Connie Anderson
This is an example of a small traditional formal enclosed living room in Houston with a stone fireplace surround, grey walls, a standard fireplace, no tv, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Baker Park

Est Est, Inc.

Transitional design blended with contemporary details.
Design ideas for a large mediterranean formal enclosed living room in Phoenix with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and white floor.

French Country Remodel and Addition, new Living Room

Hamilton Klow Architects

Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Los Angeles with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Our Work

Capo Fireside San Diego Design Center

Mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in San Diego with beige walls, travertine floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Country French Magazine

Katie Scott Design

This is an example of an enclosed living room in Houston with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Country French Magazine

Katie Scott Design

This is an example of an enclosed living room in Houston with beige walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

House in the Country

Dalia Canora Design, LLC

Jane Beiles Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in DC Metro with grey walls, a standard fireplace, carpet, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Mendota Design Gallery

Mendota Hearth

Mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Cedar Rapids with porcelain floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, grey walls, no tv and brown floor.

Arlington Heights - Small Space Packs Powerful Punch of Color

New Perspective Design, Inc.

This is an example of a small transitional enclosed living room in Chicago with blue walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Living Room

The White House Interiors

Simon Maxwell
Design ideas for a small country formal enclosed living room in Buckinghamshire with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Whitefish Vacation Retreat

Big Mountain Builders

Large country formal enclosed living room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Our Work

Apex Custom Fabrication

Large contemporary enclosed living room in Toronto with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and recessed.

Penthouse Living Room

Willoughby Construction

Inspiration for a large modern enclosed living room in Miami with grey walls, marble floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and grey floor.

Carlsbad Hacienda Chic

Astleford Interiors, Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic enclosed living room in San Diego with a music area, white walls, porcelain floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Spanish Colonial Revival

Agnes Agatha Home

Agnes Lopez of Posewell Studios
Large mediterranean formal enclosed living room in Jacksonville with limestone floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and no tv.

Trinity Place

User

Matt Clayton Photography
Transitional enclosed living room in London with black walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Spring Island

The Marler Company

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in Atlanta with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Gardener's Retreat

Lowell Custom Homes

Lowell Custom Homes, Lake Geneva, WI., The living room is inviting and warm with coral walls reflecting the custom color mix of the stone fireplace. Shaped stone slabs fireplace surround reflect the craftsman style. The ceiling has a beamed cove and is painted with a high sheen white. There is a comfortable seating area and another stone niche beside the fireplace for the television.

Port Credit

Cranberry Hill Kitchens

Photo Credit- Jackson Photography
Mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Toronto with a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, white walls and dark hardwood floors.

Residential Work

Norris Broyles Architects

Inspiration for a large mediterranean enclosed living room in Atlanta with yellow walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

All Fireplace Surrounds Enclosed Living Room Design Photos

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.