Country open concept living room in Sydney with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, exposed beam and vaulted.

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.

Point Lonsdale II

Stonehouse + Irons Architecture

Concrete block walls provide thermal mass for heating and defence agains hot summer. The subdued colours create a quiet and cosy space focussed around the fire. Timber joinery adds warmth and texture , framing the collections of books and collected objects.

COASTAL FARMHOUSE

Claridge Construction

Large contemporary open concept living room in Adelaide with white walls, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and vaulted.

Seattle Mid-Century Modern

ONE DAY DESIGN

Mid Century Modern living family great room in an open, spacious floor plan
This is an example of a large midcentury open concept living room in Seattle with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Meridian, Idaho Clark Falls Modern Farmhouse

Gardner Homes

This great room is filled with natural light thanks to the expansive windows and tall ceilings. Gorgeous beams and tongue/groove ceilings provide the perfect backdrop for the modern farmhouse esthetic. The horizontal stairway leading to the second level adds a slightly industrial touch to keep things fresh and modern, and compliments the updated gourmet kitchen. Floating built-in shelving allows the owners to personalize the space, while not detracting from the massive floor to ceiling brick fireplace that anchors the room.

Chequessett Neck Residence, Wellfleet, MA

Hammer Architects

Jim Westphalen
Photo of a large beach style living room in Boston with white walls, no tv, a ribbon fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Living Room

Coastal Signature Homes

The family room opens up from the kitchen and then again onto the back, screened in porch for an open floor plan that makes a cottage home seem wide open. The gray walls with transom windows and white trim are soothing; the brick fireplace with white surround is a stunning focal point. The hardwood floors set off the room. And then we have the ceiling - wow, what a ceiling - washed butt board and coffered. What a great gathering place for family and friends.

Living Room

GreenRose Design

Design ideas for a country living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Rustic Coastal Farmhouse

Southern Grace Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized country open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Monterey Vista Coastal Living Room

Beachy Boheme Interiors

This living room got an upgraded look with the help of new paint, furnishings, fireplace tiling and the installation of a bar area. Our clients like to party and they host very often... so they needed a space off the kitchen where adults can make a cocktail and have a conversation while listening to music. We accomplished this with conversation style seating around a coffee table. We designed a custom built-in bar area with wine storage and beverage fridge, and floating shelves for storing stemware and glasses. The fireplace also got an update with beachy glazed tile installed in a herringbone pattern and a rustic pine mantel. The homeowners are also love music and have a large collection of vinyl records. We commissioned a custom record storage cabinet from Hansen Concepts which is a piece of art and a conversation starter of its own. The record storage unit is made of raw edge wood and the drawers are engraved with the lyrics of the client's favorite songs. It's a masterpiece and will be an heirloom for sure.

The Avenues Arts and Crafts

Suzanne Childress Design

Large transitional formal enclosed living room in San Francisco with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and no tv.

Cape Cod classic contemporary

Carolyn Thayer interiors

Cary Hazlegrove
Design ideas for a beach style formal living room in Boston with grey walls, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

New York Transformation

Crisp Architects

Photography by Rob Karosis
Inspiration for a traditional enclosed living room in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and no tv.

San Carlos Treetop

Cathie Hong Interiors

What started as a kitchen and two-bathroom remodel evolved into a full home renovation plus conversion of the downstairs unfinished basement into a permitted first story addition, complete with family room, guest suite, mudroom, and a new front entrance. We married the midcentury modern architecture with vintage, eclectic details and thoughtful materials.

Trevaylor Cottage

Lydia Allen Interiors

Inspiration for a small eclectic living room in Cornwall with a library, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Pamona Lake- Living Room

Lindy Design Build

This long space needed flexibility above all else. As frequent hosts to their extended family, we made sure there was plenty of seating to go around, but also met their day-to-day needs with intimate groupings. Much like the kitchen, the family room strikes a balance between the warm brick tones of the fireplace and the handsome green wall finish. Not wanting to miss an opportunity for spunk, we introduced an intricate geometric pattern onto the accent wall giving us a perfect backdrop for the clean lines of the mid-century inspired furniture pieces.

LIBRARY-LOWER LEVEL LIVING

Princeton Design Collaborative

This is a basement renovation transforms the space into a Library for a client's personal book collection . Space includes all LED lighting , cork floorings , Reading area (pictured) and fireplace nook .

Ranch Pass Residence

DK Studio

The Ranch Pass Project consisted of architectural design services for a new home of around 3,400 square feet. The design of the new house includes four bedrooms, one office, a living room, dining room, kitchen, scullery, laundry/mud room, upstairs children’s playroom and a three-car garage, including the design of built-in cabinets throughout. The design style is traditional with Northeast turn-of-the-century architectural elements and a white brick exterior. Design challenges encountered with this project included working with a flood plain encroachment in the property as well as situating the house appropriately in relation to the street and everyday use of the site. The design solution was to site the home to the east of the property, to allow easy vehicle access, views of the site and minimal tree disturbance while accommodating the flood plain accordingly.

Lakefront Beauty

Jeff Puckett Construction Inc

Large living area with indoor/outdoor space. Folding NanaWall opens to porch for entertaining or outdoor enjoyment.
Large country open concept living room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, coffered and planked wall panelling.

All Fireplaces Living Room Design Photos with a Brick Fireplace Surround

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.