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.

Little Richardson

Mcmahon and Nerlich

Living room makes the most of the light and space and colours relate to charred black timber cladding

Craftsman Rebuild - Alameda, CA

Saikley Architects

This project is the rebuild of a classic Craftsman bungalow that had been destroyed in a fire. Throughout the design process we balanced the creation of a house that would feel like a true home, to replace the one that had been lost, while managing a budget with challenges from the insurance company, and navigating through a complex approval process. Photography by Phil Bond and Artisan Home Builders. Tiles by Motawai Tileworks. https://saikleyarchitects.com/portfolio/craftsman-rebuild/

90's Townhome Makeover

1st Impressions Design, LLC

Black and white trim and warm gray walls create transitional style in a small-space living room.

Braeside

Lush Interiors Inc.

Main Street Condo - Unit 3

Natural Instincts Interior Design

Rocky Maloney

Tiburon home remodel

Mahoney Architects & Interiors

A modest and traditional living room

Earthy Mackay House

Cathie Hong Interiors

This 1956 John Calder Mackay home had been poorly renovated in years past. We kept the 1400 sqft footprint of the home, but re-oriented and re-imagined the bland white kitchen to a midcentury olive green kitchen that opened up the sight lines to the wall of glass facing the rear yard. We chose materials that felt authentic and appropriate for the house: handmade glazed ceramics, bricks inspired by the California coast, natural white oaks heavy in grain, and honed marbles in complementary hues to the earth tones we peppered throughout the hard and soft finishes. This project was featured in the Wall Street Journal in April 2022.

Eastlake Houseboat

K&L Interiors

Modern Brazilian

Jefferson Street Designs

Rose Cottage

Hygge and Cwtch Design Studio

Memorial Park

MMI Design

Three Arch Cottage

Nate Fischer Interiors

Bright and airy cottage living room with white washed brick and natural wood beam mantle.

Yankee California Coastal

KC Studio

Instead of the traditional sofa/chair seating arrangement, four comfy chairs allow for gathering, reading, conversation and napping.

Modern Kitchen and Master Bath Renovation

Integrity Development & Construction, Inc.

Striking living room fireplace with bold 12"x24" black tiles which cascade down the full length of the wall.

Linden Avenue

Duet Design Group

A contemporary mountain home: Lounge Area, Photo by Eric Lucero Photography

Modern Industrial Townhouse

JMP Interiors

My client was moving from a 5,000 sq ft home into a 1,365 sq ft townhouse. She wanted a clean palate and room for entertaining. The main living space on the first floor has 5 sitting areas, three are shown here. She travels a lot and wanted her art work to be showcased. We kept the overall color scheme black and white to help give the space a modern loft/ art gallery feel. the result was clean and modern without feeling cold. Randal Perry Photography

Kits Beach

Form Collective

Mammoth Lakes Vacation Condo

User

The living room, dining area and kitchen are open to each other and create a casual environment for the homeowner and vacation renters alike.

Green Mountain Getaway - Guest House

Flavin Architects

The guesthouse of our Green Mountain Getaway follows the same recipe as the main house. With its soaring roof lines and large windows, it feels equally as integrated into the surrounding landscape. Photo by: Nat Rea Photography

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.