Living Room with Grey Floors, Red Floors and Wood Walls Ideas and Designs

This is an example of a classic living room in Edinburgh with beige walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, red floors, wainscoting and wood walls.

polished concrete floor, gas fireplace, timber panelling,
Photo of a medium sized modern open plan living room in Melbourne with grey walls, concrete flooring, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a concealed tv, grey floors and wood walls.

After the second fallout of the Delta Variant amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in mid 2021, our team working from home, and our client in quarantine, SDA Architects conceived Japandi Home. The initial brief for the renovation of this pool house was for its interior to have an "immediate sense of serenity" that roused the feeling of being peaceful. Influenced by loneliness and angst during quarantine, SDA Architects explored themes of escapism and empathy which led to a “Japandi” style concept design – the nexus between “Scandinavian functionality” and “Japanese rustic minimalism” to invoke feelings of “art, nature and simplicity.” This merging of styles forms the perfect amalgamation of both function and form, centred on clean lines, bright spaces and light colours. Grounded by its emotional weight, poetic lyricism, and relaxed atmosphere; Japandi Home aesthetics focus on simplicity, natural elements, and comfort; minimalism that is both aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional. Japandi Home places special emphasis on sustainability through use of raw furnishings and a rejection of the one-time-use culture we have embraced for numerous decades. A plethora of natural materials, muted colours, clean lines and minimal, yet-well-curated furnishings have been employed to showcase beautiful craftsmanship – quality handmade pieces over quantitative throwaway items. A neutral colour palette compliments the soft and hard furnishings within, allowing the timeless pieces to breath and speak for themselves. These calming, tranquil and peaceful colours have been chosen so when accent colours are incorporated, they are done so in a meaningful yet subtle way. Japandi home isn’t sparse – it’s intentional. The integrated storage throughout – from the kitchen, to dining buffet, linen cupboard, window seat, entertainment unit, bed ensemble and walk-in wardrobe are key to reducing clutter and maintaining the zen-like sense of calm created by these clean lines and open spaces. The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” refers to the idea that ones home is your cosy sanctuary. Similarly, this ideology has been fused with the Japanese notion of “wabi-sabi”; the idea that there is beauty in imperfection. Hence, the marriage of these design styles is both founded on minimalism and comfort; easy-going yet sophisticated. Conversely, whilst Japanese styles can be considered “sleek” and Scandinavian, “rustic”, the richness of the Japanese neutral colour palette aids in preventing the stark, crisp palette of Scandinavian styles from feeling cold and clinical. Japandi Home’s introspective essence can ultimately be considered quite timely for the pandemic and was the quintessential lockdown project our team needed.

Main Living/Dining Area
Expansive contemporary open plan living room in Melbourne with concrete flooring, a brick fireplace surround, white walls, a wall mounted tv, grey floors and wood walls.

Design ideas for a modern open plan living room in Other with brown walls, grey floors, a vaulted ceiling and wood walls.

Salon vue sur mer, profitant d'une belle hauteur sous plafond. Les tons sont naturels et chaleureux offrant à l'espace clarté et sérénité.
Large contemporary grey and white open plan living room in Nantes with white walls, concrete flooring, grey floors and wood walls.

Rénovation d'un appartement - 106m²
Photo of a large contemporary open plan living room in Paris with a reading nook, brown walls, ceramic flooring, no fireplace, grey floors, a drop ceiling and wood walls.

This Hamptons Villa celebrates summer living by opening up onto a spacious lawn bordered by lush vegetation complete with a 20 m pool. The villa is positioned on the north end of the site and opens in a large swooping arch both in plan and in elevation to the south. Upon approaching the villa from the North, one is struck by the verboding monolithic and opaque quality of the form. However, from the south the villa is completely open and porous. Architecturally the villa speaks to the long tradition of gable roof residential architecture in the area. The villa is organized around a large double height great room which hosts all the social functions of the house; kitchen, dining, salon, library with loft and guestroom above. On either side of the great room are terraces that lead to the private master suite and bedrooms. As the program of the house gets more private the roof becomes lower. Hosting artists is an integral part of the culture of the Hamptons. As such our Villa provides for a spacious artist’s studio to use while in residency at the villa.

Contemporary living space. Photo by Nathalie Priem
Design ideas for an expansive contemporary open plan living room feature wall in Other with white walls, grey floors, travertine flooring, no fireplace, a built-in media unit and wood walls.

