When Hurricane Sandy hit, it flooded this basement with nearly 6 feet of water, so we started with a complete gut renovation. We added polished concrete floors and powder-coated stairs to withstand the test of time. A small kitchen area with chevron tile backsplash, glass shelving, and a custom hidden island/wine glass table provides prep room without sacrificing space. The living room features a cozy couch and ample seating, with the television set into the wall to minimize its footprint. A small bathroom offers convenience without getting in the way. Nestled between the living room and kitchen is a custom-built repurposed wine barrel turned into a wine bar - the perfect place for friends and family to visit. Photo by Chris Amaral.

A fresh take on traditional style, this sprawling suburban home draws its occupants together in beautifully, comfortably designed spaces that gather family members for companionship, conversation, and conviviality. At the same time, it adroitly accommodates a crowd, and facilitates large-scale entertaining with ease. This balance of private intimacy and public welcome is the result of Soucie Horner’s deft remodeling of the original floor plan and creation of an all-new wing comprising functional spaces including a mudroom, powder room, laundry room, and home office, along with an exciting, three-room teen suite above. A quietly orchestrated symphony of grayed blues unites this home, from Soucie Horner Collections custom furniture and rugs, to objects, accessories, and decorative exclamationpoints that punctuate the carefully synthesized interiors. A discerning demonstration of family-friendly living at its finest.

The master bedroom is a symphony of textures and patterns with its horizontal banded walls, hexagonal ceiling design, and furnishings that include a sunburst inlaid bone chest, star bamboo silk rug and quatrefoil sheers. A Bonisolli Photography

Our clients wanted to update their living room with custom built-in cabinets and add a unique look with the metal fireplace and metal shelving. The results are stunning.

Formal living room in French Colonial Residence in Pasadena, CA Room features a rare, antique, 12-panel coromandel screen from the 1920's. All upholstered furniture is custom by Charmean Neithart Interiors. Erika Bierman Photography www.erikabiermanphotography.com

Opened up wall between kitchen/dining and living room. Filled in and refinished oak floors. Refinished existing doors. Replaced/updated baseboards and casing. Tiled fireplace surround and kitchen backsplash. New kitchen cabinets/ countertops/ island. New appliances and fixtures.

KitchenLab Interiors’ first, entirely new construction project in collaboration with GTH architects who designed the residence. KLI was responsible for all interior finishes, fixtures, furnishings, and design including the stairs, casework, interior doors, moldings and millwork. KLI also worked with the client on selecting the roof, exterior stucco and paint colors, stone, windows, and doors. The homeowners had purchased the existing home on a lakefront lot of the Valley Lo community in Glenview, thinking that it would be a gut renovation, but when they discovered a host of issues including mold, they decided to tear it down and start from scratch. The minute you look out the living room windows, you feel as though you're on a lakeside vacation in Wisconsin or Michigan. We wanted to help the homeowners achieve this feeling throughout the house - merging the causal vibe of a vacation home with the elegance desired for a primary residence. This project is unique and personal in many ways - Rebekah and the homeowner, Lorie, had grown up together in a small suburb of Columbus, Ohio. Lorie had been Rebekah's babysitter and was like an older sister growing up. They were both heavily influenced by the style of the late 70's and early 80's boho/hippy meets disco and 80's glam, and both credit their moms for an early interest in anything related to art, design, and style. One of the biggest challenges of doing a new construction project is that it takes so much longer to plan and execute and by the time tile and lighting is installed, you might be bored by the selections of feel like you've seen them everywhere already. “I really tried to pull myself, our team and the client away from the echo-chamber of Pinterest and Instagram. We fell in love with counter stools 3 years ago that I couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on, thank god, because then they started showing up literally everywhere", Rebekah recalls. Lots of one of a kind vintage rugs and furnishings make the home feel less brand-spanking new. The best projects come from a team slightly outside their comfort zone. One of the funniest things Lorie says to Rebekah, "I gave you everything you wanted", which is pretty hilarious coming from a client to a designer.

Country Home Ideas Vol 13, No 8
Photo of a traditional formal enclosed living room in Sydney with beige walls and carpet.

Traditional living room in Miami with beige walls and a standard fireplace.

