This year, to celebrate our love of all things living room – one of the most important rooms in our homes – we launched the Ideal Home Living Room Awards, 2023. Having spent hours judging the brilliant entries, we're excited to announce the winners.
The ways we use our living rooms are so varied – from streaming binges on the sofa, to entertaining guests, to a playroom for the kids to doubling as a wfh space. The Ideal Home Living Room Award categories span everything from the best sofa to storage, paint to TVs and our favourite One Small Step award for top sustainability credentials.
The Ideal Home Living Room Awards winners 2023
Our judging panel of expert editors selected the deserving winners from the stylish world of living rooms. With entries from some of our favourite living room brands, the judges were spoilt for choice, so drum roll please for their pick of the best.
The Judges
'One Small Step' award for sustainability: Joint Winners
We were so impressed with the calibre of the entries in our 'One Small Step for Sustainability' category that we literally couldn't choose one winner, so we gave it to two amazing sofas – Sofology's Gaia sofa (pictured above) and the Strato corner sofa from Barker & Stonehouse (shown below).
'These sofas were the standout entires as they boast equally excellent credentials. Both are made from recycled materials and are staple-free, and they're similarly priced, too,' says Heather Young, Ideal Home's Editor-in-Chief.
Best Sofa: Winner
Small Biggie three-seater sofa from Snug with a pillow edge is a gorgeous design with smart, space-savvy plus points.
'This cleverly designed sofa is perfect for compact living spaces. It's super comfy and you can add extra sections to it whenever you want,' says Heather.
Highly commended: Boston sofa from Sofa.com. Hoxton sofa from Barker and Stonehouse
Best chair: Winner
'Boucle? Tick. Curves? Tick. Swivel function? Tick! If you're looking for a designer-style seat at a high street price, this beauty – the Otis Swivel accent chair from Next – wins hands down.'
'We love it in ivory but it also comes in black if you prefer a more practical and yet equally stylish option,' says Ideal Home's Deputy Editor, Ginevra Benedetti.
Highly commended: Aidan Sling Chair, Zinus
Best living room storage: Winner
DIY Alcove Cabinets made-to-measure fitted furniture is delivered to doorsteps pre-cut, pre-drilled in flat pack format ready for DIY installation at home.
'These made-to-measure kits allow you to create a bespoke look for your living space at a brilliantly affordable price,' says Ginevra. 'That made them a clear winner in this category.'
Highly commended: Shelved TV unit
Best flooring: Winner
Kersaint Cobb's Folded Angle natural flooring collection. 'We love the subtle chevron designs in this smart, classic collection,' says Heather. 'They add a touch of welcome pattern to an otherwise classic-look carpet.'
Highly commended: Thinking Beyond, Kingsmead Carpets
Best wallpaper: Winner
'Our love for Scandi mid-century prints never fades,' says Heather. 'Scion celebrates its tenth birthday with 12 new Lohko designs, all of which feature bold geos and abstract linear patterns in a colour palette of nature-inspired shades, at great-value prices.'
Highly commended: Pandora, Lust Home
Best rug: Winner
We're big fans of La Redoute's rug collection thanks to the breadth of the range and the Propera rug is a stand-out design. 'If you want to invest in a new rug for your living room, look no further than the collections at La Redoute,' says Ginevra.
'The brand's subtle chevron designs and muted graphic prints are second to none, and are perfect for adding a touch of pattern to an otherwise plain carpet or an instant update to a pared-back scheme.
Best soft furnishings: Winner
William Morris designs are great for timeless interiors, and the V&A William Morris collection from Blinds 2go means you can add the classic prints to your windows.
'Timeless and universally loved, WIlliam Morris prints never go out of fashion and we love how Blinds 2go has introduced these classic botanical prints on made-to-measure blinds in a wide choice of pattern and colour,' says Heather. 'There are matching curtains and cushions, too.'
Best curtains: Winner
Abigail Ahern's sense of style is renowned, and her collection for Hillarys is brilliant.
'Tapping into the trend for boho and global prints in a range of neutrals that everyone will love, this collaboration was an instant hit with the Ideal Home team for its breadth of choice,' says Ginevra.
'We love all the texture via cord, boucle and velvet – thick fabrics that don't look heavy but still provide plenty of insulation and warmth.'
Best blinds: Winner
'Great for renters, or if you just want to update your space with a new design or layer a blind with curtains for extra insulation, the ingenious Click2go range from Blinds 2go allows you to hang a blind without drilling or hammering nails into your window frame or surrounding wall. Easy to install and in a wide range of patterns and sizes, too,' says Heather.
Best lighting: Winner
'BHS consistently produces some of the best lighting on the market, and the gorgeous Ursula crystal ball pendant doesn't disappoint,' says Heather.
'The crystal-effect Ursula fitting, in two sizes, is a great way to add instant glam, bringing a touch of sparkle and shine to any space. Bonus points for the fact that it looks like a posh glitter ball, too!'
Best paint: Winner
We are huge fans of Little Greene's Re:mix collection. 'Top marks for innovation and sustainability go to Little Greene for creating a new range from its unused, unsold or returned paint. There are 20 gorgeous shades to choose from, and the best bit is that the paint costs half the price of the brand's main range,' says Ginevra.
Best fire: Winner
The Woodford Didsbury 5 woodburning stove from Direct Stoves came in at first place in this category. 'The classic style of this smart woodburner will work brilliantly in both modern and traditional settings,' says Heather.
'Also, with all the concerns over burning solid fuel, this stove's bonus is that it can be legally used in smoke-controlled areas without any worries.'
Best accessories: Winner
A good candle is a must-have in any living room, and Floral Street's natural plant-based wax candle range is just the ticket. 'If you're familiar with Floral Street's perfumes, you'll love this range of matching candles,' says Ginevra.
'The collection won over the other entries in this category because of its eco edge. All the candles are made from sustainably sourced, vegan and cruelty-free ingredients.'
Best speakers: Winner
'The Era 100 from Sonos fixes the two weaknesses of the Sonos One, which it replaces. It adds more bass for a fuller sound, and it adds Bluetooth to make it easy for everyone to use. It's the ideal upgrade, and perfect for a big sound in a small size,' says Techradar's Managing Editor, Matt Bolton.
Highly commended: Samsung Q990C Samsung Cinematic Q-Series Soundbar with Subwoofer and Rear Speakers
Best TV: Winner
With the TV playing a central role in most of our living rooms, finding the best option is a big decision, and Samsung's 2023 75-inch QN95C Flagship Neo QLED 4K HDR smart TV ticks all the boxes. 'This delivers brightness levels that most TVs can only dream of,' says Matt.
'Its OneConnect box is a winner too, hiding cables away separately to the stunning slimline screen.'
Highly commended: Sky Glass
