Research: 42% say TV set-up is vital for stylish living room
May 26, 2022
Three-piece suites, drinks trolleys and inspirational quotes are fading out of UK living rooms, making way for corner sofas, sustainable furniture and smart technology according to research commissioned by Sky Glass, the streaming TV from Sky.
Velvet furniture (53 per cent), floral print wallpaper (50 per cent) and wood panelling (48 per cent) are also considered old-fashioned.
Why the shift?
With Brits spending an average of five hours per day in their living rooms it’s no wonder the nation’s sitting rooms are evolving. In 2022, people now need a seriously multi-functional space, with many now opting for open plan over ‘snug’ style living rooms. According to the study, Brits most want their homes to have a dedicated space to relax, a place to watch a film, as well as more than a quarter of people needing the space to work from home or exercise.
What upgrades are being made?
UK living rooms are being refreshed with smart speakers (63 per cent), sustainable furniture (61 per cent) and wall mounted TVs (60 per cent) – all of which have been identified by Brits as some of the most stylish ways of upgrading a sitting room. Affordable luxuries such as candles (57 per cent), pot plants (52 per cent), throws (53 per cent) and statement rugs (48 per cent) are helping people refresh their living spaces in budget friendly ways. With a quarter of Brits (24 per cent) spending £200 or less on upgrading their sitting rooms over the last two years, it’s evident that stylish changes don’t need to be expensive.
When it comes to living room colour choices, the study found that 51 per cent currently play it safe with neutral cream, grey and white palettes. However, nature-inspired greens and blues are emerging as stylish colours for living rooms in 2022 – with teal (40 per cent), dark green (38 per cent) and pastel green (37 per cent) leading the charge, with colours such as red, purple and yellow phasing out of fashion.
Commenting on the findings, interior design guru Sophie Robinson, said: “Our living rooms are the heart of the home, and the new study by Sky Glass shows that they need to work harder than ever before on a multi-functional level. However, you don’t have to undertake a complete makeover to update your sitting room – small changes such as fresh accessories, sleek tech, and organised storage can make big differences. One of the areas, as a designer, that I find challenging to get right is the TV. Everyone wants one, the bigger the better, and they can quickly dominate the space. Sky Glass is a great way of integrating tech with your interior style – with just one wire it means less clutter and the choice of colours means you can blend it into your living room design, whatever your taste.”
Smart tech vs tech mess
More than two thirds (68 per cent) feel that tech is essential to their living room, with 42 per cent saying that a perfect TV set up is vital to a stylish living room space. Smart tech in particular is on the rise, with ten per cent of respondents saying they are looking to incorporate more smart technology such as smart speakers, TVs and lighting within their homes.
Brits’ top living room pet peeves include frustrations with general clutter (37 per cent), messy wires (34 per cent) and not enough plug sockets (25 per cent) so having streamlined tech is beneficial.
Anthony Davies, Group Design Director, 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 result is a sleek TV with just one plug that can seamlessly fit into any living room design, acting as a piece of furniture that is customisable, clutter-free, and also Carbon Neutral, reflecting what many people are looking for in their living room tech today.”
When it comes to finding interior design inspiration, Brits generally turn to the homes of family and friends (24 per cent), browsing through the shops (24 per cent) and watching interior design TV programmes (21 per cent).
Social media also has a huge part to play – with many looking for inspiration on platforms such as Instagram (18 per cent), Pinterest (18 per cent) and TikTok (11 per cent), as well as their favourite reality TV shows (14 per cent).
Top 20 living room trends according to Brits:
- Smart speakers (63%)
- Sustainable furniture (61%)
- Real wood flooring (60%)
- TV on the wall (60%)
- Open plan living room (57%)
- Luxury candles (57%)
- Throws (53%)
- Potted plants (52%)
- Log burner (51%)
- Blinds (51%)
- Table lamps (50%)
- Fireplace (50%)
- Photo frames of families (48%)
- Statement rug (48%)
- Corner sofas (47%)
- Wall prints (46%)
- Big mirror on the wall (45%)
- Floating shelves (43%)
- Curtains (43%)
- Shutters (42%)
Top 20 ‘off trends’ according to Brits:
- Doilies (64%)
- Velvet furniture (53%)
- Shaggy carpets (52%)
- Beanbags (52%)
- Drinks trolley (51%)
- Gas fires (51%)
- Floral print wallpaper (50%)
- Display cabinets (49%)
- Neon sign (49%)
- Wood paneling (48%)
- Nest of tables (48%)
- Mirrored furniture (48%)
- Chandeliers (47%)
- Fejkas (46%)
- A sideboard (45%)
- Inspirational quotes (45%)
- Pouffe / footrest (42%)
- Coloured glass (42%)
- Three-piece suites (40%)
- Chaise longue (40%)