Contemporary open concept living room in Miami with white walls, white floor and coffered.

Inspiration for a mediterranean formal open concept living room in Sacramento with a tile fireplace surround, white walls, terra-cotta floors, a concealed tv and orange floor.

Tahoe Donner Interior

Gregory Dedona Architect

Mid-sized country formal open concept living room in Sacramento with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

7th Avenue North

Naples ReDevelopment, Inc.

Contemporary open concept living room in Miami with white walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding tv and grey floor.

Afton Timber Frame Retreat

Smith & Robertson, Inc.

Sitting atop a mountain, this Timberpeg timber frame vacation retreat offers rustic elegance with shingle-sided splendor, warm rich colors and textures, and natural quality materials.

Glenwood Residence

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Little Rock with beige walls and carpet.

Birmingham West

Sharon Kory Interiors

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary open concept living room in Detroit with a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, beige walls and light hardwood floors.

Greystone Mansion Designers Showcase

Modoo Modoo interior design

Ball room at Greystone Mansion.
Design ideas for a large eclectic formal open concept living room in Los Angeles with pink walls, light hardwood floors, no tv, beige floor and no fireplace.

Pied à terre Parisien

Dorner Design

Mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Paris with white walls and medium hardwood floors.

Pond House

Eric Reinholdt, Architect

The interior of the wharf cottage appears boat like and clad in tongue and groove Douglas fir. A small galley kitchen sits at the far end right. Nearby an open serving island, dining area and living area are all open to the soaring ceiling and custom fireplace. The fireplace consists of a 12,000# monolith carved to received a custom gas fireplace element. The chimney is cantilevered from the ceiling. The structural steel columns seen supporting the building from the exterior are thin and light. This lightness is enhanced by the taught stainless steel tie rods spanning the space. Eric Reinholdt - Project Architect/Lead Designer with Elliott + Elliott Architecture Photo: Tom Crane Photography, Inc.

Fireplace Mantles

Cabinet Designs of Central Florida

Custom fireplace mantle framing the TV and providing storage for components. Crown molding was trimmed to wrap around the wall.
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Orlando with a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and a built-in media wall.

Eastlake Houseboat

K&L Interiors

Inspiration for a small beach style open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, wood, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Santa Lucia Preserve Family Resort

Carroll & Strong Builders Inc.

David Wakely
Large open concept living room in San Francisco with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, brown walls and no tv.

Ambergate Street, extension and renovation

Francesco Pierazzi Architects

To dwell and establish connections with a place is a basic human necessity often combined, amongst other things, with light and is performed in association with the elements that generate it, be they natural or artificial. And in the renovation of this purpose-built first floor flat in a quiet residential street in Kennington, the use of light in its varied forms is adopted to modulate the space and create a brand new dwelling, adapted to modern living standards. From the intentionally darkened entrance lobby at the lower ground floor – as seen in Mackintosh’s Hill House – one is led to a brighter upper level where the insertion of wide pivot doors creates a flexible open plan centred around an unfinished plaster box-like pod. Kitchen and living room are connected and use a stair balustrade that doubles as a bench seat; this allows the landing to become an extension of the kitchen/dining area - rather than being merely circulation space – with a new external view towards the landscaped terrace at the rear. The attic space is converted: a modernist black box, clad in natural slate tiles and with a wide sliding window, is inserted in the rear roof slope to accommodate a bedroom and a bathroom. A new relationship can eventually be established with all new and existing exterior openings, now visible from the former landing space: traditional timber sash windows are re-introduced to replace unsightly UPVC frames, and skylights are put in to direct one’s view outwards and upwards. photo: Gianluca Maver

Intricate Artwork and Living Room Wall Detail

LOCZI

This is an example of a contemporary open concept living room in San Francisco with red walls, medium hardwood floors and no tv.

Red Hot Mama

Heidi Pribell Interiors

Heidi Pribell Interiors puts a fresh twist on classic design serving the major Boston metro area. By blending grandeur with bohemian flair, Heidi creates inviting interiors with an elegant and sophisticated appeal. Confident in mixing eras, style and color, she brings her expertise and love of antiques, art and objects to every project.

Timber Homes Illustrated

Lake Anna Timber Homes

Inspiration for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Other with brown walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Lakeview Residence

Dick Clark + Associates

Photography by Scott Benedict
Mid-sized contemporary formal open concept living room in Austin with dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround, white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Créer une chambre dans un petit appartement

Fables de Murs

le canapé est légèrement décollé du mur pour laisser les portes coulissantes circuler derrière.
Small modern open concept living room in Other with red walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, a concealed tv, beige floor, recessed and decorative wall panelling.

Sagle, ID Residence

Duncan Bean Architect

View of living room from dining room. Photograph by Duncan Bean
Photo of a mid-sized country open concept living room in Seattle with yellow walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Red Open Concept 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 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 living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which 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 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 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 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.