Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

CasaCoppa

The SpaceMaker Interiors

Mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in Cheshire with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a wood fireplace surround, a concealed tv and black floor.

Converted Barn Remodel

Ivywell Interiors | Bristol

Nested in the beautiful Cotswolds, this converted barn was in need of a redesign and modernisation to maintain its country style yet bring a contemporary twist. We specified a new mezzanine, complete with a glass and steel balustrade. We kept the decor traditional with a neutral scheme to complement the sand colour of the stones.

Intimiser une très grande pièce de vie

Flore Huguet Intérieurs

Design ideas for an expansive contemporary open concept living room in Bordeaux with blue walls, ceramic floors, a wood stove, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Modern Farmhouse in Altadore

Trickle Creek Designer Homes

Made for snuggling up!
This is an example of a large country open concept living room in Calgary with white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a tile fireplace surround, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Northcote Workers Cottage

Olivia van Dijk Architecture

Home of Emily Wright of Nancybird. Photography by Neil Preito Sunken Living space with polished concrete floors, a built in fireplace and purpose-built shelving for indoor plants to catch the northern sunlight. Timber framed windows border an internal courtyard that provides natural light.

Barnes Family Home: 'House of Colour'

LEIVARS

We are delighted to reveal our recent ‘House of Colour’ Barnes project. We had such fun designing a space that’s not just aesthetically playful and vibrant, but also functional and comfortable for a young family. We loved incorporating lively hues, bold patterns and luxurious textures. What a pleasure to have creative freedom designing interiors that reflect our client’s personality.

Reinvented Farmhouse

MB architecture + design

Large country open concept living room in Burlington with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove and a concealed tv.

Ivy Lane House

Cumulus Studio

In the case of the Ivy Lane residence, the al fresco lifestyle defines the design, with a sun-drenched private courtyard and swimming pool demanding regular outdoor entertainment. By turning its back to the street and welcoming northern views, this courtyard-centred home invites guests to experience an exciting new version of its physical location. A social lifestyle is also reflected through the interior living spaces, led by the sunken lounge, complete with polished concrete finishes and custom-designed seating. The kitchen, additional living areas and bedroom wings then open onto the central courtyard space, completing a sanctuary of sheltered, social living.

Country Living Room

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

Wycombe Road, Aldgate

Samalex - Balance in Building

yellow door studios
Design ideas for a mid-sized country open concept living room in Adelaide with white walls, travertine floors, a wood stove, a plaster fireplace surround and a concealed tv.

Décoration et agencement salon- salle à manger

Ocareye Intérieur

Rénovation salon-sale à manger maison 1930, style comptemporain - naturel - industriel
This is an example of a mid-sized industrial open concept living room in Lille with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a concealed tv and wallpaper.

Brixton Townhouse II

Indie & Co.

Anna Stathaki
Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian open concept living room in London with a library, white walls, painted wood floors, a wood stove, a tile fireplace surround, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Brixton Townhouse II

Indie & Co.

Anna Stathaki
Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian open concept living room in London with white walls, painted wood floors, a wood stove, a tile fireplace surround, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Fern House_Camberwell

Moxon Architects

Simon Kennedy
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in London with light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a concealed tv and white walls.

ADDISON ROAD

Martha Read Architects

A loft conversion in the Holland Park conservation area in west London, adding 55 sq.m. (592 sq. ft.) of mansard roof space, including two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a Living Room, to an existing flat. The structural timber roof was exposed and treated with limewash. The floor was ash. Photo: Minh Van

Wooden Box House

Moloney Architects

Christine Francis
Design ideas for a small contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove and a concealed tv.

Bloorcourt Village

Wanda Ely Architect Inc.

Upstairs, the mezzanine space serves as a relaxed living space for lounging, entertaining, and TV-watching. North-facing windows and a large skylight provide generous amounts of light, which filters down to the floor below.

Argyll House

lightly

Stuart Cox
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Other with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a stone fireplace surround and a concealed tv.

Cortes Island Main Living

Parker&Harlow Inc.

Remote luxury living on the spectacular island of Cortes, this main living, lounge, dining, and kitchen is an open concept with tall ceilings and expansive glass to allow all those gorgeous coastal views and natural light to flood the space. Particular attention was focused on high end textiles furniture, feature lighting, and cozy area carpets.

Living Room Design Photos with a Wood Stove and a Concealed TV

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.