Ideal Home magazine has had a makeover! The whole magazine has had a thorough revamp to make sure it delivers exactly what you want (and need!) from Britain’s best-selling homes magazine in 2021.
The November issue, on shelves now, boasts 180 pages full of inspiration, ideas and advice from Ideal Home’s team of homes writers, experts and editors. Creating a home should be fun and exciting, and that’s how we hope readers will feel when they flick through the pages of our new-look issue.
Established in 1920, Ideal Home was one of the first magazines to bring the advice of leading industry experts into the homes of its readers. The new look revitalizes this tradition, with the unveiling of the Ideal Home Expert Panel.
Ideal Home Expert Panel
In each issue, experienced Decorating Editor Nicky Phillips is on-hand to answer all your decorating dilemmas. TV presenter and Architectural Designer Charlie Luxton will be sharing his know-how on everything renovation.
Fearne Cotton will be helping you find your zen at home in her new column. Award-winning financial journalist Kalpana Fitzpatrick will help you get your household finances in order.
As well as continuing to round up all the latest news and home decor trends, Ideal Home has a brand new Life Admin section. The section is dedicated to offering smart solutions to all your everyday household hassles.
There’s everything you need to make managing your home, and keeping on top of all that household admin a breeze, from organising, to smart home tech, to money matters.
Be inspired by the best real homes
We all love a good look around other people’s houses, and so the revamped Ideal Home will continue to bring you the very best real homes and makeovers. Each one will be packed with clever design ideas for you to steal for your own home.
There are hardworking family homes, amazing before and after transformations, and homes bursting with style and personality.
Get creative with decorating ideas and tips
The pages of Ideal Home magazine will inspire you to decorate with confidence! From quick weekend DIY and decorating ideas, to expert-approved colour schemes that’ll add wow to a room redo. You’ll find plenty to get you excited about decorating your space.
Don’t miss the collection of clever storage ideas that pack a style punch, or the top advice from interior designers on how to create a cosy living space for the colder months.
Everything you need to plan your next big project
We’re all more willing than ever to adapt our homes through renovation and extension, but it can be hard to know where to start. We’ve introduced Ideal Home magazine’s new Renovation & Remodel section, a one-stop-shop for your project planning needs.
This month, Ideal Home’s resident renovation expert Charlie Luxton gives the lowdown on permitted development, and we’ve got in-depth advice on side return extensions and external cladding.
Make your home your happy place
More than ever, our homes have become a sanctuary – a place to unwind and boost our mental wellbeing. Brand new Ideal Home columnist Fearne Cotton, shares her personal experience and insight in ‘Happy Home’.
While we’re taking a more holistic approach to our homes, there are features on the latest sustainable news and products for interiors, plus decluttering tips from a professional organiser.
Ideal Home showcases the very best ideas, best new products, best real homes, so anyone can put together your own unique mix.
The new-look issue of Ideal Home is out now. Buy yours today, or subscribe to make sure you never miss an issue.
Our family living room ideas are designed to keep the peace and help everyone relax. Because it’s important that everyone in the family feels at home – and nowhere more so than in the room where we come together to watch a movie or chat with our friends.
The living room is the most sociable room in the house, so make sure it provides enough seating for the whole family, plus a few guests. If you don’t have the space for extra chairs, an upholstered or leather pouffe will do the job and can be used as a footstool when not needed as a seat. If you’re looking to buy a new armchair, check whether you have room to upgrade to a loveseat that can seat two people who are happy to snuggle up together.
Family living room ideas
Above all, your living room idea needs to offer comfort. If your room leaves you feeling cold, make it feel more cosy simply by adding soft texture. Plush carpet or a rug can transform the look of a room, instantly making it feel more welcoming.
So what makes an ideal snug family living room? ‘It’s all about having that deep, cosy sofa that’s large enough for the whole family’ says Dani Burroughs, head of product for Snug. Deep sofas with plump seats adorned with a line of squashy cushions will entice the whole family to settle in and spend the evening together, rather than in separate rooms.
A low-level table that can double up as a desk for drawing will be useful for everyone, and bean bags or knitted pouffes will serve as comfy seats for little ones. Choose hard-wearing flooring and loose-covered sofas with removable and washable covers that can stand up to a few spills.
