Photo of a country enclosed living room in Brisbane with multi-coloured walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, decorative wall panelling and wallpaper.

Sherwin Williams Projects

Painting Monkey

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in Detroit with a library, black walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Formal Sitting Room, Belfast

Cher Simpson Watt Interiors

Luxury Sitting Room in Belfast. Includes paneling, shagreen textured wallpaper, bespoke joinery, furniture and soft furnishings. Faux Fur and silk cushions complete this comfortable corner.

GREAT ROOM

Sheila Rich Interiors, LLC

The mood and character of the great room in this open floor plan is beautifully and classically on display. The furniture, away from the walls, and the custom wool area rug add warmth. The soft, subtle draperies frame the windows and fill the volume of the 20' ceilings.

Dublin Living Room Remodel

Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers

Formal living room with a stone surround fire place as the focal point. A golden chandelier hangs over the seating area.
Photo of a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Columbus with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, vaulted and decorative wall panelling.

Ranch House Great Room

Marin Design Co.

Large, bright, and airy great room with lots of layered textures.
Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Sacramento with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor, vaulted and decorative wall panelling.

Kerry Living-Dining-Entry

Bolen Designs

We created this beautiful high fashion living, formal dining and entry for a client who wanted just that... Soaring cellings called for a board and batten feature wall, crystal chandelier and 20-foot custom curtain panels with gold and acrylic rods.

Seward Park

Heidi Caillier Design

Traditional enclosed living room in Seattle with white walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Complete Home Remodel, San Diego CA

Bayside Home Improvement

An inviting living space that seamlessly integrates luxury with comfort. The room is characterized by its elegant marble fireplace, which anchors the space and provides a sophisticated focal point. The dark grey walls offer a dramatic contrast, while the expansive windows frame a breathtaking ocean view, infusing the room with natural light and a sense of openness. The modern furniture, including a plush curved sofa and stylish metallic coffee tables, enhances the contemporary feel. The room is a thoughtful blend of high-end design and homely warmth, designed to offer a tranquil retreat from the outside world.

LB House

Shane Marsh Architects

Photo of a large contemporary formal open concept living room in Brisbane with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor, timber and decorative wall panelling.

Living Spaces

Chad Jackson Photography

Photo of a large transitional formal open concept living room in Boise with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Doylestown Interior Renovation

REVIVAL

Inspiration for a large country formal open concept living room in Philadelphia with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Marina del Rey

Rande Leaman Interior Design

This expansive living room is very European in feel, with tall ceilings and a mixture of antique pieces and contemporary furniture and art. The curved blue velvet sofas surround a large marble coffee table with highly collectable Art Deco Halabala chairs completing the mix.

Shabby-Chic Country Kitchen & Sunroom

12/12 Architects & Planners

Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Chicago with green walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, no tv, brown floor, exposed beam and decorative wall panelling.

LA PETITE FOLIE HONFLEUR

Interior Life Design

Large transitional living room in Paris with a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv, decorative wall panelling, a library, white walls and brown floor.

Traditional Renovation on Aspen

Stalburg Design

Design ideas for a large traditional open concept living room in Detroit with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, vaulted and decorative wall panelling.

Soft Mood Trinité

Anne Chemineau - Decor Interieur

Un appartement familial haussmannien rénové, aménagé et agrandi avec la création d'un espace parental suite à la réunion de deux lots. Les fondamentaux classiques des pièces sont conservés et revisités tout en douceur avec des matériaux naturels et des couleurs apaisantes.

Via Orvieto, Dana Point

Jeri Koegel Photography

Inspiration for a transitional open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor, timber, vaulted and decorative wall panelling.

Late Victorian Remodel

Centoni Restoration & Development, Inc.

The floor plan of this beautiful Victorian flat remained largely unchanged since 1890 – making modern living a challenge. With support from our engineering team, the floor plan of the main living space was opened to not only connect the kitchen and the living room but also add a dedicated dining area.

Atherton Living Room

Lauren Nelson Design

Transitional living room in San Francisco with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, panelled walls and decorative wall panelling.

Living Room Design Photos with Brown Floor and Decorative Wall Panelling

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.