Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in Adelaide with white walls, concrete floors, a ribbon fireplace and black floor.

Forest Lodge Project

Designer Sparks Interiors

A view from the dinning room through to the formal lounge
Traditional open concept living room in Sydney with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround and black floor.

North Shore Villa

Lauren Coburn LLC

Inspiration for a large transitional enclosed living room in Chicago with white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a built-in media wall and black floor.

Palo Alto Residence

Coddington Design

Redesigned fireplace, custom area rug, hand printed roman shade fabric and coffee table designed by Coddington Design. Photo: Matthew Millman
Design ideas for a large transitional formal enclosed living room in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding tv, carpet and blue floor.

North Bay Residence

Prentiss Balance Wickline Architects

Photographer: Jay Goodrich This 2800 sf single-family home was completed in 2009. The clients desired an intimate, yet dynamic family residence that reflected the beauty of the site and the lifestyle of the San Juan Islands. The house was built to be both a place to gather for large dinners with friends and family as well as a cozy home for the couple when they are there alone. The project is located on a stunning, but cripplingly-restricted site overlooking Griffin Bay on San Juan Island. The most practical area to build was exactly where three beautiful old growth trees had already chosen to live. A prior architect, in a prior design, had proposed chopping them down and building right in the middle of the site. From our perspective, the trees were an important essence of the site and respectfully had to be preserved. As a result we squeezed the programmatic requirements, kept the clients on a square foot restriction and pressed tight against property setbacks. The delineate concept is a stone wall that sweeps from the parking to the entry, through the house and out the other side, terminating in a hook that nestles the master shower. This is the symbolic and functional shield between the public road and the private living spaces of the home owners. All the primary living spaces and the master suite are on the water side, the remaining rooms are tucked into the hill on the road side of the wall. Off-setting the solid massing of the stone walls is a pavilion which grabs the views and the light to the south, east and west. Built in a position to be hammered by the winter storms the pavilion, while light and airy in appearance and feeling, is constructed of glass, steel, stout wood timbers and doors with a stone roof and a slate floor. The glass pavilion is anchored by two concrete panel chimneys; the windows are steel framed and the exterior skin is of powder coated steel sheathing.

Family Room

Joni Spear Interior Design

When the homeowners purchased this sprawling 1950’s rambler, the aesthetics would have discouraged all but the most intrepid. The décor was an unfortunate time capsule from the early 70s. And not in the cool way - in the what-were-they-thinking way. When unsightly wall-to-wall carpeting and heavy obtrusive draperies were removed, they discovered the room rested on a slab. Knowing carpet or vinyl was not a desirable option, they selected honed marble. Situated between the formal living room and kitchen, the family room is now a perfect spot for casual lounging in front of the television. The space proffers additional duty for hosting casual meals in front of the fireplace and rowdy game nights. The designer’s inspiration for a room resembling a cozy club came from an English pub located in the countryside of Cotswold. With extreme winters and cold feet, they installed radiant heat under the marble to achieve year 'round warmth. The time-honored, existing millwork was painted the same shade of British racing green adorning the adjacent kitchen's judiciously-chosen details. Reclaimed light fixtures both flanking the walls and suspended from the ceiling are dimmable to add to the room's cozy charms. Floor-to-ceiling windows on either side of the space provide ample natural light to provide relief to the sumptuous color palette. A whimsical collection of art, artifacts and textiles buttress the club atmosphere.

GREENWICH UPDATE

Susan Glick Interiors

MODERN UPDATE TO A CLASSIC HOME UPDATED FIREPLACE W/STATUARY MARBLE AND CUSTOM BRASS TRIMMED FIREPLACE SCREEN MINIMAL APPROACH TO MODERN MODERN ART GAME TABLE SCULPTURE

Atlantic Beach Private Residence

True Design Studios

Cristina Danielle Photography
Inspiration for a large beach style open concept living room in Jacksonville with a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, grey walls, carpet, a wall-mounted tv and blue floor.

Bedroom

Royal Interior

Inspiration for an asian formal enclosed living room with white walls, painted wood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and blue floor.

Mountain Modern

SAV Digital Environments

Whitney Kamman Photography
This is an example of a large modern living room in Other with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and blue floor.

Roller Shades and Sliding Panels

Style Savvy Designs

This is an example of a mid-sized modern formal enclosed living room in DC Metro with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and black floor.

Appartement duplex de 90m2, Paris 2ème

Marion Alberge

Situé au 4ème et 5ème étage, ce beau duplex est mis en valeur par sa luminosité. En contraste aux murs blancs, le parquet hausmannien en pointe de Hongrie a été repeint en noir, ce qui lui apporte une touche moderne. Dans le salon / cuisine ouverte, la grande bibliothèque d’angle a été dessinée et conçue sur mesure en bois de palissandre, et sert également de bureau. La banquette également dessinée sur mesure apporte un côté cosy et très chic avec ses pieds en laiton. La cuisine sans poignée, sur fond bleu canard, a un plan de travail en granit avec des touches de cuivre. A l’étage, le bureau accueille un grand plan de travail en chêne massif, avec de grandes étagères peintes en vert anglais. La chambre parentale, très douce, est restée dans les tons blancs. Cyrille Robin

Brooklyn Brownstone

fo design

cynthia van elk
Photo of a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in New York with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and black floor.

LOFT 2.0

MaRae Simone Interiors, LLC

In some ways, this room is so inviting it makes you think OMG I want to be in that room, and at the same time, it seems so perfect you almost don’t want to disturb it. So is this room for show or for function? “It’s both,” MaRae Simone says. Even though it’s so beautiful, sexy and perfect, it’s still designed to be livable and functional. The sofa comes with an extra dose of comfort. You’ll also notice from this room that MaRae loves to layer. Put rugs on top of rugs. Throws on top of throws. “I love the layering effect,” MaRae says. MaRae Simone Interiors, Marc Mauldin Photography

Project 604

HoneyBee Designz

Shelby Halberg Photography
This is an example of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Miami with white walls, carpet, no fireplace, no tv and blue floor.

Sellwood Library House

The Works

This turn-of-the-century original Sellwood Library was transformed into an amazing Portland home for it's New York transplants. Custom woodworking and shelving transformed this room into a warm living space. Leaded glass windows and doors and dark stained wood floors add to the eclectic mix of original craftsmanship and modern influences. Lincoln Barbour

City Living on the Hudson

Gacek Design Group, Inc.

Gacek Design Group - City Living on the Hudson - Living space; Halkin Mason Photography, LLC
Design ideas for a contemporary open concept living room in New York with green walls, dark hardwood floors and black floor.

Mott House Terra Bella Village

Maison de Reve Builders LLC

Papillos
Photo of a contemporary living room in New Orleans with a tile fireplace surround and black floor.

Laight Street Loft

DHD Architecture and Interior Design

2007 ASO Decorators Showhouse & Gardens

Dillard Pierce Design Associates

ASID Excellence Award for showhouse room
Contemporary living room in Atlanta with white walls and black floor.

Living Room Design Photos with Black Floor and Blue Floor

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.