1. Zone areas for all the family
Image credit: Dunelm
Whatever ages within the family home the living room will need to cater for many different needs. From a playroom for tiny children, to a movie room for young adults and a home office for parents the modern living room idea has never worked harder! Make the space feel inclusive while retaining dedicated zones for different purposes.
Arrange living room furniture so to dedicate an area of the room, whether large or small to ensure everyone has a place for their needs. Set up a work station at a small table in the corner of the room, away from the central hub of entertainment to avoid any distractions.
2. Create a comfortable space for play
Image credit: Future PLC/ Malcolm Menzies
Create an inviting space for kids to feel free to play during the day. Layer the living space with soft textures from plush rugs to cushions and blankets to create a kid friendly zone within a main living room – if your home doesn’t have the luxury of two separate living rooms. Just be sure to have a storage solution in one corner to tidy all toys away at the end of each day, to avoid it feeling like a playroom during parent’s down time in the evening.
Dressing the space with colourful and characterful accessories is a create way to make it feel like an inviting space for all.
3. Welcome a sizeable sofa bed
Image credit: Snug
Important for all living rooms, but especially for family livings rooms is a comfy sofa – as Danni from Snug pointed out above. It’s essential to have a sofa big enough for all the family to gather and snuggle up together.
It’s also an added bonus with a family to have a sofa bed element incorporated into the sofa design – so little ones can lay down for a nap but still be within sight. A sofa bed is not just for families with young children, teenagers might need a place for friends to crash too.
‘A snug/family room isn’t the place to compromise on style,’ says Dani. ‘Go for something that’s just as luxurious to look at as it is to flop on. I’d recommend a plush corner or even a corner chaise – for ultimate TV viewing comfort.’
While you don’t want to compromise on style your furniture choices need to be thoughtful in family living room ideas with very young child. An easy way to make furniture more child-friendly is to soften the edges on coffee tables etc.
The UNDVIKA corner bumpers ‘reduce the risk of your child getting hurt on the sharp corners of tables and cabinets’ says IKEA. Simple, effective and cheap – all the design boxes ticked for a busy family home.
What’s the secret to this joyful living room? The bold teal sofa bed teamed with clashing, colourful cushions are a vibrant starting point. However, we think incorporating the kids artwork into the gallery wall is a genius touch.
This family space doesn’t take itself too seriously and the graphic and painterly prints are an ideal base for swapping in and out your kids creations with pride. The use of all black frames also gives the gallery wall a cohesive finish. If you’re renting, try Command Picture Hanging Strips for an easy, drill-free way to secure the frames to the wall.
If storage space is at a premium or you want to avoid plastic boxes lined up in the living room, look to the wall to help clear the clutter with a savvy living room storage idea. Hang wall baskets for a quick end-of-day tidy-ups for toys, books, magazines, iPads and other stuff that tends to lay about.
Tech can be stored out of reach in the higher baskets. Use sturdy, decorative metal hooks that can take plenty of weight.
A full family house may mean space is at a premium and a separate room for an office or homework station just isn’t an option. To create a slimline workspace within a living room, use adjoining floating shelves within an alcove or across an empty wall. Bear in mind the shelves may be leaned on, so secure with heavy duty floating brackets.
Using this minimalist trick in place of a desk or traditional home office furniture means it won’t intrude on the living room. Pick a comfortable and supportive chair that doesn’t look too ‘officey’ allowing it to blend into the decor of the room.
8. Utilise every nook for storage
Image credit: Future PLC
Make the most of the floor areas in a bay window with a built-to-fit seat. Drawers under the seat add storage and are more practical than a lift-up lid.
The storage space is perfect for the speedy tidy up before guests arrive. Give each drawer a purpose to help keep it organised. Stash anything from toys and books to tech, chargers and consoles and games. The angled end section doubles up as a built in side table.
9. Invest in adaptable modular furniture
Image credit: Harry Three Seat Unit And Footstool Unit In Eucalyptus Smart Cotton, £2070, Sofa.com X Jack Wills
Look for a sofa that will not only seat the family plus friends for a movie marathon, but one that features hidden storage too. This double duty design is aimed at catching the eye of families and ever evolving households.
