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Daily Mirror

Lifestyle

Sarah Lumley

Top 20 sitting room trends for 2022 - including open plan rather than 'snug'

Sky

Three-piece suites, drinks trolleys, and inspirational wall quotes no longer feature in the nation’s most stylish living rooms – and have been replaced by corner sofas, sustainable furniture, and smart tech.

A survey of 2,000 adults has identified what Brits think are the top 20 sitting room trends of 2022 – which include real wood flooring, log burners, statement rugs, luxury candles, and potted plants.

Brits have also voted the “snug” style living room to be old-fashioned, and would rather opt for an open-plan space.

And while 44% of Brits feel their living room is on trend, many are keen to continue updating their space – with a new sofa, flooring, and a lick of paint among the most desired modifications they’d like to make.

The study into the living room trends of the nation was commissioned by Sky Glass, the new streaming TV service from Sky, which has been designed to reflect people’s home entertainment needs.

It also uncovered the nation’s living room priorities – including creating a relaxing space, and a place to curl up and watch a film.

And the perfect TV set-up must be free from common frustrations, such as messy wiring, lack of plug sockets – and pet hair.

Using the study findings, Sky has created a 3D render of what the average living room of Britain looks like today, which transforms into an inspirational space based on the latest trends and what people want most from their living space.

Interior design guru Sophie Robinson said: “We’re spending a lot more time in our living rooms than ever before, and this study shows many people need their space to be multi-functional – somewhere they can work from, relax in, and also do their home workouts.

“However, you don’t need to have a complete makeover to update your sitting room to make it more practical and stylish.

“Small changes with colourful accessories, streamlined tech, and hidden storage can make a big difference.”

The study also found many respondents are adding more affordable touches to their living rooms.

A quarter (24%) have spent £200 or less upgrading their sitting rooms over the past two years, on items including new pictures, plants, and adding pops of colour through cushions and vases.

When it comes to finding the interior design inspiration to do so, adults are most likely to turn to the homes of family and friends – followed by browsing through the shops, and watching interior design TV programmes.

However, social media also has a huge part to play, with exactly half of those surveyed finding inspiration from platforms such as Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

Decor such as footrests and drinks trolleys are now outdated (Sky/SWNS)

Nearly a third (31%) admitted their living room lacks a trend-led feel because they prefer to opt for a more traditional look.

And one in five of those surveyed, via OnePoll, said they simply cannot agree with the person they live with on what is considered stylish.

When it comes to colour choices, although grey and white are still popular colour themes for a living space, high impact shades such as dark green and navy are also on the rise.

However, one in four (24%) play it safe, with beige and cream colour themes throughout their sitting room.

Home tech is also a vital part of the living room set-up with almost half of Brits (46%) having four or more tech products in their front rooms.

Smart speakers lead the top trends, closely followed by a wall mounted TV.

Anthony Davies, group design director at Sky, added: “We don’t believe people should have to compromise on style when it comes to their technology.

“When we were creating Sky Glass, our goal was to combine beautiful design with cutting-edge technology and incredible entertainment.”

THE TOP 20 LIVING ROOM TRENDS: