This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Melbourne with white walls, laminate floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, recessed and panelled walls.

Transitional Living Room

Transitional living room in Sydney with white walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and panelled walls.

Berry Drive Treehouse

Racing Green

Photo of an industrial open concept living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and panelled walls.

Bianca Forest Project

Fancy Interiors Studio

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Toronto with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor and panelled walls.

High Design in the Heartland

Stephanie Stroud Interiors

Inspiration for a transitional enclosed living room in Kansas City with black walls, medium hardwood floors, no tv, brown floor and panelled walls.

Luxurious Lake Home | Oconomowoc, WI

Kowalske Kitchen & Bath

Design ideas for an expansive transitional formal open concept living room in Milwaukee with blue walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, coffered and panelled walls.

Luxury Family Home, North York, ON

avenue design inc

This is an example of a large contemporary open concept living room in Toronto with white walls, light hardwood floors, beige floor and panelled walls.

Kitchen

Infinite Home

Small eclectic loft-style living room in Atlanta with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and panelled walls.

CASA LLERS

Marta Estarriol Interiorisme

This is an example of a modern open concept living room in Other with brown walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, grey floor and panelled walls.

Classic Main Line Home

down2earth Interior Design, LLC.

The original wood paneling and coffered ceiling in the living room was gorgeous, but the hero of the room was the brass and glass light fixture that the previous owner installed. We created a seating area around it with comfy chairs perfectly placed for conversation. Being eco-minded in our approach, we love to re-use items whenever possible. The nesting tables and pale blue storage cabinet are from our client’s previous home, which we also had the privilege to decorate. We supplemented these existing pieces with a new rug, pillow and throw blanket to infuse the space with personality and link the colors of the room together.

Memorial Transitional

Frankel Design Build

Expansive contemporary open concept living room in Houston with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, exposed beam and panelled walls.

Aegean Teal

Timber Trails Development Company

Transitional living room in Chicago with white walls, light hardwood floors, beige floor and panelled walls.

UN CLÁSICO RENOVADO EN MADRID

Slow & Chic - Interiorismo

Reforma integral de un piso en Madrid con aire clásico renovado. Lleno de detalles como los papeles pintados escogidos para cada estancia y un hilo conductor claro en todo el proyecto: blanco y negro en baño y cocina, grises y azules para el resto de la casa.

Grade II Listed Home

Murray Hurst Interiors

Traditional open concept living room in Other with grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, white floor and panelled walls.

Berkshire Farmhouse

Catherine Truman Architects

Before the renovation, this 17th century farmhouse was a rabbit warren of small dark rooms with low ceilings. A new owner wanted to keep the character but modernize the house, so CTA obliged, transforming the house completely. The family room, a large but very low ceiling room, was radically transformed by removing the ceiling to expose the roof structure above and rebuilding a more open new stair; the exposed beams were salvaged from an historic barn elsewhere on the property. The kitchen was moved to the former Dining Room, and also opened up to show the vaulted roof. The mud room and laundry were rebuilt to connect the farmhouse to a Barn (See “Net Zero Barn” project), also using salvaged timbers. Original wide plank pine floors were carefully numbered, replaced, and matched where needed. Historic rooms in the front of the house were carefully restored and upgraded, and new bathrooms and other amenities inserted where possible. The project is also a net zero energy project, with solar panels, super insulated walls, and triple glazed windows. CTA also assisted the owner with selecting all interior finishes, furniture, and fixtures. This project won “Best in Massachusetts” at the 2019 International Interior Design Association and was the 2020 Recipient of a Design Citation by the Boston Society of Architects. Photography by Nat Rea

Pearson

Foster Hill Design

A high-rise living room with a view of Lake Michigan! The blues of the view outside inspired the palette for inside. The new wainscoting wall is clad in a blue/grey paint which provides the backdrop for the modern and clean-lined furnishings.

Villa Palmeraie

Demeure Design

Luxurious, contemporary style living room of residential house in Marrakech, Morocco.
Inspiration for a large contemporary enclosed living room in Other with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv, brown floor, vaulted and panelled walls.

Квартира 99 м2 ЖК Родной город. Воронцовский парк в современном стиле

Блохина Ксения

Photo of a large contemporary open concept living room in Moscow with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor, recessed, light hardwood floors, a metal fireplace surround and panelled walls.

Elegance Redefined - Uplands, Victoria BC

Jessica Velikovsky Interios

Vaulted 24' great room with shiplap ceiling, brick two story fireplace and lots of room to entertain!
Photo of a transitional formal open concept living room in Vancouver with white walls, light hardwood floors, a brick fireplace surround, a standard fireplace, no tv, brown floor, timber and panelled walls.

Hemingway

User

Design ideas for a traditional living room in Perth with white walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and panelled walls.

Living Room Design Photos with Panelled 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.