Photo of an open concept living room in Richmond with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a freestanding tv, brown floor and coffered.

Modern Home

Trademark Homes

This is an example of an expansive modern open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, marble floors, a concrete fireplace surround, white floor and coffered.

Private Waterfront Residence on the Chester River

Purple Cherry Architects

Extensive custom millwork can be seen throughout the entire home, but especially in the living room.
This is an example of an expansive traditional formal open concept living room in Baltimore with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor, coffered and panelled walls.

Oakridge Home

Krista Cox Studio

Staged Living room showcasing black built-in cabinets, a wood mantel, marble fireplace, and statement chandelier
Design ideas for a transitional formal open concept living room in Other with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, coffered, medium hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

Historic Ross

Ann Lowengart Interiors

This large gated estate includes one of the original Ross cottages that served as a summer home for people escaping San Francisco's fog. We took the main residence built in 1941 and updated it to the current standards of 2020 while keeping the cottage as a guest house. A massive remodel in 1995 created a classic white kitchen. To add color and whimsy, we installed window treatments fabricated from a Josef Frank citrus print combined with modern furnishings. Throughout the interiors, foliate and floral patterned fabrics and wall coverings blur the inside and outside worlds.

Pequot

Cynthia Hayes Interior Design

Design ideas for a beach style living room in Providence with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor, coffered and decorative wall panelling.

Transitonal - Bennington, NE

Arjay Builders Inc.

Inspiration for an expansive transitional formal open concept living room in Omaha with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, coffered and panelled walls.

Grand Millenial in Quail Creek

Alicia Zupan Designs

Living Room - custom paneled walls - 2 story room Pure White Walls. **Before: the master bedroom was above the living room before remodel
Design ideas for an expansive traditional formal loft-style living room in Oklahoma City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, coffered and panelled walls.

Loft in Milan

Rossana Pedrali

Inspiration for an expansive eclectic open concept living room in Milan with white walls, marble floors, pink floor and coffered.

Parker Project

Stephanie Alegre Interiors

Casual yet refined living room with custom built-in, custom bar, coffered ceiling, custom storage, picture lights. Natural elements.
Photo of a beach style open concept living room in New York with white walls, coffered and medium hardwood floors.

Stony Pointe

Glas Associates

A view of the large great room and white media built in with numerous sitting areas Photo by Ashley Avila Photography
Large formal open concept living room in Grand Rapids with white walls, light hardwood floors, a built-in media wall and coffered.

Custom Elegance

Cole Thomas Homes

Photo of a traditional open concept living room in Austin with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and coffered.

Retreat from the City

Translations Design Studio, LLC

Photo of a contemporary open concept living room in Charleston with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, brown floor and coffered.

Beechwood

Jessica Koltun Home

Classic, timeless, and ideally positioned on a picturesque street in the 4100 block, discover this dream home by Jessica Koltun Home. The blend of traditional architecture and contemporary finishes evokes warmth while understated elegance remains constant throughout this Midway Hollow masterpiece. Countless custom features and finishes include museum-quality walls, white oak beams, reeded cabinetry, stately millwork, and white oak wood floors with custom herringbone patterns. First-floor amenities include a barrel vault, a dedicated study, a formal and casual dining room, and a private primary suite adorned in Carrara marble that has direct access to the laundry room. The second features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and an oversized game room that could also be used as a sixth bedroom. This is your opportunity to own a designer dream home.

Granada Japandi

DESIGN LAB 444

This is an example of a mid-sized scandinavian formal open concept living room in Phoenix with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a concealed tv, grey floor and coffered.

Classic Design on Rolling Hills

Nathan Taylor for Obelisk Home

Expansive traditional loft-style living room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv, brown floor, coffered and panelled walls.

Transitional living room before and after

Showhomes Houston

Before and after staging this open concept living room
Inspiration for a large transitional open concept living room with white walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and coffered.

Parsons Green

Samantha Watkins McRae

Mid-sized contemporary formal enclosed living room in London with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall, beige floor, coffered and panelled walls.

Biltmore Forest Whole House Remodel

Judd Builders

Photo of an expansive transitional open concept living room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, no tv, brown floor and coffered.

New Farmhouse in Franklin

Forte Building Group, LLC

Large country formal open concept living room in Nashville with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and coffered.

Living Room Design Photos with White Walls and Coffered

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.