Soho House’s design director Linda Boronkay on relaxed living

The key to maximising a living

room is selecting furniture

that fits the space. Before

splashing out, make a note of

measurements. Then mark

out which pieces go where using tape. Your mission is

to make sure you can navigate around the room easily.

Find the focal point of your room— it could

be a fireplace, an amazing view or even

an empty wall where you can hang your

favourite artwork. If you

have a big piece of art that

you want to display, I would

start with that when planning

your scheme. I really love

colourful art, so I always

choose cushions or fabrics in

corresponding shades.

Once you have identified

your focal point, you

know where to arrange

your seating. Whatever

you do, don’t make your

TV the main feature of the

room; the trick is to make it

as inconspicuous as possible.

Perhaps commission a

purpose-built cupboard

in which to hide the TV, or place it against a dark

b a c kd r o p s o t h at it ble n d s wit h t h e d e c or.

W h e n i t c o m e s t o s e a t i n g , I l i k e t o m i x t h i n g s

up. It’s a lot more personal when you source pieces

one by one, ideally at a vintage market or an antiques

shop. My preference is for a sofa and two armchairs —

they don’t have to match, but shop for a similar style.

A small living room challenges you to think

slightly differently. Free up space by replacing

a sofa with two larger armchairs and always choose

FE furniture that serves multiple functions. Placing

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a wooden tray on top of a pouffe can turn it from

a footstool into a handy extra side table.

Customising cushions with fringes or trims

is a fabulous way to create a little contrast or

add a touch of personality. They don’t need to be

symmetrical – three or four cushions are sufficient for

a sofa. If you have armchairs, put one cushion on each.

Low-level lighting is great for drawing the

eye to different areas of the room, making

it feel bigger and look

more interesting. Never

underestimate the number

of f loor and table lamps

you need and make sure

you put them on a dimmer.

This allows for flexibility

depending on the time of

day or your mood. Place a

small lamp next to the TV at

eye level. Apparently, a low

g low wh i le watch i ng T V is

better for your eyesight.

I love displaying books

on my coffee table —

they’re like pieces of

art in their own right.

The mistake people often

ma k e i s o v e r - c l u t t e r i n g. F u n c t i o n s h o u l d a l w a y s c o me

f i r st. Ma ke su re you leave enoug h space to be able to

a c t u a l l y u s e you r c of fe e t a ble.

I ’ m a h o a r d e r , s o m y m a n t e l i s h o m e t o p i e c e s

that make me happy like wedding invitations

or birthday cards. I a l s o h ave a c ouple of b e aut i f u l

mid-century vases, which

I found at a vintage market.

Style your mantelpiece with

items that are personal to

you and tell a story of your

life and your travels.

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DESIGN DOSSIER: LIVING

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