Living room with fireplace
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept living room in Sydney with green walls, dark hardwood floors and a tile fireplace surround.

Custom design and build

Horizon Homes

First impression count as you enter this custom-built Horizon Homes property at Kellyville. The home opens into a stylish entryway, with soaring double height ceilings. It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. And that’s literally true with this home. With the kitchen in the centre of the ground floor, this home provides ample formal and informal living spaces on the ground floor. At the rear of the house, a rumpus room, living room and dining room overlooking a large alfresco kitchen and dining area make this house the perfect entertainer. It’s functional, too, with a butler’s pantry, and laundry (with outdoor access) leading off the kitchen. There’s also a mudroom – with bespoke joinery – next to the garage. Upstairs is a mezzanine office area and four bedrooms, including a luxurious main suite with dressing room, ensuite and private balcony. Outdoor areas were important to the owners of this knockdown rebuild. While the house is large at almost 454m2, it fills only half the block. That means there’s a generous backyard. A central courtyard provides further outdoor space. Of course, this courtyard – as well as being a gorgeous focal point – has the added advantage of bringing light into the centre of the house.

Eclectic Brownstone Living Area with Fireplace - Brooklyn, NY

ACM Interiors

The formal living area in this Brooklyn brownstone once had an awful marble fireplace surround that didn't properly reflect the home's provenance. Sheetrock was peeled back to reveal the exposed brick chimney, we sourced a new mantel with dental molding from architectural salvage, and completed the surround with green marble tiles in an offset pattern. The chairs are Mid-Century Modern style and the love seat is custom-made in gray leather. Custom bookshelves and lower storage cabinets were also installed, overseen by antiqued-brass picture lights.

Craftsman Fireplace

Meriwether Inc

Photography by John Reed Forsman
Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts enclosed living room in Minneapolis with green walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Craftsman Remodel

Margie Grace - Grace Design Associates

After picture of the living room We found these fantastic Batchelder "Like" tiles to use as our focal point on the Fire Place Surround in our Living Room. We love the cool Scenery! We Beefed up the original wooden shelf and mantle to give this room a richer look.

Queen Anne Bungalow Resurrection

Carl Mattison Design

Photography by Josh Vick
Traditional enclosed living room in Atlanta with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Northbrook Shingle

Highgate Builders

This is an example of a traditional living room in Chicago with green walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

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/

JCPenney Custom Window Treatment Designs

Melissa Pearson for JCPenney Window Treatments

Photo of a large transitional formal open concept living room in Other with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

hunter Douglas Applause Shade

Sanders Decorating & Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in Other with green walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Marco Island

User

Randall Perry Photograpy
Inspiration for a large traditional open concept living room in Miami with green walls, a standard fireplace, light hardwood floors and a tile fireplace surround.

Garden Room Project

Skollop Design

Feature lighting, new cord sofa, paint and rug to re energise this garden room
Mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in Other with green walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a tile fireplace surround, vaulted and planked wall panelling.

Kings Hall Road Project

Clare Elise Interiors

Stunning Living Room embracing the dark colours on the walls which is Inchyra Blue by Farrow and Ball. A retreat from the open plan kitchen/diner/snug that provides an evening escape for the adults. Teal and Coral Pinks were used as accents as well as warm brass metals to keep the space inviting and cosy.

Family Room Bookcase

Moehl Millwork, Inc.

Moehl Millwork provided cabinetry made by Waypoint Living Spaces for this bookcase in this family room. The cabinets are stained the color spice on cherry. The door series is 410.

Chicago - West Loop Residence

Outline Interiors

Ottolino Photography
Design ideas for a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Chicago with green walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Winter Park Bungalow

Steele Street Studios

www.shannonlazicphotography.com
Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal living room in Orlando with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Voysey Inspired Seaside Home

John P. Margolis, AIA

Greg Premru
Design ideas for a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Boston with green walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

The Clark - Ten Trails Model Showplex

Lennar Seattle

Large living room with fireplace, Two small windows flank the fireplace and allow for more natural ligh to be added to the space. The green accent walls also flanking the fireplace adds depth to this modern styled living room.

Ann Marie Cousins Feature

Mark Harrison Photography

This is an example of a transitional living room in Other with green walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and brown floor.

Spring Lake Main Level Renovations

DES Home Renovations

Jose Alfano
Mid-sized country formal open concept living room in New York with green walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Living Room Design Photos with Green Walls and a Tile Fireplace Surround

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.