Photo of a mid-sized contemporary living room in Moscow with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in Berlin with grey walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace, no tv and beige floor.

Тропическая гостиная

Дизайн — бюро Екатерины Колеговой Ecole

Transitional living room in Moscow with grey walls and light hardwood floors.

Квартира в Москве

ChDecoration

Фотограф Сергей Ананьев
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional living room in Moscow with a library, grey walls and dark hardwood floors.

Traditional

Ed Kingsford Photography

Ed Kingsford
This is an example of a large contemporary enclosed living room in Berkshire with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Huron Court

alisha gwen interior design, llc

Photography by Erin Alvarez
Design ideas for a transitional living room in Other with grey walls.

Back Bay residential interior photography project Boston MA

Keitaro Yoshioka Photography

Back Bay residential interior photography project Boston MA Client/Designer: Nicole Carney LLC Photography: Keitaro Yoshioka Photography
Design ideas for a transitional living room in Boston with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Circus Place

ZAC and ZAC - Photography

© ZAC and ZAC
Photo of an eclectic formal living room in London with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and beige floor.

アートが映えるモダンインテリアのセカンドハウス

Class S interior design（住吉さやか）

This is an example of a small modern open concept living room in Tokyo with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace, no tv, wallpaper and wallpaper.

Setliff

Builder Supply Source LLC

Photo of an eclectic formal open concept living room in Nashville with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Muswell Hill

Caz Myers Design

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic formal enclosed living room in London with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

London Apartment

Noushka Design Ltd

Nick Huggins
Design ideas for an eclectic formal enclosed living room in London with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Дом в Петровском

Женя Жданова

This is an example of an eclectic open concept living room in Moscow with a home bar, grey walls, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and no tv.

Pasquella Living Room

The Cousins

With a major wall removed this space is transformed from a living room to a living floor where different activities connect. The far wall is clad in a sugar cane based paneling painted in high gloss that unifies the space and provides understated texture. Rugs designed by Genevieve Gorder for Capel keep things light and lively. Photo by Chris Amaral

Westcott Rd

Rebecca McAlpin Photography

Rebecca McAlpin
This is an example of a transitional living room in Philadelphia with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

Transitional Living Room

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional formal enclosed living room in New York with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and a wood fireplace surround.

A Modern & Colourful Home, Muswell Hill

Paul Warren Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in London with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Chic Transitional

KW Designs

Chipper Hatter Photography
Inspiration for a transitional living room in San Diego with grey walls.

Williamsburg Home

Linda Cava

Photo of a mid-sized eclectic formal enclosed living room in New York with grey walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, medium hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

Sheldon Avenue

User

Photography by Will Scott Photography
Contemporary open concept living room in London with grey walls, a metal fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, medium hardwood floors and a ribbon fireplace.

Bold Colors Living Room Design Photos with Grey Walls

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.