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.

Flatiron Residence

D. Wang Photo

This is an example of a contemporary open concept living room in New York with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a concrete fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and brown floor.

Lincoln Park Single Family Home

Gemma Parker Design, LLC

Photography: Dustin Halleck, Home Builder: Middlefork Development, LLC, Architect: Burns + Beyerl Architects
Mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

New York Reclaimed Wood Feature Wall

CENTENNIAL WOODS

Room designed by Debra Geller Interior Design in East Hampton, NY features a large accent wall clad with reclaimed Wyoming snow fence planks from Centennial Woods.

Los Angeles Living Room

DOUBLE OAK CONSTRUCTION

Remodeled living room concrete flooring and fire place. Unglazed Porcelain , Matte Finish, Job: Northridge, CA 91325.
Design ideas for an expansive modern open concept living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Sacks Residence

Mitchell Putlack Interiors, Inc.

Photo of a large contemporary formal enclosed living room in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and brown floor.

Madrid

Cast Fireplaces, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Houston with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and no tv.

Fabulous Fireplaces

StoneWorks, Inc.

The focal point for this lovely family room is the fireplace, with a Seagrass Limestone fireplace surround. This fireplace would look warm and inviting, even without a fire!

Montclair: California Modern Love

The Home Co.

Marcell Puzsar Bright Room SF
Mid-sized scandinavian formal open concept living room in San Francisco with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, grey walls, no tv and brown floor.

Westport House

The Pratley Company, LLC

Photography by Stacy Bass. www.stacybassphotography.com
Design ideas for a mid-sized beach style open concept living room in New York with grey walls, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, a library, medium hardwood floors, a concrete fireplace surround and brown floor.

Gallery

MoonLight Audio Visual Pro

Large contemporary open concept living room in San Diego with grey walls, concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Dorchester Remodel

Teale Architecture

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury formal open concept living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and brown floor.

Broadmoor Estate

Cleft Painting

This estate is characterized by clean lines and neutral colors. With a focus on precision in execution, each space portrays calm and modern while highlighting a standard of excellency.

Hinsdale Remodel

zpd+a and roomTEN design

A hand rubbed plaster fireplace with a blade thin raw steel shelf displays a collection of African artifacts and books. photography by Tyler Mallory || www.tylermallory.com

Living Room

Fredman Design Group

The juxtaposition of raw, weathered and finished woods with sleek whites, mixed metals and soft textured elements strike a fabulous balance between industrial, rustic and glamorous – exactly what the designers envisioned for this dream retreat. This unique home’s design combines recycled shipping containers with traditional stick-building methods and resulted in a luxury hybrid home, inside and out. The design team was particularly challenged with overcoming various preconceived notions about containers to truly create something new, luxurious and sustainable.

Conard Romano Architects

This Washington Park Residence sits on a bluff with easterly views of Lake Washington and the Cascades beyond. The house has a restrained presence on the street side and opens to the views with floor to ceiling windows looking east. A limited palette of concrete, steel, wood and stone create a serenity in the home and on its terraces. The house features a ground source heat pump system for cooling and a green roof to manage storm water runoff. Photo by Aaron Leitz

Beach House 2

Porebski Architects

Porebski Architects, Beach House 2. Concrete block walls and terrazzo floors are brought inside to accentuate the indoor outdoor fell. A skylight with baffles is located over the fireplace to bring light in a create a visual effect on the wall. Hydronic underfloor heating is connected to the sea water geothermal regulation system designed into the house. Photo: Conor Quinn

Atlantis, Midlothian

Capitol Granite LLC

Design ideas for a traditional living room in Richmond with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and brown floor.

Warlingham detached home

Seasons in Colour

Double aspect living room painted in Farrow & Ball Cornforth White, with a large grey rug layered with a cowhide (both from The Rug Seller). The large coffee table (100x100cm) is from La Redoute and it was chosen as it provides excellent storage. A glass table was not an option for this family who wanted to use the table as a footstool when watching movies! The sofa is the Eden from the Sofa Workshop via DFS. The cushions are from H&M and the throw by Hermes, The brass side tables are via Houseology and they are by Dutchbone, a Danish interiors brand. The table lamps are by Safavieh. The roses canvas was drawn by the owner's grandma. A natural high fence that surrounds the back garden provides privacy and as a result the owners felt that curtains were not needed on this side of the room. The floor is a 12mm laminate in smoked oak colour. Photo: Jenny Kakoudakis

One Sunset Residence, Camano Island WA.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

Living Room looking toward library.
Photo of a mid-sized open concept living room in Seattle with a library, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and wood.

Living Room Design Photos with Grey Walls and a Concrete Fireplace Surround

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.