Interiors

A Natural, Textural Living Room Makeover

WELL, we don’t do this very often, but today we’re excited to share a little home ‘makeover’ project!

In partnership with Koala, we recently took up the challenge of transforming a simple, sparsely decorated country weekender into a tactile haven. With the addition of textural soft furnishings, semi-sheer curtains, a few indoor plants and Koala’s new cork sofa, the transformation is pretty remarkable – if we do say so ourselves! We’re just about ready to move in.

Whether you own your home or are renting, re-creating a look like this at home is easy. It’s all about those layers!

Written
by
Lucy Feagins
Supported by Koala

Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files

Writer
Lucy Feagins
18th of December 2020

Right now, we’re seeing a huge emphasis on sustainable, natural materials in home interiors – that means soft furnishings in cotton and pure wool, sustainably harvested uncoated timbers… and, what about a cork sofa!?

Yes, you read that right. The latest addition to Koala’s line up is a cork sofa. With its stream-lined, mid-century inspired profile, and a uniquely textural finish, this piece really wowed us!

Starting with the cork as our muse, we have styled this living space with a collection of natural, textural pieces that bring both comfort and sustainability to this country weekender.

Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Cork Stool by Vitra. L’Art Lounge Chair by Fomu. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Cork Sofa by Koala. Small planter from The Plant Society. Tall Tower Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs in Agave. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Odie Coffee Table by Fomu. ‘Still Life 1’ limestone artwork by Neighbourhood Studio. Hand tufted cushions by Trinket Solo. Cork cushion by Koala. Ceramics on coffee table by Lucy Nolan. Curtain by Westbury TextilesPaper Lantern light shade by Pop & Scott. Pine Blanket by Seljak. Woven baskets from Pan After.  Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Natural Materials

Natural materials are having a moment. Now more than ever, we’re seeking tactile, breathable fibres that feel great to touch, and connect us to nature.

For this room makeover, we started with a pure wool, super thick and luscious Moroccan Beni rug (we went oversized, to really take the chill out of the concrete floor).

Next up, of course, came the Koala cork sofa. Cork has impressive sustainability credentials because cork trees are not cut down in the harvesting process. Instead, only the bark is stripped, allowing cork trees to live and grow for many years, even whilst being harvested for their bark year after year. Once the tree has been stripped of its bark, and the cork harvesting process is complete, the tree is also able to absorb five times more CO2!

Layering of textures

When styling any space, it’s worth thinking of ‘layering’ a room in stages. Start with floor coverings, moving on to large furniture items, and then layering occasional furniture, soft furnishings, and accessories over the top.

In this space, a smattering of textural cushions in a variety of shapes (love that bolster!) really add character to the room, whilst a cosy recycled woollen blanket lends an extra layer of comfort.

Cork Sofa by Koala. Small planter from The Plant Society. Tall Tower Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs in Agave. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Odie Coffee Table by Fomu. Hand tufted cushions by Trinket Solo. Cork cushion by Koala. Ceramics on coffee table by Lucy Nolan. Curtain by Westbury TextilesPaper Lantern light shade by Pop & Scott.Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Cork Sofa by Koala. Small planter from The Plant Society. Tall Tower Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs in Agave. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Odie Coffee Table by Fomu. ‘Still Life 1’ limestone artwork by Neighbourhood Studio. Hand tufted cushions by Trinket Solo. Cork cushion by Koala. Ceramics on coffee table by Lucy Nolan. Curtain by Westbury Textiles. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Drapes + Curtains

We’re really into ultra-long, skim-the-floor curtains right now. Not only do long curtains tend to insulate far better than blinds or shutters, they’re also a great way to bring an extra layer of comfort and texture into a space. Here, we selected a beautiful semi-sheer fabric with a boucle-like texture to enhance the soft, tactile feel of this room.

Our number one tip when selecting curtains, is to always go higher and wider than your windows. Curtains should always fall past the window and right down to touch the floor – no exceptions!

Cork Sofa by Koala. Still Life 1′ limestone artwork by Neighbourhood Studio. Hand tufted cushions by Trinket Solo. Cork cushion by Koala. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Cork Sofa by Koala. Large Flute Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs. Small planter from The Plant Society. Tall Tower Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs in Agave. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Hand tufted cushion by Trinket Solo. Curtain by Westbury Textiles. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Always add plants

Bringing plants and foliage into any interior is a no-brainer. Plants bring a little bit of nature inside, they add texture and movement, and they’re also such an easy, affordable addition to any space.

When choosing vessels for indoor plants, try and cluster vessels of 2-3 varying heights together. Always consider how the vessel will hold water – it’s so important for house plants to come with a saucer or dish to catch excess water, ESPECIALLY if you’ve taken our advice and layered your space with a beautiful rug and floor-skimming curtains!

Tactile Artwork

Texture isn’t limited only to soft furnishings. Tactile artwork brings an incredible dimension to any space. We love this sculptural wall-mounted piece carved from Australian Limestone, by Melbourne artist Lucas Wearne. Alternatively, consider fibre art, such as a woven wall hanging, as a textural focal point.

Cork Sofa by Koala. Akari Lamp by Isamu Noguchi. Side Table by Dust Merchants. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Hand tufted cushion by Trinket Solo. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Cork Sofa by Koala. Cork Stool by Vitra. L’Art Lounge Chair by Fomu. Small planter from The Plant Society. Tall Tower Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs in Agave. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Odie Coffee Table by Fomu. ‘Still Life 1’ limestone artwork by Neighbourhood Studio. Hand tufted cushions by Trinket Solo. Cork cushion by Koala. Ceramics on coffee table by Lucy Nolan. Curtain by Westbury TextilesPaper Lantern light shade by Pop & Scott. Woven basket from Pan After. Akari Lamp by Isamu Noguchi. Side Table by Dust Merchants. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

Lighting

Lighting is so important in any space – it really can make or break the ambience of a room. If you’ve created a soft, cosy, textural space like this one – you really don’t want light fittings with hard, shiny surfaces like glass and metal. Instead, look for lamps and overhead pendant lighting with paper shades, for a delicate, perfectly translucent glow.

Koala’s new Cork sofa (an Australia first!) is a contemporary, versatile sofa designed to complement a variety of spaces. It comes in Yarra Cork and Jenolan Black, view the complete range here.

Koala’s Cork Sofa is animal-free and uses only natural and sustainable cork, designed to keep both you and the planet comfy.

Like all Koala products, the Cork Sofa comes with their famous, fast and free delivery and risk-free 120-night trial! With every Koala lounging sofa sold, Koala Furniture adopts a turtle, through their ongoing partnership with WWF-Australia.

Sofa by Koala. Cork Stool by Vitra. L’Art Lounge Chair by Fomu. Tall Tower Planter from the Totem Collection by The Plant Society x Capra Designs in Agave. Beni Ouarain Rug by Loom. Odie Coffee Table by Fomu. ‘Still Life 1’ limestone artwork by Neighbourhood Studio. Hand tufted cushions by Trinket Solo. Cork cushion by Koala. Ceramics on coffee table by Lucy Nolan. Curtain by Westbury TextilesPaper Lantern light shade by Pop & Scott. Akari Lamp by Isamu Noguchi. Side Table by Dust Merchants. Pine Blanket by Seljak. Woven baskets from Pan After. Photo – Eve Wilson for The Design Files. Styling – Lucy Feagins. Art Direction – Annie Portelli

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