Your lounge serves one primary purpose – it’s an area to feel comfortable in. This is the room where guests are entertained, where glasses of wine are drunk, and where cosy movie nights take place. As such, it should be warm, inviting, and above all else, it should help you to relax!

A step-by-step guide to creating a relaxing living space

Décor

When redecorating the lounge, choose a relaxing colour palette for your walls. This can mean many things, of course. White walls and ceilings create a sense of space and light. Warmer colours, like mocha coffee, burgundy or rich mid-blue, make the room feel cosy and comforting. Work out what relaxation means to you before committing to a colour.

Furnishings

Many people choose to hark back to a particular era when selecting their furniture. Victorian-inspired leather sofas can create a sense of laid-back elegance, and Art Deco furniture often offers warmth, combined with geometry.  Your furniture doesn’t have to be period-inspired, of course. Modern sofas and armchairs are often designed with comfort in mind. Make sure you don’t choose anything that’s too large for your room, as this will make space seem cramped.

Lighting

Lighting is one of the most vital features to get right in your living room. If it’s too bright, it won’t feel relaxing at all. Likewise, if it’s too dim, you’ll end up squinting every time you talk to someone at the other end of the room. Wall-mounted lights create a soothing glow, and floor or table lamps also work well.

Declutter

It’s almost impossible to relax in a room that’s full of children’s toys, laundry or overflowing bookshelves. Decluttering doesn’t necessarily mean throwing things away, but it does mean coming up with some clever storage solutions to conceal things. For example, some coffee tables also act as storage boxes, and some sofas have hidden compartments.

Scent

When you’re trying to unwind after a hard day at work, you want the sense of relaxation to kick in as quickly as possible. Incorporating a scent into the room can help with this. Reed diffusers provide all-day aromas (and are good at making space feel calming both day and night), or alternatively, scented candles and wax melts work well. Even a few subtle spritzes of a relaxing fragrance, like Tom Ford Oud Wood, work well.

Texture

The texture is very important when creating a chilled-out area. Soft, strokable materials often serve to make you feel more tranquil.  Some great examples are sheepskin rugs, woollen throws, or fluffy cushions, all piled up invitingly on the sofa.

Natural materials

There’s something about being surrounded by nature that is immediately relaxing. Introduce some plants into your living space (they’ll also improve the air quality), or invest in some furniture made from natural materials, like wood. Steer clear from synthetic fabrics and anything that looks inauthentic or garish. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t introduce a pop of colour – just make sure you select it wisely. For example, red and yellow are both stimulating colours, so might not be ideal for a peaceful lounge space.