Living room with fireplace
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Sydney with green walls, dark hardwood floors and a tile fireplace surround.

Custom design and build

Horizon Homes

First impression count as you enter this custom-built Horizon Homes property at Kellyville. The home opens into a stylish entryway, with soaring double height ceilings. It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. And that’s literally true with this home. With the kitchen in the centre of the ground floor, this home provides ample formal and informal living spaces on the ground floor. At the rear of the house, a rumpus room, living room and dining room overlooking a large alfresco kitchen and dining area make this house the perfect entertainer. It’s functional, too, with a butler’s pantry, and laundry (with outdoor access) leading off the kitchen. There’s also a mudroom – with bespoke joinery – next to the garage. Upstairs is a mezzanine office area and four bedrooms, including a luxurious main suite with dressing room, ensuite and private balcony. Outdoor areas were important to the owners of this knockdown rebuild. While the house is large at almost 454m2, it fills only half the block. That means there’s a generous backyard. A central courtyard provides further outdoor space. Of course, this courtyard – as well as being a gorgeous focal point – has the added advantage of bringing light into the centre of the house.

60" x 20" Inkjet Print & Gallery Acrylic Facemount w/ aluminum cleat back frame

Artmill Group

Large contemporary open concept living room in Chicago with green walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.

tiburon home with Asian influence

Mahoney Architects & Interiors

Window seat with storage
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in San Francisco with green walls, carpet and no fireplace.

Séjour & Bibliothèque

La Compagnie de la Maison

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Paris with a library, green walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and decorative wall panelling.

French Riviera

Anne Chemineau - Decor Interieur

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Paris with green walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Kingston extension

VORBILD Architecture

Mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in London with a home bar, no fireplace, green walls, dark hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

Blackheath Project

Folds Inside Ltd

The clients of the Blackheath Project wanted to add colour and interest to the existing living space in their modern home. A bold green feature wall sits together beautifully with the stunning timber joinery and flooring. The green theme is continued with the addition of the cushions and lounge chairs, while contrasting accessories and art tie the space together.

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.

Triplex Paris 16

CECILE KOKOCINSKI STUDIO

Suite à une nouvelle acquisition cette ancien duplex a été transformé en triplex. Un étage pièce de vie, un étage pour les enfants pré ado et un étage pour les parents. Nous avons travaillé les volumes, la clarté, un look à la fois chaleureux et épuré Voici le deuxième salon, dédié à la TV, un immense canapé maxi confort qui peut accueillir toute la famille

Park

Erica Bryen Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in Orange County with green walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Ideal Home magazine

Ali Attenborough

Simon Whitmore
Inspiration for a contemporary living room in London with green walls, painted wood floors and white floor.

Hammersmith Grove

Domus Nova

Truly unique, this captivating seven-bedroom family home is a visual feast of arresting colours, textures, finishes and striking architecture – fortified by a playful nod to bygone design quirks like the 60s-style sunken seating area. Entirely open-plan, the ground floor kitchen, living, and dining space stretches out into a verdant garden through a wall of striking Crittall doors.

Dulux Colour Trends 2018

Dulux New Zealand

Wall in Dulux Herbalist. Styling by Bree Leech. Photography by Lisa Cohen.
Photo of a contemporary living room in Wellington with green walls and grey floor.

JCPenney Custom Window Treatment Designs

Lois Lambkin for JCPenney Window Treatments

Design ideas for a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Chicago with medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, green walls 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.

Design Projects

Anderson Carpet & Home Limited

Photo of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Toronto with green walls and carpet.

Ravenna 4 Star Built Green Renovation

LimeLite Development

4 Star Built Green Renovation in Seattle's Ravenna neighborhood- living room
Contemporary living room in Seattle with green walls.

RainShine House

Robert M. Cain, Architect

Photo: Paul Hultberg Floor of salvaged heart pine from 1800s stables, cabinet conceals media, low transom and high electronically operated transoms provide natural cooling

City Living on the Hudson

Gacek Design Group, Inc.

Gacek Design Group - City Living on the Hudson - Living space; Halkin Mason Photography, LLC
Design ideas for a contemporary open concept living room in New York with green walls, dark hardwood floors and black floor.

Contemporary Living Room Design Photos with Green Walls

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.