photography: Are Media Syndication
A successfully designed living room wears many hats – and a cosy space to binge-watch Bridgerton is only one of them. It’s a social space, a solo space, a room for family board games, gossip, giggles and moments of quietness and calm. Getting a sitting room to deliver all of the above starts with careful planning.
Places, everyone
Placement – deciding where to put the sofa, TV and all the rest – enormously impacts the mood of the space. Interior designer Vanessa Webb of Dress My Nest says, “When I am planning a living room, I always start with flow. How you move through a space is just as important as what goes in it.” Consider the natural thoroughfares, how you will habitually move from door to sofa, or through to adjoining spaces, and keep those paths clear and defined.
Vanessa suggests starting with the sofa first, as the largest piece, then build a conversation space.
“The TV should not be the boss of the room. I prefer to design for connection first,” she says.
Think about your room’s other assets, too, including natural light and pretty outlooks – position furniture to appreciate a gorgeous view, not facing away from it.
Give your furniture some air and avoid having everything hug the walls.
“People push all their furniture to the edges, thinking it makes the room feel bigger, but it actually does the opposite. Floating pieces, where you can, will always make the room feel more balanced and inviting,” says Vanessa.
Finally, choose calm over clutter when planning furniture and placement.
“Avoid lots of small pieces of furniture because they can make a room feel bitsy and cluttered,” says Vanessa.
“Focus on fewer, well-chosen statement pieces and an intentional layout. That is when a living room truly sings.”
Screen time
Should the TV be front and centre, or hidden like a shameful secret? “How you incorporate a TV into your home should really reflect the way you live,” says interior designer Nikki Burnet of Kurio Design.
“If you’re a family of movie lovers with a large 85-inch screen, there’s no point trying to hide it; embrace it and design a cosy, low-lighting media space around it.”
Where the living room is a more social space and screen blobbing is a ‘sometimes’ activity, a dominating TV is less desirable. In this case, Nikki says placement is key.
“If you don’t want the TV to be the focal point, avoid centring it. It might sit on a low console to one side of a fireplace, or on a TV easel, which can read more like a sculptural art piece and offers flexibility without fixing it permanently to the wall.” Your choice of telly also affects its visual impact. Nikki describes art TVs, like Samsung Frame, as game-changers – rather than a blank, black rectangle, they present with a subtly framed matte screen on which you can display your choice of art.
Mix the art TV into a gallery wall to further disguise it. Interior designer Ali Brown of The Design Co also suggests this clever trick: “If you can’t stretch to a TV that displays art, paint or wallpaper the wall a darker colour to help disguise the ‘black box’.”
If the sight of the TV truly offends, you could consider concealing it with a sliding panel, curtains or custom joinery – doors that close over it or a lift mechanism so it rises like magic from a cabinet. But be realistic, if the room is mostly used for TV watching, complicated concealment might not be worth the bother.
Round out the room
Beyond the sofa and telly, complete the living room scheme with furnishings that both add visual balance and tick off the practicalities. Coffee and side tables are a place to put your drink, but also a decorative opportunity. “As well as somewhere to place drinks and nibbles, the coffee table can be used for books, vases and other decorative objects, while side tables can hold lamps and possibly store magazines and the like,” says Ali.
Choose calm over clutter with selective storage, but beware the trap of too many surfaces. “Shelving is good but must be kept tidy – it’s a way of displaying and storing your valued items such as books, memorabilia, art. It’s not a dumping ground,” says Ali. “Sideboards or consoles with drawers or cupboards are a good alternative if you’re not naturally tidy and they still give you a surface for decor items.” Closed storage like this is particularly good for electronics, music and gaming gear – none of which is worthy of display.
Sofa, so good
To choose the right sofa, start by considering the space where it will live.
“A huge modular in a small room instantly throws the balance, and a tiny sofa in a large space feels lost,” says Vanessa.
“The room should guide the choices, not the other way around.”
Small spaces might also suit sofas with visible legs – the space underneath makes it visually lighter.
Comfort is personal – plonk yourself on as many options as possible to find your perfect fit. But as a general rule, sofas to curl up and relax on are all about depth. “Around one metre deep, or even 1.1m
if space allows, makes a big difference,” says Nikki.
“In tighter rooms, aim for a maximum depth of about 90cm to keep circulation comfortable.”
Consider the realities of your household., Nikki suggests sofas with removable cushions, in easy-to-clean fabrics, are ideal for families with kids and pets.
“These styles also tend to feel softer and more relaxed,” she says.
“A fully upholstered, tailored sofa, on the other hand, works beautifully in sleek, minimalist interiors where a more refined look is desired. “You really do get what you pay for. New Zealand-made sofas often come with excellent warranties and solid timber frames designed to last a lifetime, with the option to reupholster down the track for a fresh update.”
Trend watch
Thinking of switching up your living space? Try one of these
- Vintage love: “Kiwis are becoming more confident with mixing old and new. A single vintage chair, timber console or ceramic piece can anchor a space and bring a sense of story,” says Vanessa.
- Book nooks and bars: “A trend we’re excited about is the return of dedicated library or reading nooks, as well as the re-emergence of bars within living spaces,” says Nikki. “These elements add personality and a sense of ritual to the home, all things that make our design hearts very happy.”
- Slow styling: Rather than fast and furious decorating, interior stylist Shontelle Coley of Rume is seeing a shift towards slow curation of a space. “People are slowly collecting items they love, or working an interior around a favourite item over time.” The result is unique, eclectic and richly layered.
- Mixed materials: Expect the unexpected, with bold selections jostling together in living spaces. Nikki says, “We’re seeing increased layering and the mixing of unexpected materials – think warm timbers paired with chrome, or more adventurous stone selections.”
- Colour drenching: The trend of washing a whole room (trim, ceilings, walls) in one colour has a calm effect that’s ideal for a living room, particularly when done in gentle, embracing hues. “We love the use of natural soft colours: mocha, cocoa and blush, but also soft greens, blues and washed yellow,” says interior designer Pip Stephen of The Design Co.
Weave a cocoon
Above all, a living room should feel cosy; essential to achieving this feeling is layered textiles, which softens hard edges and wraps the space in warmth.
“Softness is everything. It is what turns a house into a home and makes a space feel lived in rather than staged,” says Vanessa.
Cushions instantly take a sofa from showroom to real-life living room and are a great way to express personality and indulge in luxurious fabrics.
“A three-seater usually needs four good-quality cushions. Any more and it starts to feel like you are dismantling the sofa just to sit down,” says Vanessa.
“Make sure fabrics feel beautiful to the touch as well. That little moment of softness when you sit down or curl up with a blanket is what brings true comfort into a living space.”
Ottomans are another way to introduce luscious fabrics – choose one that does double duty as storage, or layer it with a tray of decorative objects. A cosy floor rug is a toe-warming antidote to the hard floor surfaces we love.
“The bigger the better. A rug should anchor the whole seating area rather than sit like a little island under the coffee table,” says Vanessa, who recommends looking beyond neutrals.
“A soft pink, a calm green or a warm mustard can anchor your colour story and instantly make the room feel softer and more relaxed.”
Harness the softening power of ambient lighting.
“My styling essentials always start with well-placed ambient lighting, such as table and floor lamps, to turn on just as the sun is going down. This instantly creates warmth and softness that overhead lighting can’t achieve,” says Shontelle.
Read more:
- Luxe for less: 20 ways to elevate your home without overspending
- Inspiring bathroom makeover trends for 2026
- How to choose a couch that works for your home
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