Designed By: Richard Bustos Photos By: Chad Mellon It is practically unheard of in interior design—that, in a matter of four hours, the majority of furnishings, accessories, lighting and artwork could be selected for an entire 5,000-square-foot home. But that was exactly the story for Cantoni designer Richard Bustos and his clients, Karen and Mike Moran. The couple, who had purchased and were in the midst of gutting a home on the water in Newport Beach, California, knew what they wanted. Combined with Richard’s design assistance, it was a match made for swift decision-making and the resulting beautifully neutral, modern space. “We went into Cantoni in Irvine and fell in love with it—it was everything we liked,” Karen says. “Richard had the same vision we did, and we told him what we wanted, and he would direct us. He was on the same level.” Even more surprising: they selected the furnishings before the home’s bones were even complete. They had wanted a more contemporary vibe to capitalize on the expansive bay views and were in the midst of ripping out low ceilings and outdated spaces. “We wanted modern warmth,” Karen says. “Cantoni furniture was the perfect fit.” After their initial meeting, Richard met with the couple several times to take measurements and ensure pieces would fit. And they did—with elegant cohesion. In the living room, they leaned heavily on the Fashion Affair collection by Malerba, which is exclusive to Cantoni in the U.S. He flanked the Fashion Affair sofa in ivory leather with the Fashion Affair club chairs in taupe leather and the ivory Viera area rug to create a sumptuous textural mix. In the center, he placed the brown-glossed Fashion Affair low cocktail table and Fashion Affair occasional table for ease of entertaining and conversation. A punch of glamour came by way of a set of Ravi table lamps in gold-glazed porcelain set on special-ordered Fashion Affair side tables. The Harmony floor sculpture in black stone and capiz shell was brought in for added interest. “Because of the grand scale of the living room—with high ceilings and numerous windows overlooking the water—the pieces in the space had to have more substance,” Richard says. “They are heavier-scaled than traditional modern furnishings, and in neutral tones to allow the architectural elements, such as a glass staircase and elevator, to be the main focal point.” The trio settled on the Fashion Affair extension table in brown gloss with a bronze metal arc base in the formal dining area, and flanked it with eight Arcadia high-back chairs. “We like to have Sunday dinners with our large family, and now we finally have a big dining-room table,” Karen says. The master bedroom also affords bay views, and they again leaned heavily on neutral tones with the M Place California-king bed with chrome accents, the M Place nightstand with M Place table lamps, the M Place bench, Natuzzi’s Anteprima chair and a Scoop accent table. “They were fun, happy, cool people to work with,” Richard says. One of the couple’s favorite spaces—the family room—features a remote-controlled, drop-down projection screen. For comfortable viewing, Richard paired the Milano sectional (with a power recliner) with the Sushi round cocktail table, the Lambrea accent table, and a Ravi table lamp in a gold metallic snakeskin pattern. “Richard was wonderful, was on top of it, and was a great asset to our team,” Karen says. Mike agrees. “Richard was a dedicated professional,” he says. “He spent hours walking us through Cantoni making suggestions, measuring, and offering advice on what would and wouldn’t work. Cantoni furniture was a natural fit.”

Golden Isles Residence 2

2id Interiors

Gorgeous Living/Dinning Room By 2id Interiors Photo Credits Emilio Collavino
Photo of an expansive contemporary open concept living room in Miami with multi-coloured walls, ceramic floors, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Houston, Texas | The Villages at Harmony - Premier Juniper Living Room

Brightland Homes

Large contemporary open concept living room in Houston with grey walls, ceramic floors, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Craftsman Living Room

This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts open concept living room in Minneapolis with a library, grey walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and blue floor.

ÉCRIN DE DOUCEUR

MIINT - design d’espace & décoration

Jeux de textures et de couleurs pour cette pièce de vie d’inspiration scandinave. L’étude de MIINT a permis d’optimiser l’aménagement existant, de favoriser les besoins en rangement et de personnaliser ce lieu. Une véritable ambiance a été créée en accord avec la personnalité des propriétaires.

Deer Crest

Hamilton Park Interiors

Design ideas for a large country formal open concept living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, ceramic floors and no tv.

Residential house

HANÁK NÁBYTEK

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Other with grey walls, ceramic floors, a ribbon fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Coastal Elegance

Sugar Beach Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Jacksonville with beige walls, ceramic floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Montecito Home

Neal Signature Homes

Larry Taylor
Design ideas for a large mediterranean open concept living room in Tampa with beige walls, ceramic floors and no fireplace.

The Rawson

Jodie Cooper Design

This is an example of a contemporary formal open concept living room in Perth with ceramic floors and beige walls.

The EverBank Field Stadium Home

True Design Studios

Interior, Living Room of the show home at EverBank Field Agnes Lopez Photography
Mid-sized beach style open concept living room in Jacksonville with a home bar, white walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Relaxed Classics

Studio 68/32

Denis Melnik
Mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Other with white walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

2010 Parade Home

Jenkins Custom Homes

Inspiration for a large mediterranean formal open concept living room in Austin with beige walls, a standard fireplace, ceramic floors, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Salon

Aurélie Malheiro

This is an example of a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Lyon with white walls, ceramic floors, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Larva

YUTOROSU architects

Photo of a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Other with white walls, ceramic floors, no fireplace, grey floor, wallpaper, wallpaper, a music area and a wall-mounted tv.

Fireplace & Chalkboard

HomeSpace Design & Development

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Phoenix with white walls, ceramic floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor and vaulted.

Rockview Rustic Home

All Over Solutions

This is an example of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and grey floor.

Living area media unit with fireplace

Pyramid Woodworks

Relaxing entertainment unit featuring textured wall panels and embossed wood grained cabinetry with floating shelves. Unit includes 72" multifaceted fireplace, large screen media components and artwork accent lighting.

Catalina at Parkdale Place

DR Horton - Central Florida

Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts open concept living room in Orlando with white walls, ceramic floors, no fireplace, no tv and beige floor.

Blue Door Farmhouse

Lakeside Custom Homes

Living room for modern farmhouse
Mid-sized country open concept living room with white walls, ceramic floors, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Open Concept Living Room Design Photos with Ceramic Floors

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.