Queens Park House

White need not be equated with minimalist design. As you see here, this white-walled living room, infused with an abundance of colour, pattern and stylistic variety, still looks light and bright. Paint your walls white and then indulge yourself with the endless possibilities when choosing furniture and soft furnishings.Tip: Paint the walls and trim the same colour but in two different sheens, to add dimension.

Mix colour and printThis room is vibrant, yes, and packed with pattern, but it’s also fabulous and liveable in equal measure. The key is the black sofa, which anchors the hot colours and busy prints with its calm, heavy hue. The black is repeated in the mirror, fireplace, lampshade and, important, the pink chair to reinforce the effect. Such a varied scheme cries out for decadent lighting, pretty wallpaper and striking accessories. This room has all three with great success.Read more:9 Colours to Amp Up the Living RoomTell us: How have you mixed and matched seating in your home? Share your ideas and pictures in the Comments below.

Setting new fashions in neon, this space features a bright-pink loveseat and a fluorescent-yellow ottoman that offer splashes of colour in an otherwise white space. The sober charcoals and blacks of the fireplace, the sofa, the picture-frames and other accessories anchor the neutral white and assertive neon colours, creating a room with light, vitality and depth.

Remember bigger is betterIf in doubt, go big. Bigger than you were expecting, bigger than you think is sensible. If you’re a little bit scared by how big it is, it’s probably right.A common mistake is to choose furniture and accessories that are too small and look lost within the space. Rugs, light fittings, mirrors and art will often look better in a larger size, particularly in smaller rooms.In this living room, a large rug pulls the furniture together, creating a more cohesive design. Taken out of context, some of the items are probably larger than you would expect for a room of this size, but once everything’s in place, it makes perfect sense.

Skinny space between table & fireplace