If you’re working without the help of an interior designer, planning a living room can be a challenge. Falchi Interiors’ team share their thoughts on how to get this right.
Of all the rooms in the house this is where the term interactive interior is most appropriate. While entertainment has a role, creating a place where family and guests feel comfortable and at ease and conversation can flow is equally important. How you achieve this will depend on the size and shape of your room, your choice of sofa, decoration and the other furniture that is required.
1. FUNCTION: We ask so much from our homes today. Every room has to work hard for us, ticking all the boxes and sometimes creating new ones. Particularly so the living room and for this reason, when planning a living room it is important first of all to look at who will be using that space and what they will need from it.
This is particularly so in families where this room should perform a multigenerational role, drawing all together. Is your sitting room a place for audio and/or visual entertainment, a place for social gathering or a blend of both? Will you need a play area, a work area or a dining area, for instance, or are these requirements met elsewhere in your home?
2. SEATING: Once function is established, the focus should swing to the heart of the room, the seating area, the area that sets the style for the entire space.
Choose a sofa carefully. This will probably be the most expensive purchase you make so take your time. Unless you anticipate frequently changing your sofa, avoid “trendy” shapes, colours and fabrics, investing in something that you will be able to live with indefinitely.
Whether you opt for one sofa or two will depend on the space at your disposal but most of our clients currently like to include one or two chairs, preferably quirky and distinctive, that will bring an element of personal style and taste to the room.
Whatever route you take and even if the main function of your sitting room is as an entertainment space, arrange your seating to encourage conversation, never leaving one chair isolated or in a corner alone and aim to seat at least 5/6.
Once you have your seating planned decide whether you wish to have a coffee table, ottoman, or side tables and a rug to pull the seating area together.
3. DECORATION: Unless you’re a super-confident about decorating, choose a neutral colour palette for walls and ceiling whether they’re painted or wallpapered. At Falchi we prefer a wallpapered room as we feel the result is warmer than painted walls. Colour can always be brought in via soft furnishings and accessories. Use a harmonious combination of textures and colours to create a warm effect, keep things more co-ordinated both in colour and texture for a sophisticated mood. Choosing carpet or wooden floors is a matter of your taste, what works best for the function of the room and the age and type of building. (Wall-to-wall carpeting is have a moment!) Plan in one or more areas that enable you to display accessories, books and family photographs.
4. LIGHTING AND ELECTRICS: Once you have planned the position of your seating and any additional furniture, and if you have the luxury of starting from scratch, plan where you need your electric points and lighting.
Whether starting from scratch or adapting what you have at your disposal, lighting is a major player in swinging the mood of a living room from one function to another. If possible, we always recommend consulting a lighting expert who will know all the latest developments and possibilities. You will definitely need ambient, task and accent lighting for starters.
If your living room includes electronic entertainment media, consider disguising what items you can in bespoke cabinetry or specially designed concealers.
5. FOCAL POINTS: This is where the fun really begins. Be brave in your choice of accessories. Choose items that reflect your interests, experiences, history or that you just plain like to bring a twist and personality into your interior and don’t forget a touch of greenery whether real or fake.
If you’re not working with an interior designer, checkout websites, instagram and pinterest pages like ours for inspiration.
