The cabin typology redux came out of the owner’s desire to have a house that is warm and familiar, but also “feels like you are on vacation.” The basis of the “Hewn House” design starts with a cabin’s simple form and materiality: a gable roof, a wood-clad body, a prominent fireplace that acts as the hearth, and integrated indoor-outdoor spaces. However, rather than a rustic style, the scheme proposes a clean-lined and “hewned” form, sculpted, to best fit on its urban infill lot. The plan and elevation geometries are responsive to the unique site conditions. Existing prominent trees determined the faceted shape of the main house, while providing shade that projecting eaves of a traditional log cabin would otherwise offer. Deferring to the trees also allows the house to more readily tuck into its leafy East Austin neighborhood, and is therefore more quiet and secluded. Natural light and coziness are key inside the home. Both the common zone and the private quarters extend to sheltered outdoor spaces of varying scales: the front porch, the private patios, and the back porch which acts as a transition to the backyard. Similar to the front of the house, a large cedar elm was preserved in the center of the yard. Sliding glass doors open up the interior living zone to the backyard life while clerestory windows bring in additional ambient light and tree canopy views. The wood ceiling adds warmth and connection to the exterior knotted cedar tongue & groove. The iron spot bricks with an earthy, reddish tone around the fireplace cast a new material interest both inside and outside. The gable roof is clad with standing seam to reinforced the clean-lined and faceted form. Furthermore, a dark gray shade of stucco contrasts and complements the warmth of the cedar with its coolness. A freestanding guest house both separates from and connects to the main house through a small, private patio with a tall steel planter bed. Photo by Charles Davis Smith

Berkeley Modern Condos

Visual Jill Inc.

Design ideas for a midcentury formal open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, concrete floors, no fireplace, no tv and grey floor.

CARLING RESIDENCE

User

Open concept living room with built-ins and wood burning fireplace. Walnut, teak and warm antiques create an inviting space with a bright airy feel. The grey blues, echo the waterfront lake property outside. Sisal rug helps anchor the space in a cohesive look.

Kirkland 4 Star Built Green Custom Home

H2D Architecture + Design

The living room is designed with sloping ceilings up to about 14' tall. The large windows connect the living spaces with the outdoors, allowing for sweeping views of Lake Washington. The north wall of the living room is designed with the fireplace as the focal point. Design: H2D Architecture + Design www.h2darchitects.com #kirklandarchitect #greenhome #builtgreenkirkland #sustainablehome

Fruita River Home

Zag Built LLC

3House Media
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Denver with grey walls, concrete floors, a metal fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and multi-coloured floor.

Farmhouse Living Room

This is an example of a country open concept living room in Portland with white walls, concrete floors and grey floor.

U60

Studio Lema

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, grey floor, concrete floors, a ribbon fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and no tv.

Maidstone

HW Interiors

Design ideas for a small transitional formal open concept living room in Miami with grey walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Marrickville HempCrete House

Hemp Gallery Australia Pty Ltd

The Marrickville Hempcrete house is an exciting project that shows how acoustic requirements for aircraft noise can be met, without compromising on thermal performance and aesthetics.The design challenge was to create a better living space for a family of four without increasing the site coverage. The existing footprint has not been increased on the ground floor but reconfigured to improve circulation, usability and connection to the backyard. A mere 35 square meters has been added on the first floor. The result is a generous house that provides three bedrooms, a study, two bathrooms, laundry, generous kitchen dining area and outdoor space on a 197.5sqm site. This is a renovation that incorporates basic passive design principles combined with clients who weren’t afraid to be bold with new materials, texture and colour. Special thanks to a dedicated group of consultants, suppliers and a ambitious builder working collaboratively throughout the process. Builder Nick Sowden - Sowden Building Architect/Designer Tracy Graham - Connected Design Photography Lena Barridge - The Corner Studio

Chestnut Hill

J. Stewart Designs

This is an example of a large country open concept living room in Jackson with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and grey floor.

PENTHOUSE RESIDENCE

PrecisionArt Architecture, Design + Construction

Photo of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Miami with white walls, concrete floors, no fireplace and beige floor.

Trisore 95 MKII

European Home

The Trisore 95 MKII is a smaller bay-style fireplace for more intimately-scaled living spaces such as this modern living room.
Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian formal open concept living room in Boston with white walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, white floor, concrete floors and no tv.

Loft MdP

FFWD Arquitectes

David Benito Cortázar
Design ideas for a large industrial formal open concept living room in Barcelona with concrete floors and no fireplace.

Shades

AMPM Window Coverings

Photo of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Austin with white walls, concrete floors, no tv and black floor.

255 Bowery - Staging

TAHAR DÉCOR

Ilir Rizaj Photography
Photo of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in New York with grey walls and concrete floors.

Urban, Creative, City Living

Blake Civiello Architecture

Inspiration for a mid-sized industrial formal open concept living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, concrete floors, no fireplace, no tv and grey floor.

UPTOWN- MAGAZINE ST

User

Photo of a small transitional open concept living room in New Orleans with white walls and concrete floors.

Wood Stoves

Homestead Stove Company

Jotul F 118 Black Bear wood stove burns up to 24 inch log. Burner plate on the top front enables tea time and cozy fires. Photo from Jotul.
Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic formal open concept living room in Portland with a wood stove, a plaster fireplace surround, white walls, concrete floors and no tv.

Napa Valley Residence Yountville

Holder Parlette Architecture + Landscapes

Photo of a large transitional open concept living room in San Francisco with a home bar, beige walls, concrete floors and a plaster fireplace surround.

Transitional Design - New Home

Allen Construction

The goal for these clients was to build a new home with a transitional design that was large enough for their children and grandchildren to visit, but small enough to age in place comfortably with a budget they could afford on their retirement income. They wanted an open floor plan, with plenty of wall space for art and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces to maintain the original garden feeling of the lot. A unique combination of cultures is reflected in the home – the husband is from Haiti and the wife from Switzerland. The resulting traditional design aesthetic is an eclectic blend of Caribbean and Old World flair. Jim Barsch Photography

Open Concept Living Room Design Photos with Concrete 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.