Mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in San Francisco with concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, grey floor, wood and wood walls.

Braeside

Lush Interiors Inc.

Design ideas for a small midcentury enclosed living room in Calgary with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and wallpaper.

Finally Tucson

Prideaux Design

Design ideas for a midcentury living room in Phoenix with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, beige floor and wallpaper.

Wayzata Mid-Century Modern Whole Home Restoration

Thompson Construction

Mid-Century Modern Restoration
Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Minneapolis with white walls, a corner fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, white floor, exposed beam and wood walls.

Californian Mid-Century House

Oneshot Design

This is an example of a large midcentury formal open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a concealed tv, exposed beam and panelled walls.

Maida Vale Family Home refurbishment

Samantha Watkins McRae

We worked on the design concept for the client brief to open up the ground floor and maximise the space. Instating steel framed glass doors and windows with new bespoke joinery throughout.

LIBRARY-LOWER LEVEL LIVING

Princeton Design Collaborative

This is a basement renovation transforms the space into a Library for a client's personal book collection . Space includes all LED lighting , cork floorings , Reading area (pictured) and fireplace nook .

Ashford Signature | Modin Rigid LVP Customer Space | Waterville, Ohio

Flooret

Deep tones of gently weathered grey and brown. A modern look that still respects the timelessness of natural wood.
This is an example of a large midcentury formal open concept living room in Other with beige walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, coffered and planked wall panelling.

rénovation maison de maître

Clémence Jeanjan Décoratrice d'intérieur

Côté salon TV, l'ambiance est tout autre. Les propriétaires désiraient une ambiance chic et chaleureuse, un cocon de repos pour des soirées télé en famille. Bleu le maître de cette pièce agrémenté de ce papier peint texturé et de quelques touches de cannage, nous transporte dans un nid douillet. Pour rehausser l'ensemble, j'ai adoré ce canapé en velours moutarde, confortable et tellement chic. LA touche finale, de beaux luminaires, un de créateur et d'autres chinés.

Project LEAF

DECODE DECO INTERNATIONAL

Photo of a small midcentury enclosed living room in Other with green walls, carpet, beige floor and panelled walls.

Bull Creek Modern Residence

Studio Steinbomer

Inspiration for a midcentury living room in Austin with white walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and brick walls.

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.

Кухня-гостинная

Валентина Мурзина

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury loft-style living room in Saint Petersburg with multi-coloured walls, vinyl floors, no fireplace, a freestanding tv, brown floor and brick walls.

MIDCENTURY MOD SLPIT LEVEL

Michelle Ann Designs

Design ideas for a midcentury open concept living room in New York with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, vaulted and wallpaper.

Ashford Signature | Modin Rigid LVP Customer Space | Waterville, Ohio

Flooret

Deep tones of gently weathered grey and brown. A modern look that still respects the timelessness of natural wood.
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury formal open concept living room in Other with beige walls, vinyl floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, coffered and planked wall panelling.

Hi-Hat House

Kimball Modern Design + Interiors

This is an example of a midcentury open concept living room in Denver with light hardwood floors, wood and wood walls.

Rehabilitación bioclimática

Studio Transparente

Vista general desde el altillo
Mid-sized midcentury loft-style living room in Valencia with ceramic floors and brick walls.

Glen Ellen Residence

Knock Architecture and Design

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in San Francisco with concrete floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, grey floor, wood and wood walls.

Mid-century Whole Home Historic Renovation

RIC design build

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Richmond with white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor, vaulted and brick walls.

Wayzata Mid-Century Modern Whole Home Restoration

Thompson Construction

All Wall Treatments 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.