Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Oklahoma City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, exposed beam and wallpaper.

East Cobb Modern Makeover Kitchen Sunroom and Living Room

Atlanta Curb Appeal

Sunroom in East Cobb Modern Home. Interior design credit: Design & Curations Photo by Elizabeth Lauren Granger Photography
Mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, beige floor and exposed beam.

Mid-Century Modern Deck House

The Design Gallery

Our remodeled 1994 Deck House was a stunning hit with our clients. All original moulding, trim, truss systems, exposed posts and beams and mahogany windows were kept in tact and refinished as requested. All wood ceilings in each room were painted white to brighten and lift the interiors. This is the view looking from the living room toward the kitchen. Our mid-century design is timeless and remains true to the modernism movement.

Scandi Modern

Coddington Design

Minimal, mindful design meets stylish comfort in this family home filled with light and warmth. Using a serene, neutral palette filled with warm walnut and light oak finishes, with touches of soft grays and blues, we transformed our client’s new family home into an airy, functionally stylish, serene family retreat. The home highlights modern handcrafted wooden furniture pieces, soft, whimsical kids’ bedrooms, and a clean-lined, understated blue kitchen large enough for the whole family to gather.

Edina Elegance

RLH Studio

Spacecrafting Photography
Large traditional formal enclosed living room in Minneapolis with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and exposed beam.

1041 EL

Weaver Custom Homes

Design ideas for a contemporary open concept living room in Columbus with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv and exposed beam.

Quail Ridge

CRC Builders Inc.

This is an example of a large country open concept living room in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, grey floor and exposed beam.

Cozy Family Sanctuary

An Inspiring Home

Photo by Krista Cox Studio
Inspiration for a transitional living room in Charlotte with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, exposed beam and vaulted.

Real Estate Q4 2023

TNHometour.com

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

COZY CITY HOME

HARRISON FAE DESIGN

Photo of a large country open concept living room in Toronto with pink walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor, vaulted, exposed beam and wood.

San Juan Capistrano

James David Custom Homes

Transitional living room in Orange County with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, exposed beam, timber and vaulted.

Earthy Mackay House

Cathie Hong Interiors

This 1956 John Calder Mackay home had been poorly renovated in years past. We kept the 1400 sqft footprint of the home, but re-oriented and re-imagined the bland white kitchen to a midcentury olive green kitchen that opened up the sight lines to the wall of glass facing the rear yard. We chose materials that felt authentic and appropriate for the house: handmade glazed ceramics, bricks inspired by the California coast, natural white oaks heavy in grain, and honed marbles in complementary hues to the earth tones we peppered throughout the hard and soft finishes. This project was featured in the Wall Street Journal in April 2022.

Rustic Refined

Rosy Alexander Interior Design

modern rustic california rustic rustic Scandinavian
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean open concept living room in Raleigh with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, yellow floor and exposed beam.

Living Room

Beth Howley Creative LLC

Design ideas for a beach style living room in Grand Rapids with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and exposed beam.

Rose Cottage

Hygge and Cwtch Design Studio

Design ideas for a small scandinavian open concept living room in Cornwall with blue walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and exposed beam.

Downeast Barn House

Albert, Righter & Tittmann Architects, Inc.

A summer house built around salvaged barn beams. Not far from the beach, the secluded site faces south to the ocean and views. The large main barn room embraces the main living spaces, including the kitchen. The barn room is anchored on the north with a stone fireplace and on the south with a large bay window. The wing to the east organizes the entry hall and sleeping rooms.

Ravenna Contemporary Dwelling

Workshop Estates

This is an example of a large modern open concept living room in Denver with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Seaforth Family Home, Sydney, Australia

Georgina Wilson Associates

Open-plan living and dining room flooded with natural light. In winter the family love to gather around the sandstone fireplace - including the cat. 'Sunny' sofa from Jardan.

Saulter 6

KADCO Homes

Inspiration for a transitional open concept living room in Birmingham with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and exposed beam.

Greenlee Remodel

Becky Fuller Homes

Photo of a transitional living room in Austin with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, exposed beam and wood.

Living Room Design Photos with a Standard Fireplace and Exposed Beam

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.