Design ideas for a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Vancouver with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and grey floor.

Modern Walnut Creek Home

Kelly Tivey Interior Design

Photos by Brian Pettigrew Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern formal open concept living room in San Francisco with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

French Country with Rustic Flair in High Meadow Estates, Montgomery, TX

J.W. Neathery Custom Home Craftsman

Dramatic wall of windows and glass doors.
Inspiration for a large country formal open concept living room in Houston with medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and beige walls.

Sand Dollars

Polhemus Savery DaSilva

This is an example of a living room in Boston with a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and purple walls.

Durham Traditional Residence

LK Design NC

A bright living room in white and navy with a splash of yellow
This is an example of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Raleigh with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a freestanding tv, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

The Hills at Southshore New Home

A Creative Touch Draperies & Interiors

Living Room After Window Treatment installation
Inspiration for a large formal open concept living room in Denver with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Two-Story Pueblo Style Home

Pink Dwelling

Elisa Macomber
Photo of a small loft-style living room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

East meets West: living room redesign

ULLE Studio

This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, carpet, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Shingle Style Living room

LDa Architecture & Interiors

Photo of a traditional living room in Boston with a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Coastal Tones In Rosedale

CG&S Design-Build

Photography by Ryan Thayer Davis | CG&S Design-Build
Inspiration for a mid-sized beach style open concept living room in Austin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Queen Anne Bungalow Resurrection

Carl Mattison Design

Photography by Josh Vick
Traditional enclosed living room in Atlanta with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

LITTLE BURGUNDY HOME

HB DESIGN INC

Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian formal living room in Montreal with white walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Budget Friendly Condo Remodel

Essentia Interiors, Ltd.

Budget-friendly contemporary condo remodel with lively color block design motif is inspired by the homeowners modern art collection. Pet-friendly Fruitwood vinyl plank flooring flows from the kitchen throughout the public spaces and into the bath as a unifying element. Brushed aluminum thermofoil cabinetry provides a soft neutral in contrast to the highly-figured wood pattern in the flooring.

Coastal Tones In Rosedale

CG&S Design-Build

Photography by Ryan Thayer Davis | CG&S Design-Build
This is an example of a mid-sized beach style living room in Austin with a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and planked wall panelling.

Potrero Hill House & Studio

Cathie Hong Interiors

This young married couple enlisted our help to update their recently purchased condo into a brighter, open space that reflected their taste. They traveled to Copenhagen at the onset of their trip, and that trip largely influenced the design direction of their home, from the herringbone floors to the Copenhagen-based kitchen cabinetry. We blended their love of European interiors with their Asian heritage and created a soft, minimalist, cozy interior with an emphasis on clean lines and muted palettes.

Flower Mound New Build Whole Home Furnishing

Gallagher Interiors

This is an example of a transitional open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

upper west side

Christie Hausmann Design

This client wanted a fresh start, taking only minimal items from her old house when she moved. We gave the kitchen and half bath a facelift, and then decorated the rest of the house with all new furniture and decor, while incorporating her unique and funky art and family pieces. The result is a house filled with fun and unexpected surprises, one of our favorites to date!

Dallas, Texas | Talon Hill - Premier Rosewood Living Room

Brightland Homes

This is an example of a large transitional open concept living room in Dallas with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Lebanon Ranch Redesign

User

A large, oak built-in housed the TV and made the room seem heavy and dated. It was removed and the walls repaired and repainted. The room also underwent redesign to leverage the beautiful fireplace.

S Kelly Rowhouse

Sutherland Design Home, LLC

Transitional family room with floor-to-ceiling marble tile and wood mantle. The floors are refinished, replaced, and laced into existing.
Mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Portland with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, brown floor and recessed.

Living Room Design Photos with a Corner Fireplace and a Tile 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.