New This Week: 5 Stylish Living Rooms Without a TV
See how paint colors, materials and other design features create cozy and inviting retreats
Now, perhaps more than ever, everyone needs a quiet place to retreat to at the end of the day. A comfortable room without a TV is a good place for recharging, and making that room inviting will encourage you to use it more. The following stylish formal living rooms offer plenty of tips to create a comfortable, welcoming retreat.
2. Pretty Palette
Designer: Jane-Marie Bloomberg of Embellishments Design Studio
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 350 square feet (33 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A functional, multipurpose space. “The room was somewhat long and narrow, so they hadn’t landed on a layout that maximized the square footage,” designer Jane-Marie Bloomberg says. “I wanted to break up the space into three distinct areas: the baby grand piano, a spot for reading and drinking the morning coffee, and a place to entertain or enjoy the fire. All could be accomplished by implementing some key strategies to bring everything together.”
Main feature. A palette of pink, orange and wood tones. “Somewhere along the way, a previous homeowner had painted the tall baseboards white but left the rest of the beautiful woodwork a warm oak,” Bloomberg says. “The husband was adamant that we not paint any more of the woodwork, so this became our starting point. Of course, the fireplace would stay original as well, complete with its beautiful arched opening. The pink and orange colors set off the wood nicely.”
Other special features. “When breaking a long, narrow room up into useful sections, one item that can help everything tie together is a consistent flooring material,” Bloomberg says. “We opted for a beautiful Argentinian wool rug to anchor the entire space. Then, to give the room some additional whimsy, we utilized two different wallcoverings — a floral print and a textured grasscloth — to keep the eye moving around the space and yet still emphasize the fireplace. New lighting was added, and by increasing the scale of the fixtures, we were able to use these to tie the space together this way as well.”
Designer tip. “To maximize the number of pieces of furniture that would actually sit on the rug, we did a custom rug template in order to cut around the fireplace and bring the rug closer to all sides of the room,” Bloomberg says. “This increased our usable space by only about 36 square feet but allowed us to make the piano area and the reading nook as cohesive as possible — [with] no furniture dangling outside the perimeter.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The custom chairs in the orange chevron fabric were built by a master wood carver in California,” Bloomberg says. “During the creation of these chairs, he injured his hand and did not believe he would be able to complete them due to the intricate nature of the design. We selected another design from him, but the clients had already fallen in love with their original choice. Weeks passed, and I received word from the artist that he had worked through the pain and completed the originally selected chairs for us. My clients were so thrilled and appreciative. I’m happy to report that the artist is doing fine and continues to make beautiful pieces.”
Shop for armchairs and accent chairs
Designer: Jane-Marie Bloomberg of Embellishments Design Studio
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 350 square feet (33 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. A functional, multipurpose space. “The room was somewhat long and narrow, so they hadn’t landed on a layout that maximized the square footage,” designer Jane-Marie Bloomberg says. “I wanted to break up the space into three distinct areas: the baby grand piano, a spot for reading and drinking the morning coffee, and a place to entertain or enjoy the fire. All could be accomplished by implementing some key strategies to bring everything together.”
Main feature. A palette of pink, orange and wood tones. “Somewhere along the way, a previous homeowner had painted the tall baseboards white but left the rest of the beautiful woodwork a warm oak,” Bloomberg says. “The husband was adamant that we not paint any more of the woodwork, so this became our starting point. Of course, the fireplace would stay original as well, complete with its beautiful arched opening. The pink and orange colors set off the wood nicely.”
Other special features. “When breaking a long, narrow room up into useful sections, one item that can help everything tie together is a consistent flooring material,” Bloomberg says. “We opted for a beautiful Argentinian wool rug to anchor the entire space. Then, to give the room some additional whimsy, we utilized two different wallcoverings — a floral print and a textured grasscloth — to keep the eye moving around the space and yet still emphasize the fireplace. New lighting was added, and by increasing the scale of the fixtures, we were able to use these to tie the space together this way as well.”
Designer tip. “To maximize the number of pieces of furniture that would actually sit on the rug, we did a custom rug template in order to cut around the fireplace and bring the rug closer to all sides of the room,” Bloomberg says. “This increased our usable space by only about 36 square feet but allowed us to make the piano area and the reading nook as cohesive as possible — [with] no furniture dangling outside the perimeter.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The custom chairs in the orange chevron fabric were built by a master wood carver in California,” Bloomberg says. “During the creation of these chairs, he injured his hand and did not believe he would be able to complete them due to the intricate nature of the design. We selected another design from him, but the clients had already fallen in love with their original choice. Weeks passed, and I received word from the artist that he had worked through the pain and completed the originally selected chairs for us. My clients were so thrilled and appreciative. I’m happy to report that the artist is doing fine and continues to make beautiful pieces.”
