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Compact blue-walled living room with a grey two-seater, striped red-and-blue rug, framed colour study, linen curtains, layered cushions, warm lamps and a television on a geometric wooden sideboard.
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ROOM 136 · Living Room

Two seats and a blue wall

Published

A compact UK new-build living room, conceived for Reading.

A small living room still needs somewhere to put your feet up, watch television and leave a book halfway through. Here, a blue wall and a striped rug make the first impression; curtains, lamplight and a throw over the sofa arm make you want to stay.

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THE DESIGN

I would keep the blue wall and the decidedly unquiet rug. They give an ordinary rectangular room something to say before a single accessory arrives. The grey Sutton sofa leaves those colours alone, while its upright arms and small timber feet give the seating a little definition. A wool throw over one arm and three different cushions make it less formal without burying the place you are meant to sit.

Moving Seattle Stripe above the sofa gives the blue wall a purpose beyond being the painted one. This is the larger, black-framed painting; the A4 print is a smaller alternative. Opposite, the television sits on the Siena sideboard rather than demanding another piece of furniture. Its closed doors give remotes, cables and the less photogenic parts of an evening somewhere to go.

The window does more of the work now. Linen-coloured curtains soften its edges, a blind provides privacy, and a few plants interrupt the straight lines. Beside the sofa, the Kara lamp wears a separately chosen Embaata linen shade; the red Muse brings a smaller pool of light to the cabinet. Books, a cup and a pair of Janka tealights give the Amaya table a reason to be there, with enough surface left to use it.

The television, window dressing, plants and small everyday objects are styling references rather than linked product claims. The Shop selection below identifies the furniture, art, textiles and lighting behind the design, including the separately sold lampshade. Check the retailer photographs and dimensions before borrowing the arrangement.

WHY THE ROOM WORKS

Give the room a little more life, not more furniture.

Colour palette

  • Dusty blue
  • Red-orange
  • Ochre
  • Warm linen
01

Leave room for the everyday

The two-seater and low table keep the middle of the room usable. Measure the sofa depth, the cabinet and the open door together before adding another seat.

02

Dress the window, keep the daylight

Curtains soften the wall around the window; the blind handles privacy. Keep the panels to either side of the radiator and check that the window can still open.

03

Let the blue wall hold the art

Seattle Stripe moves above the sofa, where its close bands of colour have a quieter background. The black frame gives it a clear edge against the blue.

04

Make the evening work too

A shaded reading lamp serves the sofa, while the portable red Muse lights the cabinet. Keep both out of the screen’s reflection and leave space for a cup beside the books.

WHAT TO BORROW

Keep the furniture plan simple, then add the things that make it comfortable: a light beside the seat, a throw within reach and curtains that clear the radiator. Leave part of the coffee table empty.

THE PIECES BEHIND THE DESIGN

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The design began with these pieces from our Shop. Open each product for its exact size, finish and retailer details.

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