Decorating

Living rooms are quite literally where our lives play out, from lazy afternoons to cosy evenings, where nights turn into mornings. It's no longer just a place to host people but more like the heart and soul of a home. From thoughtful planning cues to simple styling tips, our decorating pages are full of ideas to make the most of your living space

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Seen here is the fresh green living room by Murillo Paoli. Cassia Modular Sofa and Robusta Center Table from Caffe Latte. caffelattehome.com

living rooms: inspiration gallery

Take a seat in our pick of spaces designed with relaxation in mind

Super social

When choosing seating, the go-to for most will be the sofa. While we love a cosy sofa to curl up on, there are other options. If your space is more geared towards entertaining than Married at First Sight binges, consider using a handful of armchairs instead. Not only will each guest have their own space, but the layout is easy to change around to create more intimate arrangements when required. Look for swivel armchairs for extra flexibility, allowing you to dip in and out of conversations.

In the zone

Open-plan living spaces will benefit from considered zoning to create nooks for relaxation. ‘Here, wall panelling was employed in the TV area to make it more intimate,’ says Guy Stansfeld, director, 23+GS/318, who designed this home. ‘Extensive built-in joinery was used throughout to make the most of the space available and accent colours were added to highlight various areas.’ You can highlight these not only through colour, but also via artwork and joinery.

GET THE LOOK For a similar statement wall colour, try Gentle Olive, Crown Paints