Last week we talked about cozy bedrooms, gallery walls, and vaulted ceilings. As promised we will open our inbox to answer more of your interior dilemmas. Sara will choose three questions to answer each week for the month of June as part of our Top Tips on a Tuesday series.

Question 1 | How to create an elegant living room?

For me elegance is also understanding the overall look or theme you are trying to create and sticking with it. Whether that is chic and minimal using a restrained style of furniture and finishes or maximal where you introduce a riot of colour and patterns. I also think elegance in an interior is one that reflects the room owner, so don’t be afraid for your own personality to shine through!

My top tip here is to go tonal. Choose a colour, say blue, go for a light shade on the walls, the carpet, or rug. Then layer it. Go slightly darker on the sofa and the armchairs in terms of fabrics and then a tone on the cushions. I love personal items too, so have your favourite coffee table books on your table, style with your favourite scented candle and photos of your family in black and white in matching frames.

Question 2 | How to select the perfect sofa?

For me it is the three S’s. Size, style, and substance!

Size, always do a site measure including access points, there is no point buying your dream sofa and it not fitting through the door! We use light adhesive masking tape to measure out on the floor before order.

Style, stick with the style of your home. Try and avoid design trends. A classic scroll arm for a period property always works well, whilst a squared arm looks great in a newer build home. I also think that different style sofas work for different rooms, more casual frames with squishy cushions are great for a family room or playroom, whereas a more upright classic style is better in a room where you are entertaining or where occasionally you want to work from on.

Substance, always sit before you buy. Feather cushions give you that lovely, cottage core homey vibe, but always look a bit mussed. Foam cushions can sometimes be very rigid. Our favourite mix is a feather wrapped foam. It gives you the best of both worlds.

Question 3 | How to balance an off-centre window?

This is a tricky one but depending on the size and height of the window I would use a mirroring effect. I would create an equal and opposite focal point using a mirror, some prints, or a piece of art, something that would balance the wall. Sometimes you can also work wonders with window treatments, an artfully placed curtain or blind can fool the eye. Best of look figuring it out!

Photo Credit : Knight Frank Interiors