A view from the dinning room through to the formal lounge
Traditional open concept living room in Sydney with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround and black floor.

Fall 2013 Remodelers Showcase Home

Lake Country Builders

Inspiration for a traditional living room in Minneapolis with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Villanova Residence - living room

Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd.

Photographer: Tom Crane
Design ideas for a large traditional formal open concept living room in Philadelphia with beige walls, no tv, carpet, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Brownhouse Design

Brownhouse Design, Los Altos, CA

Los Altos, CA.
Inspiration for a traditional living room in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Glenwood New Construction

Morris Lare

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Other with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and coffered.

Moody Living Room

TOLT Studio

Photo of a mid-sized traditional living room in Other with a music area, green walls, light hardwood floors and no tv.

Living Room

Thompson Construction

This is an example of a large traditional formal open concept living room in Minneapolis with blue walls, carpet, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and beige floor.

Jordan Remodel

R|House Design Build

New linear fireplace and media wall with custom cabinets
Inspiration for a large traditional living room in Minneapolis with grey walls, carpet, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and grey floor.

Krameria

Duet Design Group

Formal & Transitional Living Room with Sophisticated Blue Walls, Photography by Susie Brenner
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Denver with blue walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

King City

Jessica Mendes Design

Inspiration for a traditional living room in Toronto with white walls, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, white floor and carpet.

Mountain Meadow

Carrick Custom Home Design

Rebecca Westover
Design ideas for a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Salt Lake City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Crystal Springs

Jenni Leasia Interior Design

The Living Room furnishings include custom window treatments, Lee Industries arm chairs and sofa, an antique Persian carpet, and a custom leather ottoman. The paint color is Sherwin Williams Antique White. Project by Portland interior design studio Jenni Leasia Interior Design. Also serving Lake Oswego, West Linn, Vancouver, Sherwood, Camas, Oregon City, Beaverton, and the whole of Greater Portland. For more about Jenni Leasia Interior Design, click here: https://www.jennileasiadesign.com/ To learn more about this project, click here: https://www.jennileasiadesign.com/crystal-springs

Montclair Living Room

Olive Hill Design Company

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in New York with purple walls, dark hardwood floors and a brick fireplace surround.

Contemporary Craftsman Living Room

Lark Architecture

The formal living room is focused around a traditional, paneled fireplace with a raised hearth. Crisp white paint sets off the trim details from the dark of the hardwood floors and the gas log firebox, with a luxurious gray quartzite stone slab fireplace surround. Large widows open onto the quaint front porch, connecting inside and out. [Photography by Jessica I. Miller]

Northwood Dr

Elite Austin

This is an example of a traditional formal enclosed living room in Austin with beige walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

West Chester Residence

Timeless Design by Kate FitzGerald-Wilks

Mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Philadelphia with blue walls and dark hardwood floors.

Lafayette Residence - Living Room www.hryanstudio.com

H. Ryan Studio

Heather Ryan, Interior Designer H.Ryan Studio - Scottsdale, AZ www.hryanstudio.com
Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Phoenix with a library, white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor, vaulted and wood walls.

Traditional Vibrant Living Room

Loom Decor

Photgrapher: Mary Summers Designer: Cassie from Hi Sugarplum Blog Cassie Freeman accented this already vibrant room with Loom Decor's custom yellow linen drapery to even out the space and put a spin on a traditional room. For a unique style add a contrasting color trim to tie the drapery into the traditional aspects of the room. Shop and create your custom window treatments at loomdecor.com

Girard Avenue Living Room

O’Hara Interiors

Martha O'Hara Interiors, Interior Design & Photo Styling | John Kraemer & Sons, Remodel | Troy Thies, Photography Please Note: All “related,” “similar,” and “sponsored” products tagged or listed by Houzz are not actual products pictured. They have not been approved by Martha O’Hara Interiors nor any of the professionals credited. For information about our work, please contact design@oharainteriors.com.

Traditional Living Room

Photo of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Other with beige walls and medium hardwood floors.

Traditional Beige 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 traditional 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 traditional living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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.