BO N U S TOP IC :

HOW TO STYLE
A LOUNGE ROOM
2 — THE RENO SCHOOL

HOW TO STYLE A
LOUNGE ROOM
MODULE THREE - BONUS TOPIC

No matter what you’re planning to do to your

house, whether it’s a small reno or a large one,
I’ll bet my budget that you’ll want to style your
lounge room differently. The kitchen may be the
heart of the home, but the lounge room comes a
close second. It’s a place where the whole family
comes together, so creating a comfortable and

By Bonnie
stylish lounge room that flows is a must. And
the good news is that it doesn’t have to be a
daunting or expensive task. Today, we’ll look at
four lounge rooms from our renos and I’ll explain
the key elements they all have in common so
you can visualise how these might work for you
too.
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DIFFERENT LOUNGE ROOMS | SAME STYLING PRINCIPLES

Before I rattle on about how I styled these spaces, let’s do a little exercise:

SPOT THE SIMILARITIES Take a good look at each of the images below, paying attention to
the way the furniture and other decorative items have been used.
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W R I T E D O W N A L L T H E T H I N G S T H E S E S PA C E S H AV E I N C O M M O N .
W H AT A R E T H E I R E S S E N T I A L I N G R E D I E N T S ?
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A CLUSTER OF COFFEE TABLES CUSHION CRUSH

Great! Let’s compare lists. Here are some of the
things I wrote down and why they’re important.

MULTIPLE SEATING OPTIONS

Everyone loves lounging on a sofa, but I always include
additional seating options. These don’t necessarily
have to be traditional lounge chairs – sturdy furniture
that can double as a side table, stools or an ottoman
can also be great choices.
I hate it when a coffee table is too dominant in
a lounge room. Multiple tables nested together
are a better option because they provide
flexibility when you are entertaining and are so
easy to move around.
RUG LIFE
Oh, I love me a good cushion. You’ll notice I
tend to pick a hero cushion that provides a
pop of colour, and then one or two that add
texture, and a few more to complement the
colour tones in the room. The complementary
cushions might vary in pattern but they always
work together so the overall effect is not too
busy. You’ll also see that I’m a fan of a nice faux
fur throw tossed over a sofa for extra cosiness.

Tip:
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE MAY HAVE
BROUGHT ‘SEXYBACK’ FOR A BIT,
BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE
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I don’t follow many rules when it comes to In the words of Lana trying desperately to
choosing rugs (what can I say, I’m a rebel at impersonate, Prue and Trude, ‘Oooh, I larrve a
heart!), but one rule I do follow is to always good throo for tha carch.’
invest in quality. In other words, buy the best

BACK OF YOUR SOFA IS SEXY
TO LOOK AT. TRY TO PLAN YOUR
LOUNGE ROOM LAYOUT SO THAT
THE BACK OF YOUR SOFA ISN’T
THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN
YOU ENTER THE ROOM. HAVING
SAID THAT, I BROKE MY OWN RULE
IN MY DREAM HOME WITH THE
BACK OF MY LOUNGES VISIBLE
WHEN YOU ENTER THE HOUSE.
BUT THOSE LOUNGES ARE AS
PRETTY FROM THE BACK AS THEY
ARE FROM THE FRONT SO ALL IS
FORGIVEN!
OCCASIONAL CHAIRS
THAT DON’T MATCH
I love using occasional chairs in lounge rooms. As
their names suggests, they’re only used occasionally
as the sofa is usually the first choice for people to
park their butts. These chairs are a little fancier, and a
great way to introduce some extra style and interest
to a room. You can get single chairs that match your
sofa exactly but I tend to lean towards mixing things
up with different occasional chairs.
WALL CANDY
rug you can afford. You’ll notice I sometimes
use a large rug that frames the space and fits
under the sofa. Other times, I layer two rugs on
There’s nothing more boring than a blank space
top of each other. What works best for you will
above a sofa (#snoozefest), that’s why I always
depend on the space you have and how much
include a bit of wall candy in my lounge rooms.
floor you want to leave showing. Always buy a
If you have a big empty space to fill, lucky you!
rug that’s big enough to fit under the legs of at
This is a great opportunity to add some interest
least the main sofa, preferably the occasional
to your room. The options are endless; you can
chairs too. If in doubt, ask the store if you can
go for bold and bright art that makes an instant
take the rug home to test it out. Many stores will
statement, or opt for a muted print in tones that
let you do this.
tie in with other elements in the room. Large
mirrors or a textured wall hanging can also be
LIGHTING
great choices.
GREENERY
Floor lamps work well in lounge rooms. Sure,
they add a nice glowing, ambient light, but
I mainly use them because they look good
I love the pops of green you get by adding
and bring height to the space. I choose lamps
plants to a room. They can also help you master
made of a material that suits the other elements
the balance of a room because they come in
around it. In these examples, that’s timber with
all different heights. We always find a plant and
white shades, but in one of the rooms I went
pot combo at the exact height our room needs.
for gold to add a bit of bling. Don’t forget to
Plants bring a relaxed feel to a lounge room
install dimmers for the other lights in your
and, as you know, I sometimes opt for faux
lounge room. You’ll thank me later when you’re
versions; they are especially handy for our flip
enjoying a nightcap with friends under the
properties when I’m not around to water them.
gentle glow of your new lights.
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NOW IT’S YOUR TURN!

