Concrete block walls provide thermal mass for heating and defence agains hot summer. The subdued colours create a quiet and cosy space focussed around the fire. Timber joinery adds warmth and texture , framing the collections of books and collected objects.

Weather House

Mihaly Slocombe

Weather House is a bespoke home for a young, nature-loving family on a quintessentially compact Northcote block. Our clients Claire and Brent cherished the character of their century-old worker's cottage but required more considered space and flexibility in their home. Claire and Brent are camping enthusiasts, and in response their house is a love letter to the outdoors: a rich, durable environment infused with the grounded ambience of being in nature. From the street, the dark cladding of the sensitive rear extension echoes the existing cottage!s roofline, becoming a subtle shadow of the original house in both form and tone. As you move through the home, the double-height extension invites the climate and native landscaping inside at every turn. The light-bathed lounge, dining room and kitchen are anchored around, and seamlessly connected to, a versatile outdoor living area. A double-sided fireplace embedded into the house’s rear wall brings warmth and ambience to the lounge, and inspires a campfire atmosphere in the back yard. Championing tactility and durability, the material palette features polished concrete floors, blackbutt timber joinery and concrete brick walls. Peach and sage tones are employed as accents throughout the lower level, and amplified upstairs where sage forms the tonal base for the moody main bedroom. An adjacent private deck creates an additional tether to the outdoors, and houses planters and trellises that will decorate the home’s exterior with greenery. From the tactile and textured finishes of the interior to the surrounding Australian native garden that you just want to touch, the house encapsulates the feeling of being part of the outdoors; like Claire and Brent are camping at home. It is a tribute to Mother Nature, Weather House’s muse.

Interior Design with a Mid-Century Modern Mix - Troy, MI.

Dan Davis Design

By using the open-arm lounge chairs, we fit seating for 5 in a small space without it looking crowded. Small touches of wood on the end table, lamp, and picture frames add warmth to the overall grey color scheme. Fabrica Carpet gives overall pattern in the space. Interior design by Dan Davis Design

Napa Winery

Banner Day Interiors

Design ideas for a large midcentury enclosed living room in San Francisco with grey walls and concrete floors.

Contemporary Portola Valley Home Designed by CJ Lowenthal

Gilmans Kitchens and Baths

Photography by Treve Johnson Photography
Inspiration for a large midcentury formal open concept living room in San Francisco with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a corner fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

Mid-Century Modern in Mission Hills

Scovell Remodeling, Inc.

Chad Jackson
Midcentury formal living room in Kansas City with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Appartamento Hoxton London

Proma

Andrea Seroni Photographer
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in London with grey walls and limestone floors.

Mid-Century Modern Apartment

Sara Slade Interiors

We were thrilled with our design of wall unit to house the TV along with storage and plenty of space for our client to find lovely pieces to display. We chose walnut to work with the internal doors and the satin brass again echoed the door furniture that the developer had used throughout the apartment. You can see we used a textured wallpaper from Elitis on the left hand wall just to give the room a little more texture. Two brightly coloured Womb chairs added some humour to the room whilst the bespoke rug in pastels warmed the space up. Design by Sara Slade Interiors Photography Megan Taylor

Palm Springs - Alexander Butterfly Mid-Century Modern

Robert D. Gentry Photography

Robert D. Gentry
This is an example of a midcentury open concept living room in Other with a wall-mounted tv, grey walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and grey floor.

Midcentury Living Room

Photo of a midcentury open concept living room in Sacramento with grey walls, dark hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Mews Model 2015

Interior Concepts Design House

Mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Salt Lake City with grey walls, carpet, no fireplace and a freestanding tv.

Beatty Street Loft

Falken Reynolds Interiors

Photo: Ema Peter This 1,110 square foot loft in Vancouver’s Crosstown neighbourhood was completely renovated for a young professional couple splitting their time between Vancouver and New York.

Mid Century MOD Austin Remodel

Becca Stephens Interiors

Molly Winters Photography
This is an example of a mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in Austin with grey walls and no fireplace.

McElroy Renovation

STUDIOrobert jamieson

Sam Oberter Photography
Midcentury living room in Philadelphia with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and a freestanding tv.

Double Gable Eichler Remodel

Klopf Architecture

Design ideas for a midcentury formal open concept living room in San Francisco with grey walls.

Mid Century Modern Style with Crate and Barrel Sectional

Madison Modern Home

A Crate and Barrel sofa, a pair of West Elm Flat Bar bookcases and a vintage cocktail table combine with the rich texture of West Elm's Bello Shag Rug to create a warm and stylish condo retreat. Pillows by Crate and Barrel.

Richardson, TX: Morgan and Monica Campbell

Sarah Greenman

Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Design ideas for a midcentury living room in Dallas with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and a freestanding tv.

Bellesara

Rush Homes

A modern take on mid-century style, including ribbon fireplaces, wood flooring, and bar, perfect for entertaining. Available at Bellesara by Rush Homes.

Italian kitchen and mid century modern home

Lucile Glessner Design

Design ideas for a midcentury open concept living room in San Francisco with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and brown floor.

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

Midcentury Living Room Design Photos with Grey 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 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.