- Living
Living Design Ideas
These choices will directly affect the quality of your evenings as you wind down from the daily grind.
While planning a renovation or redesign, weigh up the priorities of seating, heating, an entertainment unit and bookcases. Identify your main activity in the room and and design around that. Many living rooms aren't complete without a fireplace, but if you can't accommodate that, invest in built-in or furniture that suits your home. Common trends include Danish furniture and other kinds of Scandinavian furniture. Plush sofas, recliner chairs and sofa beds will always be popular. Finally, when the big components are planned out, think about what colour scheme and decor will best suit you and your family. If needed, an interior designer can help here.
Should I include a fireplace in my living room or family room?
Depending on your climate, a fireplace might be a great way to add warmth and interest to your living space. Even if your location is warm year-round, you can always add a faux fireplace or nonfunctioning fireplace as part of your decor. There are many options to choose from, so be sure to check them out. A wood-burning fireplace gives an authentic experience, though a gas one still emits heat without the mess. A double-sided or corner unit strays from the ordinary, or you can go with a wood stove fireplace if you're looking for a piece of art. If you want a contemporary touch, veer away from the traditional wood or tile mantel by going with stone, concrete or metal instead.
What kind of built-ins should I add to my living room?
Although it might not seem glamorous, having enough storage is instrumental when it comes to keeping the room organised and practical. Built-in bookcases, shelves and cabinets are a great way to add hidden, functional storage for all the knickknacks you accumulate. Movie and gaming buffs will love a custom entertainment centre, with enough cabinets for movies, speakers and electronic accessories; you can even create a media room with a projector and lounge chairs! If you still have room to spare, include a booth for homework or craft projects.
How do I decorate my home interiors?
When it comes to decorating, neutrals are always the safe option because they look good and never go out of style. They also give any artwork you hang enough breathing space. If you do want to try out a bolder colour scheme, add colour with walls and accessories. That way, if you get sick of a colour, you can quickly repaint the walls and find new knickknacks, instead of having to replace your sofas every time trends change. Popular colours include blue, green and grey, but don't be afraid to try bright colours like red or yellow, even if it's just on an accent wall. Finally, make sure there is plenty of light. Recessed or track lighting are great ways to hit every corner — better yet, add more natural light by installing additional windows or a skylight.
Whether you want inspiration for planning a living renovation or are building a designer living from scratch, Houzz has 2,007,553 images from the best designers, decorators, and architects in the country, including Joe Adsett Architects Pty Ltd and Ceramiche Supergres. Look through living photos in different colours and styles and when you find a living design that inspires you, save it to an Ideabook or contact the Pro who made it happen to see what kind of design ideas they have for your home. Explore the beautiful living ideas photo gallery and find out exactly why Houzz is the best experience for home renovation and design.
- Medium Hardwood (156876)
- Light Hardwood (106824)
- Dark Hardwood (105395)
- Carpet (60521)
- Porcelain Tile (19191)
- Ceramic Tile (19017)
- Concrete (16926)
- Laminate (8258)
- Marble (6947)
- Travertine (5681)
- Vinyl (5315)
- Painted Wood (3681)
- Limestone (3377)
- Slate (2609)
- Terracotta Tile (2523)
- Bamboo (2517)
- Plywood (1752)
- Tatami (1130)
- Linoleum (850)
- Brick (782)
- Cork (599)
Photography by Martina Gemmola
Transitional open concept living room in Melbourne with black walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.
Love the mix of old and new, my house will be small so black is too dark but like the look for a reading room or library - deanne_glayde
Timber Feature Staircase alongside small living room / guest waiting area
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Gold Coast - Tweed with white walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.
Stairs - webuser_1356792
Tom Roe
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor and a standard fireplace.
lamp, chair, not the artwork. Couch looks comfy - kate_morris87
Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in Brisbane with white walls, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, dark hardwood floors and a ribbon fireplace.
Mix of dark floor with light finishes - tim_evans72
Tracii Wearne
Design ideas for a large transitional open concept family room in Melbourne with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, medium hardwood floors and yellow floor.
I think it is the textures in this photo - nicola_brown
Photo of a contemporary living room in Sydney with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.
Curl Curl 02 Contemporary Bathroom, Sydney - rossco192
Design ideas for a contemporary living room in Melbourne with white walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.
keep grey couch but loosely match colour of arm chairs with cushions and other accents eg blue or dark green - elena_dagis
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Geelong with white walls, concrete floors, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.
Coast Homes
This is an example of a beach style formal open concept living room in Perth with grey walls, no fireplace, no tv and grey floor.
contrasting colours, including the couch - cycletillithurts
Pavimento versatile che unisce essenzialità contemporanea al gusto del dettaglio ricercato
This is an example of a beach style open concept family room in Perth with grey walls and light hardwood floors.
flooring is really nice, colouring and styling - heike_sassenberg
Kath Heke Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized beach style enclosed family room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding tv and beige floor.
grey sofa, cushions, tables - lindaj7
Design ideas for a contemporary living room in Melbourne.
i like the statement otterman style and bold colour - kirsten_blake27
Inspiration for a transitional family room in Melbourne with white walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding tv and beige floor.
Black and neutrals. - helen_heaton5
Interior Design by Donna Guyler Design
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Gold Coast - Tweed with grey walls, porcelain floors, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.
Main living- couch, plant, cushion - josh_pyle83
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Melbourne with white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and beige floor.
сочетание цветов и цветовые акценты - grants007
Modern open concept living room in Brisbane with white walls, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.
Love the timber feature, could do a wall like this in the beach house main room - bcb148
This is an example of an eclectic formal enclosed living room in Sydney with blue walls, dark hardwood floors and black floor.
An amazing use of colour , furniture, art and objects. The placement of the lamp looks as though it is a part of the wonderful colourful artwork and links the collection of items into a photographic still-life art piece in its self.
. - peteofbirubi