Irene Gunter’s expert advice on furnishing a living room

Creating a living room that works for you requires some careful consideration. This is a room where you'll want to kick back and relax, so take the time to familiarise yourself with the space. Consider any architectural features that will affect where you position furniture, such as a fireplace or bay window (for more inspiration, check out my living room planning blog). Next, decide which key pieces of furniture you want to include. Keep reading for my top tips!

Choose A Comfortable Sofa

When it comes to choosing a sofa for your living room, there are several factors to consider. First and foremost, comfort should be a top priority since your sofa is where you'll be spending a lot of your downtime. Therefore, it's crucial to select a piece that feels good to sit on.

Seat height is another important consideration. For instance, my sofa has a seat height of 42cm, while my armchairs have a seat height of 47cm. Although I don't mind the difference, some people might prefer a more streamlined aesthetic, so it's something to keep in mind.

For smaller living rooms, space-saving solutions are essential. An L-shaped sofa can be handy in such cases. Its shape allows it to fit snugly into a corner, leaving more open floor space in the room while providing ample seating. Additionally, it can be configured in different ways, making it a versatile choice!

Add An Armchair

Choosing the right armchair depends on the size of your room, whether you want one or two armchairs, and the location of other pieces of furniture. Once you have the measurements of your armchair (or armchairs), I suggest using masking tape to mark out the shape on the floor. This way, you can check that you have adequate space to move around it and that the room does not feel too crowded. It also allows you to double-check the proportions of your intended armchair since they come in many different shapes and sizes. Some are as small as 600 by 700mm, while others are the size of a larger loveseat at 1.1m wide.

Always consider the back of your armchair, especially if you intend to place it in the centre of the room. If a chair has a nice back, there is no reason not to have it on display. However, if the back is a blocky shape and unattractive, it makes sense to position the chair so that the back is not visible when you walk in.

Your sofa and armchair do not have to match. An eclectic approach often works well, creating the impression that the furniture has been curated over time rather than all purchased from the same store in the same fabric. In fact, if everything matches, it can feel like a hotel suite, which may not be what you want.

Consider making a statement with a standout occasional chair. For example, if your sofa and armchairs are in plain neutral colours, choose a boldly patterned chair to inject a sense of fun into the scheme.

Introduce A Coffee Table

Pair your sofa with a circular coffee table to encourage sociability and create a comfortable, relaxing space. Make sure to leave enough legroom between the sofa and the coffee table for easy movement and stretching.

Avoid overloading the surface of a small coffee table. Less is more when it comes to making a statement with your styling (and to ensure everyone appreciates the time you spent choosing a coffee table with a beautiful top). Moreover, a coffee table is meant to be used, so it's wise to leave some space for things you'll want to put on it throughout the day.

If you have a small sitting room, consider an upholstered ottoman instead of a coffee table. This flexible piece of furniture can be used for extra seating, storage, or as a footstool. You can also place a stylish tray on top to create a flat surface for your cup of tea or glass of wine.

For a large living room where reaching the coffee table might be a stretch, consider introducing small occasional tables beside your sofa or armchair. These tables are handy for having a drink or the remote control within easy reach.

Think About Storage

A built-in bookcase is a great option for a small living room because it can be customised to fit the exact dimensions of the space. This means that it can maximise storage while taking up minimal floor space. Furthermore, built-in bookcases can be seamlessly designed to blend into the room's decor, creating a cohesive and polished look.

Don't forget to light up your shelves. Unlit joinery looks like a dark hole in your room, which is a waste when you could create a highlight. The usual method to light up joinery is with recessed LED lighting, but there are numerous innovative alternatives available as well.

One great solution is to have sockets installed within the shelves at intervals. This allows you to plug in lamps without having wires trailing behind. It's a simple remedy that allows you to change the look of the shelves by switching out lamps and moving them around.

If you already had your shelves built without lighting or wiring, a great retro-fit solution is to use rechargeable LED lamps that can be scattered throughout the shelves. We used this workaround with our client in Notting Hill, who had originally been against joinery lighting. The little lamps looked really cute among the bookshelves.

If you don’t want to install bookshelves, consider a sideboard or cabinet for storage. Not only can everything be tidied away behind closed doors, but you can choose a stylish design that creates a focal point.

Consider Curtains

Curtains can enhance the aesthetics of a room by adding a pop of colour to a neutral space, complementing the existing colour scheme, or blending into the background to allow the rest of the decor to shine. They can also create a focal point by framing a large window with a beautiful view.

When it comes to choosing curtain linings, whether you decide to go for a blackout or light-filtering lining will depend on the function of the room. Either way, to add weight and quality to curtains, I always include an additional interlining - an extra layer of fabric sewn between the curtain fabric and the blackout or light-filtering lining, which is visible from the outside of the house.

My top tip when it comes to curtains is to get the length right. To my mind, it's a big no-no to have a sizable gap between the floor and the hem of the curtains. This is a look that needs to stay firmly in the 1980s. If your interior is contemporary, curtains should sit just a couple of millimetres above the floor. Alternatively, in more traditional projects, you might have them pooling onto the floor, which gives a dramatic look.

If your living room is overlooked, you may also want to consider sheer voiles or even plantation shutters to provide some privacy during the day but still allow light into the space.

Add A Rug

A rug is perfect for adding comfort underfoot and delineating your sitting area. Make sure that the shape of the rug mirrors the shape of the furniture and the layout. For instance, a round rug is an excellent option under a round table, while a large oval rug is suitable for seating arrangements that feature a curved sofa opposite an armchair.

One common mistake is choosing a rug first and then designing around it. This approach can limit your options and make it harder to achieve a cohesive look. Instead, it's better to visualise the rug as a picture frame around your furniture layout. First, select your furniture, and then choose a rug that complements it. This way, the rug will provide a visual boundary and create a focal point for the room. Additionally, it will help tie together the different elements in the space.

A rug should always be super luxurious underfoot. So, look for a high-quality rug that feels fabulous. A quick note: always weigh up the pros and cons of the material your rug is made of. For example, when silk is used in a rug, the colour changes drastically depending on the direction of the warp and weft. If you are unsure, ask your interior designer for advice.