Houghton on the Hill
A contemporary and versatile family-friendly living room
The brief
It’s always a thrill to work with a client who’s keen to make full use of their space, both in terms of design and practicality. When this couple approached us, they knew their living room needed updating, but they didn’t know how. The space was looking tired and no longer met their needs – they wanted it to be practical, warm, and inviting for when the family were together, but also sophisticated and relaxing enough for the adults.
Our solution
We bricked up one of the doors to create more space and divided the L-shaped room into two separate areas. The first area had a sofa and TV as the focal point, while the second became a relaxing space to read quietly by the fire.
We created a warm, luxurious feel by layering sumptuous textures, with a black American walnut fireplace, oak herringbone floor, and armchair reupholstered in velvet. We used wall lights for an improved ambience and a palette of muted colours like silvers and greys so it wouldn’t date, with accents of teal – the client’s favourite colour. The husband was very tall and had struggled to get comfortable on the sofa, so we spent time sourcing a new sofa in a timeless style, where the bespoke manufacturer added extra height and padding to fit him perfectly.
For a practical edge to an otherwise luxurious space, we designed made-to-measure wall units matching the fireplace and a place to show off the client’s art, adding an artwork of the African King Protea flower to echo the client’s connection to home.
The result was a versatile living room that felt sophisticated, spacious, and calming – honouring the needs of all members of the family. The bespoke sofa was a real highlight and shows what can be done with a network of talented suppliers.
If you like this interior and want to discuss working together, please get in touch.