The very flexible friend Harry, is a modular sofa made for building, mixing and matching, so you can create a chaise, a lounger or modular sofa, all with a nifty stash space beneath. So as the household grows and changes, so can the modular pieces.
When it comes to sofa shape, Lynsey Ford, architect and designer at Lynseyforddesign; featured on BBC’s Interior Design Masters would go modular. ‘I’m always changing our house around, so I love the idea of being able to reconfigure the shape of my sofa when I fancy a rejig.’
10. Add a hidden bed
Image credit: Bed in a Bun foldaway guest bed, £745, Loaf
It’s hard to believe there’s a bed nestled beneath this plump perch, but this smart seat transforms into a comfortable double. A multifunctional piece like this is ideal if you don’t have space for a guest bed in a spare room or bedroom – it’s a sleepover saviour! The lid lifts to create a plush headboard. The hideaway bed is available in 150 fabrics.
11. Spark joy with colour and pattern
Image credit: DFS; Yoko corner sofa in honey velvet, £1,499
Create an inviting, family-friendly living room with a yellow sofa. The pairing of the sunny colour with the blush pink walls is a warm, contemporary combination. Pop in a spotty footstool, layered monochrome rugs and a line up of geometric cushions for a fun, graphic injection to complement the block colour upholstery.
Mix up the print scales, from large triangles to small shifting shapes. Echo these playful shapes around the room, pick sculptural vases and accessories and streamlined lighting.
12. Create an area that’s made for play
Image credit: Future PLC
If you don’t have a separate playroom, it’s wise to dedicate one corner of your living room as a play area for the kids. Without one, toys could spread everywhere turning your entire living room into one big playroom – not ideal!
Family living rooms require plenty of storage, so make sure everyone in the family has an assigned cupboard, drawer or trunk to hide their things inside. Make sure there is plenty of it – at the end of the day, you’ll be glad of somewhere to banish the toys so that you can enjoy some much-needed adult time.
Here, brighter accessories added to a neutral background can be easily swapped as children get older and the function of the room changes.
13. Add photographs
Image credit: Future PLC/ Tim Young
Personalise your living room with an arrangement of favourite family photographs. A bare expanse of wall above the sofa or a sideboard makes the ideal spot. Choose frames that are identical in size and colour, and arrange in a grid formation to make a visual impact with your living room feature wall idea.
14. Incorporate technology
Image credit: Future PLC
Create a media-friendly arrangement in a family living room. Choose low units that won’t overwhelm the room and keep the wall space above feeling open by putting up simple floating shelves. ‘TV units are a great way to hide away those game consoles and controllers that can clutter a snug/family/TV room,’ says Dani, ‘and choosing something in a natural finish will help keep the space cosy.’
Go for a pale colour scheme for furniture and walls, like this pale striped living room wallpaper idea, to give a unified look and hide all TV-related gadgetry in wicker baskets.
15. Keep on top of clutter
Image credit: Future PLC/ Dominic Blackmore
Create a clutter-free living room by keeping shelves orderly and free from lots of objects. Keep paraphernalia hidden in wooden storage boxes and store books and magazines neatly between stationary box files. Use the often forgotten space above the sofa a for single picture shelf to display coherent black and white family photos.
16. Choose durable furniture
Image credit: Future PLC/ James Merrell
Who says you can’t have a stylish and sleek living room in a busy family home? Paint walls a fresh off-white in a wipeable finish and update fussy curtains with clean-lined shutters.
Choose hardwearing leather sofas for an easy-clean option; they look even better once well loved. Then add modern glamour with a show-stopping ceiling chandelier – it will be well out of reach of little fingers!
17. Socialise the space
Image credit: Future PLC
Modern family life can be busy, so create a living room that encourages you to stop for quality family time and enjoy each other’s company. Create and intimate space within a split-level, open-plan area by adding comfortable sofas in a communal group.
The sunken effect is very impressive and is sure to be a conversation starter. Shades of fresh white wall with pink and blue accents will keep the room bright and friendly, while dark wood flooring introduces warmth.
18. Use family-friendly flooring
Image credit: Clare Lloyd Davies/Future PLC
Consider the most practical living room flooring idea for your family space. Choose wooden floors for a classic look that is easy to clean. Keep it feeling snug with one large or several rugs.
