Contemporary living room in Austin with a brick fireplace surround.

Living room that has a difficult layout, I added one single piece of furniture in the space so it feels streamlined. Pillows with texture and minimal colors creates interest and serenity in the space. The brick was previously a bright color, we painted it white and sanded down the mantle to reveal the warm wood underneath.

Brookline Modernized Farmhouse

New England Design & Construction

Inspiration for a mid-sized country open concept living room in Boston with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Meade

Emily Dyer Design

Living Area
Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Nashville with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Rustic Modern Pod Home

Cannarsa Structure and Design

Inspiration for a country open concept living room with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Saul Zaik House

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

Midcentury open concept living room in Portland with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Gallatin Rustic Reclaimed Barn Wood Ceilings and Walls Re-model

Mark Templeton Designs, LLC

Completely renovated living room feature wall by the team at Mark Templeton Designs, LLC using over 100 year old reclaimed wood sourced in the southeast. On the opposite side, the feature reclaimed wood wall with custom bright white built in white shelving and moulding surround. Photo by Styling Spaces Home Re-design.

Modern Farmhouse, Auburn

Holland Homes LLC

Design ideas for a large country enclosed living room in Atlanta with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Jewel Street, East Point

Drake House Construction & Design

Photo of a small country formal open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Essex Farm House Rehab and Renovation

Walczak Design And Build

Photo of a mid-sized country enclosed living room in Boston with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and beige floor.

Chilmark Cape

Sherman Associates

Bob Gothard Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized country formal open concept living room in Boston with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Bohemian Craftsman

Sheila Mayden Interiors

WE Studio Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic enclosed living room in Seattle with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Oakley Bungalow Remodel - Asheville, NC

Align Design LLC

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Other with grey walls, laminate floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and white floor.

Sitting Rooms

Karen Alagna for The Living Room

Mid-sized eclectic formal open concept living room in Charleston with orange walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and multi-coloured floor.

Before and After Living spaces

OTW Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized country open concept living room in Oklahoma City with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Project Jojo

Abby at Lee Douglas Interiors

This is an example of a country formal open concept living room in Omaha with white walls, vinyl floors, a brick fireplace surround, beige floor and a standard fireplace.

Liz Hart Original Designs

Liz Hart Designs

Inspiration for a traditional formal living room in Richmond with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Four Seasin Ct Residence

DreamHome Staging & ReDesign

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in San Francisco with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and yellow floor.

Modern Farmhouse

Owen Homes LLC

Photo of a mid-sized country formal open concept living room in Kansas City with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and no tv.

Shaw Flooring Products

Floor Coverings International - Hillsborough

Mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in New York with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Brown Living Room Design Photos with a Brick Fireplace Surround

A living room, often referred to as a lounge room in Australia and New Zealand, is the hub of the home. If you only have one living room in the house, it’s likely to serve multiple purposes: be it a place to watch TV, play games, spend quality time with family or hang out with friends. If you have the luxury of two living areas, one is usually a formal living room or lounge room, reserved for reading, relaxing and entertaining. A successful living room design is inviting, has enough seating for the whole clan – a comfortable couch is a must – and encourages conversation. Browse photos on Houzz for living room layouts, furniture and decor, and strike up a conversation with the interior designers or architects of your favourite picks. For even more living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which living room layouts will work best for you?

Every living area will have design challenges. A long, narrow lounge room, for example, risks looking like a hallway if furniture is lined up against the walls. Instead, opt for small furniture items, like a cosy two-seater couch, and create various focal points throughout the space. In square living rooms, a symmetrical layout encourages a formal setting. Place seating on either side of the room, with a focal point in the middle to pull the room together. For a truly intimate vibe, replace your couch with some occasional chairs positioned around a coffee table or ottoman. This will make the main focus conversation. An open-plan home – one where the lines are blurred between kitchen, dining and living – may require a layout that focuses on definition. You’ll want to make sure furniture doesn’t block the flow between spaces, and instead use something like an area rug to create zones.

How can you decorate your living room?

The living room can be a place in which to show off your personality, but if you want a timeless living room scheme, stick to neutral walls, couches and ottomans. Colour can be added through accessories, and is a lot more interchangeable! Rugs, cushions and throws are great for adding colour, while mirrors, lamps and ceiling lights will set the mood. Make your living room unique by including family heirlooms and photos. For a polished look, try creating a coffee table vignette – you could use books as pedestals or group items together on a tray. Try adding a vase, a mixture of round and rectangular objects and some books.

What are some small living room ideas?

Small living room designs can be tricky to work with, but aren’t doomed to fail. Often, you just have to get creative with furniture. An open-back chaise can create a sense of spaciousness, while small side tables paired together can substitute a coffee table. Even better, an ottoman can be used as a footrest, coffee table or extra seating. Big furniture items like the couch are best kept in light colours, and if there’s room for a coffee table, a glass-top one is best. If you have two spaces in one – perhaps your living room sits in front of a single-wall kitchen – make sure they are connected by decor, colour and style. For definition, just add area rugs, or use your couch as a dividing wall. It’s worth having a few furniture pieces, whether a bookshelf, couch or entertainment unit, in the same colour as the walls, too, so they blend into the room and visually expand the space.

Is open-plan living for you?

Today’s homes often embrace open-plan living, whereby the living room runs off the kitchen and/or dining areas. Open-plan living allows greater functionality, but can risk creating a vast, soulless space if not done right. To avoid a cavernous feel in an open-plan design, define areas with furniture, rugs and lighting, or consider using a wall divider. Also be sure to keep flooring, lighting and materials consistent throughout, for cohesiveness. Noise may be an issue – someone banging pots and pans while you’re watching TV, for example – so include lots of soft furnishings, such as rugs, curtains and couches to help absorb the noise. You will also need to factor in plenty of storage, so mess is kept at bay.