Interior design sisters Alisa and Lysandra reveal their top tips for a stylish and functional living space

First things first, when it comes to creating an at-home theatre, you’ll need a smart screen.

“A new smart TV — along with high-quality sound accessories — is vital for creating an immersive entertainment experience that feels cinematic,” says Alisa.

Check out Amazon.com.au’s range of TVs and accessories here

Ask any interior stylist about their biggest lounge room design gripe, and they’ll likely tell you it’s the challenge of seamlessly integrating the TV to make it feel like a cohesive feature of the room’s design. While a home cinema usually requires a sacrifice of style, if you’re feeling inspired to camouflage your screen — and to transform your lounge room into a unique and modern space — then a gallery wall is a great way to do this.

“A TV doesn’t have to dominate a living room”, says Lysandra. “An easy way to pair style with your screen is to create a gallery wall in the space to draw attention away from the TV.”

Consider hiring a professional to help mount your TV on the wall (a great mounting option is the Artiss TV Wall Mount Bracket) at its ideal height for comfortable viewing and then hang complementary artwork around it.

“We love these Haus and Hues Neutral Wall Art,” continues Lysandra. “Paired with neutral frames, they go with everything and the simple designs are perfect for creating a classic and cool Hamptons vibe.”

For the ultimate sound system add a soundbar to your set-up. The Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar comes with built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for both seamless connectivity and deep, rich, lounge room-filling sound.

For modern home upgrades that want to bring the magic of smart home home automation or assistance,, the all-new Echo (4th Gen) is a great choice, allowing users to control their smart home via both voice and manage features and skills via the Alexa app. Alexa-enabled devices like the Amazon Echoallow you to control everything from lighting and sound bar volume with your voice, to room temperature and TV controls (with compatible devices)

Now, all that’s left to do is to lie back, choose the movie, hit ‘play’ and pass the popcorn!

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It’s pretty common knowledge that lighting plays a part in determining how we feel in a room space.

“Lighting is a great way to set the mood,” says Lysandra. “Often just changing a light fixture will bring new personality to a room, helping to turn it from drab and dreary, to warm and bright.”

An amazing at-home all-rounder is the Philips Hue White and Colour Smart Bulb Starter Kit.

Also voice activated and compatible with Alexa, these smart bulbs allow users to both create their own lighting schemes, and to schedule them too.

Another great option — one for cinephiles in particular— is Philips White & Colour Ambiance Smart LED Bar Light.

Specifically designed to create a contrasting light behind your TV screen (which in fact is easier on your eyes during those series-long viewing sessions!), the Phillips Hue bar light can be mounted behind the screen to create atmospheric backlighting that mimics the colours on screen, creating an immersive, cinema-like experience. If you want to use the lights to simply set a mood in your living space, the Phillips Hue light bar also works with Alexa, making it easy to turn the light on….simply by asking!

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Another easy way to instantly set a mood and to induce a specific vibe into a space is via music.

Studies have shown that listening to music may impact the brain in a variety of ways, including by stimulating ‘feel good’ chemicals, helping to manage stress, promote wellness, and even enhancing memory.

“We love the Yamaha MusicCast Turntable,” enthuses Alisa. “It offers old school charm, but with contemporary tech.”

A perfect pair of yesteryear analog and today's digital, the traditional turntable comes with the ability to play vinyl, alongside built-in Bluetooth and music streaming services, which means you truly have the best of both worlds. Paired with the Yamaha Wireless Surround Speaker with Bluetooth & Alexa compatibility, you can create the ultimate listening experience via your mobile device or voice.

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When it comes to choosing your colour palette, erring on the side of neutrals is the way to go, according to the interior design duo.

“Neutrals help open up a space and give a cleaner, more sophisticated look,” explains Lysandra. “Applied through furniture and decor, they can help create a warm and inviting design.”

To inject neutrals into your living room, look to your furniture: sofa, armchair, and coffee table. Avoid anything too bulky or heavy and instead think light and modern.

“Two great options we love are the Luxo Contempmorary Style Fabric Sofa Lounge and the Artiss Armchair Fabric Timber Lounge Cafe Chair in beige.”

And when it comes to positioning furniture, consider how you use the space and then match this with the ‘flow’ of your sofa, chairs and coffee table.

“There's no rule that says the TV needs to be in the middle of a wall,” says Alisa. “If your living room is typically used more for conversation than screen time, it might make sense to arrange your furniture a little differently”

Whether you’re tight on space or you want to add more natural light to a room, mirrors are an essential piece in an interior designer’s toolkit.

Used creatively, mirrors can help to expand a space or endow a room with some ‘wow’ factor. And when it comes to mirrors, nothing has quite the impact of a really, really big mirror.

"Placing a mirror in the correct place in a room allows you to both optimise natural light and to create spatial illusions,” says Alisa.

“We like the full-length Cooper & Co. Natural Willow Wall Mirror and the TinyTimes Arched Full Length Mirror. The latter has lovely architectural arch detailing and looks great free standing against a wall.”

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Interior design is all about attention to detail. Even small elements, such as the style and colour of the frames you use, can have a visual impact. And when decorating with a neutral colour scheme, it's important to bring in a variety of patterns and textures.

“When it comes to using textures in a neutral living room, you can almost never have too many,” says Lysandra. “Cushions, throws and pillows all add texture and warmth.”

A great option for textured cushions are satTva Throw Pillow Cushion Covers. Made with premium cotton and handwoven, the four varying designs create a modern, boho look.

“When it comes to pillows and cushions, more is more — the cosier the better!” continues Alisa. “Just make sure that you stick to a neutral palette of hues to create interest but without causing visual clutter.”

‘Cosy’ is an interiors watchword, especially as we move into the cooler months. And when it comes to autumnal colours that are bang on-trend, you can’t trump this season’s hottest hue: ochre.

“Ochre has a lovely, rich enveloping quality, and it works so well with neutrals,” says Lysandra. “These CoziCovers Cushion Covers are the perfect way to apply the colour to your home. Paired with the j.elliot HOME Louie New Throw in Ivory, bring some opulence and luxury to your sofa.”

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