Design ideas for a contemporary living room in Melbourne with brown walls, porcelain floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and grey floor.

West Side Modern

Pulse Design

Custom fireplace design with 3-way horizontal fireplace unit. This intricate design includes a concealed audio cabinet with custom slatted doors, lots of hidden storage with touch latch hardware and custom corner cabinet door detail. Walnut veneer material is complimented with a black Dekton surface by Cosentino.

Truehart

Clearcut Construction, Inc.

A request we often receive is to have an open floor plan, and for good reason too! Many of us don't want to be cut off from all the fun that's happening in our entertaining spaces. Knocking out the wall in between the living room and kitchen creates a much better flow.

A Water's Edge Retreat

Amazing Spaces

Design ideas for a large beach style formal open concept living room in New York with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, grey floor, coffered and a two-sided fireplace.

Crouch End Apartment

A New Day - Interior Design Studio

The living room at our Crouch End apartment project, creating a chic, cosy space to relax and entertain. A soft powder blue adorns the walls in a room that is flooded with natural light. Brass clad shelves bring a considered attention to detail, with contemporary fixtures contrasted with a traditional sofa shape.

Piso con buhardilla para una familia

Sube Interiorismo

Reforma integral Sube Interiorismo www.subeinteriorismo.com Biderbost Photo
This is an example of a large transitional open concept living room in Bilbao with a library, grey walls, laminate floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, beige floor, coffered and wallpaper.

Hinkler House

R ARCHITECTURE

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, wood walls, a wood fireplace surround, recessed, a built-in media wall and brown floor.

Dublin House

LOVE INTERIORS

Rachael Smith
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Surrey with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Double-Sided Fireplace

Irwin Construction, LLC

Photos by Darby Kate Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, carpet, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Time Again

Woodmeister Master Builders

Living room built-in cabinetry with fireplace surround and shelves. Woodmeister Master Builders Chip Webster Architects Dujardin Design Associates Terry Pommett Photography

Fireplace Mantles

Cabinet Designs of Central Florida

Custom fireplace mantle framing the TV and providing storage for components. Crown molding was trimmed to wrap around the wall.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Orlando with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Classic Transformation

Knight Architects LLC

Open plan dining, kitchen and family room. Marvin French Doors and Transoms. Photography by Pete Weigley
Traditional open concept living room in New York with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Cotswold cottage

Jo Shore Ltd

Photo credit: Rachael Smith
Design ideas for a small country living room in Oxfordshire with white walls, a wood stove, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Transitional Living Room

Photo of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Columbus with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Living Room

O’Hara Interiors

Martha O’Hara Interiors, Interior Design & Photo Styling | John Kraemer & Sons, Builder | Troy Thies, Photography | Ben Nelson, Designer | Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For info about our work: design@oharainteriors.com

Modern Eclectic

KT Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Vancouver with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and brown floor.

Custom cabinets

NYCreDESIGN

Photo of a mid-sized modern formal enclosed living room in New York with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

South Kensington Apartment

Lisette Voute Designs

We were taking cues from french country style for the colours and feel of this house. Soft provincial blues with washed reds, and grey or worn wood tones. I love the big new mantelpiece we fitted, and the new french doors with the mullioned windows, keeping it classic but with a fresh twist by painting the woodwork blue. Photographer: Nick George

Séjour & Bibliothèque

La Compagnie de la Maison

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Paris with a library, green walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and decorative wall panelling.

Playful Patterned Home

Reyne Design

Rich dark sitting room with a nod to the mid-century. Rich and indulgent this is a room for relaxing in a dramatic moody room
Mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in Berkshire with a music area, blue walls, vinyl floors, a wood stove, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor and wallpaper.

Living Room Design Photos with a Wood Fireplace Surround and a Built-in Media Wall

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.