Living room - mid-sized southwestern formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in Phoenix with white walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Alan Lee
Example of a mid-sized southwest l-shaped porcelain tile eat-in kitchen design with a single-bowl sink, beaded inset cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Minimalist home design photo in Seattle

Mystery, elegance: this could be a possible description for the Seta Liquorice collection which combines the tactile experience of silk with ceramic technology. Inspired by the softness of fabric and the light reflected in its folds, Laminam slab in Liquorice tone conveys aesthetic and visual continuity when used for flooring and claddings that involve the use of intense and unconventional shades.

Example of a beach style patio design in San Diego

Diva

Neutral master bedroom dresser vignette.
Mid-sized eclectic master carpeted and beige floor bedroom photo in San Diego with gray walls

Example of a transitional powder room design in Portland

Advice on interior design is available everywhere—from TV shows and websites to books, magazines and apps. We love seeing people become engaged in design and educated on the wide range of possibilities. But we hope you’ll proceed with caution. It’s not that style errors are a matter of life and death. It’s just that it’s easy to choose designs that aren’t necessarily reflective of your own personality and character. And since you’re typically stuck with your interior design decisions for years, styles that don’t quite fit can tend to grate on you. Interiors that give one person comfort may unleash chaos in someone else. This goes beyond favorite colors or hot trends, right to the heart of interior design, where you find questions of composition, balance, repetition, space and more. The goal is to find that unique combination of design elements that gives you comfort, support and balance. In one home, that perfect balance was struck through the use of symmetry. A pair of comfortable swivel chairs sit beneath matching indigo patterned paintings. Matching bookcases below the paintings contain similar, but not identical, arrangements of books, vases and bowls. Woods and bronzes help warm up the simple white bookcase shelving. Two matching poufs in front of the fireplace provide additional seating. The sofa is accented with a pair of pillows with a blue pattern that echoes the artwork. The effect of the symmetry is to achieve order and simplicity, which I promote at every opportunity. After all, your home interiors should be the setting or the backdrop of your life—not center stage. Antique bronze and blue are complementary colors. Together, they offer a rich palette of richness and depth, which brings out the beauty of wood and stone. In the home office, a unique, whitewash-stained wooden desk rests on metal, Sawhorse-inspired legs for a warm, rustic look. The black leather chair features a contemporary silhouette with an antique brass frame. An adjustable desk lamp has bronze accents. The bookcase combines a sleek, black metal frame with concrete shelves, for another unusual pairing. It’s kept uncluttered for an orderly, peaceful look. Items on the shelves include a bronze-accented lamp and a pair of high gloss-finished wooden bookends. The elegant artwork behind the desk is a simple midnight-blue and bronze with mottled white. Deep blues are again picked up in the rug, which adds a stately vibe with a modern pattern and satisfying texture. Within the framework of symmetry, the living room repeats the blue-and-bronze color scheme. A large midcentury brass clock above the fireplace keeps the natural stone visible, rather than hidden behind a painting or television, while its straight lines and color create a beautiful contrast. The sofa is a soft, neutral blue. The pattern on the round brass side table features echoes the darker blue-patterned rug, as well as the rug in the office, tying the rooms together. Indigo blue books adjacent to bronze vases on the shelves repeat the color scheme. The soapstone-topped coffee table echoes the shape of the fireplace. A pair of tall, matching floor lamps with long wooden bases, brass pulls and simple linen shades combine both the colors and symmetry found throughout the home.

Living room - living room idea in New York

Trendy living room photo in Phoenix

Mid-sized transitional 3/4 beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and beige floor alcove shower photo in Milwaukee with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Example of a classic home design design in Raleigh

Adrien Beaudet
Inspiration for a mid-sized mid-century modern open concept medium tone wood floor living room library remodel in Montreal with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

Living room - mid-sized modern enclosed dark wood floor, brown floor, exposed beam and wall paneling living room idea in Amsterdam with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a concealed tv