Celebrating great living room design: meet the Londoner who has won our award for the best living room makeover project

After teaming up with home renovation and design platform Houzz to launch the first ever London Home Design Awards - and receiving hundreds of entries - we can now reveal the winner of the best living room makeover.

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Barbara Chandler4 July 2018

Our hardworking modern living rooms must be able to adapt if used as a home office by day or a dining space by night, so careful planning is crucial to make the most of every inch of space.

We asked our readers to send us images of imaginative and thoughtful living room makeover projects from their own homes, as part of entering our first ever London Home Design Awards in partnership with Houzz.

Much heated debate took place among our expert judges in the glamorous Lecture Room & Library at London's design hotspot Sketch in Mayfair, and we can now reveal the winning makeover project.

THE WINNING LIVING ROOM
Sponsored by high-end audio, TV, and multimedia specialist Bang & Olufsen

Winner: Stephanie Savvides-Howell, Whetstone

What the judges said: “The bold blue walls and blush pink upholstery work well, with a flash of personality”; “Accessories are appealingly individual.”

Juliet Murphy

“My style is big and bold and I take risks,” says Stephanie Savvides-Howell, 34, who lives with husband Simon and their two Bengal cats in a five-bedroom Edwardian semi in Whetstone, N20. She is deputy head of a primary school in Belsize Park and “a sucker for period details”.

When they moved in during May last year, the living room was brown and beige. Ponderous built-in units in the fireplace alcoves needed a crowbar to shift.;

Starting point was the sideboard with textured brass front from Swoon Editions (swooneditions.com) which cried out for a dark wall.

Juliet Murphy

Stephanie took the plunge: “It was nerve-wracking, my first experience of going dark.” The shade name, requested many times on Instagram, is Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball.

The replica fire surround was painted in satin white. Shutters fit in well and can be angled for privacy. The engineered oak floor was from local supplier The Floor Shop (thefloorshop.co.uk), the pink sofa and chair are from Debenhams using bank holiday weekend discounts, with a second grey sofa from Furniture Village (furniturevillage.co.uk).

A striking modern chandelier plus wall spots provide “layered lighting”. Accessories are a self-confessed weakness: “I could open a store with my impulse-buy rejects.” Stephanie adds: “This room is our hub. And it’s very cool on a hot day.”

Juliet Murphy

Stephanie’s tips: “Hold your nerve. Use a wall paint primer for fewer top coats and an even colour. Get inspiration from high-end restaurants and hotels all over London.”

Each of the five category winners will be sent a £500 Houzz Shop voucher to spend on Bang & Olufsen products and a £250 voucher to spend on Tom Dixon products, also in the Houzz Shop. Plus, we'll be sending the winners to a lamp-making workshop at The Factory in Tom Dixon's new flagship store, worth £250.


TOP TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS FOR PLANNING YOUR LIVING ROOM PROJECT

When renovating or decorating your home, it's important to get the planning stages right, says David Morris of Bang & Olufsen, a company known for their high-end audio, picture and multimedia products.

"And technology should be a key consideration, just as you would consider lighting and colour. Even in smaller living areas, there are clever ways to maximise space without comprising on style or atmosphere."

Consider wall-mounted products, or those that take up a very small foot print. "Bang & Olufsen's BeoSound Shape wall speaker will really impact the feel of a home without wasting an inch of valuable floor space,” Morris adds.


WATCH OUR VIDEO: BEHIND THE SCENES ON JUDGING DAY

The London Home Design Awards at Sketch


WHO WE TEAMED UP WITH

Many thanks to the sponsors of the London Home Design Awards:

  • Bang & Olufsen, renowned for their high-end audio, picture and multimedia products, sponsors the living room category
  • Luxury bathroom designer Kohler sponsors the bathroom category
  • Leading tile specialists Topps Tiles sponsors the kitchen category
  • Hästens, known for their ethically sourced and handcrafted beds, sponsors the bedroom category


WITH THANKS TO OUR EXPERT PANEL OF JUDGES

Juliet Murphy

The expert panel of judges included the editors of Homes & Property and Houzz, Janice Morley and Victoria Harrison; design journalist Barbara Chandler; Daniel Hopwood, former president of the British Institute of Interior Design; and Richard MacRae of architecture design studio EDRM.

Guest judges included food writer and broadcaster Rachel Khoo; Mad About The House author Kate Watson-Smyth; interior design duo Jordan Cluroe and Russell Whitehead of 2LG Studio; the founder of Mr & Mrs Smith hotels Tamara Lohan; and founder of The Balcony Gardener Isabelle Palmer