Mid-sized country open concept living room in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Manhattan Beach Sand Dune

Hudson Home

Photo of a transitional living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Box Camp

SALA Architects

The clients desired a building that would be low-slung, fit into the contours of the site, and would invoke a modern, yet camp-like arrangement of gathering and sleeping spaces.

Beach House

Timber Trails Development Company

Inspiration for a beach style formal living room in Chicago with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Bright & Fresh First Floor

Unpatterned

Photo: Dustin Halleck
Inspiration for an eclectic living room in Chicago with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and red floor.

Rénovation cuisine Oullins Noce Canaletto

Les cuisines d'Arno

Lotfi Dakhli
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Lyon with multi-coloured walls, medium hardwood floors, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Chevron Shiplap Fireplace with Custom Wood Mantel

CJC Interiors

This modern farmhouse living room features a custom shiplap fireplace by Stonegate Builders, with custom-painted cabinetry by Carver Junk Company. The large rug pattern is mirrored in the handcrafted coffee and end tables, made just for this space.

Flower Streets

Blackband Design

Build: Graystone Custom Builders, Interior Design: Blackband Design, Photography: Ryan Garvin
Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Southern Eclectic Cottage

Folkway Design & Wares Co.

Photography: Jen Burner Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized country enclosed living room in Dallas with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Golf Course Views - Bay Harbor

BOYD Construction Company Inc.

Two Story Living Room with light oak wide plank wood floors. Floor to ceiling fireplace and oversized chandelier.
Mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Other with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

River Forest Victorian

Megan Opel Interiors

Traditional formal enclosed living room in Chicago with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Our Palm Beach Color-Splosion Apartment!

Carrie Hayward Design

The figures of cast members from each land at Disneyland are by Kevin Kidney and Jody Daily. The colorful monsters are Beastlies by Leslie Levings. The “Rumba Pencils” animation cell was drawn by my dad for the Sesame Street short he directed in 1974. (That’s him in the photo on the shelf below with the half-shriveled Mickey balloon!) Photo © Bethany Nauert

The Brielle

CMM Custom Homes

Design ideas for a beach style living room in Other with yellow walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

White Fireplace Built-Ins with Geometric Marble Tile

Denise Quade Design

Geometric tile was used on this fireplace surround, White cabinets were used as built ins. Marble tile was used on the floor.
Photo of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Other with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Hawthorne Hills Residence

Tammara Stroud Design

In 1949, one of mid-century modern’s most famous NW architects, Paul Hayden Kirk, built this early “glass house” in Hawthorne Hills. Rather than flattening the rolling hills of the Northwest to accommodate his structures, Kirk sought to make the least impact possible on the building site by making use of it natural landscape. When we started this project, our goal was to pay attention to the original architecture--as well as designing the home around the client’s eclectic art collection and African artifacts. The home was completely gutted, since most of the home is glass, hardly any exterior walls remained. We kept the basic footprint of the home the same—opening the space between the kitchen and living room. The horizontal grain matched walnut cabinets creates a natural continuous movement. The sleek lines of the Fleetwood windows surrounding the home allow for the landscape and interior to seamlessly intertwine. In our effort to preserve as much of the design as possible, the original fireplace remains in the home and we made sure to work with the natural lines originally designed by Kirk.

Contemporary Living Room

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Other with white walls, concrete floors, grey floor, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

American River Project

KM Design Co.

Inspiration for a country formal living room in Sacramento with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

Wrottesley Road, London, NW10

Marsh & Parsons

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic enclosed living room in London with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

64th Place

Rafterhouse

Photo of a country formal open concept living room in Phoenix with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

European Cottage

Pillar Homes

Builder: Pillar Homes - Photography: Landmark Photography
Inspiration for a large traditional open concept living room in Minneapolis with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and medium hardwood floors.

Living Room Design Photos with a Tile Fireplace Surround 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.