how to design a living room in the age of Covid when the living room probably became one of the most used rooms in the house! Here is the interview I gave to Real Homes Magazine and my thoughts on how to design a living room:

Do you think the living room is the new heart of the home?

Absolutely, people are more open to knocking down walls in their house and creating those open plan space they see online or on TV so that everyone can enjoy the same space at the same time

Do you think the shape/layout of our living rooms has changed in the last 5-10 years?

Where people have enough space in their house I am regularly being asked for 1 grown up room and for it to not have a TV and then creating a cosy snug where the family can go and watch TV all together.

The living room for a lot of people has also become part of an open plan space, which is becoming increasingly popular, with the kitchen and dining area combined so everyone can be in the same room at the same time.

When designing a living room in a family home, what do you look to include? Eg a corner sofa in easy-clean fabric? Have we moved away from practical leather sofas?

It used to be that if you had kids a luxury material such as linen or velvet was a complete no-no but many high street brands are offering stain resistant lux fabrics such as these as standard so you don’t have to worry if your kid spills its drink/food which is a bit of a god send. The days of saving that special sofa for best is over. A good size sofa is also key, big enough to have the whole family on plus lots of layered lighting. I think layering up the lighting through the use of floor lamps, table lamps and dimmable lights helps create a warm and welcoming space that creates the right atmosphere in which to watch TV. I also think having some sort of fire, whether that be open fire or log or gas /electric fire in the living room is essential; there is something so comforting about a fire, especially when its raining outside and your all huddled up cosy on the sofa watching box sets.

Do you think we are becoming braver in style when it comes to living rooms? Why?

Yes, with everyone watching house renovation programmes and with the advent of Pinterest and Instagram the world of possibilities with regards design has opened up for everyone, people aren’t happy to settle anymore. Homeware bands such as MADE, Ikea etc have also helped democratise interior design meaning that everyone can make their home look Instagram worthy if thats what they want. Pinerest and Instagram have also made people braver in terms of colour and their product choices and they are keen to steer away from the safety of magnolia walls that used to dominate our home

Do you think the living room is the room we are likely to express our style in, show off our personality? If so why?

We’re entertaining more at home – what’s the role of the living room in this? What do you look to include to suggest that entertaining space? Plenty of accent chairs and side tables on which to place your drink! A bar cart is also a retro item of furniture that is being frequently being requested.

Are you getting more requests for home-working spaces in our living rooms? What’s your tips for making one work?

If you’re creating a home-working space in the living room storage is key as you want to be able to hide your laptop and any papers away at the end of the day; the last thing you want is a gentle reminder of your emails/bits for work that needs finishing whilst you are trying to relax and spend quality time with your family.

Any tips for creating a flexible living room space? Zoning, lighting, rugs?

Zoning is key when it comes to a flexible living space, this can be achieved through lighting etc for e.g. a statement chair for someone who wants to read whilst everyone else is watching TV in darkness can do so with a carefully placed table/floor light. You also need to work out how much space all your chairs and sofas need and make sure you buy a rug that sits fully under all the furniture in this space, the only exception to this is if you decide to have a cowhide. You can also zone areas by using different flooring, tiles in the kitchen for example and then wood flooring throughout the rest of the space to help differentiate areas. If you are completely renovating the space, kitchen included, then an island is a good way of keeping the kitchen separate whilst in the same room and positioning bar stools on the opposite side of the island looking into the kitchen helps Zone the space.

Minimalist Textured Living Space from Coco Lapine

What about tech?

Our living rooms are home to an increasing amount, so how can you make it look good? TV’s are undoubtedly getting bigger, I’ve just recently tried to find a 28” TV and the options were severely limited! 32” and above is now the norm and as unattractive as they are on the wall this has to be factored into the design process. One way to disguise it is to treat it like art and mix it in amongst art frames and shelving so it disappears slightly. You can also build some bespoke cabinets and have the TV hidden behind a sliding screen. Painting the walls in a dark colour also helps the TV blend into the background and is cost effective way of disguising it.What’s your favourite winning colour scheme/look for a living space? If I’m designing a snug it has to be dark and cosy so you feel cocooned so I like to opt for dark greens, greys and blues and I make sure to paint the skirting walls and ceiling in the same colour to really help make it feel like you are in a cinema.What about furniture – any must-have trends or pieces? Everyone I speak to wants the big squishy sofa that you can loaf on and spend hours watching Netflix. I think the way we are consuming TV, such as binge watching entire series in one sitting, has a part to play in this. What’s your own living space like? I have a snug in which I have an open fire and painted the skirting, walls and ceiling the same dark colour. I have used lots of textures in the room to try and appeal to the senses and it makes for a really great room in the winter when you want to hunker down out of the cold. I also have an open plan kitchen, dining and living area which is the space we use on a daily basis. I have zoned it through the use of lighting and rugs. Over the dining table I have a low hanging pendant and then the TV area is arranged with the main sofa placed with the back to the rest of the room, this helps create the feeling of separateness from the rest of the space and is a handy way of ignoring the dishes in the kitchen!