Think about your current or future lounge room. Which essential ingredients do you need to create
your dream space? A great way to start figuring that out is by walking through the following steps.
Pens and paper at the ready!

1. HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU WANT YOUR LOUNGE SPACE TO SEAT?

2. WHAT SIZE SOFA(S) CAN YOU FIT COMFORTABLY IN THE SPACE?
3. H OW MANY ALTERNATIVE SEATING OPTIONS DO YOU WANT TO INCLUDE?
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4. DRAW UP YOUR LOUNGE ROOM OUTLINE.

5. SKETCH IN YOUR SOFA/CHAIRS.
6. ADD YOUR RUG(S).
7. THEN YOUR COFFEE TABLES AND SIDE TABLES.
8. NOW ADD ANY FLOOR LAMPS OR PENDANTS.
WHAT HAVE I MISSED?
9. ADD YOUR WALL CANDY.
10. FINISH WITH SOME TOUCHES OF GREENERY.
The TV, perhaps? Here’s how I feel about TVs: they are a bit on the ugly side so we
rarely style our flip properties with them. They aren’t necessary to sell a house and,
let’s face facts–it can be a bit of a hassle to mount a TV just for show. That said, I
get that TVs are a necessary part of most homes. I think the best place to position a
TV is on a wall that isn’t the first place you look when walking into or past the room.
That way, the TV won’t become the statement piece in the room. This is easier said And, if needed, don’t forget the TV!
than done but wherever possible, wall-mount your TV and hide the cords behind
the walls. This is much easier to organise if you’re renovating that area and the Now that you’ve mapped out your future lounge room, evaluate it. Identify the focal point of the
walls are being ripped apart anyway, but it can also be retro-fitted on existing walls. room. Does everything else work well around this focal point? Will the furniture layout encourage
If you have to use a TV unit to sit the TV on, try to stretch your budget and choose a conversation? Is there enough room for your family to move around the room without bumping
unit that is really good looking and significantly larger than the TV, This way, at least into furniture?
you can decorate the surrounding shelves with plants and other beautiful objects
to take focus away from the TV when it’s not on. Once you are happy with the configuration, it’s time to have some real fun and start choosing
actual furniture items to fill your room!
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MY 6 STEPS TO CHOOSING A WINNING SOFA
I DON’T WANT TO SCARE YOU, BUT THE SOFA YOU CHOOSE COULD MAKE OR BREAK YOUR LOUNGE!
I disagree with some furniture experts who
claim quality and comfort are the top two
considerations when selecting a sofa. Sorry
guys, let’s get real: there’s no point having a
super-comfy sofa that lasts forever if it doesn’t
look good. I’ve seen loads of lounge rooms
ruined by large, expensive sofas that simply
don’t suit the style of the house. Big dark
leather sofas are a classic example of this and
MODULE THREE - BONUS TOPIC
(without wanting to stereotype) there’s often a
man behind their purchase. But before you go
sofa hunting, pull out your floorplan sketches
and write down the size of sofa you need.
Remember, bigger is not necessarily better.
Your sofa will be the hero or villain of your
lounge room, so here are the basic steps to
finding a winner:
1. RECONNECT WITH YOUR STYLE
First thing I do before buying a sofa is immerse
myself in my vision board, Pinterest boards
and do a bit more research online to better
understand what type of sofas look good in the
style of home I’m trying to create. I will look at
the colour in these pics as well as any defining
features on the ‘body’ of the sofa. For example,
does it have a high or low back? Wide or skinny
arms? How much leg is showing? Will it work in
an L-shape configuration?
Tip:
IN A SMALL SPACE,
SHOWING MORE LEG
(SOFA-LEG THAT IS) HELPS
CREATE THE ILLUSION OF
A BIGGER ROOM BECAUSE
YOU CAN SEE THE FLOOR
CONTINUING UNDER THE
SOFA (THE SAME THEORY
APPLIES TO WALL-HUNG
BATHROOM VANITIES).
2. CHOOSE A COLOUR
I will be guided by the overall look I’m trying
to achieve, and the right colour ratios (think
60:30:10), but I usually go one of two ways here:
a neutral colour (grey, cream or white) or a pop
of colour that makes a statement. Certainly, a
neutral is the fail-safe option and it’s hard to
go wrong with a pale grey sofa – I used one
in all the lounge rooms in those earlier pics!
#didyounotice But then I seem to always find a
way to make a pop of colour work just as well.
Oh, and I’d avoid a sofa with a print or a pattern.
Stick with a solid colour and bring in patterns
through your cushions and rugs (I’m sure many
of you already knew that).
HOW TO STYLE A LOUNGE ROOM — 11
Tip: A COLOURED SOFA CAN
BE A MORE PRACTICAL
CHOICE (DID I JUST SAY
PRACTICAL?) THAN A
NEUTRAL COLOUR IF YOU
HAVE LITTLE KIDS.
3. SELECT THE FABRIC
Once you’ve nailed the style and colour of your
sofa, chances are the decision about fabric will
have already been made for you. You see, by
now you should have started window shopping
(online at least) and so you’ll have realised
that your fabric options might be limited by the
style and colour of the sofa you want. If you’re
lucky and your desired style and colour come
in a range of fabric options, you first need to
check if the style you’re going for demands a
certain fabric. For example, if you’re designing
a Hamptons-style formal lounge room, I’d
suggest you stick with linen (which is probably
what you see in your inspo pics) rather than try
and make leather or velvet work.
Tip:
SPILLS AND STAINS ARE BOUND
TO HAPPEN TO ANY SOFA. IN MY
EXPERIENCE, I’M JUST AS DEADLY
WITH A GLASS OF VIN ROUGE IN MY
HAND AS MY TODDLER IS WITH AN
UNCAPPED RED MARKER. SO IF YOU
CAN CHOOSE A WASHABLE FABRIC
WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON STYLE
AND COLOUR, THAT’S A REAL WIN.
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4. TEST FOR COMFORT
OK, I know I’ve put this way down the list of
priorities, but I’m just sick of seeing dog-ugly
sofas that are supposedly ‘super-comfy’. But
don’t think I’m saying comfort is not important.
It is! No-one wants a great-looking sofa that
isn’t nice to sit on. All I’m saying is tick this box
after you’ve nailed the aesthetics. The best
way to test the comfort factor is to visit some
showrooms and sit your butt down. Make sure
there’s enough room to curl your legs up (if
that’s what you like to do). It’s probably a good
idea to take your family along if you’ll all be
sitting on it at the same time. Much better than
getting it home and finding that movie night is
MODULE THREE - BONUS TOPIC
5. CHECK FOR QUALITY 6. GET REAL ABOUT YOUR BUDGET
Now that you’ve narrowed down the style,
It’s debatable where in the list of priorities budget should fall. It could very well have come first, last, or
colour, fabric and comfort aspects of your
somewhere in between. I’ve chosen to put it at the end because I still think it’s best to start with what you
preferred sofa, you definitely need to check the
want rather than what you can afford. Once you know the exact look and colour you are after, it’s possible
quality before you part with your sofa-destined-
to find very similar-looking sofas at a few different price points.
cash. Price can often be a good indicator
of quality, but not always. There are loads of Not convinced? Check out these popular white linen slipcover 3-seater sofas. Super similar, but with very
great quality affordable sofas out there #ikea different price tags.
#ozdesign #freedom #zanui. Having said that,
if you only spend $200 on a 3-seater, please
don’t expect that it’s going to last. $1499 $4100

