Woman’s Day, New Idea, Better Homes and Gardens went head-to-head to design the best living room with versatile pieces from Fantastic Furniture. Vote for your favourite and you’ll go in the running for a $5000 Fantastic Furniture gift card! Enter Here
A great living room doesn’t need to follow a specific formula. At BHG, we think the most inviting spaces feel curated rather than overly matched, with colour, pattern and texture bringing personality to the room instead.
For the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens, Editor Megan Osborne created a living room in collaboration with Fantastic Furniture around the idea of more character, more colour and plenty of style.
With a rich green backdrop, botanical-inspired artwork, warm timber furniture and layers of tactile fabrics, the result feels considered but lived-in.
Here’s how to recreate the look with Fantastic Furniture in your own home.
1. Start with a bold colour backdrop
The easiest way to give a living room instant character is to be brave with colour – sometimes even stretching it to the ceiling and skirting boards in a full colour drench.
Here, olive-green walls provide a rich backdrop. Rather than competing with the furniture and artwork, the deep green works almost like a neutral, allowing warmer tones including pink, terracotta, caramel, cream and timber to stand out.
A dark paint can also create a surprisingly cosy feeling. The key is choosing a colour with a warm undertone, such as rich navy, sumptuous brown or deep ochre.
If you’re using a strong wall colour, balance it with quieter upholstery, such as the neutral, textured Aire sofa from Fantastic Furniture, and natural timber.
Top tip: Test large-format (A4 minimum) colour swatches in morning, afternoon and evening light before committing to painting the whole space.
2. Build a gallery wall with a common thread
The gallery wall is one of the strongest features of this room, but it doesn’t look overly matched.
That’s because the artwork shares a botanical and nature-inspired theme, while the colours, frames, shapes, sizes and mediums vary. Florals, landscapes and leafy imagery bring the outside in and complement the green backdrop.
The artwork featured includes wall art from Fantastic Furniture’s range including Romance (flowers in vase), Spring Fling (magnolias), Textural Bouquet (white flowers) and, my personal favourite, Green Meadows (landscape). The result feels collected over time and with intention, rather than purchased as a single set.
3. Choose a versatile sofa
When the walls and artwork are doing the talking, a sofa doesn’t need to be another statement. Besides, I’m strongly of the opinion that while a sofa should be pretty, comfort is my number one priority.
The Aire three-seater sofa from Fantastic Furniture provides a soft, neutral foundation. Its textured fabric allows the bolder elements around it to take centre stage, while making the room feel comfortable and approachable.
A neutral sofa also gives you freedom to change accent colours over time. Here, the Amara square cushions in caramel and pesto (coming soon!) introduce two of the room’s key colours without making the space feel overly matched.
4. Layer wood throughout the room
One of the reasons this living room feels warm rather than overly polished is the amount of timber used throughout. We’ve paired solid wood and timber-look pieces to create a curated feel without a high price point.
The timber-look Flo coffee table and side table introduce an organic feel, while the solid acacia wood Dalkeith square side table and bookshelf add deeper walnut tones and a sense of heritage.
Rather than choosing wood in exactly the same finish, mixing oak and walnut creates variation and interest. Both tones also reflect the chevron floorboards, helping the room feel multidimensional rather than flat.
5. Don’t underestimate the power of a rug
A rug can completely change the atmosphere of a living room, particularly when you’re working with hard flooring.
While red isn’t a colour I naturally gravitate to, after learning about the ‘unexpected red theory’ – that something red adds a sense of visual intrigue to an interior space – I’ve almost exclusively bought rugs with red tones in them.
The Marrakesh multicolour rug helps ground this space and brings together the earthy reds, pinks, greens and warm neutrals already appearing throughout the room.
A multicoloured rug can be used as the starting point for your palette, or as a finishing touch to pull an existing scheme together. Plus, a patterned, darker-toned rug can be quite useful if, like me, you own a black German shepherd who sheds 365 days of the year!
Top tip: As I’ve heard many a designer say – always go for the bigger size rug if you can. A larger rug in a living room makes the space feel bigger.
6. Layer colour and texture
Colour doesn’t have to come entirely from paint, and texture is what gives a room depth and makes it feel comfortable.
Here, the green Oslo Swivel Armchair reinforces the wall colour while adding another layer of seating. Smaller accessories bring in warmer accents, with Amara cushions and the green throw adding colour without making everything feel too coordinated.
When it comes to texture, combining soft upholstery and textured cushions with natural timber, a patterned rug and a mix of glass, ceramic and clay accessories is key. And, don’t forget greenery in the form of houseplants is key to this botanical theme.
If you’re decorating a rental or don’t want to commit to colourful walls, the same approach works in a neutral room. Bring in colour and texture through a chair, cushions, throws, artwork, rugs and accessories.
7. Make the room feel intentional with the right lighting
In a room with a dark wall colour, lighting is especially important for creating atmosphere.
The Elenor pendant lamp in champagne provides a decorative focal point above the seating area, creating the perfect reading spot, while the Monte table lamp in walnut brings a softer pool of light to the side of the room.
Using several light sources at different heights, such as overhead lighting, table lamps and floor lamps, makes a living room feel much warmer than relying on one central light.
Top Tip: If you want your space to feel cosy, have mercy and leave the downlights off!
All in all, a room full of character is about having everything curated intentionally, and nothing too matchy-matchy simultaneously.
Most importantly, don’t aim for perfection. The best living rooms are the ones that look like people actually want to live in them. Colour, warmth and texture are the ingredients. Character is what happens when you make the room your own.
Woman’s Day, New Idea, Better Homes and Gardens went head-to-head to design the best living room with versatile pieces from Fantastic Furniture. Vote for your favourite and you’ll go in the running for a $5000 Fantastic Furniture gift card! Enter Here
Explore the Fantastic Furniture sofa range, designed for how Australians live today. From relaxed nights into everyday moments, discover comfort, style and practicality in every piece. Visit in store or shop online to find a lounge that works for your space, your routine and your lifestyle.
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