London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Sep 23, 2026

The Landing Zone: How Emilie Munroe Made a 700-Square-Foot Living Room Feel Cozy

The Landing Zone: How Emilie Munroe Made a 700-Square-Foot Living Room Feel Cozy

A variety of colorful seating areas make a cavernous space feel insanely inviting.

Everything really is bigger in Texas. Clocking in at a cavernous 700 square feet, the living room at our 2021 Whole Home (originally conceived of as a combined living and dining room) features a 20-foot-high vaulted ceiling and a whole wall of glass doors leading to the patio.

Undeterred, Emilie Munroe of San Francisco firm Studio Munroe set about making the massive space and adjoining vestibule more warm and inviting. “I thought, Let’s be bold, let’s be colorful, let’s be vibrant and forward-thinking and create a magical environment for welcoming people into this home,” she recalls. Grounding colors set the tone: a deep sea blue on the walls, with inky black for the brick fireplace. On either side of the hearth is a multicolored wallcovering depicting clouds during a dramatic sunrise, a color scheme that’s replicated in the ombré print in the entryway—and the rest of the room’s furnishings. Back-to-back tuxedo sofas feature stripes in two directions, while pops of sunny yellow, lavender, and fuchsia are peppered throughout in pillows, side tables, and accessories. Two subtle color-blocked rugs define and anchor the two conversation areas. “When I design with lots of colors, I like to think of it like a dinner party. You want to have a mix of personalities, but they all get along,” Munroe says. “And no one commands too much attention.”


Inspired by the sunrise, Munroe created a custom wallcovering mural that showcases a prismatic color scheme and functions as art. Coffee table: Croft House. Rattan stools: Article. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries. Chandeliers: Circa Lighting. Paint: Farrow & Ball. Rattan side tables: Serena & Lily. Chairs: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams. Drinks tables: Design Within Reach. Mirror: Croft House. Sofas: Evan Spencer.

Entryway


A collection of nine botanical prints over an ombré wallcovering sets the tone. Bench: Serena & Lily. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries. Pendants: Circa Lighting. Pillows and throw: Anthropologie. Art: Simon Breitbard Fine Arts. Tile: Granada Tile.


The opposite side of the foyer provides storage and a mirror to check your lipstick (this is Texas!) before exiting. Credenza: Croft House. Mirror: Anthropologie. Vases: Design Within Reach. Planter: Eclectic Home.

Sitting Area


Sling chairs in a whimsical watercolor print sit in a colorful corner near the fireplace. Chairs: Croft House. Upholstery fabric: CW Stockwell x Voutsa. Vases: Serena & Lily.

Living Room

An extra-long rod allows drapes to be drawn across all the windows.


To personalize the enormous room, Munroe skipped a sectional in favor of two separate conversation areas: one for fireside convos and the other for playing games or patiently waiting on dinner from the adjoining kitchen. Paint: Farrow & Ball. Sofa: Evan Spencer, in Fabricut fabric. Woven tables: Serena & Lily. Coffee tables: Arhaus (gray), Croft House (yellow). Rugs: The Rug Company. Console table: custom, Caesarstone. Lighting: Circa Lighting. Drapery: The Shade Store. Door handle: Schlage. HVAC: Trane.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Piddington Residents Back Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales
England Expands Devolution of Transport, Skills and Economic Development Powers
Liberal Democrats Call for Temporary Fuel Duty Cut to Ease Cost-of-Living Pressure
UK Farmers Warn Drought Has Caused Crop Failures and Reduced Harvests
UK Fixed Mortgage Rates Approach 6% as Lenders Raise Borrowing Costs
YouGov Poll Puts Labour at 23% With Conservatives and Reform UK on 21%
Badenoch Presses Burnham to Increase Defence Spending and Cut Welfare Costs
UK Military Figures Warn of Growing Threats to Undersea Infrastructure and National Readiness
BP Moves Ahead With Sale of UK North Sea Oil and Gas Business
UK and ASEAN Endorse New Framework for Trade and Economic Cooperation
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low as Borrowing Costs and Job Concerns Rise
UK Inflation Rises to 3.1% as Motor Fuel Costs Push Prices Higher
Bank of England Sets Multi-Year Plan to Wind Down Quantitative Easing Holdings
UK Borrowing Rises to £18.3 Billion in August Ahead of October Budget
Michelin Guide Faces Industry Questions Over Restaurant Inspection Coverage
English Woodlands Face Renewed Weather Stress From Dry Conditions and Strong Winds
Research Finds Extensive Alcohol, Gambling and Unhealthy Food Branding During 2026 World Cup
Five Charged After Newborn Baby Dies From Stab Wounds in Sheffield
BT Could Reap £2 Billion From Recycling Copper as Full-Fibre Network Expands
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
Reform UK Names Helen Jenner as New Leader in Wales After Dan Thomas Steps Down
Resolution Foundation Calls for Broad-Based Tax Rises to Fund Higher UK Defence Spending
Ed Davey Calls for Global Treaty to Halt Development of Super-Intelligent AI
Scotland Consults on Legal Price Caps for Essential Foods
NHS Productivity Reforms Could Prevent More Than 20,000 Early Deaths a Year, Report Says
United Kingdom and ASEAN Deepen Trade and Investment Cooperation
United Kingdom Deploys RAF Refuelling Support to Saudi Arabia After Houthi Attacks
UK Fiscal Headroom Shrinks as Higher Borrowing Costs Complicate Autumn Budget
UK Public Borrowing Jumps to £18.3 Billion in August, Raising Pressure Before Budget
Andy Burnham Reaffirms UK Net-Zero Target With £30 Million Community Energy Fund
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
UK Consumer Confidence Falls to Three-Year Low
UK Diesel Prices Approach £2 a Litre as Global Supply Shortages Intensify
Chiltern Railways Returns to Public Ownership as UK Rail Nationalisation Advances
British Museum Faces Questions Over Peter Thiel’s Private Bayeux Tapestry Viewing
Earl Spencer Memoir Excerpts Renew Public Debate Over Diana’s Death
Liberal Democrats Gather in Brighton for Autumn Conference
Mothercare Shares Plunge as Middle East Store Closures Threaten Long-Term Solvency
Kent Police Treat Folkestone Hotel Fire as Suspicious
Caribbean Governments Advance Reparations Campaign Seeking Engagement With Britain
Scottish Labour Leader Backs Rosebank and Jackdaw North Sea Projects
FCA Urges Young Adults to Trace £1.5 Billion in Unclaimed Child Trust Funds
UK Competition Regulator Opens Inquiry Into McCormick-Unilever Foods Deal
Public Inquiry Into Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys Mental Health Failings Set to Begin
Nigel Farage Looks to US Immigration Enforcement Model for UK Border Policy
Chiltern Railways Moves Into Public Ownership
Security Review Raises Concerns Over Sensitive UK Police Data Stored on Microsoft Cloud
Burnham Government Warns of Difficult Autumn Budget as Fiscal Headroom Narrows
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Inflation Rises to 3.1%
×