too much of a squeeze.

Tip:
JAMES LANE THE WOOD ROOM
FOAM OR FEATHERS? HIGH-QUALITY FOAM IS A GREAT CHOICE AS IT’S LESS
EXPENSIVE AND MORE DURABLE THAN FEATHERS, SO YOUR SOFA WILL
ALWAYS LOOK ‘FLUFFED’. FEATHER-FILLED CUSHIONS ON THE OTHER HAND $2499 $4145
GIVE THAT LUXURIOUS, ‘SINK INTO’ FEELING, BUT BE PREPARED TO FLUFF,
PUFF AND POUF THOSE CUSHIONS DAILY! A FRIEND OF MINE JUST HAD A
SOFA CUSTOM-MADE FOR HER (BUDGET WAS NO ISSUE #LUCKYHER) AND
SHE OPTED FOR FOAM INSERTS OVER FEATHERS TO AVOID THE FLUFF-FEST
THAT WOULD FOLLOW. I THINK THE IDEAL SOLUTION IS A COMBO DEAL OF
FOAM AND FEATHERS.
LOUNGE LOVERS GLOBE WEST

Of course, there are sure to be some differences in quality between those options, but often the
price difference is driven by the brand name. #payingforaname

Tip: IF ALL ELSE FAILS AND YOU CAN’T QUITE PIN DOWN WHAT YOU WANT
IN A DREAM SOFA AFTER GOING THROUGH THESE STEPS, TRUST YOUR
GUT OR OFFER TO TAKE A SUPER-STYLISH FRIEND TO LUNCH (WHICH
MAY OR MAY NOT BE A TAKEAWAY KEBAB) WHILE WANDERING AROUND
A HOME CENTRE. #THATSWHATFRIENDSAREFOR
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