Transitional living room in Brisbane with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Photo of a modern living room in Other with grey walls, porcelain floors, a freestanding tv and timber.

This is an example of a contemporary living room in Brisbane with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Photo of a contemporary living room in Sydney with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Concrete block walls provide thermal mass for heating and defence agains hot summer. The subdued colours create a quiet and cosy space focussed around the fire. Timber joinery adds warmth and texture , framing the collections of books and collected objects.

This is an example of a contemporary living room in Other with grey walls, a hanging fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor and brick walls.

Large transitional formal open concept living room in Kansas City with grey walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv and brown floor.

Elegant, transitional living space with stone fireplace and blue floating shelves flanking the fireplace. Modern chandelier, swivel chairs and ottomans. Modern sideboard to visually divide the kitchen and living areas.

Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Other with grey walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a freestanding tv.

Photo of a transitional living room in Charlotte with grey walls, a standard fireplace, brown floor, dark hardwood floors and a wall-mounted tv.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Pune with grey walls, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Eclectic & Transitional Home, Family Room, Photography by Susie Brenner
Photo of a large transitional open concept living room in Denver with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

This living room got an upgraded look with the help of new paint, furnishings, fireplace tiling and the installation of a bar area. Our clients like to party and they host very often... so they needed a space off the kitchen where adults can make a cocktail and have a conversation while listening to music. We accomplished this with conversation style seating around a coffee table. We designed a custom built-in bar area with wine storage and beverage fridge, and floating shelves for storing stemware and glasses. The fireplace also got an update with beachy glazed tile installed in a herringbone pattern and a rustic pine mantel. The homeowners are also love music and have a large collection of vinyl records. We commissioned a custom record storage cabinet from Hansen Concepts which is a piece of art and a conversation starter of its own. The record storage unit is made of raw edge wood and the drawers are engraved with the lyrics of the client's favorite songs. It's a masterpiece and will be an heirloom for sure.

We built the wall out to make the custom millwork look built-in.
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in New York with a built-in media wall, brown floor, grey walls, medium hardwood floors and vaulted.

This project was such an incredible design opportunity, and instilled inspiration and excitement at every turn! Our amazing clients came to us with the challenge of converting their beloved family home into a welcoming haven for all members of the family. At the time that we met our clients, they were struggling with the difficult personal decision of the fate of the home. Their father/father-in-law had passed away and their mother/mother-in-law had recently been admitted into a nursing facility and was fighting Alzheimer’s. Resistant to loss of the home now that both parents were out of it, our clients purchased the home to keep in in the family. Despite their permanent home currently being in New Jersey, these clients dedicated themselves to keeping and revitalizing the house. We were moved by the story and became immediately passionate about bringing this dream to life. The home was built by the parents of our clients and was only ever owned by them, making this a truly special space to the family. Our goal was to revitalize the home and to bring new energy into every room without losing the special characteristics that were original to the home when it was built. In this way, we were able to develop a house that maintains its own unique personality while offering a space of welcoming neutrality for all members of the family to enjoy over time. The renovation touched every part of the home: the exterior, foyer, kitchen, living room, sun room, garage, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, the laundry room, and everything in between. The focus was to develop a style that carried consistently from space to space, but allowed for unique expression in the small details in every room. Starting at the entry, we renovated the front door and entry point to offer more presence and to bring more of the mid-century vibe to the home’s exterior. We integrated a new modern front door, cedar shingle accents, new exterior paint, and gorgeous contemporary house numbers that really allow the home to stand out. Just inside the entry, we renovated the foyer to create a playful entry point worthy of attention. Cement look tile adorns the foyer floor, and we’ve added new lighting and upgraded the entry coat storage. Upon entering the home, one will immediately be captivated by the stunning kitchen just off the entry. We transformed this space in just about every way. While the footprint of the home ultimately remained almost identical, the aesthetics were completely turned on their head. We re-worked the kitchen to maximize storage and to create an informal dining area that is great for casual hosting or morning coffee. We removed the entry to the garage that was once in the informal dining, and created a peninsula in its place that offers a unique division between the kitchen/informal dining and the formal dining and living areas. The simple light warm light gray cabinetry offers a bit of traditional elegance, along with the marble backsplash and quartz countertops. We extended the original wood flooring into the kitchen and stained all floors to match for a warmth that truly resonates through all spaces. We upgraded appliances, added lighting everywhere, and finished the space with some gorgeous mid century furniture pieces. In the formal dining and living room, we really focused on maintaining the original marble fireplace as a focal point. We cleaned the marble, repaired the mortar, and refinished the original fireplace screen to give a new sleek look in black. We then integrated a new gas insert for modern heating and painted the upper portion in a rich navy blue; an accent that is carried through the home consistently as a nod to our client’s love of the color. The former entry into the old covered porch is now an elegant glass door leading to a stunning finished sunroom. This room was completely upgraded as well. We wrapped the entire space in cozy white shiplap to keep a casual feel with brightness. We tiled the floor with large format concrete look tile, and painted the old brick fireplace a bright white. We installed a new gas burning unit, and integrated transitional style lighting to bring warmth and elegance into the space. The new black-frame windows are adorned with decorative shades that feature hand-sketched bird prints, and we’ve created a dedicated garden-ware “nook” for our client who loves to work in the yard. The far end of this space is completed with two oversized chaise loungers and overhead lights…the most perfect little reading nook! Just off the dining room, we created an entirely new space to the home: a mudroom. The clients lacked this space and desperately needed a landing spot upon entering the home from the garage. We uniquely planned existing space in the garage to utilize for this purpose, and were able to create a small but functional entry point without losing the ability to park cars in the garage. This new space features cement-look tile, gorgeous deep brown cabinetry, and plenty of storage for all the small items one might need to store while moving in and out of the home. The remainder of the upstairs level includes massive renovations to the guest hall bathroom and guest bedroom, upstairs master bed/bath suite, and a third bedroom that we converted into a home office for the client. Some of the largest transformations were made in the basement, where unfinished space and lack of light were converted into gloriously lit, cozy, finished spaces. Our first task was to convert the massive basement living room into the new master bedroom for our clients. We removed existing built-ins, created an entirely new walk-in closet, painted the old brick fireplace, installed a new gas unit, added carpet, introduced new lighting, replaced windows, and upgraded every part of the aesthetic appearance. One of the most incredible features of this space is the custom double sliding barn door made by a Denver artisan. This space is truly a retreat for our clients! We also completely transformed the laundry room, back storage room, basement master bathroom, and two bedrooms. This home’s massive scope and ever-evolving challenges were thrilling and exciting to work with, and the result is absolutely amazing. At the end of the day, this home offers a look and feel that the clients love. Above all, though, the clients feel the spirit of their family home and have a welcoming environment for all members of the family to enjoy for years to come.

