While many of us look forward to flopping down onto a soft, squishy sofa at the end of a hard day, there are other times when we want something a little more sophisticated. The current trend in living room decor, with more than a little Scandinavian influence, is for a central sofa or suite and a couple of complementary yet mismatched chairs dotted about the room. This creates a harmonious yet eclectic look and adds a modern touch to otherwise classic decor.
Mismatched Seating
As House & Garden magazine demonstrates, mismatched seating looks great in a range of homes and can inject a fresh look into any living room. Colours should be complementary but definitely don’t have to match. As a rough guide, try to stick to either a similar colour or style of seating if you don’t want the end result to be too much of a mishmash; however, if this is the look you are going for, the more variety the better. If you have a grey sofa, for example, try adding a designer chair or chaise longue in a different shade of grey. If you love the classic style of your existing seating, add a similar style in a completely different colour or pattern.
Statement Pieces
House to Home recommends choosing furniture in bold patterns to make a statement.
Pash-living produce reproduction designer furniture for those with a taste for designer pieces but not the budget. The great benefit of adding reproduction designer furniture to your decor is that it can instantly update a tired-looking room in much less time and for much less money than a full redecorating project. Alternatively, if you are creative, trawl secondhand shops or online auction sites to find unloved seating that could use a little TLC; for example, a battered wooden dining chair can easily be given a new lease of life with a lick of chalk paint and a custom-made cushion. An antique chair or old family heirloom piece also makes a great addition to your living room and nobody else will have one quite the same.
Take a look at pictures of Scandinavian interior design online to get inspiration. Making a statement with your living room seating is an easy ‒ and comfortable ‒ way to add a touch of individuality.
