Photographer: Jay Goodrich This 2800 sf single-family home was completed in 2009. The clients desired an intimate, yet dynamic family residence that reflected the beauty of the site and the lifestyle of the San Juan Islands. The house was built to be both a place to gather for large dinners with friends and family as well as a cozy home for the couple when they are there alone. The project is located on a stunning, but cripplingly-restricted site overlooking Griffin Bay on San Juan Island. The most practical area to build was exactly where three beautiful old growth trees had already chosen to live. A prior architect, in a prior design, had proposed chopping them down and building right in the middle of the site. From our perspective, the trees were an important essence of the site and respectfully had to be preserved. As a result we squeezed the programmatic requirements, kept the clients on a square foot restriction and pressed tight against property setbacks. The delineate concept is a stone wall that sweeps from the parking to the entry, through the house and out the other side, terminating in a hook that nestles the master shower. This is the symbolic and functional shield between the public road and the private living spaces of the home owners. All the primary living spaces and the master suite are on the water side, the remaining rooms are tucked into the hill on the road side of the wall. Off-setting the solid massing of the stone walls is a pavilion which grabs the views and the light to the south, east and west. Built in a position to be hammered by the winter storms the pavilion, while light and airy in appearance and feeling, is constructed of glass, steel, stout wood timbers and doors with a stone roof and a slate floor. The glass pavilion is anchored by two concrete panel chimneys; the windows are steel framed and the exterior skin is of powder coated steel sheathing.

Modern Tradition

City Homes, LLC

Troy Thies
Photo of a large transitional formal open concept living room in Minneapolis with white walls, a wall-mounted tv, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

North Kingsway Residence

Sustain Design Architects Inc.

Architecture: Graham Smith Construction: David Aaron Associates Engineering: CUCCO engineering + design Mechanical: Canadian HVAC Design
Mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Toronto with white walls, slate floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Versteckte Lichtlinien

plan.b lichtplanung

Die am Übergang Wand / Decke versteckte Lichtlinie spendet, je nach Dimmeinstellung, Allgemein- oder Ambientelicht
This is an example of an expansive modern formal open concept living room in Other with white walls, slate floors, no tv and grey floor.

Elegant French Inspired Remodel & Addition

Newberry Architecture

Terry Vine Photography
Large formal open concept living room in Houston with beige walls, a standard fireplace, slate floors, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Kelly Residence

Arthur Dyson Architects

Large contemporary formal open concept living room in San Francisco with beige walls, slate floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Trailsend

StoneHorse Design, Inc.

Sun Room
Mid-sized country formal enclosed living room in Other with beige walls, no tv, slate floors and no fireplace.

Interior Design featuring DLB rugs

Doris Leslie Blau

Photo of a large industrial formal open concept living room in New York with white walls, slate floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Country Living Room

Photo of a mid-sized country formal enclosed living room in Cornwall with white walls, slate floors, a wood stove, a stone fireplace surround and a concealed tv.

Wohnen

Imbusch Einrichtungen

This is an example of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Bremen with grey walls, slate floors, a corner fireplace, a freestanding tv, grey floor and a plaster fireplace surround.

Arts & Crafts Tahoe Residence

Domus Design Group

This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts formal enclosed living room in Sacramento with beige walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and multi-coloured floor.

Myrtle

McClellan | Tellone

Mitchell Kearney Photography
Large modern formal open concept living room in Charlotte with beige walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and grey floor.

Tradewinds

Marc Rutenberg Homes

Marc Rutenberg Homes
Inspiration for a small transitional formal open concept living room in Tampa with beige walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

VISTA LAS PALMAS

User

Living Area, Lance Gerber Studios
Photo of a large midcentury formal open concept living room in Other with white walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and multi-coloured floor.

Hoagie House

Torchio Architects, Inc.

