Ideal Home Awards 2026 Living Room Winners – our expert panel of judges has spoken and these are the brands and designs that stood out to them the most this year
From the best sofa to the top retailer of the year
It’s that time of the year again – Ideal Home’s Living Room Awards are back for 2026. Judged by an expert panel of Ideal Home editors, today we celebrate the brands and designs across 16 different categories that have impressed us the most this year.
From the best sofa of 2026 to the best TV and even the top living room lighting idea, this year’s winners cover all the bases. So if you’re looking for some inspiration for your lounge, this is the perfect place to start.
A living room is a multipurpose space that needs to be versatile, as well as comfortable and stylish – and these are only a few of the criteria the judges took into consideration when making their decisions, along with innovation, practicality and value for money.
Best Sofa: King Living
King Living and its sofas never cease to amaze me – so it’s no surprise that the brand takes home the top prize for the best sofa for the second time in a row.
The new King Living Delta 5 sofa, launched earlier this year and based on the brand’s existing Delta sofa, really impressed me and the judges with its cleverly integrated storage.
Storage sofas tend to be quite bulky but you’d never be able to tell this sofa comes with storage. And you often have to sacrifice high levels of comfort with storage styles – but not this one. The fact that it’s also modular and beautifully curved all made this a clear winner.
Highly commended: Schplendid Lionel sofa, DFS Cinesound Rowe 2 Corner 2 with 2 Consoles in Oyster Moretta fabric
Best Use of Colour: Benjamin Moore
In recent years, people have been getting bolder with colour and paint ideas in their homes. Colour capping is one of the more recent paint trends – and one that Benjamin Moore’s single-handedly pioneered.
‘I love Benjamin Moore’s concept of colour-capping – the use of multiple tones from the same colour family in a single space is a great way to achieve a layered, elevated look,’ says Ideal Home’s Editor in Chief, Heather Young.
‘And because the tones are all taken from the same family, there’s little risk of clashing colours which makes it achievable for even novice decorators.’
Best Furniture: La Redoute
We love small living room ideas here at Ideal Home, especially the creative and clever ones that don’t sacrifice style either. And the La Redoute Matheo Hideaway Cabinet Desk ticks all the boxes.
Not only is this hideaway cabinet desk extremely clever and space-saving (which I love to see), but it also looks so stylish owing to the arched shape and rattan inserts.
Highly commended: Danetti Giotto Natural Ceramic Coffee Table, Sofa.com Ciel Console Table
Best Wallpaper: Little Greene
Whimsy is a word that’s been on everyone’s lips lately – more specifically bringing whimsy into our homes. And Little Greene’s Lily Pads - Hopper Wallpaper is the perfect way to inject some charm and whimsy to your living room walls.
‘I fell in love with this wallpaper the second I saw it,’ Heather says. ‘I was won over by the lily pads and waterlilies even before I spotted the otters! I’m a big fan of blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor, and this design is the perfect way to do it.’
Highly commended: I Love Wallpaper Woodland Whisper Panel Wallpaper in Cream
Best Storage: Hammonds
As already mentioned, living room furniture needs to be versatile - and this is especially true when it comes to living room storage ideas. And few storage solutions are as versatile and stylish at the same time as the Hammonds Tavira in Olive Green. It looks sleek and uncluttered as there are no door handles distracting the eye and the olive green colourway also looks extremely sophisticated.
‘This solution is designed to create a versatile combination of storage and curated display spaces. The palette of muted finishes, from soft neutrals to richer statement tones have been chosen to bring a sense of calm and the customisable options, including shelving, cupboards and drawers, will help keep any living room organised,’ Heather says.
Highly commended: Cox & Cox Halds Adjustable Shelf Unit
Best Paint: Ronseal
Anything that makes life easier and a job like painting quicker gets a thumbs up from us here at Ideal Home. And that’s exactly what Ronseal’s One Coat Everywhere paint does as it can be used on everything from walls and skirting boards to radiators and more.
This almost miracle-sounding formula doesn’t require any primer, all you need is one coat (as it says on the tin) and you can use it on all surfaces – what’s not to like?
Best Speakers: Ruark Audio
These days, even tech can be stylish and aesthetically pleasing, as well as functional. Ruark Audio’s R410 All-In-One Music System impresses in both regards which is why it makes for the best living room speakers.
‘With its grown-up, midcentury-style looks, and its impressive audio, this speaker looks just as good as it sounds,’ says Ginevra Benedetti, Ideal Home’s Deputy Editor for Print. ‘The OLED screen shows you what’s playing, whether it’s DAB or FM radio or streaming your favourite tunes.’
Highly commended: Samsung QS90H Soundbar
Best Occasional Chair: Sofa.com
I fell in love with Sofa.com’s Stellar Armchair as soon as I first saw it in person a few months ago. It looks like a high-end designer piece with its organic, curved shape and built-in side table. And it’s very comfortable, too! I actually really want one for myself. And the judging panel very much agreed.
‘One for my wish list, this curvy beauty features an ingenious built-in side table – the perfect perch for a vodka martini,’ Ginevra says.
