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Living Room Concrete Floors Ceiling Lighting Design Photos and Ideas

The living room’s wood-burning fireplace has a concrete hearth that wraps the chimney and runs under the windows, acting as seating, a plant ledge, and creating a spot to store logs, all of which are harvested from the site.
Designer Ismael Medina Manzano stretches the limits of an 861-square-foot flat in San Sebastián with mirrors, curves, and a kitchen island on wheels.
The sofa flips into a comfortable queen-sized bed. “We’d rather have the space be mostly available for hanging out, but able to convert when we need to," says David.
The couple sourced midcentury furniture and dishware from Toronto dealers like Mid Century Modern Toronto and Inabstracto. They also loved Etsy sellers Mimi La Rouleuse, Mid Age Vintage DE, Happy Moose Vintage, Mrs. Marvellous, and The Art of Object.
Taliesyn composed the Cabin House as a unified cuboid volume containing a hybrid living area.
The original tongue-and-groove ceiling can still be seen in the living room, where an eclectic mix of furniture, including a Ligne Roset Togo, chair creates a laid-back ambiance.
New folding glass doors connect the downstairs living room to the revamped yard. The floors are concrete and the ceilings are Hemlock.
Two sconces, Steven Handelman Studios Iron Wall Lights, flank original photography by Bess Friday. The design team furred out foundation walls in key places – such as behind the couch here – to create functional ledges, and straighten sloping walls.
The main living room within the central volume of the house
Architect Nic Brunsdon renovated an original heritage cottage for a young family in the suburbs of Perth, Australia. The 3,229-square-foot home includes a sunken “garden room” with large sliding doors that connect the interior gathering space to a sunny green courtyard.
After positioning a glass wall, Alessandro arranged the interiors. The stair, built with oak sourced in nearby Kingston, leads to a balcony over the kitchen.
“The challenge was how to make the space feel comfortable without dividing it into small units,” says Karsten.
In the living room, a Stûv fireplace sits near Lori’s favorite place to paint. “We made the southeast corner glass, because that’s where the best view is,” says BCJ principal Ray Calabro.
When architects Thomas Karsten and Alexandra Erhard toured the raw industrial space, they were struck by how much light streamed in, a gift bestowed by large windows and the rare presence of a private patio.
Steel beams replaced the load-bearing walls to open up the formerly compartmentalized interior.
Large windows, doors, and a skylight flood the guesthouse and studio with plenty of sunlight.
The ceiling in the great room is accentuated with hemlock to contrast the brightness from the outdoors.
The Meranti wood and glass doors are over nine feet tall, and have a custom arch detail at the top. The clay coating on the walls and ceiling are by Matteo Brioni. “We mixed some colors together to give the space a perfect warm and serene feel,” says Valérie. “We like to add the same clay finish to the ceiling as the walls to create a sense of intimacy.”
Library/office stairs
Living room and library/office.
Living room and kitchen balcony
Living room facing the patio
Throughout the house, a few recurring themes emerge: glass walls, steel framing, floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and rolling library ladders. The interiors are furnished with midcentury classics, including a vintage Eames Lounge chair, alongside Japanese works of art.
BoConcept couches anchor a Restoration Hardware coffee table and a Crate and Barrel carpet in the living area. The gray pouf is by CB2, and the artwork is by Senechal.
"It was our job to hold on to the spirit of these buildings. They worked so well with the site and the views, so the project was really about exercising restraint,” says architect Brian Court. In the guesthouse, Gulassa wired a wisteria branch preserved from the property into a chandelier. The armchair is by Jens Risom and the windows are by Unilux.
A linear suspension light from the Mile Collection by Lambert & Fils hangs above the nine-foot-long black granite island.
“Materials and details were chosen and developed for what they can offer: solar heat radiating from walls, natural ventilation to feel the breeze, timber posts you can lean against, and benches you can jump on,” said Welsch.
The Slow offers much more than boutique accommodations, steeping guests in a curated experience that blends art across several disciplines.
A low-slung, built-in bench runs along the expanse of glass in the sauna building, offering visitors a place to sit and ponder nature.
Magdalena’s three kids (all currently in university) spent the first part of the pandemic here, but they’ve been coming back even as restrictions loosen up. For Magdalena, it’s the ultimate compliment: “For them to want to be here, tells me the whole thing is perfect.”
A partition wall separates the living space and kitchen from a small studio.
Interior designer Heidi Lachapelle chose unfussy furnishings with clean lines. “Nothing should feel decorative or unnecessary,” she says. “We looked for things that would age beautifully to speak to the wabi-sabi concept.” The oak daybed is by Bautier, the indoor/outdoor rug is by Dash & Albert, and the trapezoidal cushions on the concrete bench nod to similar ones that the wife saw at Georgia O’Keefe’s home and studio. The Scandinavian-inspired fireplace throws heat from two sides.
Designer Ralph Germann inserted a partially glazed box into a 19th-century barn to form the main living space of Christine Bonvin’s home in Switzerland. Soft light enters through original arrow-loop windows.
Mitanidis and team insulated the interior extensively to maximize the heat gain and create an energy-efficient building that could feel cozy even through a Toronto winter. Heated concrete floors warm things up even further.
There are a variety of living areas, allowing the family to come together or inhabit different spaces. The den has a piano where the children can indulge in their passion for music.
The most costly parts of the build were the board-formed concrete walls and fireplace. “We believe it was worth spending the money here for a few reasons,” reveals architect Cavin Costello. “The mass anchors the house into the landscape, and the material is incredibly durable—something we need in the harsh desert sun. The board-forms give the home a wonderful character.”
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