Beautiful all day, stunning by dusk, this luxurious Point Piper renovation is a quintessential ‘Sydney experience’. An enclave of relaxed understated elegance, the art-filled living level flows seamlessly out to terraces surrounded by lush gardens.

Balmain Terrace House

Annie Bowen Design

Graced with character and a history, this grand merchant’s terrace was restored and expanded to suit the demands of a family of five.
This is an example of a large transitional living room in Sydney with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Custom design and build

Horizon Homes

First impression count as you enter this custom-built Horizon Homes property at Kellyville. The home opens into a stylish entryway, with soaring double height ceilings. It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. And that’s literally true with this home. With the kitchen in the centre of the ground floor, this home provides ample formal and informal living spaces on the ground floor. At the rear of the house, a rumpus room, living room and dining room overlooking a large alfresco kitchen and dining area make this house the perfect entertainer. It’s functional, too, with a butler’s pantry, and laundry (with outdoor access) leading off the kitchen. There’s also a mudroom – with bespoke joinery – next to the garage. Upstairs is a mezzanine office area and four bedrooms, including a luxurious main suite with dressing room, ensuite and private balcony. Outdoor areas were important to the owners of this knockdown rebuild. While the house is large at almost 454m2, it fills only half the block. That means there’s a generous backyard. A central courtyard provides further outdoor space. Of course, this courtyard – as well as being a gorgeous focal point – has the added advantage of bringing light into the centre of the house.

Grant St

Rounded Edge Style

Tones of olive green and brass accents add warmth to this timeless space.
Photo of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Perth with porcelain floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv, beige floor, decorative wall panelling and white walls.

Kew Sale

Top Snap South East Melbourne

Inspiration for a transitional living room in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Hardwood Flooring

Robinson's Flooring

Photo of a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Phoenix with brown walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Scandinavian Living Room

Mid-sized scandinavian open concept living room in Los Angeles with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv, white walls, brown floor and a concrete fireplace surround.

December Issue - Ellis Construction

Ellis Construction, Inc.

This is an example of a large contemporary formal enclosed living room in Denver with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and grey walls.

Hamilton Pool Homestead

Jennifer Garner Interiors

Inspiration for a large contemporary formal enclosed living room in Austin with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Eclectic Contemporary Main Floor

Liliblue Interior Design

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Orange County with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

Lounge Lake Living Room

Company C

Our Lounge Lake Rug features circles of many hues, some striped, some color-blocked, in a crisp grid on a neutral ground. This kind of rug easily ties together all the colors of a room, or adds pop in a neutral scheme. The circles are both loop and pile, against a loop ground, and there are hints of rayon in the wool circles, giving them a bit of a sheen and adding to the textural variation. Also shown: Camden Sofa, Charleston and Madison Chairs.

Rye Transitional home

Lorraine Levinson Interior Design

Photo of a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

The living room showing the new tile fireplace and the new windows.

Mark Brand Architecture

For our client, who had previous experience working with architects, we enlarged, completely gutted and remodeled this Twin Peaks diamond in the rough. The top floor had a rear-sloping ceiling that cut off the amazing view, so our first task was to raise the roof so the great room had a uniformly high ceiling. Clerestory windows bring in light from all directions. In addition, we removed walls, combined rooms, and installed floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall sliding doors in sleek black aluminum at each floor to create generous rooms with expansive views. At the basement, we created a full-floor art studio flooded with light and with an en-suite bathroom for the artist-owner. New exterior decks, stairs and glass railings create outdoor living opportunities at three of the four levels. We designed modern open-riser stairs with glass railings to replace the existing cramped interior stairs. The kitchen features a 16 foot long island which also functions as a dining table. We designed a custom wall-to-wall bookcase in the family room as well as three sleek tiled fireplaces with integrated bookcases. The bathrooms are entirely new and feature floating vanities and a modern freestanding tub in the master. Clean detailing and luxurious, contemporary finishes complete the look.

Lodge Meets Cottage

Marty Rhein, CKD, CBD - BAC Design Group

Design ideas for a transitional formal open concept living room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, exposed beam, timber and vaulted.

Ross House

Dotter & Solfjeld Architecture + Design

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

Shoreline Drive

LORI HANDBERG / Studio M Interiors, Plymouth, MN.

Inspiration for a large transitional formal open concept living room in Minneapolis with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Modern Ski Home

Locati Architects

Photo of a country open concept living room in Other with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and vaulted.

Windy Hill

Kasia Karska Design

This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Denver with grey walls, concrete floors, a ribbon fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, no tv and grey floor.

Corner Courtyard Residence

Wiedemann Architects LLC

Large contemporary open concept living room in DC Metro with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

San Juan Island Residence

NB Design Group, Inc

Living Room furniture is centered around stone fireplace. Hidden reading nook provides additional storage and seating.
Design ideas for a large country open concept living room in Seattle with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

All Fireplace Surrounds Living Room Design Photos with No TV

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.