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.

Stretchy Space

Ande Bunbury Architects

Built in storage hides entertainment equipment and incorporates a folded steel stair to a mezzanine storage space in this apartment. Custom designed floating shelves easily allow for a rotating display of the owners art collection. By keeping clutter hidden away this apartment is kept simple and spacious.

Enamour Terrace

Kitty Lee Architecture

Design ideas for a small contemporary open concept living room in Sydney with white walls, concrete floors and a wall-mounted tv.

Darlinghurst

David Parsons Architect

Inspiration for a small eclectic formal enclosed living room in Sydney with white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, no tv and brown floor.

Southbank Apartment

Jasmine McClelland Design

Contemporary apartment living room with warm neutral furnishings and a gorgeous feature floor lamp.
Photo of a small contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, light hardwood floors and a wall-mounted tv.

Elwood Apartment

Camilla Molders Design

A colorful living room and art wall
Design ideas for a small eclectic enclosed living room in Melbourne with white walls and light hardwood floors.

Little Richardson

Mcmahon and Nerlich

Living room makes the most of the light and space and colours relate to charred black timber cladding
Design ideas for a small industrial open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a wood stove, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor and wood.

New Farmhouse - In Law Apartment

DeBaker Design Group, Ltd.

First floor of In-Law apartment with Private Living Room, Kitchen and Bedroom Suite.
Inspiration for a small country enclosed living room in Chicago with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a built-in media wall, brown floor and timber.

Perfect Wall House

Rauser Design

Casey Dunn
This is an example of a small country open concept living room in Austin with a wood stove, white walls and light hardwood floors.

Libertyville Custom Home In Law Suite

Great Rooms Building Group

This is an example of a small country open concept living room in Chicago with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a built-in media wall, brown floor and timber.

The Vue

Alyssa Wilcox Interiors

Inspiration for a small scandinavian open concept living room in Vancouver with white walls, vinyl floors, a hanging fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and multi-coloured floor.

GREEVES 10-15

Rivers + Steel City Homes

Photo of a small formal enclosed living room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

Mid Century Apartment in the City of London

Black and Milk | Interior Design | London

Living room. Use of Mirrors to extend the space. This apartment is designed by Black and Milk Interior Design. They specialise in Modern Interiors for Modern London Homes. https://blackandmilk.co.uk

Wall System Concepts

Sam's Wood Furniture

This is an example of a small transitional enclosed living room in Burlington with a music area, brown walls, carpet, no fireplace, no tv and beige floor.

Fireplace Contemporary Realisation in Montreal

Omega Stone Mantels

Fireplace. Cast Stone. Cast Stone Mantels. Fireplace Design. Fireplace Design Ideas. Fireplace Mantels. Firpelace Surrounds. Mantel Design. Omega. Omega Mantels. Omega Mantels Of Stone. Cast Stone Fireplace. Modern. Modern Fireplace. Contemporary. Contemporary Fireplace; Contemporary living room. Dark wood floor. Gas fireplace. Fireplace makeover.

Coral & Grey Living Room

AJX Design Co.

W H EARLE PHOTOGRAPHY
This is an example of a small transitional enclosed living room in Seattle with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, a plaster fireplace surround and brown floor.

Living Room Love

Pottery Barn

Photo of a small beach style open concept living room in Sacramento with white walls and painted wood floors.

Living room

Helena Bryan

This open concept dining & living room was very long and narrow. The challange was to balance it out with furniture placement and accessories.
Design ideas for a small modern living room in New York with white walls and a wall-mounted tv.

Woodmeister Master Builders - WestWind

Woodmeister Master Builders

The living room features petrified wood fireplace surround with a salvaged driftwood mantle. Nearby, the dining room table retracts and converts into a guest bed.

Rénovation complète d'un studio de 20m2 à Clichy

ERA architecture

Photo of a small contemporary open concept living room in Paris with beige walls, laminate floors and no tv.

Small 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 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.