Peter Rymwid
This is an example of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in New York with a music area, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv and a stone fireplace surround.

Residential Portfolio

Federico Photography

Design ideas for a transitional enclosed living room in New York with a music area, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv, brown floor, coffered and wallpaper.

Nikki Klugh Design Group

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in San Diego with a music area, blue walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and no tv.

French Chateau

William T Baker

James Lockhart Photgraphy Tricia McLean Interiors
Expansive traditional open concept living room in Atlanta with a music area, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Modern Mediterranean

Raegan Ford Interior Design

Drufer Photography
Photo of a large transitional open concept living room in Phoenix with a music area, beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and no tv.

Wolf Willow-Cream on Cream Luxury

Marie Hebson's interiorsBYDESIGN Inc.

Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Edmonton with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, a music area, dark hardwood floors and a wood fireplace surround.

Hyde Park Addition & Renovation

Camery Hensley Construction, Ltd

Photos by Robin Victor Goetz/RVGP Inc. Interior Decorator: Joelle Ragland, Cecitino Home
This is an example of a traditional living room in Cincinnati with a music area, beige walls, dark hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Numb

YUTOROSU architects

Photo of a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Tokyo with a music area, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, grey floor, wallpaper and wallpaper.

Santa Lucia Preserve Family Resort

Carroll & Strong Builders Inc.

David Wakely
This is an example of a large open concept living room in San Francisco with a music area, brown walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Historic Adobe

Lisa Gildar Interior Spaces

Inspiration for a mid-sized open concept living room in Phoenix with a music area, a standard fireplace, red walls and dark hardwood floors.

Modern French Country

B Fein Interiors LLC

Small enclosed living room in New York with a music area, brown floor, white walls and dark hardwood floors.

Louisville Abode

Dragonfly Designs

Susie Brenner Photography
Photo of a mid-sized transitional living room in Denver with a music area, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and no tv.

Bohemian

Kimberley Kay Interiors

Boho Southwestern is this space. Vintage rugs with jute and natural woods. Plants help make this interior feel the natural elements from outdoors.
Design ideas for a small open concept living room in Phoenix with a music area, white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, no tv and brown floor.

Cherry Hills Western Eclectic

Ekman Design Studio

This elegant expression of a modern Colorado style home combines a rustic regional exterior with a refined contemporary interior. The client's private art collection is embraced by a combination of modern steel trusses, stonework and traditional timber beams. Generous expanses of glass allow for view corridors of the mountains to the west, open space wetlands towards the south and the adjacent horse pasture on the east. Builder: Cadre General Contractors http://www.cadregc.com Interior Design: Comstock Design http://comstockdesign.com Photograph: Ron Ruscio Photography http://ronrusciophotography.com/

Lincoln Park Vintage Featured in Domino & House Beautiful

Summer Thornton Design, Inc

A pink velvet sofa pops against dark teal walls with traditional millwork. The lucite coffee table adds a modern touch and offsets the traditional heavy mantle. Animal prints, plush accent pillows and a soft area rug make this living room anything but stuffy. Summer Thornton Design, Inc.

The Back Road

Talie Jane Interiors

Jeff Dow Photography
Design ideas for a large country open concept living room in Other with a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, a music area, white walls, dark hardwood floors and a wood stove.

Elegant Traditional Kitchen in Greenwich

Nukitchens

We designed this kitchen using Plain & Fancy custom cabinetry with natural walnut and white pain finishes. The extra large island includes the sink and marble countertops. The matching marble backsplash features hidden spice shelves behind a mobile layer of solid marble. The cabinet style and molding details were selected to feel true to a traditional home in Greenwich, CT. In the adjacent living room, the built-in white cabinetry showcases matching walnut backs to tie in with the kitchen. The pantry encompasses space for a bar and small desk area. The light blue laundry room has a magnetized hanger for hang-drying clothes and a folding station. Downstairs, the bar kitchen is designed in blue Ultracraft cabinetry and creates a space for drinks and entertaining by the pool table. This was a full-house project that touched on all aspects of the ways the homeowners live in the space.

BindleyMediterranean Home designed by Burdge and Associates Architects in Malibu

Burdge & Associates Architects

Mediterranean Home designed by Burdge and Associates Architects in Malibu, CA.
Inspiration for a large mediterranean open concept living room in Los Angeles with a music area, white walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

SoHo Loft

Megan Grehl

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in New York with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a built-in media wall, a music area, white walls and a metal fireplace surround.

Churchville Project

Elizabeth Reich

Design ideas for a traditional enclosed living room in Baltimore with a music area, grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Living Room Design Photos with a Music Area and Dark Hardwood Floors

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.