Three timeless townhouse living rooms and how to get the look at any budget

In an entirely contrasting scheme, interior designer Stella Weatherall has embraced a huge range of colours in the snug of her London house. A rich green sofa plays well with the terracotta striped kilim on the floor, but unexpected shades of blue and raspberry pink enliven the walls, and a lively variety of cushions adorns the sofa. Everything, however, feels warm and rich and enveloping. What we really love about this space is the way that Stella has contrasted new, modern-feeling pieces like the sofa and the framed blanket, with older, more characterful things such as the rug and side table.

Stella’s actual sofa is a bespoke model (we love the gently curving arms) upholstered in Rose Uniacke’s ‘Spruce Cotton Velvet’, but it’s perfectly possible to find a lovely green velvet sofa out there on the high street. Loaf is a perennial favourite here at H&G, and this squashy ‘Brioche’ sofa does just the job, especially when combined with a vintage Anatolian rug to lend depth and texture. Rugs like this are readily available on Vinterior and Etsy – just make sure you buy from a reputable dealer.

The area above a sofa is always a tricky one to fill. Stella has reduced the size of this yawning chasm by building bookshelves to frame the sofa, but the remaining space is neatly occupied by one of BFGF’s brilliant blankets. We’ve seen these on the walls of all kinds of projects, and they always bring a playful charm to a space. For a little more patina, we love the idea of an antique, hand-painted side table. The below Chinoiserie example from OKA is a joy.

An elegant, antique-filled sitting room by Anna Haines

Paul Whitbread

For a graceful, utterly timeless look that feels totally at easy in a period building, this scheme in a Marylebone flat by Anna Haines is everything we could wish for. The walls are in the rich and fascinating ‘Double Smoked Green Blue’ by Atelier Ellis. ‘That colour really lets the artwork on the walls sing,’ says Anna. Red and blue is a marvellous colour combination that then runs through the rest of the room.

Double Smoked Green Blue Paint

An antique Persian rug, sourced from Farnham Antique Carpets, kick-started the the living area, with its colours picked up in the blind. We would always recommend buying the best possible rug if you are going for an antique Oriental design. Similar rugs from Farnham Antique Carpets can start from around £15,000, so if you’re looking for something more budget-friendly, Etsy is a reliable place to look. We adore Soane’s rich ‘Qajar Stripe’ fabric on the blinds – a complex take on a red and white stripe. Equally lovely is Susan Deliss’ ‘Patmos’ weave.

Anna had the scroll arm sofa made specially for the space, but you can find similar styles and colours on the high street, such as NiX’s ‘Dolittle’ model below. The ottoman is upholstered in the charming ‘Oscar’ design by Octavia Dickinson, which retails at £180/m. We love The House Upstairs’ ottomans, which you can have covered in any fabric.

The right array of cushions can make a living room scheme, and Anna has expertly combined patterns here. The silk jajim cushions from Nushka will work in practically any space, but they look great combined with leopard print cushions in a forest green (who would have thought?).

Ever our go-to for affordable lighting, Pooky has some brilliant models for every kind of space. Mix up your lighting with a floor lamp on one side of the sofa and a table light on the other, ensuring there is low-level lighting enough for a relaxing evening mood.