This cozy gathering space in the heart of Davis, CA takes cues from traditional millwork concepts done in a contemporary way. Accented with light taupe, the grid panel design on the walls adds dimension to the otherwise flat surfaces. A brighter white above celebrates the room’s high ceilings, offering a sense of expanded vertical space and deeper relaxation. Along the adjacent wall, bench seating wraps around to the front entry, where drawers provide shoe-storage by the front door. A built-in bookcase complements the overall design. A sectional with chaise hides a sleeper sofa. Multiple tables of different sizes and shapes support a variety of activities, whether catching up over coffee, playing a game of chess, or simply enjoying a good book by the fire. Custom drapery wraps around the room, and the curtains between the living room and dining room can be closed for privacy. Petite framed arm-chairs visually divide the living room from the dining room. In the dining room, a similar arch can be found to the one in the kitchen. A built-in buffet and china cabinet have been finished in a combination of walnut and anegre woods, enriching the space with earthly color. Inspired by the client’s artwork, vibrant hues of teal, emerald, and cobalt were selected for the accessories, uniting the entire gathering space.

The front reception room has reclaimed oak parquet flooring, a new marble fireplace surround and a wood burner and floating shelves either side of the fireplace. An antique decorative mirror hangs centrally above the fireplace. Photography by Chris Snook

Music room with baby grand piano. Photo by Benjamin Benschneider.
Design ideas for a small traditional living room in Seattle with a music area.

Vaulted ceiling with dramatic ‘skyroof’ in the Great Room/Kitchen floods the interior with natural light. The classic white kitchen with sparkling granite countertops, and stainless appliances is a gourmet chef's dream.

Warm and inviting, this living room is the perfect solution to maximizing a compact space. The tones create a sophisticated vibe and the plush fabrics and materials keep the space homey and appealing.

Located on a five-acre rocky outcrop, The Mountain Retreat trades in Manhattan skyscrapers and the scuttle of yellow cabs for sweeping views of the Catskill Mountains and hawks gliding on the thermals below. The client, who loves mountain biking and rock climbing, camped out on the hilltop during the siting of the house to determine the best spot, angle and orientation for his new escape. The resulting home is a retreat carefully crafted into its unique surroundings. The Mountain Retreat provides a unique and efficient 1,800 sf indoor and outdoor living and entertaining experience. The finished house, sitting partially on concrete stilts, gives way to a striking display. Its angular lines, soaring height, and unique blend of warm cedar siding with cool gray concrete panels and glass are displayed to great advantage in the context of its rough mountaintop setting. The stilts act as supports for the great room above and, below, define the parking spaces for an uncluttered entry and carport. An enclosed staircase runs along the north side of the house. Sheathed inside and out with gray cement board panels, it leads from the ground floor entrance to the main living spaces, which exist in the treetops. Requiring the insertion of pylons, a well, and a septic tank, the rocky terrain of the immediate site had to be blasted. Rather than discarding the remnants, the rocks were scattered around the site. Used for outdoor seating and the entry pathway, the rock cover further emphasizes the relation and integration of the house into the natural backdrop. The home’s butterfly roof channels rainwater to two custom metal scuppers, from which it cascades off onto thoughtfully placed boulders. The butterfly roof gives the great room and master bedroom a tall, sloped ceiling with light from above, while a suite of ground-room floors fit cozily below. An elevated cedar deck wraps around three sides of the great room, offering a full day of sunshine for deck lounging and for the entire room to be opened to the outdoors with ease. Architects: Joseph Tanney, Robert Luntz Project Architect: John Kim Project Team: Jacob Moore Manufacturer: Apex Homes, INC. Engineer: Robert Silman Associates, P.C., Greg Sloditski Contractor: JH Construction, INC. Photographer: © Floto & Warner

David Duncan Livingston
Photo of a transitional u-shaped open plan kitchen in San Francisco with glass-front cabinets, grey cabinets, grey splashback, ceramic splashback, medium hardwood floors, with island, a farmhouse sink and stainless steel appliances.

Great room, living room, dining room, kitchen, rustic modern
Photo of a large contemporary living room in Los Angeles with concrete floors and grey floor.

This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, carpet, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Just enough elegance for a casual beach house and the pop of orange makes you feel happy whenever you enter the room.
Design ideas for a traditional living room in New York with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.