Storage is important so that bits and bobs don’t take over – a chest with lots of drawers is a good option, as each family member can have one or two of their own. The sheep is a cool quirky touch that kids will love – and it can even double as a seat when visitors are given priority on the sofa.
19. Make room for everyone
Image credit: Future PLC
Be sure to put a large sofa at the top of your wish list! Not only will it play a vital part in family life a corner design to accommodate everyone and save space. The layout also means there is a large floor area for children to play.
A neutral scheme allows plenty of scope to add colour and pattern, which makes for a fun room. Check out our guides to the best sofas and best sofa beds to find a super spacious and stylish option.
20. Get in the zone
Image credit: Future PLC/ Colin Poole
Open–plan living rooms are a great choice as the social aspect is perfect for family interaction. Design allocated zones for lounging, dining and working to keep the room organised. Use soft textures and uplifting colours, with plenty of cushions and blankets so that everyone can snuggle in comfort.
21. Incorporate more than enough storage
Image credit: Future PLC
Use a basic free-standing unit in multiples to create a bank of storage to fit your space and then fill them box files and colourful objects for interest. Use the space above to store rarely used items in boxes that blend in well with the walls.
Baskets near sofas can be used for children’s toys so they are never strewn across the floor and coffee table with drawers underneath makes it easy to keep the surface clear.
22. Make it feel cosy and appealing
Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore
Large squashy sofas with plump feather-filled cushions provide all the temptation needed for a relaxing cosy living room idea. Add atmosphere warming stove fire and plenty of wooden furniture.
Woollen or linen throws folded over sofa arms will visually soften the room as well as providing warmth when needed. Every one loves a blanket so make sure there are plenty to go around.
What is a family room vs a living room?
Spacious homes with the luxury of a family room and a living room dedicate very different purposes to each living space. A family room will be a room dedicated to hanging out as a family to play with toys and enjoy movies and home entertainment, while a living room will be more of a formal setting for entertaining guests and enjoying some grown up time.
Does the TV go in the living room or family room?
‘Where possible, we always recommend having a separate TV/family room or snug,’ says Céline Erlam, co-founder of interior design studio Indie & Co. ‘which often ends up as a more casual space than a formal living room, sometimes doubling up as a playroom.’
‘Nowadays, we tend to divide a house based on how its occupants will use it rather than opening everything up like we used to. We also try to avoid having a TV in the main living space as they look rather ugly and come become the focal point in a room, which is a shame.’
How do you make furniture kid friendly?
You can make your exiting furniture more kid-friendly by softening hard edges and corners, with simple gadgets you can pick up in hardware stores. IKEA is a great source of accessories to make furniture a bit safer around little ones. The Corner Bumpers are, in the words of IKEA, are ‘Made with the safety of children in mind, but also loved by adults. These 8 white corner bumpers reduce the risk of your child injuring themselves on sharp table edges and corners.’
Soft surfaces are best at lower levels, to cushion any falls as small children find their feet while walking around a family living room.
If you are hoping to spend a little less but use a lot more thought on your Christmas presents this year, then we’ve got your back. Welcome to the Ideal Home Christmas gifts under £20 guide, where you can peruse the perfect presents for a loved one, whether for adults, kids or even your beloved pet. Whilst being sensible and sticking to your Christmas budget.
Christmas present buying already, you say? The earlier the merrier! When it comes to ticking things off your Christmas to-do list, whether presents or whatever else, you can never be too early in our eyes. It’s a smart idea to split the large expense of presents over a few months and tick things off your list from October onwards. And don’t forget about Black Friday 2021 – for gift buying on a budget…
Spending £20 or less doesn’t mean you have to compromise on a boring gift, either. As we’ve proved below, there are plenty of luxury buys from everywhere including The White Company, Neom, Scandibørn plus more – all for £20 or much less. Get some buys ticked off your list now, and thank us later.
Three-bottle wooden wine box | £13.99 at Selfridges
Not only can this be for him, but it can also be for any wine lover and is designed to make a wonderful centrepiece in your home. This wooden wine box from Selfridges Selection allows you to display your vintage and everyday favourites with pride.
A lovely stocking filler or gift for a couple, these spotty mugs will ensure they drink their tea or sip their coffee in style. They’re made from porcelain and also dishwasher-proof.
