Logo

Besides being places of temporary respite, the average living room offers the kind of space that would be suited for small art installations rivalling high street galleries. Here are five ways to take advantage of any extra space in your seating lounge, to turn them into exhibits of artistic expression.

Combine a collection of both common objects and unrelated rarities for an artful and dramatic arrangement that straddles surrealist and dadaist expression. In the decorative corner of this living room decorated by Casa Indah Design, a briskly-whitewashed panel acts as a country-inspired backdrop for a collection of seemingly unrelated objects presented on a piece of furnishing in the midst of an existential dilemma.

It takes a certain boldness to combine unrelated themes into a cohesive interior, as was done in this living room - with furnishings of modern and minimalist designs located in close proximity to decorations reminiscent of the countryside. A dispersed sprinkling of country-inspired decorations, in the hide rug as well as both hard and soft representations of wood, help to tie together the two ordinarily contrasting themes.

The modern convention presented in this living room is given an artful twist with the inclusion of a single armchair nestled into the inside of a mask. The stoic human face, formed out of the armchair's high back, surprises the naive eye and adds a dose of eccentricity to a relatively reserved interior appointed with modern and minimalist furnishings.

The unified colour palette and fine lines of this elegant interior are complemented by natural forms presented in tight clutches of flora and a solitary statuette depicting a wild cat. The sandstone shade of these architectural finishes and furnishings contribute towards a tone reminiscent of the desert, creating potential for an oasis to be painted - as demonstrated by the tiny potted plants contained within glass bell covers on the paradoxically luxurious and minimalist coffee table.

Expressions of style in architectural finishes can only say so much, rather than stopping with planes of homogenous finishes in brick and wood, this home office embraces vibes of the past by presenting a collection of plaques in vintage designs over the walls and cabinet doors.