For this two-story Queen Anne-style Edwardian, we utilized a neutral color palette of ivory, greige, and taupe with splashes of watery blues and greens.The clients are a couple with hectic work schedules who needed a tranquil retreat where they could relax and recharge. Throughout the home, we painted walls, ceilings, and trim a clean, crisp white paint. Against this shell, streamlined silhouettes and organic shapes, create continuity from room to room. As a counterpoint to classical architecture, we installed mid-century styled furnishings and contemporary art.

2019 Parade Home

Green Tech Construction

Photo of a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, brown floor, medium hardwood floors and no tv.

Old Beach Spec Home

VB Homes Design, Build, Remodel

Mid-sized beach style open concept living room in Other with blue walls, laminate floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Tuscany Project

SmithErickson Designs

Design ideas for a mid-sized scandinavian enclosed living room in Calgary with white walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor and medium hardwood floors.

Transitional Living Room

This is an example of a transitional open concept living room in Detroit with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and beige floor.

Invergordon

AFT Construction

Inspiration for a large modern formal open concept living room in Phoenix with beige walls, travertine floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Kent

Ilya's Quality Carpentry

Photo of a large modern open concept living room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Epic Homes - Ferngrove

The Fireplace Warehouse

Savannah Heating BCF Light
This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Vancouver with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Long Island Tudor

Raychel Wade Design

Transitional formal open concept living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Houston, Texas | Katy Lakes - Classic Villanova Living Room

Brightland Homes

Mid-sized open concept living room in Houston with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor, a corner fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

San Salvador - Mid Century Modern

Kitchens by Good Guys

At our San Salvador project, we did a complete kitchen remodel, redesigned the fireplace in the living room and installed all new porcelain wood-looking tile throughout. Before the kitchen was outdated, very dark and closed in with a soffit lid and old wood cabinetry. The fireplace wall was original to the home and needed to be redesigned to match the new modern style. We continued the porcelain tile from an earlier phase to go into the newly remodeled areas. We completely removed the lid above the kitchen, creating a much more open and inviting space. Then we opened up the pantry wall that previously closed in the kitchen, allowing a new view and creating a modern bar area. The young family wanted to brighten up the space with modern selections, finishes and accessories. Our clients selected white textured laminate cabinetry for the kitchen with marble-looking quartz countertops and waterfall edges for the island with mid-century modern barstools. For the backsplash, our clients decided to do something more personalized by adding white marble porcelain tile, installed in a herringbone pattern. In the living room, for the new fireplace design we moved the TV above the firebox for better viewing and brought it all the way up to the ceiling. We added a neutral stone-looking porcelain tile and floating shelves on each side to complete the modern style of the home. Our clients did a great job furnishing and decorating their house, it almost felt like it was staged which we always appreciate and love.

Elizabeth Street

K Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized scandinavian formal enclosed living room in San Francisco with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Prairie Provincial Remodel

Vivid Interior Design - Danielle Loven

Design ideas for a large transitional open concept living room in Minneapolis with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Classic Lakeside Renovation

Karen Kempf Interiors

Wade Weissmann Architecture, Jorndt Builders LLC, Talia Laird Photography
Photo of a large modern formal enclosed living room in Milwaukee with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Weeburn Living Room

Alair Homes Plano

Our clients purchased a 1963 home that had never been updated! They wanted to redesign the central living area, which included the kitchen, formal dining and living room/den. Their original kitchen was small and completely closed off from the rest of the house. They wanted to repurpose the formal living room into the new formal dining room and open up the kitchen to the den and add a large island with seating for casual dining. The original den was now a nice living room, open to the kitchen, but also with a great view to their new pool! They wanted to keep some walls for their fun New Orleans one-of-a-kind artwork. They also did not want to be able to see the kitchen from the entryway. They also wanted a bar area built in somewhere, they just weren’t sure where. Our designers did an amazing job on this project, figuring out where to cut walls, where to keep them, replaced windows with doors, bringing the outdoors in and really brightening up the entire space. Design/Remodel by Hatfield Builders & Remodelers | Photography by Versatile Imaging

Menlo Park VII

Zaharias Design

Living Room with porcelain slab fireplace and custom storage benches. Open stair case to upper and lower levels
Inspiration for a contemporary open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Appleby Place

Pizzale Design Inc.

The living room offers a large space for the homeowners to socialize and entertain, while maintaining the comfort of their home. It outlooks into the kitchen and dining room spaces to offer an open concept floor plan, while still having defined rooms.

Historical Craftsman Renovation

Balboa Design Group

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

Gillespie Park

Cairn

Peter Landers
Mid-sized transitional living room in London with pink walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Quincy Remodel

Studio Shelter

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Denver with grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, no tv, grey floor and a tile fireplace surround.

Living Room Design Photos with a Tile 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.