Design ideas for a large midcentury formal open concept living room in San Francisco with beige floor, grey walls, light hardwood floors, no fireplace and a freestanding tv.

Devonwood Remodel Altadena

Willisland Design Works

Midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Eames, Dreams, Poolside in Palm Springs

Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Photo: James Stewart
Design ideas for a midcentury loft-style living room in Phoenix with grey walls.

Mid-Century Fusion kitchen remodel and living space addition in Monrovia

Metropolis Drafting and Construction Inc

A Modern home that wished for more warmth... An addition and reconstruction of approx. 750sq. area. That included new kitchen, office, family room and back patio cover area. The floors are polished concrete in a dark brown finish to inject additional warmth vs. the standard concrete gray most of us familiar with. A huge 16' multi sliding door by La Cantina was installed, this door is aluminum clad (wood finish on the interior of the door). The vaulted ceiling allowed us to incorporate an additional 3 picture windows above the sliding door for more afternoon light to penetrate the space. Notice the hidden door to the office on the left, the SASS hardware (hidden interior hinges) and the lack of molding around the door makes it almost invisible.

Roscommon House

Neil Cownie Architect Pty Ltd

The living room provides direct access to the covered outdoor area. The living room is open both to the street and to the owners privacy of their back yard. The room is served by the warmth of winter sun penetration and the coll breeze cross ventilating the room.

Edgecliff

The Here Company

Mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in Los Angeles with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Morristown Apartment

Grayscale Homes Designs

Mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in New York with a library, grey walls, laminate floors, a freestanding tv and grey floor.

Fireplace design by our partnerdealer Openhaardencentrum Deurne

Kalfire Fireplaces

Mid-sized midcentury open concept living room in Amsterdam with grey walls, a corner fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

New furniture for a home with a view

NIBIO LLC

Interior Design for a new home
Inspiration for a large midcentury open concept living room in Seattle with grey walls, medium hardwood floors and no tv.

Grand appartement haussmannien 180m2

Marion Alberge

Détail salon ; fauteuil style Gio Ponti chiné retapissé en velours jaune ; miroir soleil chiné ; tapis berbère Fragments Paris Photos Cyrille Robin
Photo of a large midcentury open concept living room in Paris with grey walls, a standard fireplace, no tv, medium hardwood floors and a stone fireplace surround.

LIVING ROOM - WESTCHESTER, NY

Natasha Habermann Studio

mid century modern credenza with gallery wall
Mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in New York with grey walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

LIVING ROOM - WESTCHESTER, NY

Natasha Habermann Studio

mid century credenza with gallery wall
Inspiration for a mid-sized midcentury enclosed living room in New York with grey walls, light hardwood floors and beige floor.

Cozy Mid Century Modern Family Room

Rebekah Nicole Interiors

A relaxed modern living room with the purpose to create a beautiful space for the family to gather.
Design ideas for a large midcentury open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, no fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and wood.

Mid-Century Modern Deck House

The Design Gallery

Our remodeled 1994 Deck House was a stunning hit with our clients. All original moulding, trim, truss systems, exposed posts and beams and mahogany windows were kept in tact and refinished as requested. All wood ceilings in each room were painted white to brighten and lift the interiors. This is the view looking from the living room toward the kitchen. Our mid-century design is timeless and remains true to the modernism movement.

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.

Victorian House S. East London

Alison Hammond Photography

This is an example of a midcentury living room in London with grey walls and dark hardwood floors.

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.

Upper West Side Transitional

Idea Space Architecture + Design

Photography by Anna Herbst
Photo of a mid-sized midcentury formal open concept living room in New York with grey walls, carpet, no fireplace and no tv.

Cambridge Victorian

Elms Interior Design

Photography by Michael J. Lee
Design ideas for a large midcentury enclosed living room in Boston with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and grey walls.

McElroy Renovation

STUDIOrobert jamieson

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

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.