View of Living Room, and Family Room beyond.
Photo of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Other with a music area, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and wood walls.

View Ridge

Heliotrope Architects

Design ideas for a contemporary open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and wood.

PK17 - Master on The Main Modern Farmhouse

Cascade West Development

This Beautiful Multi-Story Modern Farmhouse Features a Master On The Main & A Split-Bedroom Layout • 5 Bedrooms • 4 Full Bathrooms • 1 Powder Room • 3 Car Garage • Vaulted Ceilings • Den • Large Bonus Room w/ Wet Bar • 2 Laundry Rooms • So Much More!

New Gambrel on the Block

CHRISTOPHER STROM ARCHITECTS

This new, custom home is designed to blend into the existing “Cottage City” neighborhood in Linden Hills. To accomplish this, we incorporated the “Gambrel” roof form, which is a barn-shaped roof that reduces the scale of a 2-story home to appear as a story-and-a-half. With a Gambrel home existing on either side, this is the New Gambrel on the Block. This home has a traditional--yet fresh--design. The columns, located on the front porch, are of the Ionic Classical Order, with authentic proportions incorporated. Next to the columns is a light, modern, metal railing that stands in counterpoint to the home’s classic frame. This balance of traditional and fresh design is found throughout the home.

Columbia, TN Custom Home

Noble Johnson Architects

Architecture: Noble Johnson Architects Interior Design: Rachel Hughes - Ye Peddler Photography: Garett + Carrie Buell of Studiobuell/ studiobuell.com
Large transitional open concept living room in Nashville with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, vaulted, exposed beam and brown floor.

Living Rooms

Britt Hill Interiors

Large eclectic formal open concept living room in Other with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and wallpaper.

Living Room

Design ideas for a small modern open concept living room in Toronto with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and brown floor.

Garden Retreat by Burdge Architects

Burdge & Associates Architects

Living room, Modern french farmhouse. Light and airy. Garden Retreat by Burdge Architects in Malibu, California.
Inspiration for an expansive country formal open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Rough Hollow

Cameron Getter Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern open concept living room in Austin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

San Antonio, Texas | Gruenefield - Classic Tulane Living Room

Brightland Homes

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Other with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown floor and panelled walls.

Lake Travis Overlook

Marion Interior Design

This is an example of a large modern formal open concept living room in Austin with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a concealed tv, brown floor and panelled walls.

Evergreen Design and Decor

MARGARITA BRAVO

Our Denver studio designed this home to reflect the stunning mountains that it is surrounded by. See how we did it. --- Project designed by Denver, Colorado interior designer Margarita Bravo. She serves Denver as well as surrounding areas such as Cherry Hills Village, Englewood, Greenwood Village, and Bow Mar. For more about MARGARITA BRAVO, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.margaritabravo.com/portfolio/mountain-chic-modern-rustic-home-denver/

Cole Valley Three for All

Mark Brand Architecture

We were approached by a San Francisco firefighter to design a place for him and his girlfriend to live while also creating additional units he could sell to finance the project. He grew up in the house that was built on this site in approximately 1886. It had been remodeled repeatedly since it was first built so that there was only one window remaining that showed any sign of its Victorian heritage. The house had become so dilapidated over the years that it was a legitimate candidate for demolition. Furthermore, the house straddled two legal parcels, so there was an opportunity to build several new units in its place. At our client’s suggestion, we developed the left building as a duplex of which they could occupy the larger, upper unit and the right building as a large single-family residence. In addition to design, we handled permitting, including gathering support by reaching out to the surrounding neighbors and shepherding the project through the Planning Commission Discretionary Review process. The Planning Department insisted that we develop the two buildings so they had different characters and could not be mistaken for an apartment complex. The duplex design was inspired by Albert Frey’s Palm Springs modernism but clad in fibre cement panels and the house design was to be clad in wood. Because the site was steeply upsloping, the design required tall, thick retaining walls that we incorporated into the design creating sunken patios in the rear yards. All floors feature generous 10 foot ceilings and large windows with the upper, bedroom floors featuring 11 and 12 foot ceilings. Open plans are complemented by sleek, modern finishes throughout.

The Magnolia - Great Room to Kitchen

Drewett Works

WINNER: Silver Award – One-of-a-Kind Custom or Spec 4,001 – 5,000 sq ft, Best in American Living Awards, 2019 Affectionately called The Magnolia, a reference to the architect's Southern upbringing, this project was a grass roots exploration of farmhouse architecture. Located in Phoenix, Arizona’s idyllic Arcadia neighborhood, the home gives a nod to the area’s citrus orchard history. Echoing the past while embracing current millennial design expectations, this just-complete speculative family home hosts four bedrooms, an office, open living with a separate “dirty kitchen”, and the Stone Bar. Positioned in the Northwestern portion of the site, the Stone Bar provides entertainment for the interior and exterior spaces. With retracting sliding glass doors and windows above the bar, the space opens up to provide a multipurpose playspace for kids and adults alike. Nearly as eyecatching as the Camelback Mountain view is the stunning use of exposed beams, stone, and mill scale steel in this grass roots exploration of farmhouse architecture. White painted siding, white interior walls, and warm wood floors communicate a harmonious embrace in this soothing, family-friendly abode. Project Details // The Magnolia House Architecture: Drewett Works Developer: Marc Development Builder: Rafterhouse Interior Design: Rafterhouse Landscape Design: Refined Gardens Photographer: ProVisuals Media Awards Silver Award – One-of-a-Kind Custom or Spec 4,001 – 5,000 sq ft, Best in American Living Awards, 2019 Featured In “The Genteel Charm of Modern Farmhouse Architecture Inspired by Architect C.P. Drewett,” by Elise Glickman for Iconic Life, Nov 13, 2019

Compact Ski Cabin

Reilly Design

Living room in a compact ski cabin
Photo of a small transitional enclosed living room in Boston with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Dramatic Lines l Renovation

My House Design/Build/Team

Large contemporary open concept living room in Vancouver with white walls, light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor, planked wall panelling and a stone fireplace surround.

Westwood Tudor House Phase II

Julia Chasman Design

We are lucky to have a small window in the Juliet balcony in a second floor bedroom, which afforded these shots of the living room as seen from above. This shot gives us a chance to appreciate the overall layout of the room, and the way the large jute rug outlines the central seating area, furthered defined by the smaller Persian rug which can be appreciated through the glass coffee table. The wonderfully unusual cafe-au-lait Mushroom stools by John Derian for Cisco Home are best appreciated from this vantage, as are the pari of Lane Acclaim side tables, adding a mid-century flavor to the more traditional style of the furnishings. The smaller, corner seating areas are also seen in scale as cozy nooks to escape to for reading, or a quiet cup of tea.

PARADISE VALLEY VILLA

Lissa Lee Hickman

Photo of a mediterranean formal open concept living room in Phoenix with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor, coffered and wood.

Bunny Run Award-Winning Project

Becky Fuller Homes

Photo of a large midcentury open concept living room in Austin with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and beige floor.

North Lincoln Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

The homeowners wanted to open up their living and kitchen area to create a more open plan. We relocated doors and tore open a wall to make that happen. New cabinetry and floors where installed and the ceiling and fireplace where painted. This home now functions the way it should for this young family!

All Fireplace Surrounds Living Room Design Photos with White 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.