Shop for armchairs and accent chairs
3. Symmetry
Designer: Tara Voigt of Voigt & Co
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Size: 304 square feet (28 square meters); 16 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. Create more space and brighten the room.
Main feature. “The natural symmetry of the room made this an easy space to update,” designer Tara Voigt says. “As a designer, I generally have to find ways to create symmetry and balance where they don’t normally occur. Those elements already existed with the lovely arched built-ins and the alignment of the fireplace on the back wall. It is the scale and proportions that made this room so pleasing.”
Other special features. “This home had a very peaceful and serene backdrop, and we wanted to keep things soft and organic on the interiors,” Voigt says. “We opted for a monochromatic theme with an emphasis on texture. Additionally, the spaces throughout the home were not oversize, so it was my goal to open up the room visually by limiting the contrast throughout and keeping it soft and neutral. The paint, which is White Sand by Benjamin Moore, has just a hint of a pink undertone, which worked beautifully with the stone fireplace and kept things warm and inviting. A starker white would have created more contrast and a totally different energy.”
Designer tip. “I worked hard to convince our clients that by closing in the wall to the right we would create more usable space and the room would actually feel larger,” Voigt says. “It was a leap of faith on their part, but they were pleasantly surprised. It allowed us to fully use the right side of the room and took out the need for a larger transition area between the former sitting area and current living room.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “I planned for an overhead light at the center of the room,” Voigt says. “Due to structural constraints, we could not move forward with the installation. We compensated by keeping the paint and decor selections light and reflective as well as adding in a floor lamp.”
Rug: Blythe, nuLOOM; mirror: Maui, Sea Winds Trading
Designer: Tara Voigt of Voigt & Co
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Size: 304 square feet (28 square meters); 16 by 19 feet
Homeowners’ request. Create more space and brighten the room.
Main feature. “The natural symmetry of the room made this an easy space to update,” designer Tara Voigt says. “As a designer, I generally have to find ways to create symmetry and balance where they don’t normally occur. Those elements already existed with the lovely arched built-ins and the alignment of the fireplace on the back wall. It is the scale and proportions that made this room so pleasing.”
Other special features. “This home had a very peaceful and serene backdrop, and we wanted to keep things soft and organic on the interiors,” Voigt says. “We opted for a monochromatic theme with an emphasis on texture. Additionally, the spaces throughout the home were not oversize, so it was my goal to open up the room visually by limiting the contrast throughout and keeping it soft and neutral. The paint, which is White Sand by Benjamin Moore, has just a hint of a pink undertone, which worked beautifully with the stone fireplace and kept things warm and inviting. A starker white would have created more contrast and a totally different energy.”
Designer tip. “I worked hard to convince our clients that by closing in the wall to the right we would create more usable space and the room would actually feel larger,” Voigt says. “It was a leap of faith on their part, but they were pleasantly surprised. It allowed us to fully use the right side of the room and took out the need for a larger transition area between the former sitting area and current living room.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “I planned for an overhead light at the center of the room,” Voigt says. “Due to structural constraints, we could not move forward with the installation. We compensated by keeping the paint and decor selections light and reflective as well as adding in a floor lamp.”
Rug: Blythe, nuLOOM; mirror: Maui, Sea Winds Trading
4. Metal Fireplace
Designer: Heather Blue Harkovich of Heather Scott Home & Design
Location: Ennis, Montana
Homeowners’ request. A classic, chic and serene space with a neutral and calming palette. “They also wanted the palette to really highlight the mountain and river views that surrounded the home,” designer Heather Blue Harkovich says.
Main feature. Custom metal fireplace.
Other special features. Black-frame windows that contrast the white walls. Wood ceiling beams and mantel.
Designer tip. “We focused on symmetry and timeless pieces,” Harkovich says. “That helps any room feel more cohesive and inviting.”
Paint: Silver Lining (walls) and black (window frames), Pratt & Lambert Paints
Designer: Heather Blue Harkovich of Heather Scott Home & Design
Location: Ennis, Montana
Homeowners’ request. A classic, chic and serene space with a neutral and calming palette. “They also wanted the palette to really highlight the mountain and river views that surrounded the home,” designer Heather Blue Harkovich says.
