Jojo Barr Talks Her New Book, The Art Of Layering & More

The living room wears a lot of hats. It’s where we rest, socialise, watch TV and play with the kids – sometimes all at once. It needs to feel relaxed enough to kick your shoes off, but still put together for our own sanity – or when someone unexpectedly drops by. That’s where layering earns its keep.

Start with the big pieces. Think about your furniture first – the sofa, the armchairs, and the coffee table. These are your anchors, so remember, we want these to feel balanced in the space to ensure the scale works. A room instantly feels off if everything sits to one side or the rug is the wrong size. (Pro tip: rugs should always be large enough to let at least the front legs of your furniture sit on them – it grounds the space and makes it feel pulled together.)

Once the main furniture feels right, move on to your objects. Look at your largest decorative pieces – books, trays, baskets – and work your way down in scale. Spread the weight around the room so the eye moves evenly. If all your darker or heavier items sit in one corner, the room will feel lopsided. Disperse them, then fill the gaps with smaller, lighter touches: a stack of books, a bowl, a favourite find. Build slowly, one layer at a time. And if it doesn’t feel right, strip it back and start again. Don’t panic, it’s not surgery – just shuffle until it feels balanced.

Lighting is another layer entirely. A good living room needs more than one source – a mix of table lamps, floor lamps, wall lights, and a pendant overhead. This creates depth and atmosphere. Harsh overhead lighting kills a mood faster than you can say “dimmer switch”. Keep it low, warm, and inviting. A coffee table tray is my best friend in living-room design. In fact, I’d challenge you to find a project of mine that doesn’t have one. It’s the ultimate grounding piece, an organic texture that pulls everything together and makes sense of the surface chaos. It gives shape to the sprawl, so you can pile on the good stuff – books, bowls, candles, flowers. It’s the stylish version of a landing pad, and once you’ve used one, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Let’s talk baskets – the unsung heroes of real life. A log basket beside the fireplace instantly softens all those hard edges, and if you have kids, extra baskets are non-negotiable. They’re where the toys disappear to when you’re too tired to care where anything goes. Just keep your textures consistent – if your palette is warm and biscuit-toned, stick with natural fibres. A random grey basket will throw off the whole balance.

Finally, keep mantles and windowsills clear of mini mountains of tiny trinkets and photo frames. A pair of candlesticks is plenty. Layering isn’t about excess; it’s about balance – areas of richness offset by moments of quiet where the eyes can rest. A well-layered living room should look lived-in but considered – comfortable, collected, and quietly under control.

All images are House Nine Design & photographed by Joey Kendal Brown.