Relaxed and light filled family living and dining room with leafy bay-side views.
This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove and a metal fireplace surround.

Tucked In Cottage On Bunker Hill

S.Flynn Design + Build

Open Living Room with Fireplace Storage, Wood Burning Stove and Book Shelf.
Photo of a small contemporary formal open concept living room in Cleveland with white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a wall-mounted tv and vaulted.

Zig Zag Roof House

Henry Woide

Photographer: Henry Woide - www.henrywoide.co.uk Architecture: 4SArchitecture
Small contemporary formal enclosed living room in London with blue walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround and a corner tv.

Two Pavilions House

Tom Robertson Architects

Lillie Thompson
Photo of a large contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a wood stove and grey floor.

Home in the Woods, Christian Brown Architect

Westphalen Photography

Jim Westphalen
Photo of a contemporary formal living room in Burlington with a wall-mounted tv, green walls and a wood stove.

Sioux Falls Residence

David Heide Design Studio

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio – Photos: Susan Gilmore
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Minneapolis with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove and brown floor.

Contemporary Living Room

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors and a wood stove.

Casa M

BARRETT STUDIO architects

Inspired by modern Mexican architect Barragan, this home's composed rectilinear volumes are accented with bright pops of red, green, and orange, bringing whimsy to order. Built of the innovative environmentally friendly thick-wall material Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, the passively solar sited home is well insulated, acoustically sound, and fire resistant. Photos: Maggie Flickinger

Weybridge Family Home

LT Designs

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in Surrey with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, no tv and wallpaper.

Haus K

STUDIO HANSEN

Design ideas for an expansive contemporary loft-style living room in Berlin with a library, white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Whitechapel House

Brian O'Tuama Architects

Siobhan Doran
Inspiration for a small contemporary living room in London with white walls, a freestanding tv, grey floor and a wood stove.

Briarwood Road

Granit Architects + Interiors

Photo Credit: Andy Beasley Bespoke joinery is one of the best ways to add value to your property. Pieces that fit perfectly into your rooms can be re painted in the future to change up the space. A wood burner adds a nice cosy feel to the space with clever storage of the logs whilst still making a nice feature to look at. Building a media unit around your TV for storage is not only a smart storage idea, but it is neat and can be colour coordinated to look even more together. A polished concrete plinth below a toasty log burner perfect for snuggling up to read on a long winter night, the plinth elevates the burner and directs the warmth your way. Polished concrete is a contemporary material with long lasting and hard wearing properties, while adding to the industrial feel of this property. Rough cut logs waiting to be thrown on the fire add natural texture that contrasts and compliments the plain flat surfaces of this contemporary home.

Knoll House

Elizabeth Herrmann architecture + design

Jim Westphalen
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Burlington with white walls, concrete floors, grey floor, a wood stove and no tv.

LERRIG

Brennan Furlong Architects & Urban Planners

Richard Hatch Photography
Photo of a contemporary living room in Dublin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove and brown floor.

Basingstoke Snug Lounge

Laura Porter Interior Design

This is an example of a small contemporary open concept living room in Hampshire with grey walls, a wood stove, a plaster fireplace surround and brown floor.

Mid Century Modern Living Room

My Bespoke Room

Design ideas for a contemporary living room in London with white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a freestanding tv, beige floor and exposed beam.

Intimiser une très grande pièce de vie

Flore Huguet Intérieurs

Design ideas for an expansive contemporary open concept living room in Bordeaux with blue walls, ceramic floors, a wood stove, a concealed tv and beige floor.

Derbyshire Extension

Gail Marsden Interior Design

Craig Magee Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary living room in Cheshire with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a freestanding tv and beige floor.

Niels & Karen, Norbiton

Thomas Davies Kitchens

Stack London Ltd
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary living room in London with grey walls, a wood stove, a plaster fireplace surround, beige floor and medium hardwood floors.

Muswell Hill

Caz Myers Design

Inspiration for a contemporary formal enclosed living room in London with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a metal fireplace surround and grey floor.

Contemporary Living Room Design Photos with a Wood Stove

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.