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.

Point Lonsdale II

Stonehouse + Irons Architecture

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.

Mid-Century Modern Deck House

The Design Gallery

Our remodeled 1994 Deck House was a stunning hit with our clients. All original moulding, trim, truss systems, exposed posts and beams and mahogany windows were kept in tact and refinished as requested. All wood ceilings in each room were painted white to brighten and lift the interiors. This is the view looking from the living room toward the kitchen. Our mid-century design is timeless and remains true to the modernism movement.

Cedar Cove Modern

Flavin Architects

Cedar Cove Modern benefits from its integration into the landscape. The house is set back from Lake Webster to preserve an existing stand of broadleaf trees that filter the low western sun that sets over the lake. Its split-level design follows the gentle grade of the surrounding slope. The L-shape of the house forms a protected garden entryway in the area of the house facing away from the lake while a two-story stone wall marks the entry and continues through the width of the house, leading the eye to a rear terrace. This terrace has a spectacular view aided by the structure’s smart positioning in relationship to Lake Webster. The interior spaces are also organized to prioritize views of the lake. The living room looks out over the stone terrace at the rear of the house. The bisecting stone wall forms the fireplace in the living room and visually separates the two-story bedroom wing from the active spaces of the house. The screen porch, a staple of our modern house designs, flanks the terrace. Viewed from the lake, the house accentuates the contours of the land, while the clerestory window above the living room emits a soft glow through the canopy of preserved trees.

Olathe MCM

Stumpff HomeWorks, LLC

Design ideas for a large midcentury open concept living room in Kansas City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and vaulted.

Brenwick Base | Modin Rigid LVP Collection Customer Space | IN

Flooret

Rich toasted cherry with a light rustic grain that has iconic character and texture. With the Modin Collection, we have raised the bar on luxury vinyl plank. The result is a new standard in resilient flooring. Modin offers true embossed in register texture, a low sheen level, a rigid SPC core, an industry-leading wear layer, and so much more.

Architects Project

Mark Hardy

Expansive midcentury formal open concept living room in Hampshire with blue walls, concrete floors, a corner fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, grey floor and wood.

Hilltop Road

Dichotomy Interiors

contemporary home design for a modern family with young children offering a chic but laid back, warm atmosphere.
Large midcentury open concept living room in New York with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv, grey floor and vaulted.

Glen Road

risa boyer architecture

Midcentury open concept living room in Portland with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and exposed beam.

Sullivan's Island Remodel

St. Pierre Construction

Living room detail showing partial shots of the kitchen and dining room. Dark cabinetry makes the white marble countertop and backsplash pop against the white painted shiplap. The dining room features a mushroom board ceiling.

Fort Lauderdale - Mid-Century Modern

Laure Nell Interiors

This is an example of a midcentury living room in Miami with grey walls, grey floor and vaulted.

Hargrave

Jubilee Interiors

Living room furnishing and remodel
Small midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a corner tv, brown floor and timber.

Elston

Visbeen Architects

Design ideas for a large midcentury open concept living room in Grand Rapids with white walls, light hardwood floors, beige floor and exposed beam.

Woodland Hills Residence

Mahle Design LLC

Living Room
Design ideas for a large midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor and exposed beam.

Eichler Living Room

SurroundYou Design

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in San Francisco with porcelain floors, a two-sided fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv, black floor, exposed beam and panelled walls.

MCM Gem

Dunn Development, Inc.

Photo of a large midcentury enclosed living room in Nashville with medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and exposed beam.

Acorn Deck House - Renovation

Lee Kimball

Photo of a midcentury living room in Boston with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace and exposed beam.

La Jolla Newkirk Remodel

Jantz Construction

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury formal open concept living room in San Diego with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Eichler - Inspired Home

Carmit Oron Interior Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury formal open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, porcelain floors, no fireplace, grey floor, timber and vaulted.

Midcentury Living Room

Design ideas for a midcentury open concept living room in Phoenix with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and exposed beam.

All Ceiling Designs Midcentury Living Room Design Photos

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 midcentury 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 midcentury living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which midcentury 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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.