John Neill
Photo of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Philadelphia with a music area, yellow walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and no tv.

Jonah and Lila

AHG Interiors

Large midcentury open concept living room in New York with a music area, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and recessed.

Traditional, Craftsman Home Remodel

Mark Allen Design and Construction

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in San Francisco with a music area, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Rénovation d'un appartement de plus de 300 m2 à Paris

Mon Concept Habitation

Rénover touche par touche un hôtel particulier. Il s'agit d'un hôtel qui a fait l'objet d'une rénovation 3 ans avant l'acquisition de nos clients. Le style d'intérieur était assez tape-à-l'oeil, proche du rococo. Nos clients souhaitaient quelque chose de plus parisien. Ab initio, ils prévoyaient de tout casser/refaire. Cependant les matériaux utilisés étaient d'excellente qualité, nous avons préféré les garder et les retravailler/moderniser. Nous avons ainsi repeint, installé un nouveau parquet et travaillé la mensuiserie (tout a été fait en France). Les travaux ont eu lieu en août.

Appartement Haussmanien

Mantovani Francesca photographe

Francesca Mantovani pour Marie Claire maison
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in Paris with a music area, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Friar Tuck-Memorial Village

Parker House Inc.

Photo of a traditional living room in Houston with a music area, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Living Room

Valerie Grant Interiors

Modern living room and music room lounge. Relaxing space to gather and enjoy music and art. Dark grass cloth wallpaper sets the attitude of this room.

Bill Koehnlein's Portfolio

Collaborative Design

photo by Doug Edmunds
Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Milwaukee with a music area, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Buell Mansion Living Room

Joei McIntire Design

This is an example of an expansive transitional open concept living room in Denver with a music area, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Lakefront Manor

A. Perry Homes

The stunning great room of our lakeshore home with white coffered ceilings, a fireplace, and french doors leading out onto the deck
Inspiration for an expansive traditional open concept living room in Chicago with medium hardwood floors, a music area, white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Piedmont Residence

Nicole Benveniste Interior Design

A beautiful 1920's home with Mediterranean and English Gothic influences. Magnificent original architectural details such as the wood ceiling, cast stone fireplace, and leaded glass windows make the room grand and special. A custom mahogany built-in bar with marble top, hand forged iron chandeliers, luxurious leather and velvet furnishings a grand piano and fresh paint give the room new life while embracing it's historical roots.

Cobblestone

Ascent Custom Homes

Large traditional open concept living room in Milwaukee with a music area, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

California Cottage

Colossus Mfg.

Cabin inspired living room with stone fireplace, dark olive green wainscoting walls, a brown velvet couch, twin blue floral oversized chairs, plaid rug, a dark wood coffee table, and antique chandelier lighting.

Music Lounge

Valerie Grant Interiors

Music lounge area is an extension of the living room is perfect for jamming. Perfect for displaying clients guitar collection.
Photo of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in New York with a music area, black walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Fireplace in Music Room

Monley Cronin Construction

Classic Traditional Style, cast concrete countertops, walnut island top, hand hewn beams, radiant floor heat, distressed beam ceiling, traditional kitchen, classic bathroom design, pedestal sink, freestanding tub, Glen Eden Ashville carpet, Glen Eden Natural Cords Earthenware carpet, Stark Stansbury Jade carpet, Stark Stansbury Black carpet, Zanella Engineered Walnut Rosella flooring, Travertine Versai, Spanish Cotta Series in Matte, Alpha Tumbled Mocha, NSDG Multi Light slate; Alpha Mojave marble, Alpha New Beige marble, Ann Sacks BB05 Celery, Rocky Mountain Hardware. Photo credit: Farrell Scott

Elegant French Inspired Remodel & Addition

Newberry Architecture

Terry Vine Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Houston with a music area, blue walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

7th Avenue North

Simonsen-Hickok Interiors

Photo of a mid-sized tropical open concept living room in Miami with a music area, pink walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

LIVING WITH ART

HEGER ARCHITECTS

Eclectic is a good word. Relaxed would be another. New built-in cabinets are glazed with poured glass. Display of art glass in the niches. Photo: Bob Seale

Shorewood Craftsman Suburban Lakeside

MA Peterson Design Build, Inc.

MA Peterson www.mapeterson.com Custom exposed support beams and columns are featured prominently throughout the room, and are reminiscent of the historical Butler Square building in downtown Minneapolis, a favorite of the homeowner's. Elements throughout the room include auction-found antique, turn of the century andirons as well as antique Persian rugs and Eric Brand custom sofas. A centered, iron lantern with semi flush lights creates a focal point of light and energy.

Country Living Room

Expansive country open concept living room in Surrey with a music area, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and beige floor.

Living Room Design Photos with a Music Area and a Stone 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.