Cozy Traditional Living Room with Modern Accents

Small transitional formal living room in Other with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Lakeside Retreat

City Homes, LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional living room in Minneapolis with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, brown floor and no tv.

Montana Dog House

Heather Scott Home & Design

Inspiration for an expansive country formal living room in Austin with white walls, a standard fireplace, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

California Casually Retro

Kristen Elizabeth Design

This family loves classic mid century design. We listened, and brought balance. Throughout the design, we conversed about a solution to the existing fireplace. Over time, we realized there was no solution needed. It is perfect as it is. It is quirky and fun, just like the owners. It is a conversation piece. We added rich color and texture in an adjoining room to balance the strength of the stone hearth . Purples, blues and greens find their way throughout the home adding cheer and whimsy. Beautifully sourced artwork compliments from the high end to the hand made. Every room has a special touch to reflect the family’s love of art, color and comfort.

119 West Shore

3rd Street Custom Homes

Photo of a modern open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Eclectic Spanish Beach Bungalow

White Sands Coastal Development

The 1,750-square foot Manhattan Beach bungalow is home to two humans and three dogs. Originally built in 1929, the bungalow had undergone various renovations that convoluted its original Moorish style. We gutted the home and completely updated both the interior and exterior. We opened the floor plan, rebuilt the ceiling with reclaimed hand-hewn oak beams and created hand-troweled plaster walls that mimicked the construction and look of the original walls. We also rebuilt the living room fireplace by hand, brick-by-brick, and replaced the generic roof tiles with antique handmade clay tiles. We returned much of this 3-bed, 2-bath home to a more authentic aesthetic, while adding modern touches of luxury, like radiant-heated floors, bi-fold doors that open from the kitchen/dining area to a large deck, and a custom steam shower, with Moroccan-inspired tile and an antique mirror. The end result is evocative luxury in a compact space.

Newlywed Neutrals

ModaScapes Interior Design

Layers of repeated colors, patterns and textures give this space warmth and interest. This newlywed couple new they wanted the place all their friends wanted to come to, so that's what we did. Come in and stay awhile!

Wyndham Townhome at Winding Brook

JPOrleans

An open floor plan living room in Philadelphia with a wet bar and wall-mounted TV.
This is an example of a large transitional open concept living room in Philadelphia with a home bar, beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Chelsea family home

Turner Pocock

Inspiration for a transitional living room in London with white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Buckhead, ATL, GA

Mark Stocker Design, Inc.

Large transitional open concept living room in San Diego with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Colonial Revival - Living rm, transitional

Melinamade - Residential Design + Interiors

A traditional Colonial revival living room updated with metallic blue grasscloth walls, blue metallic painted fireplace surround, tufted sofas, asian decor, and built-in custom glass cabinets

Clean and Bright Frisco Living Room

Lark Interior

We chose soapstone for the new fireplace surround for contrast. Stools in front of the fireplace add extra seating.
Inspiration for a large transitional open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Casual California Tudor Cottage

Lane McNab Interiors

Transitional formal living room in San Francisco with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Blair Boulevard Bungalow

Allard Ward Architects

This is an example of a transitional living room in Nashville with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a built-in media wall and brown floor.

2019 Waukee Project

Teal Creek Homes

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

Paradise River: Modern Riverside Home

Timberlake Custom Homes

This gorgeous modern home sits along a rushing river and includes a separate enclosed pavilion. Distinguishing features include the mixture of metal, wood and stone textures throughout the home in hues of brown, grey and black.

Mission Terrace Home

DesignFix LLC

This San Francisco home had beautifully restored interior details, including curved window walls, wood wainscoting, and an arched fireplace. We furnished it with a blend of modern and traditional pieces to express the minimal and laid-back feel desired by our clients.

The Rustic Modern

House Sprucing

Design ideas for a large country open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

North Dallas New Build 5911 Club Oaks

3rd Street Custom Homes

Inspiration for an expansive transitional open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Great Room Addition

Phillips + Gilligan Interiors

This is an example of a transitional living room in Chicago with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Living Room Design Photos with a Standard Fireplace and Brown Floor

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.