New This Week: 4 Marvelous Mediterranean-Style Living Rooms
Wood beams, arched doors and large fireplaces set the stage for this relaxed old-world style
There’s something captivating about Mediterranean style in living rooms. It’s a style that feels casual and relaxing yet rich and regal at the same time. It’s sophisticated yet not fussy. You would feel just as comfortable hosting a formal party as you would putting your feet up and watching TV. Here, four Mediterranean-style living rooms show how an abundance of wood beams and floors set against creamy white walls creates a charming, carefree backdrop that’s full of personality.
Designer secret. “Because the shell of the room — walls, ceiling, floors — is black and white, we were careful selecting decor to balance and warm up the space,” Clark says. “We added a lot of natural fibers, like the sea grass area rug, seating cubes and wall art. The rug, leather pillows and linen sofa added more natural tones and texture. Natural wood tones in the coffee table and ladder also helped warm and ground the space. This room was all about balance — balancing clean and modern with warmth and texture.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The owner did not want the stone on the fireplace touched, even though we knew it wouldn’t work with the redesign,” Clark says. “Once the floors were stained and the room painted, we figured we could make a stronger case for painting the facade. The owner finally agreed once he saw the disconnect.”
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“Uh-oh” moment. “The owner did not want the stone on the fireplace touched, even though we knew it wouldn’t work with the redesign,” Clark says. “Once the floors were stained and the room painted, we figured we could make a stronger case for painting the facade. The owner finally agreed once he saw the disconnect.”
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Browse photos of Mediterranean-style living rooms
2. Arched Doors and Vintage Furniture
Designers: Amity Worrel (interior design) and Dianne Kett (architecture) of Amity + Kett Architecture and Interior Design
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Size: 530 square feet (49 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A classic look that would complement the existing architecture. “They needed the space to function for a contemporary family but not stand out too much from the traditional feel of the home,” designer Amity Worrel says.
Special features. Soft and creamy white walls (Benjamin Moore’s Peak White). Arched wood doors. Vintage furnishings.
Designer secret. “Keeping the furniture in the center of the room focused on gathering around the fireplace makes for a lovely, cozy setting,” Worrel says. “It is always nice to gather furniture and seating around a focal point in the room versus pushing things far apart and up against the walls.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One challenge that we faced at this property was finding surprises when we opened up the walls,” Worrel says. “Some of our design plans for the kitchen, for instance, had to be altered due to some pretty permanent beams in the kitchen ceiling that we did not want to move. Luckily, since we are used to working on older homes, we have a few tricks up our sleeves to manage just such an occasion. We simply altered the lighting layout a bit and made some changes to the millwork design.”
Designers: Amity Worrel (interior design) and Dianne Kett (architecture) of Amity + Kett Architecture and Interior Design
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Size: 530 square feet (49 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A classic look that would complement the existing architecture. “They needed the space to function for a contemporary family but not stand out too much from the traditional feel of the home,” designer Amity Worrel says.
Special features. Soft and creamy white walls (Benjamin Moore’s Peak White). Arched wood doors. Vintage furnishings.
Designer secret. “Keeping the furniture in the center of the room focused on gathering around the fireplace makes for a lovely, cozy setting,” Worrel says. “It is always nice to gather furniture and seating around a focal point in the room versus pushing things far apart and up against the walls.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One challenge that we faced at this property was finding surprises when we opened up the walls,” Worrel says. “Some of our design plans for the kitchen, for instance, had to be altered due to some pretty permanent beams in the kitchen ceiling that we did not want to move. Luckily, since we are used to working on older homes, we have a few tricks up our sleeves to manage just such an occasion. We simply altered the lighting layout a bit and made some changes to the millwork design.”
3. Moroccan Tile Fireplace Surround
Designer: Emily Renze-Crouch of B St. Design, for Smith Brothers
Location: La Jolla, California
Size: 398 square feet (37 square meters); 21½ by 18½ feet
Homeowners’ request. For this new-build home, the owners wanted a comfortable room and a cozy fireplace in the charming Spanish style common in Santa Barbara, California. Designer Emily Renze-Crouch put together this ideabook of Spanish-style room photos she found on Houzz to show her clients ideas and better steer the direction of the project.
Special features. Dark alder wood fireplace millwork with arched niche that houses the TV. Custom tile fireplace surround. Wood ceiling beams. Large custom glass-and-iron box lantern light fixtures.
Designer secret. “I like repeating certain elements and materials throughout a design, which was the thought behind going with the iron-legged coffee table to repeat the metal element of the pendant lighting,” Emily Renze-Crouch says. “Also, the arch in the fireplace is repeated elsewhere in the room.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “A challenge I had to deal with was the fact that KJ Patterson field tile was too thick to use as a hearth material and wouldn’t transition well with the engineered wood flooring,” Renze-Crouch says. “I knew I didn’t want to use slab, so I was challenged to find another manufacturer that had a matching green tile. I was able to do so by using fireclay tile, which has a ton of color options.”
