Designing Comfort, Trends and Tips to Redesign Your Living Room
By Andrew Sneddon, Buying Director upholstery
During Glasswells proud history of serving customers with home furnishing products including upholstery over the last 80 years, understandably we have seen many changes to looks, styles and trends that are available.
The living room is becoming a more expressive space again. After years of cool minimalism and tidy, curated layouts, people are gravitating toward rooms that feel warm, grounded, and genuinely comfortable. The shift is subtle but unmistakable: deeper seating, richer colours, and the vast material options now available leaves the consumer very much in control allowing them to be creative designing their own individual look.
The modern living room is designed around the way people actually use it lounging, stretching out, hosting, working, and unwinding. High back and good lumber support remain a key defining feature which is very much in demand offering fantastic comfort and support. Just what people want at the end of a long day.
Modular designs are very much on trend. These allow an almost tailor-made option to fit into any room however awkward the shape or size is. From a standard three-seater sofa to a large corner group, you are in control to utilise the space to your own requirements and also optimise the number of seats you would like to have.
Technology now plays an important part in emerging trends. Although not totally new its development continues suiting all tastes and requirements. If it is movies you are into, built in surround sound speakers can be included to give you that cinema experience. Adding a sectional chiller and cup holders again looks after all your beverage needs. USB ports are extremely popular and added to the majority of electrical motion sofas. All this then can be controlled by you preferred electrical device or tablet.
A well built sofa should comfortably last a decade or more, and that longevity starts with a strong hardwood frame and cushions that hold their shape. High resilience foam cores wrapped in feather or fibre create the ideal balance: supportive enough to maintain structure, soft enough to feel inviting.
Upholstery is now chosen as much for durability as for style. The fabrics that stand up best to everyday life are tightly woven blends such as microfibre, woven polyester, and modern performance textiles. These resist pilling, fading, and staining, far better than looser natural weaves, making them ideal for busy households.
Colour is playing a bigger role too. After years of cool greys, warmer tones are taking over. Soft neutrals such as beige, oatmeal, cream, greige, create a calm backdrop, while deeper shades like olive, clay, plum, and muted rust add richness without overwhelming the room. Brown based neutrals such as mocha, camel, chocolate, mushroom, and tobacco are especially popular because they bring warmth and depth while still feeling timeless.
Leather remains a classic choice, particularly in browns that develop a natural patina over time. Fabric sofas, meanwhile, offer more freedom to explore colour and texture while keeping the room soft and inviting.
This adaptability reflects a broader shift toward living rooms that feel personal and intuitive. People are mixing textures and colours, layering lighting, and choosing pieces that make the room feel warm and lived in rather than styled for display.
The most successful living rooms today are not the most polished, they’re the most comfortable. They’re shaped around how people live, not how they think they should. They prioritise warmth, longevity, and ease. They invite you in.
A well designed living room in 2026 is one that supports your lifestyle, uses colour to create atmosphere, embraces materials that feel good to the touch, and adapts as life changes.
"Comfort isn’t a trend, it’s the foundation of a room that feels like home."
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Posted by Becca
23rd April 2026
