bespoke furniture, decorative molding,
Transitional open concept living room in London with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Modern Farmhouse-Upstate

Crisp Architects

Playroom. Photographer: Rob Karosis
Large country formal open concept living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Royal Foxhunt, Orland Park

NZ DESIGN & ASSOCIATES INC

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Chicago with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Artist Inspired Bridgehampton Getaway

Amy Lau Design

Photography by Thomas Loof
Design ideas for an eclectic open concept living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Celebrity Home

LTW Design

rob lowell
Design ideas for an expansive transitional open concept living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Belleair Shores Whole Home Remodel

Hyde Park Renovations

Photos by Project Focus Photography
Large beach style open concept living room in Tampa with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and grey floor.

Woodlake Retreat - Bonita Bay

Collins DuPont Design Group

Designer: Sherri DuPont Design Assistant: Hailey Burkhardt Builder: Harwick Homes Photographer: Amber Fredericksen
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Miami with grey walls, a plaster fireplace surround, brown floor, dark hardwood floors and a ribbon fireplace.

Full Home Renovation & Addition

Litwiller Renovations & Custom Homes

This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Calgary with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and a ribbon fireplace.

Olite Court

GDC Construction

Design ideas for a contemporary formal open concept living room in San Diego with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Modern Farmhouse

Timber Trails Development Company

Design ideas for a country living room in Chicago with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Frio Camp

Cuppett Kilpatrick Architecture + Interior Design

Living room connected to entry/breezeway/dining through dutch door. Stained fir joists cap walls painted Sherwin William, Dark Night. Photo by Paul Finkel

San Juan Island Residence

NB Design Group, Inc

Hidden reading nook in Living Room provides additional seating and storage.
Photo of a large country open concept living room in Seattle with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and black floor.

Northville House Remodel

Tanya Rynicke Interiors, LLC

Max Wedge Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Detroit with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Hillsborough Spanish Revival

Scheinholtz Associates

Thibault Cartier
Inspiration for a mediterranean living room in San Francisco with dark hardwood floors, a plaster fireplace surround, beige walls, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Bookshelf Styling

Tunde Decor, LLC

We decided to use a brushed gold bookshelf against the dark wall to pop.
Photo of a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Atlanta with black walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Purple Accent Design

Freestyle Interiors

Small contemporary formal living room in Miami with black walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Rendezvous

LKID

Design ideas for a country open concept living room in Jackson with a library, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and no tv.

Rénovation complète d'un appartement 110m2

Optimiz Rénovation

Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Paris with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and no tv.

Queen Ann Shingle

Lowell Custom Homes

LOWELL CUSTOM HOMES Lake Geneva, WI., - This Queen Ann Shingle is a very special place for family and friends to gather. Designed with distinctive New England character this home generates warm welcoming feelings and a relaxed approach to entertaining.

East London Apartment

T C S

Design ideas for an eclectic living room in London with black walls, dark hardwood floors and black floor.

Living Room Design Photos with 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.