Beautiful all day, stunning by dusk, this luxurious Point Piper renovation is a quintessential ‘Sydney experience’. An enclave of relaxed understated elegance, the art-filled living level flows seamlessly out to terraces surrounded by lush gardens.

Lyons - Risdon Pl

Chapman Built

Custom gas fireplace, stone cladding, sheer curtains
Contemporary formal open concept living room in Canberra - Queanbeyan with carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, white walls, a freestanding tv and beige floor.

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.

Central Residence

Dylan Barber Building Design

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Geelong with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Napoleon Fireplace Design Gallery

Wyckoff Heating Cooling

Large country formal open concept living room in Other with brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Catalina Plus Model

Hallmark Homes

Doug Peterson Photography
Transitional formal living room in Boise with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and no tv.

Tiger Lily Lane

R.P. Morrison Builders, Inc.

Transitional formal living room in Portland Maine with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and no tv.

Coastal Living Room: Robeson Design

Robeson Design

Custom furniture, paintings and iron screens elevate the room when combined with the visual interest of geometric patterned light fixtures and horizontal striped curtains in a variation of colors. Beautiful espresso walnut hardwood flooring was installed, and we finished with a coffee table complete with spoke detailing. For the full tour, visit us at Robeson Design

Living Room Hardwood Floors

CMC Hardwood Floors

European Oak supplied, installed, sanded and finished on site with Rubio Monocoat custom blend finish.
Inspiration for a country formal open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

London Townhouse

Lisette Voute Designs

The living room in shades of pale blue and green. Patterned prints across the furnishings add depth to the space and provide cosy seating areas around the room. The built in bookcases provide useful storage and give a sense of height to the room, framing the fireplace with its textured brick surround. Dark oak wood flooring offers warmth throughout.

Chelsea Townhouse renovation

Tim Clarke-Payton.com

Tim Clarke-Payton
Inspiration for a large transitional formal enclosed living room in London with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, no tv, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Mountain Meadow

Carrick Custom Home Design

Rebecca Westover
Design ideas for a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Living Room

Amy Kartheiser Design

Mid-sized transitional formal living room in Chicago with dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround, grey walls and a standard fireplace.

Traditional Living Room

Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Atlanta with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Ridgewood Great Room

Ethan Allen of River Edge, NJ

Inspiration for an expansive transitional formal enclosed living room in Orange County with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Rye Transitional home

Lorraine Levinson Interior Design

Photo of a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

West Hills 24

Otto/Walker Architects

Large contemporary formal open concept living room in Salt Lake City with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, white walls and no tv.

Custom Home in Black Rock Estates

Custom Home Group

Jason Sandy www.AngleEyePhotography.com
Photo of a traditional formal open concept living room in Other with a standard fireplace.

Contemporary Living Room

Photo of a contemporary formal living room in Los Angeles with grey walls and a standard fireplace.

Lounge Bittersweet Rug

Company C

Circles of many hues, some striped, some color-blocked, in a crisp grid on a neutral ground, are fun yet work in a wide range of settings. This kind of rug easily ties together all the colors of a room, or adds pop in a neutral scheme. The circles are both loop and pile, against a loop ground, and there are hints of rayon in the wool circles, giving them a bit of a sheen and adding to the textural variation. You’ll find an autumnal palette of golden Dijon, ripe Bittersweet, spiced Paprika and warm Mushroom brown running throughout this collection. Also featuring Camden Sofa and Madison Chair with ottoman in our Cascade fabric.

Formal Living Room Design Photos with a Standard Fireplace

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.