A high-pitch ceiling with exposed beams opens up this living room along with the many windows and skylights. A neutral palette creates a warm and inviting contemporary space. Layered rugs highlight more intimate seating while creating a coziness at the sofa are. Photo Credit: Meghan Caudill

Modern Northwoods Residence Great Room at Night

Amy Carman Design

After watching sunset over the lake, retreat indoors to the warm, modern gathering space in our Modern Northwoods Cabin project.
Large contemporary open concept living room in Other with black walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv, brown floor, vaulted and panelled walls.

Jackson Hole Getaway

Kelly Hohla Interiors

Photo of a large country formal open concept living room in Other with multi-coloured walls, concrete floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, multi-coloured floor, vaulted and brick walls.

Knollwood Dr

Hartman Homes

Inspiration for a transitional loft-style living room in Minneapolis with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, beige floor, exposed beam and vaulted.

carbondale big view

AXIS Productions

A living space with big views in Carbondale Colorado.
Design ideas for a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Denver with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Modern Canyon Home

Stratos Form

Photo of a large modern open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, porcelain floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Waxhaw Kitchen & Primary Bath Remodel

ReVision Design/Remodeling

© Lassiter Photography | ReVisionCharlotte.com
This is an example of a small transitional formal open concept living room in Charlotte with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor and vaulted.

Oxden Signature | Modin Rigid LVP Customer Space | Newcastle, WA

Flooret

Dark, striking, modern. This dark floor with white wire-brush is sure to make an impact. The Modin Rigid luxury vinyl plank flooring collection is the new standard in resilient flooring. Modin Rigid offers true embossed-in-register texture, creating a surface that is convincing to the eye and to the touch; a low sheen level to ensure a natural look that wears well over time; four-sided enhanced bevels to more accurately emulate the look of real wood floors; wider and longer waterproof planks; an industry-leading wear layer; and a pre-attached underlayment.

Rutt Cabinetry - Contemporary Denver Built-Ins - Kitchen Distributors

Rutt Quality Cabinetry

Built-in bookcases flank the contemporary fireplace in this Colorado home. Walnut with Rutt's flat iron grey stain finish. design by Kitchen Distributors | photos by Emily Minton Redfield Photography

York, ME Rooftop Ridge Skylight

Sunspace Design, Inc.

Sunspace Design has completed hundreds of stunning glass construction projects for clients with homes of all sizes throughout over forty years of continuous operation in New England. The project depicted here was completed for clients with a stunning 5000 square foot oceanfront residence located in York, ME. We were thrilled to be brought in on a project so close to our office headquarters! The fully custom ridge skylight project was a collaboration between Sunspace Design, CM Ragusa Builders of Seabrook, New Hampshire—who served as general contractor—and the Fiorentino Group’s architectural team out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Sunspace was brought in to offer specialty glass design-build services which included the full development and installation of the skylight. Positioned centrally in the ridged ceiling of the home’s great room, the skylight opening measures 7.5 feet by 20 feet. This generous size floods the space below with natural sunlight while providing clear views of the sky. We built and assembled the custom mahogany frame in our New Hampshire fabrication shop. After assembly, the frame was delivered directly to the site, where a crane operator and the Sunspace crew quickly affixed it to the building frame. As always, we used the very best insulated glass to ensure top thermal performance across all four seasons of northeastern weather. Copper cladding and flashing were used on the exterior (integrating with the slate roofing). The mahogany frame’s deep, rich color was matched by the building designer to complete a stunning look adjacent to the interior wood finishes. Angular and dramatic, the ridge skylight is the centerpiece of the client’s home, transforming an already beautiful space into something magical.

Cape Girardeau

Tim Hollerbach Designs, LLC

Design ideas for a large country formal open concept living room in St Louis with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and vaulted.

Morningroom

Nicky Percival Limited

Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Sussex with a music area, pink walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a stone fireplace surround, beige floor and vaulted.

Modernized Classic Home

Method Architecture Studio, PLLC

A vaulted ceiling welcomes you into this charming living room. The symmetry of the built-ins surrounding the fireplace and TV are detailed with white and blue finishes. Grey finishes, brass chandeliers and patterned touches soften the form of the space.

Tuscany Proj

Avid Interior Design Inc.

This was a whole home renovation where nothing was left untouched. We took out a few walls to create a gorgeous great room, custom designed millwork throughout, selected all new materials, finishes in all areas of the home. We also custom designed a few furniture pieces and procured all new furnishings, artwork, drapery and decor.

Mill Race Loop

Talie Jane Interiors

A clean and simple mountain modern great room with fantastic mountain views.
Photo of a large country open concept living room in Other with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Modern Luxe Farmhouse

Coyle Carpet One Floor & Home

European White Oak Floors by Hallmark, Novella Hawthorne
Country formal open concept living room in Other with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Dreamy Scandi Acadian

Bohannon Design Team

Mid-sized scandinavian open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv and vaulted.

Modern Farmhouse

Kathie Karsnia Interiors

Large country open concept living room in Minneapolis with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and vaulted.

Lake Coeur d'Alene Residence #3

Edwards Smith Construction

Log cabin living room featuring full-height stone fireplace; wood mantle; chinked walls; rough textured timbers overhead and wood floor
This is an example of a country open concept living room in Other with a stone fireplace surround, vaulted, exposed beam, wood, wood walls, brown walls, medium hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

Hall Home

Scott Homes, Inc

Open concept design with lots of natural light in this beautiful home.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and vaulted.

Living Room Design Photos with a Stone Fireplace Surround and Vaulted

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.