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.

Country Estate Transformation

Everything Home

Our Indianapolis design studio designed a gut renovation of this home which opened up the floorplan and radically changed the functioning of the footprint. It features an array of patterned wallpaper, tiles, and floors complemented with a fresh palette, and statement lights. Photographer - Sarah Shields --- Project completed by Wendy Langston's Everything Home interior design firm, which serves Carmel, Zionsville, Fishers, Westfield, Noblesville, and Indianapolis. For more about Everything Home, click here: https://everythinghomedesigns.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://everythinghomedesigns.com/portfolio/country-estate-transformation/

Langley-Hawthorne Residence

Design Platform

David Lauer Photography
Design ideas for a midcentury enclosed living room in Denver with a library, white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and no tv.

Tarrytown Residence

Studio Steinbomer

Photo Credit: Coles Hairston
This is an example of a large midcentury formal open concept living room in Austin with grey walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and no tv.

Split Box

SALA Architects

The clients for this project approached SALA ‘to create a house that we will be excited to come home to’. Having lived in their house for over 20 years, they chose to stay connected to their neighborhood, and accomplish their goals by extensively remodeling their existing split-entry home.

Barnsbury Park, N1

Redesign London Limited

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in London with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a library, a metal fireplace surround and no tv.

X-100 Eichler Homes, San Mateo Highlands

User

http://www.eichlernetwork.com/article/eichler-x-100-full-bloom

Living Rooms

HBK Photography

HBK Photography shot for luxury real estate listing
Photo of an expansive midcentury open concept living room with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and beige floor.

For the Love of MCM

Sklar Studios

Everywhere you look in this home, there is a surprise to be had and a detail worth preserving. One of the more iconic interior features was this original copper fireplace shroud that was beautifully restored back to it's shiny glory. The sofa was custom made to fit "just so" into the drop down space/ bench wall separating the family room from the dining space. Not wanting to distract from the design of the space by hanging a TV on the wall - there is a concealed projector and screen that drop down from the ceiling when desired. Flooded with natural light from both directions from the original sliding glass doors - this home glows day and night - by sun or by fire. From this view you can see the relationship of the kitchen which was originally in this location, but previously closed off with walls. It's compact and efficient, and allows seamless interaction between hosts and guests.

Spaces

User

Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury loft-style living room in Montreal with beige walls, concrete floors, no fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and grey floor.

5 Lucky Lane

Modern Asheville Real Estate

Clients added this retro wood burning fireplace to give the feel of a vintage, Aspen ski lodge. Photo by Olivia Marone.
Photo of a midcentury living room in Other with a metal fireplace surround and a hanging fireplace.

Mid Century Modern Home

Tim Hollerbach Designs, LLC

Design ideas for a large midcentury formal open concept living room in St Louis with white walls, vinyl floors, a hanging fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv, grey floor and exposed beam.

Classic Alexander Modern Palm Springs Beauty

Horizon Builders, Inc.

Classic Alexander Home. Living room area with metal fireplace. Cove ceiling lighting. Great for simple entertaining.
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Other with white walls, concrete floors, a metal fireplace surround, a ribbon fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Sunset Plaza Residence

Assembledge

Michael Weschler Photography
This is an example of a large midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and no fireplace.

Notting Hill Pied a Terre

Imperfect Interiors

The open plan living room in this flat is light and bright, and the beautiful Georgian sash windows are the main feature. The white oiled oak floor & Carl Hansen Wegner chairs contrast with the original Georgian fire surround, cornice and skirting boards. The contemporary tan leather sofa and sideboard sit happily next to the mid-century armchair & cast iron radiator. Plaster wall lights, a large table lamp and a multi bulb pendant provide layers of light when required.

Freshly Bold

KASA Interior Design

Scott Amundson Photography
Midcentury open concept living room in Minneapolis with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace and a metal fireplace surround.

Juniper Street Residence (Mid-Century Modern)

Workshop90, LLC

Design ideas for a large midcentury formal open concept living room in Kansas City with grey walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Desert Eichler #2

Shields Residential Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in Los Angeles with white walls, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and porcelain floors.

East Dulwich Grove, SE22

Build Team

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in London with white walls, medium hardwood floors and a metal fireplace surround.

Living Room

Forte Building Group, LLC

Inspiration for a large midcentury open concept living room in Nashville with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Midcentury Living Room Design Photos with a Metal 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 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.