Mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Dallas with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

East Coast Family Retreat

W Design Interiors

Design ideas for a mid-sized eclectic formal open concept living room in Orange County with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Books and art, comfort and elegance.

Julia Rudin Design Group

Brian Vogel
Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Houston with grey walls, painted wood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and no tv.

Bay Street

Napoleon at Home

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Hollywood Bungalow 1

GLYNNdesignbuild

To achieve the indoor/outdoor quality our client wanted, we installed multiple moment frames to carry the existing roof. It looks clean and organized in this photo but there is a lot going on in the structure. Don't be afraid to make big structural moves to achieve an open space. It is always worth it!

Soft Glamour Dining and Living

RL Design Studio

Teness Herman Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Portland with pink walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Contemporary Warmth: Highland Park Residence

Beth Dotolo, ASID, RID, NCIDQ

This forever home, perfect for entertaining and designed with a place for everything, is a contemporary residence that exudes warmth, functional style, and lifestyle personalization for a family of five. Our busy lawyer couple, with three close-knit children, had recently purchased a home that was modern on the outside, but dated on the inside. They loved the feel, but knew it needed a major overhaul. Being incredibly busy and having never taken on a renovation of this scale, they knew they needed help to make this space their own. Upon a previous client referral, they called on Pulp to make their dreams a reality. Then ensued a down to the studs renovation, moving walls and some stairs, resulting in dramatic results. Beth and Carolina layered in warmth and style throughout, striking a hard-to-achieve balance of livable and contemporary. The result is a well-lived in and stylish home designed for every member of the family, where memories are made daily.

South Austin Home

Kristen James, AIA, WELL AP + LEED AP

The large living room had dark false beams and a beige popcorn ceiling that was removed and changed to a light and bright slatted ceiling with white semigloss beams for added reflectivity from the large windows on either side of the room. The original whitewashed brick fireplace was a key element we wanted to keep and enhance. A large 80's style mantle was removed from the face and two modern bookcases were installed

Marquette | 2016

Coats Homes

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Dallas with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Madrid

Cast Fireplaces, Inc.

Torregrossa Interiors
Mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Houston with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and no tv.

In the Heart of Forest Hill

Nazem + Rose Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Toronto with medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, beige walls and brown floor.

Barrington Estate

Bickerstaff Builders, Inc.

Design ideas for a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Chicago with a standard fireplace, beige walls, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Cathedral District Residence

Gemma Parker Design, LLC

Photography: Werner Straube
Photo of a mid-sized transitional formal living room in Chicago with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and dark hardwood floors.

Donadio Custom Home

Alair Homes Orillia

This spectacular custom home boasts 4750 square feet plus a basement full walk out with an additional 3700 square feet of living space, and a 2500 square foot driveway sitting on a beautiful green 3 acres.

The Evelyn- an Eldridge Company Home

Eldridge Company Design | Build

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in Louisville with blue walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Benjamin Moore Line

Arte Bella Painting

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary enclosed living room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Armstrong

Project Sunday

Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, bamboo floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Ridgefield Stone & Timber

TASOS KOKORIS AIA, LEED AP

Carl Glissmann Photography
Mid-sized country formal enclosed living room in New York with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Eclectic Ranch Style

Kelley Wolf Interiors

An eclectic / bohemian Ranch style home in California. Ali Atri Photography
Mid-sized eclectic open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Fireplace

Urban Treehouse

Custom designed and built with modern traditional woodworking and wainscoting this gas burning fireplace is surrounded by mother of pearl tiles and acacia hardwood flooring.

Mid-sized Living Room Design Photos with a Standard Fireplace

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.