NEOM Real Luxury Travel Sized Scented Candle | £16 at ASOS
Neom candles scream luxury, even at this smaller size. This travel-size candle can, impressively enough, burn for 20 hours. It’s fragranced with essential oils and made using 100% natural wax. What does it smell like? It’s fresh yet floral, with notes of rosewood, jasmine and subtle lavender. It’s ideal for a bedroom.
Le Creuset Stoneware Petite Round Casserole | £19.59 at Amazon
Yes, you can buy a mini Le Creuset casserole dish for less than £20 – only at Amazon. This one is a striking blue colour and they are the perfect size for serving desserts, soup or even for using for side dishes. Love!
Kitsch Satin Pillowcase | £14.99 at ASOS
Treat your friend – or your teenager – to a satin pillowcase and they’ll thank you later. Not only does this one feel super soft, but it’s better for the skin on your face, hair on your head and even your eyebrows and lashes. It aims to reduce your hair frizz during the night, plus they come in a range of colours. A bargain!
Fir Tree Fragrance Oil | £10 at The White Company
This incredibly scented fragrance oil is made for use with your essential oil diffuser. It will flood your entire home with the scent of Christmas – specifically, Christmas trees – and it will bring festive vibes. All without the need for a flame. Wining! You could also use it to fragrance your pot pourri…
Habitat Acacia Groove Chopping Board | £18 at Habitat
This Habitat chopping board is both practical and pretty, with a sturdy steel handle for easy carrying. It makes a pretty job of serving food, too, whilst it’s made of 100% FSC wood so is also sustainable. For less than £20, you can’t go wrong…
Car Scent Diffuser | £15 at The White Company
An easy way to make a car smell nice, this diffuser from The White Company clicks straight onto an air vent. Use it along with your favourite fragrance oils for an instant fragrance boost. Wave goodbye to hanging car air fresheners…
HOLM ‘ Forget Me Knot’ Candles | £20 at ASOS
These uniquely shaped knot candles come in two colours – pink and cream. They are made of soy wax and mostly for display purposes, though you can obviously light them (atop a plate). Super Insgrammable, we think they’re great for placing in the middle of a coffee table.
Little Dutch Abacus in Nature | £14.95 at Scandibørn
Perfect for children aged over one, this abacus comes in three colourways to blend in with their nursery. It’ll encourage them to use their hands more, plus it helps identify different colours. Fun, pretty and educational – what more could you want?
Liewood Birdie Skipping Rope – Rose Multi Mix | £11.95 at Scandibørn
One for the bigger kids, this skipping rope will be sure to tire them out. It’s made of 100% silicone and is adjustable in length, plus it features cat-shaped handles. It comes in more colours so be sure to take a look – it makes a fab stocking filler.
John Lewis & Partners Wooden Coffee Machine | £12.50 at John Lewis
A bargain price to pay for this cute wooden toy, plus it even comes with the mugs, spoons and more, all included. It’s grey in colour so as to blend in with the rest of their wooden toy collection, and they’ll love using it to make you imaginary coffees in the morning.
Fabelab Pocket Friend | £18.95 at Scandibørn
This festive soft toy is perfect for gifting to someone who is excited about Christmas. Tuck them into bed with this elf toy and watch them go on Christmas adventures together. It’s made of 100% organic cotton with a corn filling.
Dog Food Tin & Scoop | £15 at Matalan
Store their dog food in style and scoop it with ease thanks to this buy from Matalan. It has handles for easy carrying and a wooden lid, plus it’s easy to clean when necessary. Hide it inside your kitchen cupboard or place it somewhere on display if you’ve got the worktop space.
Eco Dog Toy – Green & Wilds – Lenny the Leek | £10.39 at Amazon
Lenny the Leek is loved by many dogs, far and wide, mostly because it’s very chewable yet also almost indestructible. Made from natural, renewable and recyclable materials such as suede and jute, it’s as cute as it is kind to the environment. Their pet – or your pet – will love it!
Squeaky Bottle Dog Toy | £4 at Matalan
Because who wouldn’t want their pup to play with a soft toy version of a bottle of Prosecco? It’s the next best thing, really. Plus, it squeaks. Pop it in their stocking.
