Our Living Room Transformation: Creating the Heart of Our Home
A small cottage living room transformed with bespoke cabinetry, timeless paint colours and thoughtful storage solutions.
When we first moved into our house, the living room was a blank canvas. Freshly decorated and perfectly functional, but lacking the warmth, character and storage we knew we'd need for everyday life.
Creating Character with Built-In Storage
As a small two-up, two-down cottage, storage was always going to be at a premium. We wanted the room to feel calm and uncluttered, but we also needed somewhere to keep books, technology, photographs and all the little treasures that naturally accumulate over time. Built-in cabinetry quickly became the obvious solution.
Rather than hiding everything away, we wanted the shelves to tell a story. Favourite books, travel photographs, pottery, and collected treasures sit alongside pieces that remind us of special places and happy memories. If you look closely, you'll even spot Alex’s Lego Land Rover Defender - something I was very reluctant to allow on my carefully curated shelves but I have grown to love the personality it brings.
Choosing a Calm and Timeless Colour Palette
One of the decisions we spent the most time considering was colour.
Our vision for the room was always to create a calm, classic space that would feel timeless rather than trend-led. After hours of Pinterest searching, a trip to Farrow & Ball, and more paint samples than I'd care to admit, we eventually settled on Jitney for the walls and Oval Room Blue for the cabinetry.
If you're choosing paint colours, I'd highly recommend visiting a Farrow & Ball showroom if you have one nearby. Being able to see colours in different lights and speak to their team made a huge difference to our confidence in the final choice.
The combination of calm neutral walls and a warm blue cabinetry gives the room a sense of depth while still feeling soft and welcoming.
To finish the cabinetry, we added simple framing details, decorative trim and ceramic knobs from Zara Home, which helped elevate the finished look without feeling overly formal.
The Finished Room
Today, the living room has become one of our favourite spaces in the house.
It's where we read in the sunny window spot in the afternoons, watch films in front of the fire, enjoy slow weekend mornings with a cup of coffee and retreat to at the end of a busy day. The built-in cabinetry provides all the practical storage we needed, but more importantly it has given the room personality and a sense of permanence. The compact proportions of our Dusk sofas allowed us to maximise seating without making the room feel crowded, and the beautiful rug from Zara home, which was the first thing I bought for the room, brings a cosy country vibe to the space. Touches of wood, including the oak mantelpiece from Etsy and a naval trunk found at Sunbury Antiques Market, bring even more warmth and character to the room.
Looking back at the original room, it's hard to believe it's the same space.
What began as a blank canvas has become a room filled with comfort, character and the things we love most. For us, that's what good design is really about.
