Photo of a traditional living room in San Francisco with red walls, a standard fireplace and a tile fireplace surround.

Nicholas martin cabinets. Replacement oak wall paneling and a original church pew witch has been renovated and re polished.
Large traditional open concept living room in Other with red walls.

Duplex near Harvard Square, Cambridge Massachusetts

Don Foote Contracting

Detail showing lower shaker door cabinets under upper built-in shelves and decorative crown molding. Mahogany countertop with satin poly. design: Marta Kruszelnicka photo: Todd Gieg

Interior Renovation Projects

IMPROVE or MOVE

Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in New York with red walls, ceramic floors, no fireplace and no tv.

Classic Bespoke furnitures

Proma

Arch. Desideria Marchi Ph. Alessandro Branca
Mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Milan with red walls, light hardwood floors, a freestanding tv and a library.

Shawnee, OK

User

Formal Living Room at Traditional Shawnee Project
Design ideas for an expansive traditional formal open concept living room in Oklahoma City with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Ft. Worth Historical Residence

Dona Rosene Interiors

Photography by Robert Peacock.
This is an example of a large traditional enclosed living room in Dallas with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Villanova Residence - study

Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd.

Photographer: Tom Crane
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Philadelphia with red walls, a library, carpet, a standard fireplace, no tv and a metal fireplace surround.

Fun Traditional Living Room

Wiles Design Group

Project by Wiles Design Group. Their Cedar Rapids-based design studio serves the entire Midwest, including Iowa City, Dubuque, Davenport, and Waterloo, as well as North Missouri and St. Louis. For more about Wiles Design Group, see here: https://wilesdesigngroup.com/

Heatilator Design Gallery

Perfection Supply

Inspiration for a large traditional open concept living room in Houston with red walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Newlywed's home

Tracy Murdock Allied ASID

Luxurious silk drapery, velvet club chairs and antiques give this couple's formal living room the warmth it exudes.
Design ideas for a traditional living room in Los Angeles with red walls and a standard fireplace.

Mercer House

BROWN DAVIS ARCHITECTURE & INTERIORS

This is an example of a traditional living room in Miami with red walls.

Crisp Architects

-Rob Karosis: Photographer
Traditional living room in New York with red walls and medium hardwood floors.

French Provincial - