Photo of a country enclosed living room in Brisbane with multi-coloured walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, decorative wall panelling and wallpaper.

Periscope House

Mihaly Slocombe

Periscope House draws light into a young family’s home, adding thoughtful solutions and flexible spaces to 1950s Art Deco foundations. Our clients engaged us to undertake a considered extension to their character-rich home in Malvern East. They wanted to celebrate their home’s history while adapting it to the needs of their family, and future-proofing it for decades to come. The extension’s form meets with and continues the existing roofline, politely emerging at the rear of the house. The tones of the original white render and red brick are reflected in the extension, informing its white Colorbond exterior and selective pops of red throughout. Inside, the original home’s layout has been reimagined to better suit a growing family. Once closed-in formal dining and lounge rooms were converted into children’s bedrooms, supplementing the main bedroom and a versatile fourth room. Grouping these rooms together has created a subtle definition of zones: private spaces are nestled to the front, while the rear extension opens up to shared living areas. A tailored response to the site, the extension’s ground floor addresses the western back garden, and first floor (AKA the periscope) faces the northern sun. Sitting above the open plan living areas, the periscope is a mezzanine that nimbly sidesteps the harsh afternoon light synonymous with a western facing back yard. It features a solid wall to the west and a glass wall to the north, emulating the rotation of a periscope to draw gentle light into the extension. Beneath the mezzanine, the kitchen, dining, living and outdoor spaces effortlessly overlap. Also accessible via an informal back door for friends and family, this generous communal area provides our clients with the functionality, spatial cohesion and connection to the outdoors they were missing. Melding modern and heritage elements, Periscope House honours the history of our clients’ home while creating light-filled shared spaces – all through a periscopic lens that opens the home to the garden.

Sherwin Williams Projects

Painting Monkey

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in Detroit with a library, black walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Soft Mood Trinité

Anne Chemineau - Decor Interieur

Un appartement familial haussmannien rénové, aménagé et agrandi avec la création d'un espace parental suite à la réunion de deux lots. Les fondamentaux classiques des pièces sont conservés et revisités tout en douceur avec des matériaux naturels et des couleurs apaisantes.

South Melbourne

Vos Architecture + Design

Spacious living area with feature aquarium.
Photo of a small modern open concept family room in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Pearson

Foster Hill Design

A high-rise living room with a view of Lake Michigan! The blues of the view outside inspired the palette for inside. The new wainscoting wall is clad in a blue/grey paint which provides the backdrop for the modern and clean-lined furnishings.

Ranch House Great Room

Marin Design Co.

Living room and sitting room. This picture displays the wall casings and room divide between living and sitting room.
Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Sacramento with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor, vaulted and decorative wall panelling.

Transitional Living Room

Transitional living room in Boston with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Katama Fields

Martha's Vineyard Interior Design

Interior Design: Liz Stiving-Nichols Photography: Michael J. Lee
Beach style family room in Boston with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, planked wall panelling and decorative wall panelling.

Deephaven Nantucket Remodel

Boyer Building Corporation

Detail of family room off of kitchen. Tradition style, custom coffered ceiling throughout.
Design ideas for an expansive traditional open concept family room in Minneapolis with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, coffered and decorative wall panelling.

Luxe, Galbe et Volupté, 67m2 à Paris

Ameo Concept

Au sortir de la pandémie, de nombreuses surfaces commerciales se sont retrouvées désaffectées de leurs fonctions et occupants. C’est ainsi que ce local à usage de bureaux fut acquis par les propriétaires dans le but de le convertir en appartement destiné à la location hôtelière. Deux mots d’ordre pour cette transformation complète : élégance et raffinement, le tout en intégrant deux chambres et deux salles d’eau dans cet espace de forme carrée, dont seul un mur comportait des fenêtres. Le travail du plan et de l’optimisation spatiale furent cruciaux dans cette rénovation, où les courbes ont naturellement pris place dans la forme des espaces et des agencements afin de fluidifier les circulations. Moulures, parquet en Point de Hongrie et pierres naturelles se sont associées à la menuiserie et tapisserie sur mesure afin de créer un écrin fonctionnel et sophistiqué, où les lignes tantôt convexes, tantôt concaves, distribuent un appartement de trois pièces haut de gamme.

