This great room is filled with natural light all day long with windows all across the back from Western Window Systems. It is the perfect gathering place for cooking, dining or just relaxing. The white oak floors provide a lovely contrast to the white shaker style cabinetry while the marble and quartz counter tops finish off the kitchen counters. Photo Credit: Leigh Ann Rowe

Farmhouse Living Room

Photo of a country formal living room in Austin with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Spectacular Northwest Architecture,

Jackie Syvertsen ~ Windermere Real Estate/BI, Inc.

Design ideas for an expansive asian open concept living room in Seattle with brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and a wood fireplace surround.

Yarrow Point Contemporary

Paul Moon Design

Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in Seattle with a home bar, white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Updated Kitchen Remodel

Dawkins Development Group Inc.

Dawkins Development Group | NY Contractor | Design-Build Firm
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in New York with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Brookaven Home

Outrageous Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

High Forest North Dallas Full Home Renovation

The Renowned Group

Photo of a large transitional formal open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood fireplace surround, a standard fireplace, no tv and brown floor.

Chiswick Townhouse

Doris Lee Design Studio

Chris Snook
Eclectic enclosed living room in London with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Mid-Century Modern Mountain Home

ID Studio Interiors

This is an example of an expansive midcentury open concept living room in Other with a library, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a concealed tv.

Barsi Tahoe

Elmquist Interior Design

Large contemporary open concept living room in San Francisco with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Modern Hilltop Residence

OSCAR E. FLORES DESIGN STUDIO, LLC

design by oscar e flores design studio builder mike hollaway homes
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Austin with white walls, porcelain floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

Contemporary Warmth: Highland Park Residence

Beth Dotolo, ASID, RID, NCIDQ

This forever home, perfect for entertaining and designed with a place for everything, is a contemporary residence that exudes warmth, functional style, and lifestyle personalization for a family of five. Our busy lawyer couple, with three close-knit children, had recently purchased a home that was modern on the outside, but dated on the inside. They loved the feel, but knew it needed a major overhaul. Being incredibly busy and having never taken on a renovation of this scale, they knew they needed help to make this space their own. Upon a previous client referral, they called on Pulp to make their dreams a reality. Then ensued a down to the studs renovation, moving walls and some stairs, resulting in dramatic results. Beth and Carolina layered in warmth and style throughout, striking a hard-to-achieve balance of livable and contemporary. The result is a well-lived in and stylish home designed for every member of the family, where memories are made daily.

Armstrong

Project Sunday

Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, bamboo floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

The Riverstone Collection -Danube

AB Hardwood Flooring Supplies

Inspiration for a large transitional formal open concept living room in Chicago with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

riverstone

Vogue Kitchen & Bath

Contemporary open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

Attico a Sauze d'Oulx

Design Alpino

Vista del caratteristico camino bifacciale a gas in vetro e legno, visibile sia dall'ingresso e dalla cucina che dal soggiorno.
Large country open concept living room in Turin with white walls, a two-sided fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, medium hardwood floors and a wood fireplace surround.

Woodmeister Master Builders - Living Rooms

Woodmeister Master Builders

Custom living room built-in wall unit with fireplace. Woodmeister Master Builders Chip Webster Architects Dujardin Design Associates Terry Pommett Photography

Everglades Island, New House, Palm Beach, FL

Fairfax & Sammons Architects

Photograph by Owen McGoldrick
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean formal open concept living room in Miami with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and grey floor.

NORTH CURL CURL

Gartner Trovato Architects

Inspiration for a contemporary living room in Sydney with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Clifton Pointe

Brickhaus Partners

Design ideas for a contemporary living room in Cleveland with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

All Fireplaces Living Room Design Photos with a Wood 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.