GOOD BOY Mini Doggy Mince Pies | £6.99 at Amazon
Yes, you can buy mince pies for your dog. They needn’t miss out on the festivities this year, clearly! Made from dog-friendly ingredients and hard to the touch so as to keep them occupied whilst you enjoy your turkey, they come in a pack of 6. Give one to all of your dog’s friends, too!
Banbury & Co Luxury Cosy Cat Bed | £25 £14.67 (save £10.33) at Amazon
This cosy cat bed has a hanging toy inside to get your cat’s attention, plus it will look nice nestled in the corner of a room. It’s shaped like an igloo to cocoon your pet, and it’s wrapped in faux sheep shearling on the inside for extra warmth. It’s a total bargain…
Decorating with black in any room is not for the faint-hearted. But with the right guidance shades of darkness can be chic for all spaces, especially black living room ideas to create a space that intrigues and cocoons.
‘Black can be an incredibly glamorous and sophisticated choice for a living room’ says Patrick O’Donnell, Farrow & Ball Brand Ambassador. ‘Something as dark as this can create a cosy and intimate space – ideal if your room is starved of natural light as it will lend itself to the disadvantages of aspect.’
Black living room ideas
‘Rules in decorating are there to be broken or at least manipulated’ says Patrick. ‘It’s all about experimentation- how will you ever know if something works or not unless you try?’.
‘Don’t be limited to the traditional four walls- the ceiling, your fifth wall is often overlooked in decorating and taking the colour over can add sublime drama’ he advises.
1. Fashion a divide with black and white
Image credit: Future PLC/ Darren Chung
Create a room divide with a creative living room paint idea, with black dominating the bottom half of the wall with a neutral shade above. This monochromatic scheme helps to fake the impression of a traditional dado rail, where architrave divides the room in two to invite artistic expression with the decor.
You don’t have to have a period property to get this look, in fact all you need is masking tape! Simply tape a straight line and paint the two sections of wall in contrasting colours, with black on the bottom half to anchor the wider design element within the room.
2. Welcome warm undertones to soften black
Image credit: Farrow & Ball; Paean Black on walls
Black paint has many hidden depths, it doesn’t have to mean true black – if you’re seeking warmth from your walls. ‘While the thought of painting a room in black or more nuanced versions of ‘black’ sounds terrifying, it can act as a superb colour choice’ Patrick explains.
‘Think nuanced blacks rather than pure, pitch-black as they appear slightly softer – from the blue-based Railings and Black Blue to the smokier charcoal Off Black and warmer tones of Paean Black.’
Rich Paean Black offers underlying purple tones, to create a cosy and undeniably chic aesthetic. Consider this depth of black to update purple living room ideas.
3. Anchor the bold colour to one wall
Image credit: Future PLC/ David Giles
If you’re not quite brave enough to take on Patrick’s suggestion of all walls and ceilings, we suggest dedicating just one wall to this daring shade. One wall will still offer a superbly dominant splash of colour to make a statement. Even better if you have a cast iron fire surround that will seamlessly blend into the black backdrop. Alternatively you could paint the fire surround to incorporate it into the black wall.
We’d go one step further than this homeowner and pain the skirting boards in black too, to take the colour entirely from floor to ceiling.
4. Cocoon a snug in all-black
Image credit: Future PLC/ Veronica Rodriguez
In a room with a good source of natural light for day times you can afford to go all in with an entirely black room – leaving just the ceiling in contrasting white. Painting all walls in a deep saturated colour, such as black, creates an all immersive experience – a cocooning atmosphere.
‘Be brave and use the colour on all four walls and even include the skirting’ suggests Patrick. ‘Including the woodwork will elongate your wall height and draw less attention to a sharp contrast of the traditional white trim.’
This ambience is ideal for an entertainment snug, where you are looking to escape into a world of boxsets and movies.
5. Add thoughtful lighting
Image credit: Farrow & Ball; Black Blue
To prevent this strikingly bold shade from feeling flat look to add living room lightning ideas aplenty, to ensure it’s well highlighted and ambient.
‘Think about the time of day you will be using the room – black absorbs light, so can create a truly, cosseting environment’ explains Patrick. ‘You will most probably be dependent on artificial lighting if it is a room used during the day, especially if the room is starved of natural light.’