AMANDINE - 70m2 - Rénovation totale d'un appartement

C&O Studio

Rénovation complète d'un appartement haussmmannien de 70m2 dans le 14ème arr. de Paris. Les espaces ont été repensés pour créer une grande pièce de vie regroupant la cuisine, la salle à manger et le salon. Les espaces sont sobres et colorés. Pour optimiser les rangements et mettre en valeur les volumes, le mobilier est sur mesure, il s'intègre parfaitement au style de l'appartement haussmannien.

Cynthia Hahn

Laura McCaffery

Design ideas for a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Detroit with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Plentiful Patterns

Delbert Adams Construction Group

Contemporary family room with tall, exposed wood beam ceilings, built-in open wall cabinetry, ribbon fireplace below wall-mounted television, and decorative metal chandelier (Angled)

MONTROUGE

OVE ARCHITECTURE

Inspiration for a contemporary living room in Paris with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a freestanding tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

French Riviera

Anne Chemineau - Decor Interieur

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Paris with green walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Bartlett, IL Addition

Synergy Builders Inc.

Photo of a large transitional formal open concept living room in Chicago with grey walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor, coffered and decorative wall panelling.

オセロハウス

中西正佳建築設計事務所

ワンルームの中には様々居場所があり、家族がそれぞれ好きな場所を見つけることができる上、目の届く範囲にいることで、家族の繋がりも感じることができます。
This is an example of a mid-sized asian open concept living room in Osaka with a library, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a corner tv, brown floor, wood and decorative wall panelling.

Hunter Mill Model Home in Vienna, VA

Leigh Newport Staged by Design®

Expansive transitional open concept family room in DC Metro with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, brown floor, coffered and decorative wall panelling.

Дом в пригороде Калининграда

Сергей Качалов

This is an example of a country living room in Other with a library, beige walls, ceramic floors, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Living Design Ideas with Brown Floor and Decorative Wall Panelling

The best room for gathering with your family and friends in a cosy environment is your living room or family room. You want to hang out where the lounge furniture is the most comfortable and sofas or chairs create a sense of homeliness. Filling this important space with cheap furniture is unlikely to bring you the same long-lasting comfort as a quality chaise lounge or a couch. These choices will directly affect the quality of your evenings as you wind down from the daily grind. While planning a renovation or redesign, weigh up the priorities of seating, heating, an entertainment unit and bookcases. Identify your main activity in the room and and design around that. Many living rooms aren't complete without a fireplace, but if you can't accommodate that, invest in built-in or furniture that suits your home. Common trends include Danish furniture and other kinds of Scandinavian furniture. Plush sofas, recliner chairs and sofa beds will always be popular. Finally, when the big components are planned out, think about what colour scheme and decor will best suit you and your family. If needed, an interior designer can help here.

Should I include a fireplace in my living room or family room?

Depending on your climate, a fireplace might be a great way to add warmth and interest to your living space. Even if your location is warm year-round, you can always add a faux fireplace or nonfunctioning fireplace as part of your decor. There are many options to choose from, so be sure to check them out. A wood-burning fireplace gives an authentic experience, though a gas one still emits heat without the mess. A double-sided or corner unit strays from the ordinary, or you can go with a wood stove fireplace if you're looking for a piece of art. If you want a contemporary touch, veer away from the traditional wood or tile mantel by going with stone, concrete or metal instead.

What kind of built-ins should I add to my living room?

Although it might not seem glamorous, having enough storage is instrumental when it comes to keeping the room organised and practical. Built-in bookcases, shelves and cabinets are a great way to add hidden, functional storage for all the knickknacks you accumulate. Movie and gaming buffs will love a custom entertainment centre, with enough cabinets for movies, speakers and electronic accessories; you can even create a media room with a projector and lounge chairs! If you still have room to spare, include a booth for homework or craft projects.

How do I decorate my home interiors?

When it comes to decorating, neutrals are always the safe option because they look good and never go out of style. They also give any artwork you hang enough breathing space. If you do want to try out a bolder colour scheme, add colour with walls and accessories. That way, if you get sick of a colour, you can quickly repaint the walls and find new knickknacks, instead of having to replace your sofas every time trends change. Popular colours include blue, green and grey, but don't be afraid to try bright colours like red or yellow, even if it's just on an accent wall. Finally, make sure there is plenty of light. Recessed or track lighting are great ways to hit every corner — better yet, add more natural light by installing additional windows or a skylight.