Best living room design ideas UK: Evening Standard Home Design Awards 2019 winning living room projects revealed

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Barbara Chandler4 July 2019

Entries flooded in for the first Evening Standard Home Design Awards, given in five categories of Living room, Bedroom, Kitchen, Bathroom and Garden, for the best designs of the past 12 months.

There are two winners in each category: a reader homeowner and a professional, whether architect, interior designer or key influencer.

The expert judges set about their task at Sketch London restaurant in Conduit Street, Mayfair. Here are the two living rooms they chose.

The best living room ideas

Tom and Samantha Goldbrom, non-professional category winner

Photographer and knitwear developer Tom and Sam Goldbrom looked at 31 properties before moving with their two young boys and a Welsh terrier, into an “Art Deco monster” in Broadstairs on the Kent coast. Their living room was inspired by vintage interiors books and magazines, with a peachy colour scheme based on a Seventies powder palette.

"Art Deco monster": Tom and Sam Goldbrom used a length of timber and masking tape to mark out their abstract sunset on the ceiling
@Tom_Gold_Photography

They mixed paint themselves, to turn the spectacular ceiling into “an abstract sunset with a Miami Seventies vibe”. A length of timber became a compass and they discovered Frogtape for masking: “It literally changed our lives.” They restored the fireplace and meticulously painted the bookcase, carefully sanding between coats of primer, emulsion and lacquer.

Sourcing: original Thirties Minty suite and vintage recliner chair, found on eBay; paint by Farrow & Ball, Little Greene and Johnstone’s; rug by Harlequin; tall glass vase, San Miguel at Liberty; monogrammed G cushion by Sue Timney at The Rug Company; artwork by David Gibbons (@davegibbons_studio) and David Price (@ddavidmprice).

What the judges said: “Stunning paint job”; “Masters of pattern clash — brilliantly pulled off.”

Tom’s tips: “Don’t cut corners. Buy good-quality tools. If something isn’t right, grit your teeth and try again. Don’t wash rollers — wrap them in clingfilm between coats. Keep recipes for paint mixes and save some for retouching.”

Bhavin Taylor, professional category winner

Colour, pattern and style have transformed a “white box” in a new-build two-bedroom apartment in Wandsworth Town.

Taking inspiration from the mustard and charcoal rug, interior designer Bhavin hung wallpaper on opposing walls for immediate impact.

"Love colour, embrace pattern": interior designer Bhavin hung wallpaper on opposing walls for immediate impact (Juliet Murphy)

Adding more pattern — but monochrome — on the lounge chair and cushions is bold and original and “layers” the space. The original high-gloss kitchen is framed with mustard paint, leaving a “quiet area” for the dining table and chairs.

Sourcing: wallpaper, Cole & Son; colour-matched paint for kitchen, Valspar; lamp, lounge and dining chairs, West Elm; dining and small tables, Habitat; artwork, King & McGaw.

What the judges said: “Dramatic living space, calming kitchen beyond”; “Great shout-out for wallpaper”; “Clever use of high street brands.”

Bhavin’s tips: “Love colour, embrace pattern. Be bold and go by your gut. Ignore what people say — this is for you.”

What they've won

The prizes were luxury hotel-style bed linen from Tielle Love Luxury, worth £550; a sleek Bose Home Speaker 500, worth £400, and a £50 voucher to spend in the Lecture Room and Library, Sketch London’s luxurious two Michelin-star dining room.

On the panel

Janice Morley, editor of Homes & Property; Dan Hopwood, past president of the British Institute of Interior Design; and design writer Barbara Chandler.

Then there was design journalist and author of Mad About The House, Kate Watson-Smyth and interior designer and TV presenter Sophie Robinson, both with an impressive number of Instagram followers.

Also on the team were style-savvy Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux, Kristy Gray, digital editor of Homes & Property, and Laura O’Connell, product manager at Thomas Sanderson.