Living Room from Foyer John Herr Photography
Photo of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in DC Metro with white walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Vista Las Palmas-DuBois

Desert Avant-Gard Design Group

Open Concept Living Room detailing vintage and contemporary pieces inspired by Mid Century Modern design
Photo of a large midcentury formal open concept living room in Other with white walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and multi-coloured floor.

Hideaway

Engstrom Construction

Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean formal open concept living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Ritz Carlton Residence

Liz Ryan Design

William Lesch
Photo of a large formal enclosed living room in Phoenix with beige walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and multi-coloured floor.

Canopy House - Stoke Newington, London

A2studio

Rick McCullagh
Photo of a mid-sized midcentury formal enclosed living room in London with white walls, slate floors and black floor.

Interior

RJ Bacon Consulting & Design

Mid-sized modern formal open concept living room in Phoenix with beige walls, slate floors, no tv and black floor.

Formal Living Room Design Photos with Slate Floors

A living room, often referred to as a lounge room in Australia and New Zealand, is the hub of the home. If you only have one living room in the house, it’s likely to serve multiple purposes: be it a place to watch TV, play games, spend quality time with family or hang out with friends. If you have the luxury of two living areas, one is usually a formal living room or lounge room, reserved for reading, relaxing and entertaining. A successful living room design is inviting, has enough seating for the whole clan – a comfortable couch is a must – and encourages conversation. Browse photos on Houzz for living room layouts, furniture and decor, and strike up a conversation with the interior designers or architects of your favourite picks. For even more living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which living room layouts will work best for you?

Every living area will have design challenges. A long, narrow lounge room, for example, risks looking like a hallway if furniture is lined up against the walls. Instead, opt for small furniture items, like a cosy two-seater couch, and create various focal points throughout the space. In square living rooms, a symmetrical layout encourages a formal setting. Place seating on either side of the room, with a focal point in the middle to pull the room together. For a truly intimate vibe, replace your couch with some occasional chairs positioned around a coffee table or ottoman. This will make the main focus conversation. An open-plan home – one where the lines are blurred between kitchen, dining and living – may require a layout that focuses on definition. You’ll want to make sure furniture doesn’t block the flow between spaces, and instead use something like an area rug to create zones.

How can you decorate your living room?

The living room can be a place in which to show off your personality, but if you want a timeless living room scheme, stick to neutral walls, couches and ottomans. Colour can be added through accessories, and is a lot more interchangeable! Rugs, cushions and throws are great for adding colour, while mirrors, lamps and ceiling lights will set the mood. Make your living room unique by including family heirlooms and photos. For a polished look, try creating a coffee table vignette – you could use books as pedestals or group items together on a tray. Try adding a vase, a mixture of round and rectangular objects and some books.

What are some small living room ideas?

Small living room designs can be tricky to work with, but aren’t doomed to fail. Often, you just have to get creative with furniture. An open-back chaise can create a sense of spaciousness, while small side tables paired together can substitute a coffee table. Even better, an ottoman can be used as a footrest, coffee table or extra seating. Big furniture items like the couch are best kept in light colours, and if there’s room for a coffee table, a glass-top one is best. If you have two spaces in one – perhaps your living room sits in front of a single-wall kitchen – make sure they are connected by decor, colour and style. For definition, just add area rugs, or use your couch as a dividing wall. It’s worth having a few furniture pieces, whether a bookshelf, couch or entertainment unit, in the same colour as the walls, too, so they blend into the room and visually expand the space.

Is open-plan living for you?

Today’s homes often embrace open-plan living, whereby the living room runs off the kitchen and/or dining areas. Open-plan living allows greater functionality, but can risk creating a vast, soulless space if not done right. To avoid a cavernous feel in an open-plan design, define areas with furniture, rugs and lighting, or consider using a wall divider. Also be sure to keep flooring, lighting and materials consistent throughout, for cohesiveness. Noise may be an issue – someone banging pots and pans while you’re watching TV, for example – so include lots of soft furnishings, such as rugs, curtains and couches to help absorb the noise. You will also need to factor in plenty of storage, so mess is kept at bay.