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.

Flinders Flair

Let's Talk Kitchens & Interiors

A contemporary holiday home located on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula featuring rammed earth walls, timber lined ceilings and flagstone floors. This home incorporates strong, natural elements and the joinery throughout features custom, stained oak timber cabinetry and natural limestone benchtops. With a nod to the mid century modern era and a balance of natural, warm elements this home displays a uniquely Australian design style. This home is a cocoon like sanctuary for rejuvenation and relaxation with all the modern conveniences one could wish for thoughtfully integrated.

Lyme Hills

Nautilus Architects

This is an elegant, finely-appointed room with aged, hand-hewn beams, dormered clerestory windows, and radiant-heated limestone floors. But the real power of the space derives less from these handsome details and more from the wide opening centered on the pool.

Antiqued Elegance in Willowcreek Ranch

By Design Interiors, Inc.

The great room is framed by custom wood beams, and has a grand view looking out onto the backyard pool and living area. The large iron doors and windows allow for natural light to pour in, highlighting the stone fireplace, luxurious fabrics, and custom-built bookcases.

Bunter wird's nicht - eine Galeriewand nach Maß

ROYA Interior Design

Photo of an eclectic living room in Berlin with a concealed tv.

Laurel Highlands Ballroom

Debra Pacoe Interiors

This ballroom serves as a space to come and relax or socialize at the bar. This space offers much natural light by having windows around the entire ballroom with cofferred 22 ft high ceilings. Transitional furniture with pops of colors allows for this space to feel very elegant yet relaxing and inviting. Photo by Dave Bryce Photography

Modern Penthouse

Robin Gannon Interiors

Featured in the Winter 2019 issue of Modern Luxury Interiors Boston! Photo credit: Michael J. Lee
Transitional open concept living room in Boston with blue walls, carpet, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Industrial Living Room

Inspiration for a small industrial loft-style living room in Other with a library, white walls, concrete floors, no fireplace, a concealed tv and white floor.

Modern Farmhouse in Minnetonka

Destiny Homes

Mid-sized country formal open concept living room in Minneapolis with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, a concealed tv, grey walls and a tile fireplace surround.

Marsh Hawk (Fall 2017 Parade Winner)

Epic Homes

Design ideas for a mid-sized country open concept living room in Other with grey walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a concealed tv and brown floor.

Maryland: Pleasing Greige Family Room and Kitchen

Miriam Dillon, Barnes Vanze Architects, Inc.

Our client wanted a more open environment, so we expanded the kitchen and added a pantry along with this family room addition. We used calm, cool colors in this sophisticated space with rustic embellishments. Drapery , fabric by Kravet, upholstered furnishings by Lee Industries, cocktail table by Century, mirror by Restoration Hardware, chandeliers by Currey & Co.. Photo by Allen Russ

Kitsilano Urban Cottage

Simply Home Decorating

This tiny home is located on a treelined street in the Kitsilano neighborhood of Vancouver. We helped our client create a living and dining space with a beach vibe in this small front room that comfortably accommodates their growing family of four. The starting point for the decor was the client's treasured antique chaise (positioned under the large window) and the scheme grew from there. We employed a few important space saving techniques in this room... One is building seating into a corner that doubles as storage, the other is tucking a footstool, which can double as an extra seat, under the custom wood coffee table. The TV is carefully concealed in the custom millwork above the fireplace. Finally, we personalized this space by designing a family gallery wall that combines family photos and shadow boxes of treasured keepsakes. Interior Decorating by Lori Steeves of Simply Home Decorating. Photos by Tracey Ayton Photography

D&MF Residence

Studio Durham Architects

View of the Living Room. Sliding art panel covers recessed TV when not in use.
This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in St Louis with white walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and a concealed tv.

Modern Farmhouse in Altadore

Trickle Creek Designer Homes

We love this cozy but bright living room, it's perfect for snuggling up with the family!
Design ideas for a large country open concept living room in Calgary with white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a tile fireplace surround, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Shingle Style Den

Oliver Max Inc.

Photo by Beth Singer
Inspiration for a transitional living room in Detroit with a library, grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv and grey floor.

Wild Basin Residence

Cornerstone Architects

Fine Focus Photography
Photo of a transitional living room in Austin with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a concealed tv.

Traditional Living Room with Sliding Barn Doors

Arbor Mills

This client's goal for this Michigan cottage living room was to creatively disguise the television when not in use. These custom barn doors slide open over the shelving to reveal the t.v. Pocket doors on left and right of the fireplace house the a/v components and are also hidden when not in use.

Butte Montmartre, Paris

User

Sébastien Caron
Inspiration for a transitional living room in Paris with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a concealed tv.

Arabic Living Rooms - Majlis - my favorite designs

Casa-Elan Furniture Hardware Upcycled Decor

Majlis is the traditional name for for Living rooms in Arab homes - this is the area where even in modern homes, the design style will be tradional arabic with touches of arabesques or fret work. The setting is generally placed all around the room symmetrically to encourage interaction between people.

Country Living Room

Photo of a country living room in Cornwall with white walls, slate floors, a wood stove, a stone fireplace surround and a concealed tv.

Living Room Design Photos with a Concealed TV

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.