This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
2. Midcentury Meets Contemporary
Designer: Iconic by Kaitlyn Wolfe
Location: Phoenix
Size: 450 square feet (42 square meters)
Homeowners’ request. “We were hired to update this 1969 ranch-style midcentury modern home, which had undergone previous remodels and additions,” designer Kaitlyn Wolfe says. “While those changes served their purpose at the time, they no longer reflected the home’s original architectural integrity. The homeowners wanted a modern, functional space that honored the home’s history. The lava rock fireplace was a defining feature, and we immediately saw its potential as a focal point. We also embraced the existing slump block walls, which added texture and authenticity. However, the room’s long, narrow layout made furniture placement tricky. Our client was unsure how to make the space feel inviting while maintaining flow and functionality.
“Our solution was to streamline the design, introduce a more intentional layout and thoughtfully integrate vintage and modern elements to create a space that felt layered, lived-in and effortlessly stylish.”
Special features. “A key feature is the custom-built TV console from our Ground Floor furniture collection,” Wolfe says. “We designed it with teak wood veneer and incorporated angled, three-dimensional door fronts to add movement and depth. The warmth of the wood contrasts beautifully with the cool tones of the lava rock fireplace, creating balance without competition.
“We also sourced vintage furniture and decor from Shop My Warehouse, mixing materials and textures to reflect the midcentury modern aesthetic. These curated pieces bring warmth, personality and a collected feel to the space. By seamlessly blending contemporary and vintage, we ensured the living room feels both fresh and deeply connected to its roots.”
Designer tip. “We embraced the long and narrow shape of the living room by designing it like a hotel lobby, creating two distinct seating areas that could function separately or merge when entertaining,” Wolfe says. “This approach maximized both comfort and flexibility, ensuring the space could adapt to different needs. If you’re working with a challenging layout, consider breaking the space into zones rather than forcing a conventional setup.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “One unexpected challenge was working with the existing block walls, which made it difficult to run electrical,” Wolfe says. “Since we planned to install a built-in media unit, we needed to discreetly integrate power to the TV while maintaining a seamless transition from rough, uneven block to a smooth cabinetry surface. Through careful planning and craftsmanship, our installers ensured the transition looked flawless, and our electrician found creative ways to hide wiring without disrupting the aesthetic.”
Shop for living room furniture on Houzz
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Photos by Nic Rentfrow
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple of empty nesters with two dogs
Location: Timnath, Colorado (near Fort Collins)
Size: 3,200 square feet (297 square meters); about 45 feet wide and 60 to 80 feet long
Landscape designer and builder: Lindgren Landscape, with Jamie McCarn as designer
The homeowners wanted a pergola or a covered structure for outdoor entertaining, but that was the extent of their vision. “We talked about enclosing it,” landscape designer Jamie McCarn says of the structure, “but we decided it was too small and we needed to keep everything open.”
They also opted for a substantial roof cover. With a pergola, “you can’t go out in the rain, and you don’t get that solid shade or interior feel. And I know that’s what [the homeowners] were going for,” McCarn says. She angled the roof to open up the look in the tight yard without losing any shelter or protection.
Stained Douglas fir wood beams and posts pop against the black-painted Douglas fir roof, anchoring the structure in the yard and complementing the home’s colors and details. “We never want the landscape to feel scabbed-on. It needs to feel cohesive with the house,” McCarn says.
Find a local landscape designer
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Having family nearby can be a wonderful thing, particularly for those planning to age in place. But having family members underfoot at every turn? Maybe not so wonderful. Enter the accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a secondary — typically smaller — home independent from the property’s main house. With thoughtful planning, it can offer privacy and proximity — a win-win.
See the techniques that pros used to make four freestanding ADUs feel open and inviting, as well as flexible enough to accommodate both adult children and aging family members with ease. Let us know in the Comments if any of their ideas might inspire a backyard cottage of your own.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Homes constructed by the postwar developer Joseph Eichler are coveted for many of the features that appealed to families in the 1950s and ’60s, including their modern style, indoor-outdoor flow and large expanses of glass. But other common aspects of the homes, including poor energy efficiency, closed-off kitchens and small square footage, aren’t very conducive to contemporary multigenerational living.
So after a family with a young daughter and twins on the way purchased one such home in Palo Alto, California, it set out to upgrade the home’s function and finishes and to add a grandparents suite. The homeowners hired Klopf Architecture, which is renowned for its sensitive Eichler remodels, to get the job done — and to ensure that the home’s architectural integrity and distinctive character were preserved in the process.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
2. Aim for Higher Seating
Seating is the heart of any living room and is an area to really focus on. “Higher and firmer seats and armrests really make a difference,” Mullally says.
