Room Of The Week
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Room of the Week: A Re-Tiled Fireplace Lifts a Family Living Area
Refreshed furniture and new tiles on a 'hero' fireplace delivered a family-friendly Scandi-style living room
In a Q&A format, we talk to the designers – and examine the creative thinking – behind some of Houzz’s most loveable rooms.
Brief
To create a casual and elegant living space with the focus on quality materials rather than prints and patterns. The overall scheme uses pale colours that are in keeping with a Scandi aesthetic, working in greys, creams and whites with the occasional detail in indigo. My clients wanted to relax with friends and family in this space, to entertain, listen to the kids play music and enjoy the fire with books in hand.
To create a casual and elegant living space with the focus on quality materials rather than prints and patterns. The overall scheme uses pale colours that are in keeping with a Scandi aesthetic, working in greys, creams and whites with the occasional detail in indigo. My clients wanted to relax with friends and family in this space, to entertain, listen to the kids play music and enjoy the fire with books in hand.
Starting point
The fireplace provided an opportunity for a striking focal point. Its state was somewhat dated, with orangey tones to the stone.
The fireplace provided an opportunity for a striking focal point. Its state was somewhat dated, with orangey tones to the stone.
I wanted to create a strong contrast to the pale paint scheme throughout the home, with a floor-to-ceiling tiled chimney adjacent to the white open cabinetry. The floor plan didn’t need to change, but we replaced all furniture and window treatments.
Key design aspects
Colour palette: Oak flooring, white walls, greys to window treatments and furniture. Muted indigos to cushions and decor.
Materials palette: Oak, slate, wool rug, and linen cushions.
Colour palette: Oak flooring, white walls, greys to window treatments and furniture. Muted indigos to cushions and decor.
Materials palette: Oak, slate, wool rug, and linen cushions.
Key pieces of furniture: Atlas Berber Knot rug from Armadillo & Co; custom-made sofa; Sketch Nysse chairs from Globe West; Walter G cushions; fireplace tiles are Disk Anthracite in matt 300 x 600 millimetres from Amber Tiles.
Thinking behind the arrangement of furniture
The layout for furniture really centres around the location of the fireplace. In order to establish a comfortable seating area that flows from the adjoining dining space, we didn’t really need to change the floor plan at all. The window treatments needed to be soft and casual, my clients really wanted to avoid a tailored, formal look.
The layout for furniture really centres around the location of the fireplace. In order to establish a comfortable seating area that flows from the adjoining dining space, we didn’t really need to change the floor plan at all. The window treatments needed to be soft and casual, my clients really wanted to avoid a tailored, formal look.
Challenges you worked around
Tiling the fireplace was a challenge. I had originally specified a herringbone pattern with a slightly different tile, but three tilers tried and failed! We swapped to this product, and as ever, I cannot imagine anything working better now the project is complete. There is a neat shadow line where the tiling meets the floor and an almost invisible expansion joint half way up.
Tiling the fireplace was a challenge. I had originally specified a herringbone pattern with a slightly different tile, but three tilers tried and failed! We swapped to this product, and as ever, I cannot imagine anything working better now the project is complete. There is a neat shadow line where the tiling meets the floor and an almost invisible expansion joint half way up.
Why do you think this room works?
It’s an inviting and informal space that provides just what most people are looking for in a family-oriented home: a certain amount of relaxed luxury, sufficiently tailored to the needs of the homeowner, without appearing over-the-top. The cool palette is relaxing to live with and provides just the foil for the feature that we wanted to be the hero – the fireplace. All in all, this space blends seamlessly into the wider renovation and epitomises the contemporary Australian home.
It’s an inviting and informal space that provides just what most people are looking for in a family-oriented home: a certain amount of relaxed luxury, sufficiently tailored to the needs of the homeowner, without appearing over-the-top. The cool palette is relaxing to live with and provides just the foil for the feature that we wanted to be the hero – the fireplace. All in all, this space blends seamlessly into the wider renovation and epitomises the contemporary Australian home.
Tell us
What do you love about this living room? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story, and join the conversation.
More
Craving more great interiors? Take a look at last week’s Room of the Week: A Luxe Guest Bathroom With a Raised Bath
What do you love about this living room? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save your favourite images, like this story, and join the conversation.
More
Craving more great interiors? Take a look at last week’s Room of the Week: A Luxe Guest Bathroom With a Raised Bath
Answers by Alix Helps of Alix Helps Interiors
Who lives here: A couple with three children aged between 11 and 15
Location: Turramurra, Sydney
Room purpose: Living room