Sunken Living Room toward Fireplace
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Denver with a music area, multi-coloured walls, travertine floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv, grey floor, wood and brick walls.

Ocean Beach San Diego Remodel

Design Intervention

After picture of living room expansion and remodel
Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in San Diego with a music area, grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and grey floor.

Marina del Rey - High Rise Penthouse

Overland Remodeling & Builders

recessed wall mounted TV, contemporary Fireplace, laminate flooring
This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Los Angeles with a music area, white walls, laminate floors, a hanging fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and grey floor.

A Serene Sanctuary

Cantoni Los Angeles

A longtime Cantoni client works with design consultant Bernadette Capellaro to bring a boundless approach to natural living in Beverly Hills. To read the full story, click here: https://www.cantoni.com/topic/serene-sanctuary.do?sortby=ourPicks Photos By: Amy Bartlam

West Kilburn

Elgin & Ellis Limited

Design: Hannah Atcheson Photos: David Parmiter
This is an example of a contemporary living room in Other with a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a music area, beige walls and a freestanding tv.

Amaryllis

User

Amaryllis is almost beyond description; the entire back of the home opens seamlessly to a gigantic covered entertainment lanai and can only be described as a visual testament to the indoor/outdoor aesthetic which is commonly a part of our designs. This home includes four bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms. Additional features include a theatre room, a separate private spa room near the swimming pool, a very large open kitchen, family room, and dining spaces that coupled with a huge master suite with adjacent flex space. The bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs flank a large entertaining space which seamlessly flows out to the second floor lounge balcony terrace. Outdoor entertaining will not be a problem in this home since almost every room on the first floor opens to the lanai and swimming pool. 4,516 square feet of air conditioned space is enveloped in the total square footage of 6,417 under roof area.

Holloway Home - Fall 2012

Key Residential

LAIR Architectural + Interior Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary living room in Dallas with a music area and white walls.

Gracefully Modern

Design Loft Company

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in San Francisco with a music area, white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor, vaulted and wood walls.

Whitmore Apartment in Fitzrovia

Studio Vranicki

Inspiration for a contemporary living room in London with a music area, white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Brookline Townhouse

Sean Litchfield Photography

Sean Litchfield
This is an example of a contemporary enclosed living room in New York with a music area.

Luxury Condo

Edwin Pepper & Associates

Interior Designer: Karen Pepper Photo by: Alise O'Brien
Large contemporary open concept living room in St Louis with a music area, beige walls and medium hardwood floors.

Living Room - Contemporary

AMI Design

Transitional living room design with contemporary fireplace mantel. Custom made fireplace screen.
Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a music area, medium hardwood floors and no tv.

New built Hampstead home

VORBILD Architecture

We inherited the planning permission from another team. Then we helped our client and his building team to adapt it for construction. It was actually quite challenging as it is not your usual new build. This stylish open-plan kitchen and living area feels bright and expressive thanks to a large frameless skylight that brings in tree-filtered light and adds real vertical drama. A deep green velvet L-shaped sofa with blush pink and patterned cushions defines the lounge zone, softened by a pale rug and grounded by a striking natural wood slab coffee table. The far wall is full of personality: a wall-mounted acoustic guitar, playful graphic art, and a skateboard deck create a laid-back, creative energy. Below, a black media console and open vinyl storage unit showcase an impressive record collection, giving this space a cool, music-loving identity. To the left, a bold abstract artwork in rich blue and yellow sits above a record player and more vinyls — layered textures and colour everywhere you look. A projector hints at cozy movie nights, while the hanging feature light bulbs above the timber dining table add warmth and visual rhythm to the space. On the right, sleek handleless cabinetry conceals the kitchen appliances, keeping the design calm and uninterrupted. A large window adds cross-lighting and frames the brick exterior beyond, subtly reminding you you’re still in central London. This gorgeous small newly built house had to fit in within its historic surroundings, both with its materials but also scale and rather unusual shape. The start on-site happened in April 2021 and the building was finally completed in late 2022.

Hollywood Hills

TNT Simmonds

Hollywood Hills Rennovation
Inspiration for a contemporary living room in Los Angeles with a music area, beige walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Living Room

De Meza + Architecture

This custom home was thoughtfully designed for a young, active family in the heart of wine country. Designed to address the clients’ desire for indoor / outdoor living, the home embraces its surroundings and is sited to take full advantage of the panoramic views and outdoor entertaining spaces. The interior space of the three bedroom, 2.5 bath home is divided into three distinct zones: a public living area; a two bedroom suite; and a separate master suite, which includes an art studio. Casually relaxed, yet startlingly original, the structure gains impact through the sometimes surprising choice of materials, which include field stone, integral concrete floors, glass walls, Honduras mahogany veneers and a copper clad central fireplace. This house showcases the best of modern design while becoming an integral part of its spectacular setting.

Rénovation d'un appartement pour un papa et sa fille

ADC l'atelier d'à côté

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Paris with a music area, blue walls, medium hardwood floors and a corner tv.

Wandsworth Town House

Godrich Interiors

Inspiration for a large contemporary living room in London with a music area, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a corner tv, green walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Квартира на Крестовском

Maxim Maximov

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room with a music area, grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Nikki Klugh Design Group

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in San Diego with a music area, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Studio Retreat

studioWTA

Sara Essex Bradley
Small contemporary open concept living room in New Orleans with a music area, white walls, no fireplace and no tv.

Contemporary Living Room Design Photos with a Music Area

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 contemporary 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 contemporary living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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.