Wall paint: Rice Bowl, Dunn-Edwards Paints; fireplace: Timeless Wood Products
Designer: Emily Renze-Crouch of B St. Design, for Smith Brothers
Location: La Jolla, California
Size: 398 square feet (37 square meters); 21½ by 18½ feet
Homeowners’ request. For this new-build home, the owners wanted a comfortable room and a cozy fireplace in the charming Spanish style common in Santa Barbara, California. Designer Emily Renze-Crouch put together this ideabook of Spanish-style room photos she found on Houzz to show her clients ideas and better steer the direction of the project.
Special features. Dark alder wood fireplace millwork with arched niche that houses the TV. Custom tile fireplace surround. Wood ceiling beams. Large custom glass-and-iron box lantern light fixtures.
Designer secret. “I like repeating certain elements and materials throughout a design, which was the thought behind going with the iron-legged coffee table to repeat the metal element of the pendant lighting,” Emily Renze-Crouch says. “Also, the arch in the fireplace is repeated elsewhere in the room.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “A challenge I had to deal with was the fact that KJ Patterson field tile was too thick to use as a hearth material and wouldn’t transition well with the engineered wood flooring,” Renze-Crouch says. “I knew I didn’t want to use slab, so I was challenged to find another manufacturer that had a matching green tile. I was able to do so by using fireclay tile, which has a ton of color options.”
Wall paint: Rice Bowl, Dunn-Edwards Paints; fireplace: Timeless Wood Products
4. Layered Rugs and Inlaid Bone Mirrors
Designers: Stephanie Bradshaw and Laura Tilman
Location: Baltimore
Size: 480 square feet (45 square meters); 30 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The clients’ existing art, which hangs over the fireplace, drove the design for the room,” designer Stephanie Bradshaw says. “Pulling from the textures, hues and overall dynamic composition in the piece, we created various seating areas for various activities.”
Special features. Layered Moroccan rugs. Inlaid-bone-framed mirrors on back wall. Bradshaw painted a faux wood grain on existing white ceiling beams to add architectural interest and draw the eye upward.
Designer secret. “Rather than purchasing new black-framed windows, we painted the frames on all the existing windows in a deep black,” Bradshaw says. “This gave us a contrast with the lighter walls we were looking for and allowed us to keep the existing windows that were original to the home.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Soon after final installation, a pipe burst in an upstairs bathroom and water leaked through the ceiling, essentially taking us back to day one in that area of the room,” Bradshaw says. “Plaster and lath ceiling and walls were ripped out and redone, faux ceiling beams were repainted, additional silk drapery panels were purchased and on and on. It was an unfortunate circumstance, but after the initial shock, all we could do was start over and move forward. Insurance money paid for all repairs and new items, but we definitely had the rug-pulled-out-from-under-you feeling just as we wrote ‘complete’ on the files for this project.”
Shop for inlaid-bone-framed mirrors
More on Houzz
Mediterranean Style in 11 Design Details
Bathroom Workbook: 7 Elements of Modern Mediterranean Flavor
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for Mediterranean-style living room products
Designers: Stephanie Bradshaw and Laura Tilman
Location: Baltimore
Size: 480 square feet (45 square meters); 30 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. “The clients’ existing art, which hangs over the fireplace, drove the design for the room,” designer Stephanie Bradshaw says. “Pulling from the textures, hues and overall dynamic composition in the piece, we created various seating areas for various activities.”
Special features. Layered Moroccan rugs. Inlaid-bone-framed mirrors on back wall. Bradshaw painted a faux wood grain on existing white ceiling beams to add architectural interest and draw the eye upward.
Designer secret. “Rather than purchasing new black-framed windows, we painted the frames on all the existing windows in a deep black,” Bradshaw says. “This gave us a contrast with the lighter walls we were looking for and allowed us to keep the existing windows that were original to the home.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “Soon after final installation, a pipe burst in an upstairs bathroom and water leaked through the ceiling, essentially taking us back to day one in that area of the room,” Bradshaw says. “Plaster and lath ceiling and walls were ripped out and redone, faux ceiling beams were repainted, additional silk drapery panels were purchased and on and on. It was an unfortunate circumstance, but after the initial shock, all we could do was start over and move forward. Insurance money paid for all repairs and new items, but we definitely had the rug-pulled-out-from-under-you feeling just as we wrote ‘complete’ on the files for this project.”
Shop for inlaid-bone-framed mirrors
More on Houzz
Mediterranean Style in 11 Design Details
Bathroom Workbook: 7 Elements of Modern Mediterranean Flavor
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for Mediterranean-style living room products
Designer: Jennifer Montague Clark of The Home Co.
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 425 square feet (39 square meters); 17 by 25 feet
Homeowners’ request. “We needed to honor the integrity and beauty of the home’s original Mediterranean features while making simple changes in color, lighting and decor to bring the home up to today’s standards,” designer Jennifer Montague Clark says.
Special features. White walls (Benjamin Moore’s Simply White) and dark beams, windows and doors (Benjamin Moore’s Nightfall). Original arched doors flanking the fireplace. Modern brass nine-light chandelier and matching sconces. The floors are 100-year-old original oak hardwood, refinished and stained in True Black by Minwax. Clark used Houzz for inspiration photos, especially to help envision the black floors.
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