Contemporary living room
Large transitional enclosed living room in Sydney with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, brown floor and wallpaper.

Killara House

O'Meara Jones

Design ideas for a large transitional open concept living room in Sydney with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and coffered.

Rosanna

DSdezines Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, laminate floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, recessed and panelled walls.

Contemporary Refinement

emme designs

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.

Barn Home Complete Remodel

Casino Co. Renovations

A barn home got a complete remodel and the result is breathtaking. Take a look at this moody lounge/living room area with an exposed white oak ceiling, chevron painted accent wall with recessed electric fireplace, rustic wood floors and countless customized touches.

Yuzen Signature | Modin Rigid LVP Collection Customer Space | PA

Flooret

Clean and bright vinyl planks for a space where you can clear your mind and relax. Unique knots bring life and intrigue to this tranquil maple design. With the Modin Collection, we have raised the bar on luxury vinyl plank. The result is a new standard in resilient flooring. Modin offers true embossed in register texture, a low sheen level, a rigid SPC core, an industry-leading wear layer, and so much more.

Contemporary Craftsman

Eleven Interiors

Inspiration for a contemporary living room in Boston with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and wood walls.

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.

Living Room

Laurie S Woods, ASID

Photo of a traditional formal open concept living room in New York with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Whole Home Design

Diedre Shaw Interiors

This is an example of a large transitional open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

Wisconsin Lake Retreat

Albertsson Hansen Architecture, Ltd

A cabin in Western Wisconsin is transformed from within to become a serene and modern retreat. In a past life, this cabin was a fishing cottage which was part of a resort built in the 1920’s on a small lake not far from the Twin Cities. The cabin has had multiple additions over the years so improving flow to the outdoor space, creating a family friendly kitchen, and relocating a bigger master bedroom on the lake side were priorities. The solution was to bring the kitchen from the back of the cabin up to the front, reduce the size of an overly large bedroom in the back in order to create a more generous front entry way/mudroom adjacent to the kitchen, and add a fireplace in the center of the main floor. Photographer: Wing Ta Interior Design: Jennaea Gearhart Design

Au Naturale Ranch

Melinda Mandell Interior Design

The Living Room also received new white-oak hardwood flooring. We re-finished the existing built-in cabinets in a darker, richer stain to ground the space. The sofas from Italy are upholstered in leather and a linen-cotton blend, the coffee table from LA is topped with a unique green marble slab, and for the corner table, we designed a custom-made walnut waterfall table with a local craftsman.

The Denver Modern Project

The Design Bar Interiors

Mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Denver with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor and planked wall panelling.

Project 45

The Main Company

We also designed a bespoke fire place for the home.
Design ideas for a contemporary living room in London with a standard fireplace, brown walls, light hardwood floors, a wood fireplace surround and beige floor.

Darien Home

Nicky James Interior Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional living room in New York with blue walls, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

ALICE RIVER HOUSE PROJECT

Splendid Home Design

Inspiration for a large beach style open concept living room in Miami with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a built-in media wall, brown floor and recessed.

Edwards Residence

Geoff Chick & Associates

Inspiration for a large beach style open concept living room in Other with white walls, painted wood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor, exposed beam and planked wall panelling.

Historic Stanton Park Renovation in Capitol Hill, DC

Finesse Design Remodeling

Photo of a small traditional enclosed living room in DC Metro with a library, grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Internal Alterations to terraced house

CAS Architecture

The dark green walls contrast with the light furniture. The area rug brings together the living room space in the living/dining room.
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional living room in Other with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Tucked In Cottage On Bunker Hill

S.Flynn Design + Build

Open Living Room with Fireplace Storage, Wood Burning Stove and Book Shelf.
Photo of a small contemporary formal open concept living room in Cleveland with white walls, light hardwood floors, a wood stove, a wall-mounted tv and vaulted.

Shiplap 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.