Beautiful all day, stunning by dusk, this luxurious Point Piper renovation is a quintessential ‘Sydney experience’. An enclave of relaxed understated elegance, the art-filled living level flows seamlessly out to terraces surrounded by lush gardens.

Collis, Brighton East

The Kitchen Design Centre

Design ideas for a contemporary living room in Melbourne with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Balmain Terrace House

Annie Bowen Design

Graced with character and a history, this grand merchant’s terrace was restored and expanded to suit the demands of a family of five.
This is an example of a large transitional living room in Sydney with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Lyons - Risdon Pl

Chapman Built

Custom gas fireplace, stone cladding, sheer curtains
Contemporary formal open concept living room in Canberra - Queanbeyan with carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, white walls, a freestanding tv and beige floor.

Bay Street II Project

LivingLot

Mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Sydney with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Little Richardson

Mcmahon and Nerlich

Living room makes the most of the light and space and colours relate to charred black timber cladding
Design ideas for a small industrial open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a wood stove, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor and wood.

Balwyn North

Design N Build Construction

Formal Living Dining with french oak parquetry and Marie Antoinette floor style reflected on the ceiling coffers, and a hand crafted travertine fire place mantel

Brighton: Renovation & Extension

First Avenue Homes

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

Scandinavian Living Room

Mid-sized scandinavian open concept living room in Los Angeles with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv, white walls, brown floor and a concrete fireplace surround.

December Issue - Ellis Construction

Ellis Construction, Inc.

This is an example of a large contemporary formal enclosed living room in Denver with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and grey walls.

Mountain Peek

Centre Sky Architecture Ltd

Mountain Peek is a custom residence located within the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana. The layout of the home was heavily influenced by the site. Instead of building up vertically the floor plan reaches out horizontally with slight elevations between different spaces. This allowed for beautiful views from every space and also gave us the ability to play with roof heights for each individual space. Natural stone and rustic wood are accented by steal beams and metal work throughout the home. (photos by Whitney Kamman)

Lounge Lake Living Room

Company C

Our Lounge Lake Rug features circles of many hues, some striped, some color-blocked, in a crisp grid on a neutral ground. This kind of rug easily ties together all the colors of a room, or adds pop in a neutral scheme. The circles are both loop and pile, against a loop ground, and there are hints of rayon in the wool circles, giving them a bit of a sheen and adding to the textural variation. Also shown: Camden Sofa, Charleston and Madison Chairs.

Stylish Transitional

The Couture Haus Interior Design

Elegant, transitional living space with stone fireplace and blue floating shelves flanking the fireplace. Modern chandelier, swivel chairs and ottomans. Modern sideboard to visually divide the kitchen and living areas.

Rye Transitional home

Lorraine Levinson Interior Design

Photo of a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Lodge Meets Cottage

Marty Rhein, CKD, CBD - BAC Design Group

Design ideas for a transitional formal open concept living room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, exposed beam, timber and vaulted.

Ross House

Dotter & Solfjeld Architecture + Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized country formal open concept living room in San Francisco with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, grey floor and brown walls.

West Highlands Community

Brock Built

Photo of a country living room in Atlanta with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and white floor.

Modern Ski Home

Locati Architects

Photo of a country open concept living room in Other with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and vaulted.

Wilmington Court - Living Room

Paul N. Brow, Architect, LLC

Living room with painted paneled wall with concealed storage & television. Fireplace with black firebrick & custom hand-carved limestone mantel. Custom distressed arched, heavy timber trusses and tongue & groove ceiling. Walls are plaster. View to the kitchen beyond through the breakfast bar at the kitchen pass-through.

Windy Hill

Kasia Karska Design

This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Denver with grey walls, concrete floors, a ribbon fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, no tv and grey floor.

Living Room Design Photos with a Concrete Fireplace Surround 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.