This is an example of a contemporary living room in Houston with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and beige floor.

Photo of a large contemporary open concept living room in Geelong with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Alyssa Lee Photography
This is an example of a contemporary formal living room in Minneapolis with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and no tv.

Photography by Jeff Herr
Photo of a contemporary formal living room in Atlanta with a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Contemporary formal loft-style living room in Austin with grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Julie Florio Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in New York with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and beige floor.

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in Omaha with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

The use of elegant, formally interesting rugs and textiles conveys a contemporary design to this living room. Living Room Manufacturers - Fabrics: Romo, Kravet, Brunschwig & Fils Lighting: Barbara Cosgrove, Currey & Company Area Rug - Madeline Weinrib Accessories: Arteriors Singleton Photography

Inspiration for a contemporary living room in Austin with a brick fireplace surround.

Living Room/ Dining Room in warm colors
Inspiration for a contemporary enclosed living room in San Francisco with a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Contemporary living room in Denver with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Contemporary living room in Toronto with black walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, timber, vaulted and planked wall panelling.

This project was for a realtor in Newport beach who had a listing for this great mid-century modern beach bungalow. The home was small but had a great size living space. The walls remained white to keep the space open and airy, and orange furniture and accessories were added to create warmth.

Sources: Sofa: Lee Industries Coffee table: Custom (Rethink Design Studio x Structured Green) Rug: Herringbone (Barley) - Yerra Floor poufs: CB2 Floor lamp: Brazo Floor Lamp - DWR Side tables: Chop Chop Table - CB2 Chandelier: Lindsey Adelman Window Treatment: Kravet Dining table: DWR Dining chairs: DWR Pendant light: Stamen (Smoke) - DWR Wall Color: BM Herbal Escape 1487 Mantle Color: BM Sage Mountain 1488 Flooring: Heart of Pine Richard Leo Johnson

Photo of a contemporary open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, a hanging fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

John Kennard, Brent Samuels
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Boston with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, light hardwood floors and brown floor.

Expansive contemporary living room in New York with white walls, a brick fireplace surround and white floor.

This beautiful North Vancouver home belongs to a nature-loving and health-conscious couple, Emma and Vince (names changed), their two young children, and their dog, Jasper. When they contacted us about renovating and furnishing their kitchen and family room, we walked in and saw a world of potential waiting to be uncovered. Before: Larkhall Crescent Home: Like many original North Vancouver homes, the interior was definitely dated. We encountered late ‘80s finishes in powder pink and teal green, old carpet, and a kitchen that wasn’t maximized to suit this family’s modern-day lifestyle. However, the size of the rooms offered us a ton of space with which to get creative. Knowing our clients’ love of cooking, need for work spaces (Emma and Vince both work remotely), and growing family, we developed a design concept that would increase usable space, optimize storage, and create intimacy in this large area. As for the style, we were inspired by their European roots, inventing a new and modern take on “Belgian Farmhouse” style. Now, the home is truly one-of-a-kind. After: Warm & Cozy Family Room: Fresh, bright, and comfortable, this living area has been transformed! We started with the fireplace as a focal point, selecting aged brick tiles for added texture and a crisp wood mantle. The taupe-coloured sectional infuses the room with visual warmth and serves the added purpose of separating the family room from the kitchen. Emma and Vince were also keen on using non-toxic materials in their home, and we were happy to oblige. To meet their needs, we sourced natural wood elements and sought out Canadian-made products - that adhere to high health standards - whenever possible. Look closer at the elements of this space, and you will find this stunning, honeycomb-patterned rug in earthy gold, beige, and charcoal tones. It’s plush to the touch and full of visual texture that brings this room’s colour palette together. We sourced these two-tone chairs with caning, petrified wood side table, black sconces, and botanical prints in greyscale from local artist, Heather Johnston. We topped off the space with this dark wood and rattan console that offers storage facing the kitchen and presents an opportunity to display cherished items. The result is a cozy lounging space brimming with comfort and functionality. It’s perfect for enjoying quality family time, or Emma can simply slide the coffee table away to make room for her morning yoga practice. Now, let’s turn around and give some attention to the kitchen. Do you remember what the original kitchen looked like? If not, scroll back up, because the transformation is shocking… Moody & Welcoming Kitchen for Healthy Living: This kitchen looks very different from how it started, right? Though we didn’t touch any walls, the kitchen has almost doubled in usable space! We created a long, extended island with storage, an outlet for small appliances, and seating for comfortable prep, after-school snacking, or mingling among friends. On the other side of the island, the family has even more storage and an integrated dishwasher within easy reach of the sink, perfect for quick clean-up. From this angle, you can also see the expansive custom Shaker cabinetry in white and the integrated double ovens. These facilitate their cooking experience and gave us the opportunity to add an additional surprise… A coffee garage station and more hidden storage! Keeping these items located along the perimeter allows them to be accessed by the family or their guests without someone getting under the cook’s feet. These are the little details that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. Moving deeper into the kitchen, the seamless induction cooktop topped with a freestanding concealed hood fan commands attention in a soft yet prominent way. The natural wood accent mirrors the fireplace mantle, and the choice of off-black wood-grain cabinets not only continues our black-and-white colour palette but adds a sense of depth and contrast. The corner sink is located to the right and perfectly positioned with a view of their thriving backyard. To invite more of this family’s character into the space, we mixed metals for interest — matte black, dark pewter, and warm brass — and created open shelves in white oak for their plants and decor. You can also glimpse the tumbled edge of the backsplash tile, which echoes the rustic brick of the fireplace. It adds that farmhouse charm while still feeling timeless and sophisticated. Last but not least, we designed this dining banquette in the bay window (with integrated bench storage, of course), where the family can share a meal together, the kids can do homework, or Emma and Vince can work and enjoy a change of scenery from their offices. Like the other spaces in the home, it was designed to be beautiful, multi-functional, and long-lasting. Praise from Our Clients: It is clear that we love this home, but what did our clients have to say? “Lori is a visionary and masters execution to the finest detail all at the same time. When she first met us to know more about who we are and how we live, she could right away envision how we could use the space in our kitchen and living room…The results exceeded our expectations. Lori and her team were also a delight to work with — coordination with all the trades, fast problem-solving, regular updates, professional and friendly attitude of her entire team — made it the dream team. Thank you SHD for making our space so beautiful!” In turn, we are so grateful for this family’s trust, their open communication, and for being wonderful people with whom to work. (So, thank you!)

Contemporary open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and coffered.