Living room refurbishment and timber window seat as part of the larger refurbishment and extension project.
Design ideas for a small contemporary grey and black open plan living room in London with a reading nook, white walls, light hardwood flooring, a wood burning stove, a timber clad chimney breast, a wall mounted tv, grey floors, a drop ceiling, wood walls and feature lighting.

Photo of a medium sized urban open plan living room in New York with a reading nook, concrete flooring, a standard fireplace, a plastered fireplace surround, grey floors, a wood ceiling, a vaulted ceiling, wood walls and grey walls.

Work designed and completed while working for another employer. The communal lounge and dining areas were designed to be a plush and inviting space, perfect for relaxing with loved ones. The colour palette was inspired by the stunning Keswick hills, bringing the beauty of nature indoors.

Internal view showing new glazed sunroom, velux skylights, underfloor heating, Fibonacci Stone floor tiles, Porta timber ceiling lining.
This is an example of a contemporary living room in Sydney with white walls, grey floors, a vaulted ceiling, a wood ceiling and wood walls.

A flexible exercise and living zone beneath a glazed roof, designed to capture daylight and framed views of the surrounding garden canopy, adding variety and pause within the open-plan layout.

Twelve Black is a contemporary family home designed for comfort, function and quiet drama. The design centres around a refined black palette, softened by natural light and grounded in durable, low-maintenance materials—ideal for a busy family lifestyle. Open-plan living spaces connect seamlessly to the outdoors, with a functional layout that balances communal areas and private retreat zones. Thoughtfully detailed joinery, built-in storage and a flexible kitchen and dining hub support modern day-to-day living. While bold in appearance, the home’s simplicity allows family life to take centre stage.

semi open living area with warm timber cladding and concealed ambient lighting
Inspiration for a small contemporary open plan living room in Perth with concrete flooring, grey floors, beige walls and wood walls.

Design ideas for a small rustic living room in Grenoble with a wood burning stove, grey floors, a timber clad ceiling and wood walls.

Inspiration for a contemporary open plan living room in Other with a standard fireplace, a plastered fireplace surround, a wall mounted tv, grey floors and wood walls.

After the second fallout of the Delta Variant amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic in mid 2021, our team working from home, and our client in quarantine, SDA Architects conceived Japandi Home. The initial brief for the renovation of this pool house was for its interior to have an "immediate sense of serenity" that roused the feeling of being peaceful. Influenced by loneliness and angst during quarantine, SDA Architects explored themes of escapism and empathy which led to a “Japandi” style concept design – the nexus between “Scandinavian functionality” and “Japanese rustic minimalism” to invoke feelings of “art, nature and simplicity.” This merging of styles forms the perfect amalgamation of both function and form, centred on clean lines, bright spaces and light colours. Grounded by its emotional weight, poetic lyricism, and relaxed atmosphere; Japandi Home aesthetics focus on simplicity, natural elements, and comfort; minimalism that is both aesthetically pleasing yet highly functional. Japandi Home places special emphasis on sustainability through use of raw furnishings and a rejection of the one-time-use culture we have embraced for numerous decades. A plethora of natural materials, muted colours, clean lines and minimal, yet-well-curated furnishings have been employed to showcase beautiful craftsmanship – quality handmade pieces over quantitative throwaway items. A neutral colour palette compliments the soft and hard furnishings within, allowing the timeless pieces to breath and speak for themselves. These calming, tranquil and peaceful colours have been chosen so when accent colours are incorporated, they are done so in a meaningful yet subtle way. Japandi home isn’t sparse – it’s intentional. The integrated storage throughout – from the kitchen, to dining buffet, linen cupboard, window seat, entertainment unit, bed ensemble and walk-in wardrobe are key to reducing clutter and maintaining the zen-like sense of calm created by these clean lines and open spaces. The Scandinavian concept of “hygge” refers to the idea that ones home is your cosy sanctuary. Similarly, this ideology has been fused with the Japanese notion of “wabi-sabi”; the idea that there is beauty in imperfection. Hence, the marriage of these design styles is both founded on minimalism and comfort; easy-going yet sophisticated. Conversely, whilst Japanese styles can be considered “sleek” and Scandinavian, “rustic”, the richness of the Japanese neutral colour palette aids in preventing the stark, crisp palette of Scandinavian styles from feeling cold and clinical. Japandi Home’s introspective essence can ultimately be considered quite timely for the pandemic and was the quintessential lockdown project our team needed.