Becky Storey of Storey Interiors highlights the importance of seating that’s easy to get in and out of, especially for those with mobility difficulties. Seating that’s too low can be problematic, she says. “Or seating that slopes down at the back, because it requires a lot more upper body strength to pull yourself up. The same goes for sofas that have really soft cushions or where the seat is very deep.”
For a lesser change than buying new chairs and sofas, Eva Byrne of houseology suggests that a standard seat height of 18 inches should accommodate yourself and all visitors, and “a raised cushion at your favorite spot will improve accessibility here if needed.”
Vatzeva also highlights the importance of good support for the back to keep it straight, along, potentially, with support for the feet to be lifted. But she also has a word of caution about electric recliners. “Personally, I don’t think they are in our favor,” she says. “They promote less movement and less activity … which can have a negative impact on body, mind and general health.”
It’s not all about sofas and armchairs — consider custom solutions too. Vatzeva suggests that a great spot for adding new seating is within a bay window or alcove. “These are good places to install seating at a suitable height,” she says. “They can be standalone pieces or built-in, and offer a wonderful way of combining the practical with the beautiful while being bespoke for one’s own needs.”
Shop for living room furniture
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
When I was growing up, my childhood living room was strictly off-limits to kids and reserved for my parents and their friends. In my current home, however, we do quite a bit of living in our living room. Therefore, having a lighting plan that covers all of my family’s activities in our living room is essential. My plan for a well-lit living room requires five layers of light.
The five layers of light are as follows: Light for “doing” helps you read magazines and play games. Light for “knowing” helps you carry on conversations and move through the space. Light for “feeling” makes it easier to relax after a long day at work. Light for “changing” helps you adjust to the time of day and the task at hand. And light to help “tell your story” highlights your personal style and the items you cherish most.
Find an interior designer near you
Layer 1: Light for Doing
We all use our living rooms differently, and that means you can benefit from carefully considering what common tasks you and your family perform in the living room before choosing lighting. Do you like to read? If so, good table lamps or floor lamps are a must. Prefer to watch television? Lamps might reflect on the screen, so dimmable downlights might offer a better solution. Playing games with friends? A brighter living room illuminated with both lamps and downlights can make interactions more enjoyable.
Shop for lighting products on Houzz
Layer 2: Light for Knowing
It’s important to know where you are and where you are going, and general ambient light can help. If you live with other people or have company in your living room, it is equally important to be able to see their faces. In a living room, good ambient light can come from wall sconces, which help define the scope of the room, from a few well-placed lamps at head-level to better see faces and from a ceiling cove overhead that diffuses light throughout the room.
Layer 3: Light for Feeling
During a sunny day, a living room with abundant natural light flowing through windows can help us feel good. At night, however, we need to replace daylight with a layer of light that will make our space feel more comfortable and relaxing. Light for feeling can come from accent lamps, wall sconces, recessed downlights that highlight stone features, fireplaces and even from table lamps with soft, glowing shades.
Layer 4: Light for Changing
We watch movies, read books, play games, work on our laptops, enjoy a fire and converse with friends in our living room. We keep the lights low for movies, higher for playing games and in between when relaxing with friends. Light for changing helps us adapt to tasks, the location of the sun and aging eyes. This might mean different lamps for different tasks and different times of day, or it can be achieved by adding dimmers that allow you to customize light from moment to moment.
Layer 5: Light for Telling Your Story
Finally, the lights in your living room can help tell your story, revealing your style and the items you cherish most. A spotlight on a painting by a friend lets everyone know you value both art and friendship, while a beautiful Tiffany lampshade might tell of your appreciation for artistry and color.
Choosing the style of decorative fixtures that fits you best is a great way to reveal your style, but decorative fixtures are not the only way to tell your story. Carefully hidden lights on a timber-framed ceiling disappear into the woodwork but highlight the craftsmanship of the structure without adding visual clutter to a room. Concealed lights in bookcases showcase collected items while adding a beautiful glow to the space.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about lighting
Get living room design ideas
Find a designer to help you plan your lighting
Shop for new lighting
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Building on the post-pandemic trend, the share of young adults (aged 25-34) living with their parents fell to a decade low, according to NAHB analysis of 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS). However, young adults continue to face difficult decisions about their living arrangements due to elevated home prices and increasing costs of living. While some young people established independent households during the pandemic, according to 2023 ACS data, many young adults continue to live with their parents in higher-cost areas, with variations across states and congressional districts.
