By room
Living room
The social heart of the home, where everything plays out.
15 essential rules , 66 more to know.
ESSENTIAL 15 · OTHER 66
The essentials
Rules specific to this room.
Light & Lighting
See the chapterFurniture & Proportions
See the chapterCirculation & Flow
See the chapterTextiles & Materials
See the chapterDecoration & Accessories
See the chapterRoom by Room
See the chapterAlso worth knowing
Cross-cutting rules that apply here.
Colours & Paint
See the chapter- 01.1The 60/30/10 rule→
- 01.2The colour wheel and harmonies→
- 01.3Test a sample for 48 hours before painting→
- 01.4Room orientation dictates colour→
- 01.6Total beige, the classic trap→
- 01.7Matt, satin, gloss by room→
- 01.8Trend colours versus timeless colours→
- 01.10Painting a door, yes or no→
- 01.11The colour of skirting boards→
- 01.12Mixing old and contemporary in colour→
- 01.13The three-pigment minimum rule→
- 01.14Colours and north or south light→
Light & Lighting
See the chapter- 02.1The three light sources rule→
- 02.2Colour temperature by room→
- 02.3Overhead lighting versus grazing light→
- 02.6Systematic dimmers on the main lighting→
- 02.9Candles, LED strips, table lamps→
- 02.10The cold neon in a living room error→
- 02.11The diagonal light rule→
- 02.12The shade colour based on the wall shade→
Furniture & Proportions
See the chapterCirculation & Flow
See the chapterEnlarging the Space
See the chapter- 05.1The mirror facing the window→
- 05.2Floor-to-ceiling curtains→
- 05.3Low furniture in small rooms→
- 05.4Light colours on peripheral walls→
- 05.5Verticalise with high wall shelves→
- 05.6Uniform flooring between communicating rooms→
- 05.8Slim skirting boards in the wall colour→
- 05.9One in, one out→
- 05.10The large mirror, the artwork that enlarges→
- 05.11The forced perspective effect→
Textiles & Materials
See the chapterDecoration & Accessories
See the chapter- 07.1The odd-number rule→
- 07.2Triangular composition→
- 07.3The hanging height of artworks→
- 07.4Frame alignment: top or centre→
- 07.5The gallery wall: compose on the floor first→
- 07.7Trinkets grouped by material family→
- 07.8Books in decoration, sorted by size→
- 07.9Family objects: how to integrate them→
- 07.10The vase, a silent focal point→
- 07.11Mirror: artwork or furniture by size→
- 07.12The rule of thirds: in photography and in decoration→
- 07.13Space objects out: negative space counts→
Room by Room
See the chapterErrors to Avoid
See the chapter- 09.1The all-matching set, the showroom effect→
- 09.2Every wall covered, no 'pause' wall→
- 09.3Too many competing patterns→
- 09.4Ceiling light alone→
- 09.5Furniture too large for the room→
- 09.6Cold lighting in living spaces→
- 09.7All white, the misunderstood minimalism error→
- 09.8The false good ideas of the moment→