Living room connection to outdoor patio
Photo of a mid-sized scandinavian formal open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, grey floor and vaulted.

West Village Pied-à-Terre

Studioteka Design, LLC

Located in Manhattan, this beautiful three-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath apartment incorporates elements of mid-century modern, including soft greys, subtle textures, punchy metals, and natural wood finishes. Throughout the space in the living, dining, kitchen, and bedroom areas are custom red oak shutters that softly filter the natural light through this sun-drenched residence. Louis Poulsen recessed fixtures were placed in newly built soffits along the beams of the historic barrel-vaulted ceiling, illuminating the exquisite décor, furnishings, and herringbone-patterned white oak floors. Two custom built-ins were designed for the living room and dining area: both with painted-white wainscoting details to complement the white walls, forest green accents, and the warmth of the oak floors. In the living room, a floor-to-ceiling piece was designed around a seating area with a painting as backdrop to accommodate illuminated display for design books and art pieces. While in the dining area, a full height piece incorporates a flat screen within a custom felt scrim, with integrated storage drawers and cabinets beneath. In the kitchen, gray cabinetry complements the metal fixtures and herringbone-patterned flooring, with antique copper light fixtures installed above the marble island to complete the look. Custom closets were also designed by Studioteka for the space including the laundry room.

COZY CITY HOME

HARRISON FAE DESIGN

Photo of a large country open concept living room in Toronto with pink walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, brown floor, vaulted, exposed beam and wood.

Accent Walls

Susan Semmelmann Interiors- Award Winning Designer

Transitional open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and vaulted.

San Juan Capistrano

James David Custom Homes

Transitional living room in Orange County with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, exposed beam, timber and vaulted.

Great Room

Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors

This is an example of a large country open concept living room in Denver with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Boulder Remodel Home: Approachable Elegance

Factor Design Build

The living room continues the open concept design with a large stone fireplace wall. Rustic and modern elements combine for a farmhouse feel.
Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Denver with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and vaulted.

Newport Beach Villa

Ryan Rosene Photography

Beach house on the harbor in Newport with coastal décor and bright inviting colors.
This is an example of a large beach style open concept living room in Orange County with a home bar, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Custom Living Room in Newport Beach

Jeffrey V. Riggs, Architect

Design ideas for a large beach style open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, vaulted and wood walls.

Modern Loft Bungalow Living Room

John McClain Design

This eclectic living room pays homage to a mix of Modern, Art Deco and Mid-Century Modern design styles through a coming together of mixed materials, contrasting shapes and bold linear and architectural elements. Photo: Zeke Ruelas

Modern Farm House, Los Gatos

De Mattei Construction

Design ideas for a country loft-style living room in San Francisco with a home bar, white walls, light hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

161 Sugarloaf Place, Tamarack Resort, Idaho

Virtual Design Concepts, L.L.C.

This 4,500 square foot custom home in Tamarack Resort includes a large open living room graced with a timber truss and timber accents and a double sided fireplace between the kitchen and living room and loft above. Other features include a large kitchen island with sushi-bar style island, hidden butler’s pantry, library with built-in shelving, master suite with see-thru fireplace to master tub, guest suite and an apartment with full living quarters above the garage. The exterior includes a large partially covered wrap around deck with an outdoor fireplace. There is also a carport for easy parking along with the 2 car garage.

Tresco

Visbeen Architects

Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in Grand Rapids with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and vaulted.

Belterra Project- Furnishings, Light Fixtures & Interior Design

Haven Design and Construction

The grand living room needed large focal pieces, so our design team began by selecting the large iron chandelier to anchor the space. The black iron of the chandelier echoes the black window trim of the two story windows and fills the volume of space nicely. The plain fireplace wall was underwhelming, so our team selected four slabs of premium Calcutta gold marble and butterfly bookmatched the slabs to add a sophisticated focal point. Tall sheer drapes add height and subtle drama to the space. The comfortable sectional sofa and woven side chairs provide the perfect space for relaxing or for entertaining guests. Woven end tables, a woven table lamp, woven baskets and tall olive trees add texture and a casual touch to the space. The expansive sliding glass doors provide indoor/outdoor entertainment and ease of traffic flow when a large number of guests are gathered.

Hays House

Babcock Construction

Design ideas for a large arts and crafts formal open concept living room in Sacramento with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Franklin-Leipers Fork

Usable Space Interiors, LLC

Music Room!!!
Mid-sized country open concept living room in Nashville with white walls, medium hardwood floors, brown floor, a music area, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and vaulted.

Three Arch Cottage

Nate Fischer Interiors

Bright and airy cottage living room with white washed brick and natural wood beam mantle.
Photo of a small beach style open concept living room in Orange County with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and vaulted.

West End Privacy

Inplace, LTD

This is an example of a large country open concept living room in Denver with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding tv, brown floor, vaulted and exposed beam.

Beachlands House

Jessica Chloe Photography

A sun drenched open living space that flows out to the sea views and outdoor entertaining
Mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Auckland with white walls, ceramic floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, white floor and vaulted.

Modern Lake Cottage

Method Architecture Studio, PLLC

A light and bright space with Douglas fir timber trusses and mosaic stone fireplace surround.
This is an example of a mid-sized beach style open concept living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Living Room Design Photos with Vaulted

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.