Reading corner with round feature window and Ercol coffee table
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Sussex with a library, white walls, dark hardwood floors, brown floor and vaulted.

Family Living

TKS Design Group

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW Alice and Dave are on their 2nd home with TKS Design Group, having completed the remodel of a kitchen, primary bath and laundry/mudroom in their previous home. This new home is a bit different in that it is new construction. The house has beautiful space and light but they needed help making it feel like a home. In the living room, Alice and Dave plan to host family at their home often and wanted a space that had plenty of comfy seating for conversation, but also an area to play games. So, our vision started with a search for luxurious but durable fabric along with multiple types of seating to bring the entire space together. Our light-filled living room is now warm and inviting to accommodate Alice and Dave’s weekend visitors. The multiple types of seating chosen include a large sofa, two chairs, along with two occasional ottomans in both solids and patterns and all in easy to care for performance fabrics. Underneath, we layered a soft wool rug with cool tones that complimented both the warm tones of the wood floor and the cool tones of the fabric seating. A beautiful occasional table and a large cocktail table round out the space. We took advantage of this room’s height by placing oversized artwork on the largest wall to create a place for your eyes to rest and to take advantage of the room’s scale. The TV was relocated to its current location over the fireplace, and a new light fixture scaled appropriately to the room’s ceiling height gives the space a more comfortable, approachable feel. Lastly, carefully chosen accessories including books, plants, and bowls complete this family’s new living space. Photography by @MargaretRajic Do you have a new home that has great bones but just doesn’t feel comfortable and you can’t quite figure out why? Contact us here to see how we can help!

Mid-Century Modern Beach House

Pfeiffer Design

Photo of a midcentury living room in Sussex.

Find the right local pro for your project

Find top design and renovation professionals on Houzz

Braeside

Lush Interiors Inc.

Photo of a small midcentury enclosed living room in Calgary with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, wallpaper, white walls, dark hardwood floors, no tv and brown floor.

Chelsea apartment

Nikki Hinton Photography

This is an example of a midcentury living room in London.

MIDTOWN REMODEL

HUNTINGTON ID

Family room we remodeled with a velvet blue sofa and gallery wall.
Photo of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Other with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and exposed beam.

Midtown Midmod

Hammersmith Structures

Midcentury living room in Denver with white walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a freestanding tv, wood and wallpaper.

Chevy Chase - Mid Century

$Teass \ Warren Architects$ Teass \ Warren Architects

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in DC Metro with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and vaulted.

Maple MCM

Vanillawood

Photo of a midcentury living room in Portland with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, beige floor, vaulted and wood.

Mid-Century Debonair

KrimsonHAUS

The living space was designed to not only reflect the mid-century modern style but also to take advantage of view with floor to ceiling windows. With warm sunrises and sunsets almost every day, we also wanted to incorporate this by using warm tones throughout.

Hargrave

Jubilee Interiors

Living room furnishing and remodel
Small midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a corner tv, brown floor and timber.

Living room

Anushka Contractor

An 8 ft. simple teak wood finish main door gives way to a cozy living room doused in natural light streaming from a large window and a cute-as-a-button balconette. The wall between this room and the kitchen has been demolished and the open kitchen now effectively makes this living space appear larger. We laid wooden look tiles on the floor, pre-cut into 4 pieces and organized in the herringbone pattern. This is not only spread across the studio but also seeps up the living room main wall. Upon this wall, hangs an artwork specially commissioned to a young artist to be evocative yet flaunt the yellow and blue that ties the otherwise somber colours together. Below this is a long chesterfield sofa in electric blue, an armchair upholstered in hounds-tooth with a gold, black and wooden frame. A wood and black glass center table set and a yellow and wooden side table set complete the seating set up. A custom rug in colours of our choice brings a touch of elegance to the room. Beside this is a white and wood console table with a round gold and wood finish mirror. A black skirting flows throughout the walls with a wood detailing as an added design detail.

Pomona Lake Kitchen + Living

TVL Creative Ltd.

Design ideas for a midcentury living room in Denver.

Mid-Century Modern Condo in Historic Capitol Hill

Finesse Design Remodeling

A two-bed, two-bath condo located in the Historic Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC was reimagined with the clean lined sensibilities and celebration of beautiful materials found in Mid-Century Modern designs. A soothing gray-green color palette sets the backdrop for cherry cabinetry and white oak floors. Specialty lighting, handmade tile, and a slate clad corner fireplace further elevate the space. A new Trex deck with cable railing system connects the home to the outdoors.

Mid Mod

Laiacona Photography

Inspiration for a midcentury living room in Orlando.

SW Hills Residence

Don Tankersley & Co.

This is an example of a midcentury living room in Portland.

Mid Century Modern Bohemian Living Room

Joselyn Rendon Interiors

Mid Century Modern Bohemian Living Room Interior Design Project
This is an example of a midcentury living room in Los Angeles.

SWI

Sloane Wyler Interiors

This is an example of a midcentury living room in Chicago.

Mid Century Modern Living Room

My Bespoke Room

Midcentury living room in London.

Midcentury Living Room Design Photos

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 midcentury 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 midcentury living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which midcentury 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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 midcentury 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.

Phelps Residence

Assembledge

Inspiration for a midcentury living room in Orange County.