Large traditional living room in St Louis with beige walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, a plaster fireplace surround and beige floor.

Tarpon Springs Luxury Vinyl Tile Project

Floor Coverings International of East Lake

Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Tampa with yellow walls and vinyl floors.

Rustic Ramble Cottage

Dillard-Jones Builders, LLC

Inspiro 8 Studios
Large traditional open concept living room in Other with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Old Metairie, Hotard General Contracting

Jefferson Door Company

Jefferson Door supplied: windows (krestmark), interior door (Masonite), exterior doors, crown moulding, baseboards, columns (HB&G Building Products, Inc.), stair parts and door hardware. Builder: Hotard General Contracting jeffersondoor.com

Our Work

Joe Robb Custom Homes

Inspiration for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Other with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Custom Murphy Bed

The Closet Company

Custom Maple Murphy Bed. Queen mattress with bookshelves on each side.
Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Nashville with beige walls and dark hardwood floors.

Built-Ins & Entertainment Units

Xavier's Collection Fine Cabinetry

Photo of a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Miami with beige walls, marble floors, no fireplace, no tv and beige floor.

Mahone Bay Cottage

Premiere Contracting & Remodeling

Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Other with yellow walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Bell Springs Ranch

P.S. Designs, Inc.

Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Austin with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and terra-cotta floors.

At Ease in the Suburbs

B Fein Interiors LLC

SGM Photography
Large traditional formal open concept living room in Other with a standard fireplace, beige walls, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Newton Centre Transitional Living Room

LW Interiors

Eric Roth Photography
Large traditional open concept living room in Boston with yellow walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Barringham

Bachly Construction

Inspiration for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Toronto with white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Olivenhain Cottage

DZN Partners

The great room viewed from the entry. Photo: Marisa Smith
Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in San Diego with a music area, yellow walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Ocean Front - Corona Del Mar

Steven Mason Construction, Inc.

LB Photo's
Design ideas for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Orange County with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and no tv.

Moneyhill, St. Tammany

Alternative Design/Build Group, LLC

Large traditional open concept living room in New Orleans with beige walls and porcelain floors.

Royal Kahala Campaign Living Room

Tommy Bahama Home

The Royal Kahala living room is named after the spectacular oceanfront enclave on the island of Oahu, representing the most refined and elegant lifestyles within the Tommy Bahama Home portfolio. Two striped accent tables made of real coco shell take center stage, while neutral toned motifs enhance the look.

Summit - Hillsborough

HOME Stagers, Inc.

Inspiration for a large traditional formal open concept living room in San Francisco with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown walls, no tv and brown floor.

Greenwich Waterfront Shingle

VanderHorn Architects

Restrained architectural details create a subtle elegance in the Living Room, where transom-topped French doors project outwards to frame views of the Sound beyond. Gracefully keyed archtop cabinets and painted wood paneling flank the intricately detailed fireplace surround.

Georgetown - Low Country Neighborhood

Visbeen Architects

With porches on every side, the “Georgetown” is designed for enjoying the natural surroundings. The main level of the home is characterized by wide open spaces, with connected kitchen, dining, and living areas, all leading onto the various outdoor patios. The main floor master bedroom occupies one entire wing of the home, along with an additional bedroom suite. The upper level features two bedroom suites and a bunk room, with space over the detached garage providing a private guest suite.

Distinguished Custom home by Ahmann Design, Inc.

Ahmann Design, Inc.

Ahmann Design, Inc.
Design ideas for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Cedar Rapids with porcelain floors and a wood fireplace surround.

Large Traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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.