Main feature. Custom metal fireplace.
Other special features. Black-frame windows that contrast the white walls. Wood ceiling beams and mantel.
Designer tip. “We focused on symmetry and timeless pieces,” Harkovich says. “That helps any room feel more cohesive and inviting.”
Paint: Silver Lining (walls) and black (window frames), Pratt & Lambert Paints
5. Blue Walls
Designer: Sarah Hermans Interiors
Location: Malvern, Pennsylvania
Size: 224 square feet (21 square meters); 14 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. A formal living room that would feel lived-in, inviting and cozy.
Main feature. Blue walls (Hudson Bay by Benjamin Moore). They make the room “feel both intimate and stately, while allowing the lighter components to pop,” says designer Sarah Hermans, who collaborated with her clients through Houzz ideabooks.
Other special features. High ceiling. Fireplace. Transom window. Lots of natural light.
Designer tip. “Here the earthy, neutral tones of the room came alive against a beautiful natural blue,” Hermans says. “So don’t be afraid to paint a whole room a darker color, especially if there’s lots of light and moldings.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The window treatments that we repurposed from the homeowners’ old living room were too short for the 9-foot ceiling,” Hermans says. “So we added 12 inches of dark gray linen banding to the cream-colored linen curtains. The clients were relieved they would not need new ones, and the banding actually picks up the other dark elements of the room nicely.”
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Key Measurements for Your Living Room
Get more living room ideas
Find an interior designer
Shop for living room furniture and accessories
Designer: Sarah Hermans Interiors
Location: Malvern, Pennsylvania
Size: 224 square feet (21 square meters); 14 by 16 feet
Homeowners’ request. A formal living room that would feel lived-in, inviting and cozy.
Main feature. Blue walls (Hudson Bay by Benjamin Moore). They make the room “feel both intimate and stately, while allowing the lighter components to pop,” says designer Sarah Hermans, who collaborated with her clients through Houzz ideabooks.
Other special features. High ceiling. Fireplace. Transom window. Lots of natural light.
Designer tip. “Here the earthy, neutral tones of the room came alive against a beautiful natural blue,” Hermans says. “So don’t be afraid to paint a whole room a darker color, especially if there’s lots of light and moldings.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “The window treatments that we repurposed from the homeowners’ old living room were too short for the 9-foot ceiling,” Hermans says. “So we added 12 inches of dark gray linen banding to the cream-colored linen curtains. The clients were relieved they would not need new ones, and the banding actually picks up the other dark elements of the room nicely.”
More on Houzz
How to Decorate a Living Room: 11 Designer Tips
Key Measurements for Your Living Room
Get more living room ideas
Find an interior designer
Shop for living room furniture and accessories
Designer: Megan Blu of Meg Blu Home and developer Blu and White
Location: Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles
Size: 450 square feet (42 square meters); 18 by 25 square feet
Homeowners’ request. “This room is part of the great room that includes the kitchen, family room and breakfast room,” designer Megan Blu says.”The great room looks out onto the large outdoor entertaining area and pool, so we wanted it to have expansive accordion doors that, when opened, would make the transition between the two spaces seamless. We wanted the interiors to echo the exterior architecture of the house, which I would describe as urban farmhouse or farmhouse with a slightly more edgy vibe. To do this, we used extra-wide 11-inch plank bleached oak floors, vertical nickel-gap shiplap [and] crisp white walls, and accented with pops of charcoal and black throughout.”
Main features. Charcoal-colored shiplap walls (Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams) and marble fireplace. “While the house was still in framing, I was out browsing the stone yard for a different project when I spotted a really pretty slab of Calacatta marble that I knew would be perfect for the fireplace,” Blu says. “The fireplace was fabricated out of that single slab. The charcoal painted shiplap really makes it stand out.”
Designer tip. “Don’t be afraid to use color or experiment with design elements that are easy to change,” Blu says. “Paint, light fixtures and accessories are all easy to swap out.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “If you look closely at the fireplace, there is no brick insert — it’s just a black box,” Blu says. “That’s because the fireplace contractor ordered the wrong size. So when they came to set up the fireplace the day before the photo shoot, we had a problem. Without that insert, you can’t light the fire, hence why it’s not lit in the shot. A shame because the insert we ordered is a really pretty charcoal gray [with a] herringbone pattern. It finally arrived long after the photos were taken. No matter how much you try to prevent issues from arising in design and construction, something always goes wrong at the last minute.”
Staging: Madison Modern Home; project photos: Christopher Lee