After a decade of being bi-coastal, my clients decided to retire from the east coast to the west. But the task of packing up a whole lifetime in a home was quite daunting so they hired me to comb through their furniture and accessories to see what could fit, what should be left behind, and what should make the move. The job proved difficult since my clients have a wealth of absolutely gorgeous objects and furnishings collected from trips to exotic, far-flung locales like Nepal, or inherited from relatives in England. It was tough to pare down, but after hours of diligent measuring, I mapped out what would migrate west and where it would be placed once here, and I filled in some blank spaces with new pieces. They bought their recent Craftsman-style home from the contractor who had designed and built it for his family. The only architectural work we did was to transform the den at the rear of the house into a television/garden room. My clients did not want the television to be on display, and sticking a TV in an armoire just doesn’t cut it anymore. I recommended installing a hidden, mirror TV with accompanying invisible in-wall speakers. To do this, we removed an unnecessary small door in the corner of the room to free up the entire wall. Now, at the touch of a remote, what looks like a beautiful wall mirror mounted over a Japanese tansu console comes to life, and sound magically floats out from the wall around it! We also replaced a bank of windows with French doors to allow easy access to the garden. While the house is extremely well made, the interiors were bland. The warm woodwork was lost in a sea of beige, so I chose a deep aqua color palette for the front rooms of the house which makes the woodwork sing. And we discovered a wonderful art niche over the fireplace that the previous owners had covered with a framed print. Conversely, a warm color palette in the TV room contrasts nicely with the greenery from the garden seen through the new French doors. Photo by Bernardo Grijalva

Pippin Design

Ptidesign

Inspiration for a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Charlotte with orange walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a metal fireplace surround.

Ana Donohue Interiors

Living Room Michael J. Lee Photography
Photo of a mid-sized eclectic formal enclosed living room in Boston with orange walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Give Me Shelter

Give Me Shelter Design, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic enclosed living room in Los Angeles with a home bar, light hardwood floors, no tv and orange walls.

My House

Hannah Dee Interiors

Julia Staples Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic formal enclosed living room in Philadelphia with orange walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a freestanding tv.

Дубрава

Кира Чувелева

Inspiration for an eclectic living room in Moscow with orange walls and dark hardwood floors.

East meets West

Lyric Space

Under a Bushel Photography
Photo of a large eclectic formal open concept living room in DC Metro with orange walls, carpet, no fireplace and no tv.

Brooklyn Heights Historical Home

Amanda Riedel Designs

Mid-sized eclectic living room in New York with orange walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Historic Osbourne Apartment

Ruth Kintzer Interior Design

Photo of an eclectic formal living room in New York with orange walls.

Newtown Victorian Remodeling

Frazier Associates

The original columned wood mantel with tile surround and mirror were stripped of paint and restored to its stained wood finish. Book shelves were added, creating a cozy new living room/library.

Colorful studio apartment

Crewzz, Inc

Terracota living room with gallery wall and bold sofa.
Inspiration for a small eclectic open concept living room in Los Angeles with orange walls, no fireplace, no tv, beige floor and light hardwood floors.

Mullican Mount Castle Oak Brownstone Hardwood Flooring

Qualityflooring4less.com

Mullican Mt Castle Oak Brownstone Hardwood Flooring is a lovely medium hardwood - perfect for this contemporary living room.
This is an example of an eclectic living room in San Francisco with orange walls and medium hardwood floors.

Watermill Farmhouse

Sea Green Designs

farmhouse dining room with a view to the living room combining warm tones and eclectic mid-century pieces with coastal influence. Photo by Shannon Willey

Fun and Eclectic Lounge

Eco Choice Interiors

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic enclosed living room in Atlanta with orange walls, carpet, no fireplace and a freestanding tv.

Extension

Alexandra JULIEN | Feng Shui

Extension sur terrasse et jardin avec des baies vitrées en acier galvanisé thermolaqué.
Mid-sized eclectic open concept living room with orange walls, ceramic floors, grey floor and brick walls.

Eclectic Living Room

SVM Interiors Ltd

This 5 bedroom home was furnished for clients that lived out of the country and they wanted to AirBnB it when they were not here. It was important for them to maintain some character and their own style, which is a mix of modern and arts and crafts, with some Art Deco accents.

Our Rugs Featured

David Adler

Mid-sized eclectic formal enclosed living room in Phoenix with orange walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

1930s Bungalow Living Room

User

Photo: Kristian Walker Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic formal enclosed living room in Detroit with orange walls, carpet, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

Zetcher Colorful House | Century Woods

RLB Architecture

Photo of a large eclectic formal enclosed living room in Los Angeles with orange walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Mexican project - Tunbridge Wells

Amelia Laura Interior Design

Design ideas for an eclectic living room in Kent with orange walls, carpet, a tile fireplace surround, white floor and wallpaper.

Eclectic Living Room Design Photos with Orange 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 eclectic 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 eclectic living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which eclectic 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 eclectic 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 eclectic 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 eclectic 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.