Picture sitting back in a chair reading a book to some slow jazz. You take a deep breathe and look up and this is your view. As you walk up with the matches you notice the plated wall with contemporary art lighted for your enjoyment. You light the fire with your knee pressed against a blue-toned marble. Then you slowly walk back to your chair over a dark Harwood floor. This is your Reading Room.

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.

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.

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.

Montauk Residence

Abelow Sherman Architects LLC

Photo of a large beach style formal open concept living room in New York with white walls, a hanging fireplace, painted wood floors, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and blue floor.

Traditional Shingled Gambrel Retreat

Mitch Wise Design,Inc.

www.steinbergerphotos.com
This is an example of a mid-sized country formal open concept living room in Milwaukee with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv and blue floor.

Traditional Rambler

Mark D. Williams Custom Homes, Inc.

Photo of a traditional formal living room in Minneapolis with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv and blue floor.

Craftsman Living Room

This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts open concept living room in Minneapolis with a library, grey walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and blue floor.

Portola Valley

Fannie Allen Design

Family Room with large wing chairs, blue leather sofa, custom wool rug. Photos by David Duncan Livingston
This is an example of a large eclectic formal open concept living room in San Francisco with yellow walls, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, carpet and blue floor.

Electronic Marine Environments "EME" - Ft. Lauderdale

INI AV+ Electronic Home Environments

Home Away From Home- Yacht Living
Photo of a large contemporary enclosed living room in Miami with white walls, carpet, no fireplace, a built-in media wall and blue floor.

Spring House

V Fine Homes

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Dallas with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and blue floor.

Old Village Pool House

Todd Christian Construction, LLC

Inspiration for a beach style living room in Charleston with white walls, a wall-mounted tv, blue floor and planked wall panelling.

#potomacbold - Living Room Breakfast Niche

Laura Fox Interior Design, LLC

Blue seating nook in living room - the perfect place to have a cup of coffee and read the paper Photo by Jenn Verrier Photography
Mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in DC Metro with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and blue floor.

Dutch Colonial Project

The Fox Group

This is an example of a traditional living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, carpet, no fireplace and blue floor.

River Dunes Captain's House

Historical Concepts

Jean Allsopp (courtesy of Coastal Living)
This is an example of a traditional living room in Atlanta with beige walls, painted wood floors and blue floor.

Braden Court

Mel McDaniel Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Philadelphia with grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and blue floor.

Rénovation complète d'un appartement de 40m carré

Ingrid Cuny | Architecte d'Intérieur, Décoratrice

Salon ouvert sur cuisine, bureau et espace nuit. Lampe Donghia en verre de Murano. Table basse chinée. Peintures murs et sol Farrow and Ball.
This is an example of a mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in Paris with a library, green walls, painted wood floors and blue floor.

Astor Place Townhouse

William Rogers Architect

Modernist Living Room with green English Kirkstone Floor
Design ideas for a contemporary living room in New York with a brick fireplace surround and blue floor.

Transitional Historic Refresh Brookline

Corinne Acampora Interiors & Art

Inspiration for a transitional living room in Boston with white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, blue floor and decorative wall panelling.

Living Room Design Photos with Blue Floor and Turquoise 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.