Family Lounge With Window Seat and Stone TV Wall

The television hangs in a shallow arched recess set into a grey stone-look panel wall, with a soft light behind the arch. The arch and backlight give a flat screen a proper setting instead of leaving it stuck on a bare wall. Below it a floating wood media unit with drawers holds the boxes and remotes and keeps the floor clear. The stone panels are hard-wearing and hide fingerprints well, which is handy on a wall people gather around every evening.

Under the window we built a bench seat on a wood platform, with storage drawers set into the base. It is topped with a firm olive green cushion and a row of printed scatter cushions for a casual place to sit with a book or watch the room. Building it in turns an awkward strip under the window into usable seating and hidden storage at once. The drawers are handy for throws and games. Its cushions do need the occasional wash, being the most-used perch here.

One side wall is finished in vertical fluted wood panelling that runs the height of the room. The fine grooves catch the light and give the lounge a warm, textured backdrop without a loud pattern. A slim brass three-light wall sconce sits on it to add a soft glow and a bit of shine against the matte wood. Fluting was picked over a flat panel because it adds depth on a wall that would otherwise sit plain behind the sofa.

Lighting is layered for a soft evening feel. A molecule chandelier with round glass globes hangs over the centre as the main piece, giving a scattered warm light rather than one harsh source. Recessed spots in the false ceiling fill in the general light, and a cove adds a border glow. A brass wall sconce and a globe floor lamp handle the corners for reading. Together they let you drop the level for films or lift it for company without a single bright overhead.

A window bench works best where there is a deep enough sill or a run of wall under the window to build on, as there is here. It turns dead space into seating and storage, which is a real gain in a compact lounge. In a home with shallow windows or a radiator under the glass it is harder to fit. If you can build one, add the drawers below at the same time, since retrofitting storage into a bench later is fiddly and rarely as neat.

The stone TV wall, the fluted panelling and the built-in window seat take most of the budget. The arched stone panel wall is both material and careful fitting with concealed lighting. Fluted wall panelling is on-site carpentry priced by the run. The window bench with its drawers is bespoke joinery too. The molecule chandelier is a notable buy on its own. Loose pieces like the curved sofa, the accent chair and the coffee table are the parts you can phase or swap to manage cost.

Upkeep is light but has a few specific jobs. The boucle sofa and the printed bench cushions collect dust in their weave, so a weekly vacuum and the odd cushion wash keep them fresh. The fluted wood wall holds dust in its grooves and wants a soft brush now and then. The stone TV wall and marble table just need a wipe. Pale fabrics are the main thing to watch here, so deal with spills quickly before they set into the cream weave.