We demolished and re-built the interior of this Victorian apartment in Hampstead for a delightful couple. The kitchen and bathroom were relocated and walls were opened up to flood the apartment with light. Geometric patterns were used throughout with a dark grey feature wall in the living room adding drama. The bespoke, shaker-style kitchen that we designed was painted a complimentary light grey. Photo Credit: Emma Lewis

Shawnee homeowners contacted Arlene Ladegaard of Design Connection, Inc. to update their family room which featured all golden oak cabinetry and trim. The furnishings represented the mid-century with well-worn furniture and outdated colors. The homeowners treasured a few wood pieces that they had artfully chosen for their interest. They wanted to keep these and incorporate them into the new look. These pieces anchored the selection of the new furniture and the design of the remodeled family room. Because the family room was part of a first floor remodel and the space flowed from one room to the next, the colors in each room needed to blend together. The paint colors tied the rooms together seamlessly. The wood trim was sprayed white and the walls painted a warm soothing gray. The fireplace was painted a darker gray. A floor plan was created for all the furnishings to meet the homeowners’ preference for comfortable chairs that would focus on the fireplace and television. The design team placed the TV above the mantel for easy viewing from all angles of the room. The team also chose upholstered pieces for their comfort and well-wearing fabrics while ensuring that the older traditional pieces mingled well with the contemporary lamps and new end tables. An area rug anchored the room and gold and warm gray tones add richness and warmth to the new color scheme. Hunter Douglas wood blinds finished in white to blend with the trim color completed the remodel of this beautiful and updated transitional room. Design Connection Inc. of Overland Park provided space planning, remodeling, painting, furniture, area rugs, accessories, project management and paint and stain colors.

The family room opens up from the kitchen and then again onto the back, screened in porch for an open floor plan that makes a cottage home seem wide open. The gray walls with transom windows and white trim are soothing; the brick fireplace with white surround is a stunning focal point. The hardwood floors set off the room. And then we have the ceiling - wow, what a ceiling - washed butt board and coffered. What a great gathering place for family and friends.

Inspiration for a large country open concept living room in Houston with grey walls, slate floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a concealed tv.