Highly commended: Pottery Barn Remmy Swivel Armchair
Best Lighting: Philips Hue
We already saw the appetite for recreating the cinema experience in one’s lounge during last year’s Ideal Home Living Room Awards. And it’s a living room trend that isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The Philips Hue Play Wall Washer creates the cinematic experience right in one’s living room while being super compact.
‘Designed to sit on either side or behind your TV, illuminating the wall behind it with light, you can link it to what you’re watching or listening to with the Hue Sync function (on the Hue partner app) and the colours will automatically change to enhance your viewing experience,’ Ginevra explains.
Highly commended: BHS Dougie Rechargeable Picture Wall Light in Brass
Best Flooring: Alternative Flooring
Carpets can get a bad rep for being old-fashioned but a design like Alternative Flooring’s Wool Candy proves that it certainly isn’t the case. It provides enough intrigue with the striped pattern but since it’s a such a timeless motif, it won’t overpower a living room and will still look quite neutral.
‘After years of plains, it’s such a joy to see that pattern carpet is having a comeback. There are three different striped patterns (and who doesn’t love stripes?!) in a choice of four jolly colourways – perfect for adding a bit of fun to your floor,’ Ginevra says.
Highly commended: Ted Todd Hutton Herringbone & Wide Plank, Knot & Grain Driftwood
Best Floorcare: Shark
Speaking of flooring, it won’t clean itself. And if you’re after a convenient and easy tool to help you keep those floors spotless then the winner of the ‘best floorcare’ category, Shark’s PowerDetect Speed Clean and Empty Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum IA3241UKT, is the one to go for.
‘Lightweight and seriously easy to use, this new Shark vacuum is ideal for everyday grab-and-go cleaning,’ says Lauren Bradbury, Ideal Home’s Content Editor for House Manual.
‘It’s always charged and empty whenever you need it, thanks to the convenient auto-empty base, and it performed exceptionally well during debris testing. It’s also kitted out with Shark’s most impressive technologies for enhanced cleaning – and it’ll look good doing it!’
Highly commended: Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Best Scent: Nkuku
The best home fragrance is quite a subjective topic. For example, I’m personally not usually a big fan of rose fragrance. But Nkuku’s Oakmoss & Rose Home Fragrance Collection perfectly balances the rose notes with the earthiness of oakmoss which is beautifully grounding and makes for the perfect living room fragrance, whether you ordinarily love rose or aren’t a fan.
‘Not only does this candle smell incredible, but the hand-blown glass vessel container adds interest and makes it ideal for reuse as a tealight holder or vase once the candle is finished,’ Heather adds.
Best Fire: Direct Stoves
There’s nothing that creates that cosy living room feeling quite like getting a fire going. The traditional design of the Direct Stoves Axon Bolesworth 5kW Wood Burning / Multifuel Ecodesign Stove impressed the judges – and it’s making me feel cosy just looking at it.
‘This wood-burning stove has been given a contemporary look thanks to its clean lines which will work in modern or traditional homes. It boasts impressive heat-efficiency, too, perfect for cosy nights in,’ Heather says.
Highly commended: Solus iX Electric Fire
Best Window Dressings: 247 Blinds
The design of the Twist&Fit Wooden Blinds by 247 Blinds impressed the judges largely with its easy installation which is also completely renter friendly since it doesn’t require any drilling into the wall or windows. Instead, the extremely clever design uses a tension headrail instead.
But aside from that, the style of these Venetian blinds is timeless so it's pretty much guaranteed it will never go out of style.
Best TV: Sky
While a TV has traditionally been seen as quite the investment, the Sky Glass Air proves that there can be such a thing as a great affordable TV. So if you’re working with a tight budget, this is a TV that won’t break the bank.
‘Perfect for those on a budget and a cinch to use, Sky's more affordable TV is hard to beat. All you need is a Broadband connection and a Sky subscription, and you have endless TV viewing with excellent picture quality at your fingertips,’ Ginevra says.
Highly commended: Samsung S99H OLED TV
Retailer of the year: Furniture Village
From sofas and armchairs to coffee tables, storage and even lighting, Furniture Village has everything one could need when furnishing a living room in one place, making life so much easier. That’s exactly why the title of the top living room retailer of the year is only fitting.
‘Furniture Village is a destination store for living rooms, with an impressive range of products and styles. The knowledgeable staff are on-hand to offer expert advice and guide you when finding the right solution for your space,’ Heather says.
Highly commended: Sofology
The Judges
Our panel of judges is comprised of Ideal Home editors who have the expertise on everything to do with living room furnishing, decor and more.
Heather has worked on Ideal Home for over 17 years and has decorated many a living space. The living room in her current home is painted black, and has a huge modular sofa, which is Heather's favourite place to relax.
Ginevra Benedetti has been the Deputy Editor of Ideal Home magazine since 2021, having first joined the team in 2011.
Ever since taking on the role of Room Decor Content Editor, Sara has overseen some of Ideal Home's key furniture buying guides, including best sofas, having sat on around 300 models and counting.
When she's not updating many of our home appliance buying guides including the likes of vacuums, Lauren is writing how-to guides and sharing handy cleaning hacks.
Congratulations to all the Ideal Home Living Room Awards 2026 winners, as well as those highly commended! And if you’ve been thinking about a living room makeover, now you know where to turn. See you next year!