Bring liveliness to beige in this family-friendly traditional living room

This room shows how to mix traditional and modern living room furniture, incorporate colours and patterns to bring life to a beige base, and other ideas for a beautifully balanced room. With thoughtfully designed areas that encourage spending time with your children, this room is a lively and relaxed space for the whole family.

A STRANDMON wing chair is in a warm and traditional-style living room with a HEMNES bookcase filled with books and items.

Add pops of colour and subtle patterns to make the room come alive

To keep beige from being bland, we added a warm colour palette of red, brown, black and white through accessories and textiles with small patterns. The IVAR cabinet was painted in a punchy red colour, instantly adding joy to the space. Note how the dotted cushion mirrors the design of the wall tapestry.

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An IVAR cabinet with sliding doors – painted in red – contains children’s toys and art materials in a living room.

An EKTORP 3-seat sofa in Hallarp beige is in a living room by a HEMNES bookcase and a wall with a hanging tapestry.

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A reading nook with an eye-catching armchair

Wooden accents and rounded corners make up this cosy reading nook. The armchair is a statement piece with its bold patterned slipcover – we kept the details around it simple, with soft, warm tones and no other patterns. Avoid competing patterns or colours in one area to keep the overall look neat.

A kid sits on a POÄNG children’s armchair beside a STRANDMON wing chair with a bold-patterned slipcover in a living room.

Style a beautiful bookcase

Arrange some books standing up and others in piles for a dynamic look, using magazine files, boxes and decorative items as bookends. Don’t forget to leave empty spots for an uncluttered and airy expression. Place your kid’s books and toys on the lower shelves so they can reach them easily.

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A HEMNES bookcase is arranged beautifully with some books standing up and others in piles, with toys on the bottom shelves.

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The small things that make a big difference

Decorate, organize, and set a cozy mood all at the same time with these accessories.

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Work from home and play together in harmony

Mixing traditional and modern furniture makes for a more vibrant look. In this work-and-play-from-home area, the furniture has wood and white tones and simple forms – making the pieces work together even if they have different styles.

A kid sits by a LÄTT children’s table with colouring materials on it, while handing over a wax crayon to an adult.

Doors from the living room open up to a workspace at home consisting of a HEMNES desk and an ALEFJÄLL office chair.

Double the fun

The two lamps, the two artworks above the desk, and the two bookcases against each side of the door create visual balance and add depth to the space. Bring on the beige, add a bit of boldness, and sprinkle warm colours here and there to recreate this cosy, charming and vibrant living room.

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