6. Pick out design details in black
Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore
Use Black as a bold accent colour to pick out architectural detail, such as cornicing; fire surrounds and bespoke display and storage alcove ideas. This dramatic hue will add drama to your living room scheme, celebrating the finer details in all their glory.
Any neutral living room idea will benefit from this dark colour pairing, especially muted grey living rooms where the black tones are already present.
7. Paint the woodwork in black to frame the room
Image credit: Sweetpea & Willow
‘If black walls feel overwhelming, consider another decorative motif such as painting all your woodwork in black or off black with lighter walls’ advises Patrick. ‘This can feel effortlessly sophisticated.’
As this fine example of a sitting rooms shows, with its grey textured wallpapered walls and black woodwork accents. The furniture echoes the powerful tones of black to create a cohesively stylish colour scheme throughout. Grey carpet helps to keep the floor light and offsets the darker tones within the scheme.
8. Zone with a bold feature wall
Image credit: Future PLC/ Rachael Smith
Give a dividing wall a powerful prominence with a strong shade, such as this black feature wall. The colour helps to cleverly zone the area, making the wall present and purposeful to divide the two living areas within an open-plan space.
The strong shade is echoed through the doors frames that connect to the outside, helping to create a flow throughout the space.
9. Make a style statement with true black
Image credit: Dulux
A true black is as bold as it gets. This colour is devoid of other pigments, making it a flat true colour that works well in small doses – if you’re not feeling brave enough for painting entire walls. A true black feature wall is just the thing to enhance a white living room idea, such as this fine example.
Add wooden tones through flooring and furniture to naturally add a warming quality to this bold colour.
10. Go for on-trend blue black
Image credit: Farrow & Ball
Try something slightly gentler, which feels more shaded and charcoal-like but strong than an existing blue living room idea. ‘Our perennially popular Railings ticks many boxes with its subtle underlying blue note’ suggests Patrick. ‘Or for something that packs bluer (we all love dark blues right now) is our stunning archive colour Black Blue.’
11. Enhance bold botanical prints
Image credit: Sofa.com
Darker toned paint colours are ideal for highlighting the bold tones of floral and fauna. Whether natural house plants or painterly florals on wallpaper and wall murals, welcome black as the perfect backdrop to make the bold accent colours really pop!
Bright jewel toned furniture in rich velvets are beautifully offset by bold black walls, as this fine example shows.
12. Add interest with a striped wallpaper
Image credit: Future PLC/ Amanda Turner
Soften the impact of black, without taking away its style credentials by welcoming a wallpaper design that features black – but is not overpowered by the shade. This sophisticated stripe design features black strips softened by accents of silver. Metallic touches within the design will help to reflect light and give the wallpaper more depth.
When using a statement wallpaper design it’s best to create a living room feature wall. Choose a wall that anchors the room, so a dominant wall – whether that’s the wall with the sofa or a wall with a chimney breast and fireplace. This will depend on your living room layout and how you choose to arrange your furniture.
Is black a good colour for living rooms?
Black is a good colour for living rooms to create a glamorous and sophisticated colour scheme, that feels very on-trend. A colour as dark as black on the walls welcomes a cosy, ambient and intimate space ideal for livings rooms – where the space is dedicated to feeling comfort.
Black is especially good if you have a small living room idea, one that is starved of natural light as it lends itself to the disadvantages of aspect. Making the small space feel intentional, cocooning rather than limiting.
How can I use black in my living room?
You can welcome black paint to your living room scheme for dramatic impact. ‘If painting your walls feels a step too far, consider painting all your woodwork, including doors, architraves, and windows in Black instead’ suggest Farrow & Ball’s Patrick. ‘Dark woodwork will frame walls beautifully and is a sophisticated compromise.’
You can paint all four walls for a dramatic impact, or choose to create a feature with one dominant black wall.
What colour goes with black in a living room?
Colours that go with black in a living room are very much determined by the look you wish to create and where you want to use colour. On walls white, off-white and neutral tones are best to create a monochromatic contrast against black. Light grey also helps to offset the darkness of black.
Colours that go with black in terms of furniture are best in brighter accents of jewel tones of emerald green, burnt orange and sapphire blue. For a monochrome scheme choose to add warmth with leather furniture or further the contrast with grey or taupe upholstered sofas and armchairs.
