A country cottage large open plan living room was given a modern makeover with a mid century twist. Now a relaxed and stylish space for the owners.
Large midcentury open concept living room in Other with a library, beige walls, carpet, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Peckham Townhouse

Zoe Willis Design

This townhouse in East Dulwich was newly built in sympathy with its Georgian neighbours. An imposing building set over four stories, the owners described their home as a ‘white box’, requiring full design and dressing. The brief was to create defined spaces on each floor that reflected the owner’s bold tastes and appreciation of the Soho House aesthetic. A ‘club’ style den was created on the raised ground floor with a ‘speakeasy pub’ in the basement off the main entertaining space. The master suite in the eaves, housed a walk in wardrobe, ensuite with double sinks and shower. Throughout the home bold colour, varied textures and playful art were abundant.

Chez Agathe

Aurélien Vivier

Aurélien Vivier © 2016 Houzz
Design ideas for a midcentury living room in Lyon with a library and white walls.

Upper West Side Penthouse

Minami Livingston Interior Design

This is an example of a small midcentury open concept living room in New York with a library, grey walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Midcentury Living Room

Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Sacramento with a library, white walls, concrete floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and brown floor.

Oeste Home Yucca Valley, CA

Emily Pertzborn Interiors

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with a library and vaulted.

Mid-Century Modern TV Unit

Svelte Kitchens

This mid-century modern media room was all kinds of exciting. The dark wooden TV unit provided a statement piece whilst also keeping everything media-related neat and tidy.

Morristown Apartment

Grayscale Homes Designs

This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in New York with a library, grey walls, laminate floors, a freestanding tv and grey floor.

Lone Madrone Retreat

Heliotrope Architects

Sean Airhart
Design ideas for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Seattle with a library, beige walls and medium hardwood floors.

Rénovation totale d'une maison de ville

Studio 3i

Ce salon est décoré dans un style rétro/vintage avec comme couleur dominante le bleu canard et jaune moutarde qui s'accordent parfaitement. le graphisme des fauteuils rythme l'ambiance parfaitement maîtrisée. Chaleur et modernisme se côtoient pour créer une atmosphère douce et vintage.

Seattle Kitchen, Bath and Great Room

Community Builders, LLC

Mid century modern makeover: New engineered flooring, reused some existing light fixtures to play up the mid century theme, added some new lighting to mimic the mid century look. New windows were added to take advantage of the view.

Windsor Terrance Renovation

LEAD Studios - Architecture and Design

Photography by Level Eight Architecture & Design
This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in New York with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Cambridge Renovation

studiohw | Heather Weiss

photos by Eric Roth
Design ideas for a midcentury open concept living room in New York with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv and a library.

Living room

Laidlaw Schultz architects

Inspiration for a midcentury living room in Orange County with a library.

Deloache Ave Residence

Mohment

Living room
Inspiration for a large midcentury open concept living room in Dallas with a library, white walls, porcelain floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and beige floor.

Gladwyne

Kyle Born Photography

©2014 Kyle Born
This is an example of a midcentury living room in Philadelphia with a library, white walls and light hardwood floors.

Zilker Park MCM

Ashby Collective

Photo of a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Austin with a library, white walls, no fireplace, no tv and white floor.

Quimby

risa boyer architecture

Josh Partee
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Portland with a library, white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

Maywood

Flitch

Photography, Casey Dunn
Inspiration for a large midcentury open concept living room in Austin with a library.

Fenton Midcentury Modern Inspired New Build Home

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Mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Detroit with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, brown floor and wallpaper.

Midcentury Living Room Design Photos with a Library

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.