The main living area, put together by interior designer Jay Jenkins, of Jenkins Baer Associates, is a practice in casual elegance. The colors and furniture selections flow beautifully with the graphic floor covering from Warp & Weft. The light colors embrace the abundance of natural daylight in the room, and a carefully placed chrome Arco Floor Lamp adds to the warm and open ambiance.

Living rooms and family rooms are the traditional home for home electronics, and while flat panel TVs and slim components have made it easier to incorporate gadgets into a well-designed room, there are still a lot of challenges. How high is too high to place a TV? Is it safe to mount a screen over the fireplace? (Yes, but don't do it. It's the worst viewing angle possible.) How to arrange seating for optimal viewing and sightlines? And the perennial question of whether or not to hide it all.

This room not only affords plenty of seating, but it’s bright and cheery while reflecting a contemporary color scheme. Not that there’s anything wrong with sectionals or recliners, but I rather like the fact that neither are in sight in this sophisticated space.

A Houzz visitor seeing this photo asked "Where do the TV viewers sit?" The question is a good one. As we saw in previous examples, a recliner placed directly in front of a TV is optimal for viewing purposes. But let me throw something else at you. The recliner you see here can also swivel! So, by providing the flexibility in this one piece of furniture, you can go from watching the outside (and, what a great view) to watching TV or gazing at the fire. What's even more impressive is the elegance in this room. Its subtle palette of creams and blues doesn't compete with the home's natural setting. I'd like to vacation here. Anyone with me?More: Browse reclinersHow to Arrange a Room for the TV and People, Too9 Elements of the Perfect Man Chair

Tricky space 11: High ceilings, big open spaceThe solution: Accent pieces with height (such as the arc lamp featured here) will visually fill the vertical space. Supersize rooms can handle larger-scale furniture, so don't be afraid to go big. A massive dining table made from a natural wood slab with an eye-catching pendant light hung over it would make a dramatic focal point for the room. Create a comfy seating area in another spot by using two facing sofas pulled perpendicular to a wall, and finish the arrangement with a big rug (or even two rugs layered together) to add softness.What is the most challenging space you've ever lived in, and how did you cope? Leave a comment and fill us in!Browse solutions to common design problems

Windows

High ceilings / double height windows

Couch not facing TV

blue green pillows

Pillows

Distribución sala

palette, chick style

TV over fireplace

Windows

Wall of windows - folding doors?

light for cornel

Color of chair

Furniture

sala con chimenea y ventanal de vidrio

Funky light color furniture with dark wood and cools whites and grays

fireplace mantle

La sobriedad de la decoración.

Sofas

Wall of windows plus Fireplace

Furniture set up

Built in again

Kominek

floor lamp

Floor lamp substitute for overhead

waterflow lamp

cushions on a sofa similar to watson sofa

Fireplace

Fun and warm, yet clean and bright. I want those ceilings and those windows!

Tv and fireplace

lamp

Fabric combo

i like how this tv is not notices

TV y como poner los muebles

like this silver lamp for family room

Style

love the doors

big back windows

Windows

Wall of windows.

Pattern

Lamps

Low cubes in front of the fireplace add colour and extra seating

Doors

turquoise/gold

All

Wood cream and blue green..love these colors

Different

Living room

Recliner

like how the fireplace and tv are flush

Julian sofas

TV over glass fireplace

Hauteur de foyer

��

Void windows

Basement glass wall

tv

Windows

Windows

fireplace TV combo

Lounge room

Sofa

The colrs

Windows, colors

colours

Large livingrm

fireplace tv combo

i love the wwwindows

Sala con ventanales

door and window frames

Sala ppal

tv&firebox

low fireplace and tv

living room curved lamp to define space

colours

living rm

anthoine lvg rm

pillows

Double height windows light.

Baies vitrées bois

high pendant light

Doors

Colours in cushions/ Kristies??

SALA

colors

Big windows

living room

Furn arrangement

Small living room area

TV over Fireplace

colors

Fireplace an tv

+1

Fpw

Sehpa

See mantel for heat deferral

Sofas

fireplace/tv arrangement

Fireplace with recessed tv

TV, mantel and fireplace

Fireplace

Lindo

mjki

Double sliding glass doors

Sala

Like the sofa

:) this makes me smile

like windows

7

Jolene - fireplace

Sofa/pillows

Windows

windows

tv -fireplace combo plus furniture layout

Living room

Fireplace

Love the patterns on the pillows.

Mantle

colors!

Windows.

fireplace/tv

glass walls!

Cushions

Fireplace

Цвета и их сочетание

Like windows

Windows

fireplace + TV

Fireplace wall

Tv

windows, fireplace, mantel

white and blue.. love the cushions!

fpl tv mantle

Mantle

love the sofa and colors

Window

another fireplace wall idea for Mississauga

Blue with wood and white sofa's

Color combination

Windows

windows

Love the sofa

Create a comfy seating area in another spot by using two facing sofas pulled perpendicular to a wall, and finish the arrangement with a big rug (or even two rugs layered together) to add softness.

colours

can we do this?

Colours, patterns and brightness give cosiness to this modern living room!

Doors

Windows

télé & foyer

Fireplace and tv orientation

again good colors

Colors.

Living room layout

المدفأة والتلفزيون

Position of furniture

Lamp

I like how the half-height fireplace allows the TV to be lower and closer to ideal viewing height. If the TV is too high, then watching for extended time causes eye strain.

Fireplace/TV SCALE with surrounding rock

Love the square coffee table.

Chimenea y tv

windows

Klaasafassaad

tv and chimney

tv lower

Colour scheme

Fireplace and TV are similar width (fp short and wide). Small shelf above fp could function as mantle.

Pillows

Tv built-in

Fireplace Wall

Ventanas

Fireplace??

Accentuate high ceiling with big furniture Modular coffee table=4 square tables

Tv over fireplace

Love the lamp

color scheme

Maybe table

Timber sliders

color scheme and seating layout

tv

Banke

layout

whole picture

Fire

TV over fireplace

sliding doors

Y

windows and seating

Space between tv and fireplace

pillows! Love!

Fireplace/tv

the dining room chair Saarinen dining chair comes in many fabrics and colors

Tv, fire place and mantel

Windows

wall of windows, interior

Living room