Open living areas and a two-sided central fireplace separate the living space form the dining area, yet still beckons for more causal after dinner extended conversations.

8500 Seminole Street grand-scale home in an ideal Chestnut Hill location

Team Whetzel

Large traditional formal enclosed living room in Philadelphia with red walls, no tv and brown floor.

Living Area

Audubon Curtain Studios

Photo of a small traditional formal enclosed living room in Cincinnati with no fireplace, no tv and red walls.

NEW CANAAN CLASSIC MODERN

Stephanie Rapp Interiors, LLC

Wilie Cole Photography
Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in New York with red walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and multi-coloured floor.

Palisbo

Atlas Construction

Photo of a mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in Hawaii with red walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Sitting Room

Sara Hopkins

Many of the furnishings and the rug in this ladies sitting room were among the already existing family belongings. We started with a bold-striped wallpaper from Clarence house that laid the foundation for the red and gold colors of the room. The elegant, embroidered silk panels wih attached, swag valances hang from Stroheim and Romann's ivory & gold-leafed pole and embrace the petite, French writing desk and chair.

Darien Renovation

Segerson Builders

Red painted living room with fireplace and gray painted beams.
Photo of a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Other with red walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv.

Urban Farmhouse

NRC HOMES

The free-standing wood stove helps separate the living room from the dining room, while still allowing openness and flow. The owners heat their first floor primarily with hydronic heating embedded in the concrete floor, but the wood stove provides its own cozy warmth and light. The wood stove rotates 180 degrees, so the owners can position it to face the living room or the dining room. Architectural design by Board & Vellum. Photo by John G. Wilbanks.

This Old House, Charlestown Greek Rival Row House

Kathy Marshall Design

Michael J Lee Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Boston with a library, red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Historical Essex Home

Eileen and Taylor

Jennifer Cardinal Photography LLC
Large traditional enclosed living room in Bridgeport with a library, red walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Carolina House Study

R.C. Collins Furniture and Lighting Design

This is an example of a traditional formal living room in Charleston with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

Classic living room

Elis Deschamps

This is an example of a traditional formal enclosed living room in Austin with red walls, no fireplace and no tv.

Den

Living Interiors

The den is a nod to British style, Ralph Lauren's 'Hunting Coat Red' creates a dramatic backdrop for the large oil painting collection, Chesterfield sofas add a gentleman's club feel to the space.

Stately Georgian Estate

Beacon Construction Group Inc

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Miami with red walls, marble floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Interior Lighting Project

J. W. McCarter & Associates

Grand living room with high ceilings, stained glass skylight, ceiling beams, stained glass table lamps, and upholstered sofas, armchairs, and ottomans.

Traditional Home

InteriorCorp, LTD.

Design ideas for a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Detroit with red walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and no tv.

Geyer Historic Renovation

Tim Hollerbach Designs, LLC

Inspiration for a small traditional formal enclosed living room in St Louis with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a hanging fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, a freestanding tv and beige floor.

Дом для родителей

Компания "А-Дизайн"

Евгений Кулибаба
Traditional formal open concept living room in Moscow with red walls and a freestanding tv.

Custom Built-Ins

Hardwood Interiors & Design

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in Other with red walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, medium hardwood floors and brown floor.

Bedford, New York Interior

Debra Kling Colour Consultant

Denison Lourenco
Photo of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in New York with red walls, dark hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Traditional Living Room Design Photos with Red 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 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.