Formal Living Dining with french oak parquetry and Marie Antoinette floor style reflected on the ceiling coffers, and a hand crafted travertine fire place mantel

Eclectic Contemporary Main Floor

Liliblue Interior Design

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Orange County with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

Wilmington Court - Living Room

Paul N. Brow, Architect, LLC

Living room with painted paneled wall with concealed storage & television. Fireplace with black firebrick & custom hand-carved limestone mantel. Custom distressed arched, heavy timber trusses and tongue & groove ceiling. Walls are plaster. View to the kitchen beyond through the breakfast bar at the kitchen pass-through.

Big Glen Lake Residence

Ken Richmond, Architect

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Other with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Our Work

D. Youngs Cabinets

Fitted alcove units shaker style in white
Inspiration for a small traditional living room in Surrey with white walls, carpet, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround and beige floor.

Lionheart

Pizzale Design Inc.

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Toronto with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a wood stove, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and decorative wall panelling.

Deep Blue London

Anca Rotaru Design Studio

Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional living room in London with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, brown floor and wood walls.

Grand Millenial in Quail Creek

Alicia Zupan Designs

Living Room - custom paneled walls - 2 story room Pure White Walls.
This is an example of an expansive traditional formal loft-style living room in Oklahoma City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv, coffered and panelled walls.

Antique Wooden Row House

Filament Architecture Studio, PLLC

Who says living in a vintage home is hard? We want to light a fire and open a book, or drink a glass of wine after the kids have gone to bed. Our client found a delicate mantel vintage decorative tiles and a metal insert which was paired with a light green tile surround. A custom built-in bookcase hides a heater and air conditioner. The plaster ceiling was lightly repaired to retain its imperfections. With the mid century furniture this is a space I want to live in.

Pretty in Pink

Endless Ideas Interiors Inc.

Small traditional open concept living room in Toronto with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and coffered.

Living Room Design for a Victorian Terrace in Redland, Bristol

Ivywell Interiors | Bristol

We created a botanical-inspired scheme for this Victorian terrace living room updating the wall colour to Inchyra Blue on the walls and including a pop a colour in the lamp shades. We redesigned the floorplan to make the room practical and comfortable. Built-in storage in a complementary blue was introduced to keep the tv area tidy. We included two matching side tables in an aged bronze finish with a bevelled glass top and mirrored bottom shelves to maximise the light. We sourced and supplied the furniture and accessories including the Made to Measure Olive Green Sofa and soft furnishings.

Historic Ross

Ann Lowengart Interiors

This large gated estate includes one of the original Ross cottages that served as a summer home for people escaping San Francisco's fog. We took the main residence built in 1941 and updated it to the current standards of 2020 while keeping the cottage as a guest house. A massive remodel in 1995 created a classic white kitchen. To add color and whimsy, we installed window treatments fabricated from a Josef Frank citrus print combined with modern furnishings. Throughout the interiors, foliate and floral patterned fabrics and wall coverings blur the inside and outside worlds.

North London Renovation and Extension

Robert Rhodes Architecture + Interiors

Lincoln Road is our renovation and extension of a Victorian house in East Finchley, North London. It was driven by the will and enthusiasm of the owners, Ed and Elena, who's desire for a stylish and contemporary family home kept the project focused on achieving their goals. Our design contrasts restored Victorian interiors with a strikingly simple, glass and timber kitchen extension - and matching loft home office.

Living Room

Christie Architecture LLC

Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Portland with grey walls, travertine floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Sussex Burnt Oak Dark Wood Flooring in a Georgian Country Home

Naked Floors

Mixed width floors available in a variety of lengths. Our repro reclaimed wooden floorboards are hand finished to replicate the wear and tear of floorboards in historic homes. A perfect alternative to sourcing large amounts of reclaimed flooring. Finished in natural low VOC oils for the health of your home and the planet

Traditional Living Room

Traditional living room in Tampa with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Private House, West Kensington, London

Layzell Architects

Traditional living room in London with grey walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and grey floor.

Traditional Elegance

City Homes, LLC

LandMark Photography
Photo of a traditional formal living room in Minneapolis with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Tudor Renovation

The Fox Group

Design ideas for a traditional formal living room in Salt Lake City with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Golf Course Views - Bay Harbor

BOYD Construction Company Inc.

Two Story Living Room with light oak wide plank wood floors. Floor to ceiling fireplace and oversized chandelier.
Mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Other with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

All Fireplace Surrounds Traditional 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.