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The living is easy

We’ve put together our three favourite looks for the living area, so take your pick from vintage charm, sophisticated elegance and timeless neutral schemes.

Article by: Charlotte Barber
Publish date: 2nd April 2009

Choosing a scheme for your living room whether your space boasts low-level beams and lots of studwork or high ceilings and ornate plasterwork can pose a tricky dilemma. One things for certain, this much-used area needs to be suitable for all the family and somewhere that adults, children, pets and house guests feel welcome and comfortable on a daily basis. And, with summer just around the corner, nows the perfect time to rethink your space and update your scheme...

VINTAGE
Home-sweet-home With the resurgence for everything vintage, from homewares to fashion, stepping back in time to the days of chintz and sugary sweet shades is still a big trend for interiors. If you live in a pretty cottage or bijou abode, rest assured its the perfect setting in which to embrace this laid-back style. The key to this look is to keep things feminine, which is easy with floral prints on curtains and upholstery.

Consider a soft palette of colours such as chalky blues, pale greens, dusty pinks and muted lilacs. And dont be frightened to mix and match for an eclectic feel. Vintage florals, polka dots, stripes and plains all have their place within this look, so embrace pretty prints for wallpaper, fabric, rugs and accessories. Jemima Locke, Marketing Manager at Novatec, continues: After years of interiors being stark and minimal, homeowners are increasingly drawn to the rustic charm of vintage style.

Its lived-in look is reassuringly comforting. When it comes to flowers, steer clear of formal arrangements and instead keep blooms understated with freshly picked poppies and cornflowers from the garden. Have fun with arrangements using unusual holding vessels such as milk jars and pretty china for a whimsical touch. Remember that a little bit of clutter is acceptable, as youre aiming for a lived-in look, rather than a polished finish, which can be high maintenance.

Make do and mend
Rather than splashing out on a brand new, three-piece suite, vintage style is for you to find a new use for old items, and reuse and recycle whenever possible. From family heirloom pieces which are looking a little worse for wear, to flea market finds, consider ways in which to breathe a new lease of life into used items.

Perhaps you could have a favourite chair reupholstered in a new fabric, or employ a local craftsman to turn a reclaimed item into a functional piece of furniture. Consider reinventing, often discarded, items too fabric remnants can be combined to create cushions and patchwork throws for homespun appeal. But keep in mind that this look oozes personality and distressed age-old items will add character, warmth and charm to the overall scheme.