In general, the share of young adults (aged 18-34) living with parents positively correlates with housing costs, particularly in coastal areas. This trend reflects young adults’ increasing financial burdens as both rents and home prices surge. A previous post demonstrated that more than half of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on housing, suggesting that affordability issues may delay young adults’ independence and path to homeownership.
In 2023, 31.8% of young adults (aged 18-34) lived with their parents at the national level using 2023 ACS data. Across congressional districts, the share of young adults living with parents varies significantly, reflecting different local housing affordability challenges. The shares are generally higher than the previous study, as this analysis includes adults aged 18-24. The top five congressional districts with the highest shares of young adults living with parents are located in areas with high housing costs and limited rental options. These districts include:
New York, District 3, 58.6%
New York, District 4, 56.5%
New York, District 1, 56.5%
California, District 38, 54.0%
New Jersey, District 5, 53.4%
In contrast, the bottom five congressional districts with the lowest shares of young adults living with parents are in major cities known for high housing costs, low homeownership rates and robust rental markets. As rental options provide more independence, a higher share of renter households in California, New York and Washington appears to be associated with fewer young adults living with parents. The bottom five districts include:
New York, District 12, 8.4%
Texas, District 37, 9.6%
California, District 11, 11.6%
Washington, District 7, 11.7%
District of Columbia, At Large, 12.2%
Discover more from Eye On Housing
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
This article was originally published by a eyeonhousing.org . Read the Original article here. .
Though the cabin was gone, it inspired the homeowners and Nelson to keep its modern style alive. The structure’s placement on the site also influenced the plan. There was an existing well and septic system, and upgrading the septic system was included in the project. The architects oriented the house to take advantage of the southwesterly views of the Saratoga Passage and Whidbey Island.
“The site is quite wooded and has a secluded feel,” Nelson says. “The approach to the house is through the trees and it feels totally private.” The site is atop a 60-foot cliff overlooking the water.
Facing the entry side of the house, the primary suite is on the left; a great room that contains the family room, dining room and kitchen is in the center; and two other bedrooms are on the right side. Next to those bedrooms, a mudroom-laundry room connects the house to the garage. The garage roof is covered in solar panels.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
4. Roll Out a New Area Rug
It’s a rare living room that doesn’t call for an area rug. Even in a carpeted room, an area rug helps to define a seating area and make a room feel complete. So if you don’t already have an area rug, or the one you have doesn’t reflect your current taste, this is a good opportunity for a refresh.
If you’re trying to make a formal living space feel more casual, consider a flat-woven or natural-fiber rug (such as jute). Tufted rugs with asymmetrical patterns or high-low textures are good bets if you’re looking to add a contemporary element to your room. Color-wise, light colors tend to make a room feel larger while darker colors make it feel more cozy. And the busier the patterns of your other textiles, the simpler your rug can be, and vice versa.
At least as important as the style of your rug is its size. A common recommendation is that all of the legs of your furniture — or at least the front legs of your seating — should be on the rug. If you love your current rug but it’s too small or irregularly shaped, you can layer it on top of a larger one. Natural-fiber rugs or solid, neutral-toned wool rugs are often good, affordable choices as base layers. A small, vibrant but well-worn antique Persian or Moroccan rug can look gorgeous over a large jute rug, for example.
All of that said, the “perfect rug” isn’t a specific size or style. It’s the one that most appeals to you and fits your lifestyle and budget.
11 Area Rug Rules and How to Break Them
Shop for an area rug
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
The landscape design includes smart features. “We used a Sonance sound system with two subwoofers and six speakers within the garden spaces, as well as speakers in the cabana that are controlled by a home automation system,” Stucchi says. “The landscape lights, the bistro lights and the lights in the cabana are all controlled by a Lutron system app on the homeowners’ phones.”
Paperbark maples (Acer griseum, USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone), which are multistemmed trees with beautiful bark, frame the cabana. “About a million resident wild bunnies severely limited our plant palette with their insatiable appetites for herbaceous perennials. No amount of rabbit deterrent would help us there. We tried everything,” Stucchi says.
He used trees, flowering shrubs, evergreens and grasses for structure, color and texture. These include a mix of hydrangeas, ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, zones 4 to 9) and both Blushing Knock Out roses (Rosa ‘Radyod’, zones 5 to 11) and Knock Out roses (Rosa ‘Radrazz’, zones 5 to 11).