This is an example of a transitional open concept living room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Spring Branch New Construction

Nikole Starr Interiors

Design ideas for a transitional open concept living room in Houston with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

A Fancy Farmhouse Feel

Beam & Bloom, LLC

This reclaimed wood mantle breathes fresh air into a freshly painted fireplace.
Photo of a mid-sized country enclosed living room in New York with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and blue walls.

The Ballard - Spurwing Challenge Estates

HIGHLAND HOMES LLC

Country formal living room in Boise with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Oyster Harbors Estate

DANE AUSTIN INTERIOR DESIGN Boston & Cambridge

The clients wanted an elegant, sophisticated, and comfortable style that served their lives but also required a design that would preserve and enhance various existing details. To modernize the interior, we looked to the home's gorgeous water views, bringing in colors and textures that related to sand, sea, and sky. Project designed by Boston interior design studio Dane Austin Design. They serve Boston, Cambridge, Hingham, Cohasset, Newton, Weston, Lexington, Concord, Dover, Andover, Gloucester, as well as surrounding areas. For more about Dane Austin Design, click here: https://daneaustindesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://daneaustindesign.com/oyster-harbors-estate

Fanny Prat & Alexandra de Brem

User

Fanny Prat & Alexandra de Brem, Appartement à Paris, photo © StudioChevojon
Photo of a contemporary open concept living room in Toulouse with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and beige floor.

Irwin Farmhouse

Irwin Construction, LLC

Darby Kate Photography
Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Custom Home in Marsh Harbor, Ponte Vedra

Denneen Custom Home Builders

This is an example of a beach style living room in Jacksonville with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Iconic Modern

LTW Design

Design ideas for a modern formal open concept living room in New York with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Historic Heights Remodel Cottage Style

Brickmoon Design

Design ideas for a country living room in Houston with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Pecan Creek, Horseshoe Bay

Reece McIver Homes

Mark Adams
This is an example of a large country open concept living room in Austin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Wilson Lake Remodel

Holland Homes LLC

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

Point Vista Model Home

Clarity Homes

This is an example of a traditional living room in Dallas with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Chic modern country home in Shoreditch.

Veronica Rodriguez Interior Photography

Photography by Veronica Rodriguez Interior Photography.
Inspiration for a mid-sized enclosed living room in London with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

Before and After Lake House Renovation

Lowell Custom Homes

Lowell Custom Homes, Lake Geneva, WI., Living room with open and airy concept, large window walls and center fireplace with detailed wood mantel. Volume ceiling with beams and center globe light fixture.

Beachside Family Cottage

Kyle Timothy Home

Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Other with yellow walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, light hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

New Palmetto Bluff Home

Coastal Signature Homes

This is an example of a large transitional open concept living room in Charleston with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and beige floor.

Manor Road

Vintage Elements

Photo of a traditional formal enclosed living room in Minneapolis with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and a brick fireplace surround.

Chateau Montelena

Cotner Building & Remodeling Company, LLC

Inspiration for a traditional living room in Boise with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Alpharetta Dining Room

Outrageous Interiors

Photo of a mid-sized country formal enclosed living room in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Living Room Design Photos with a Standard Fireplace and 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.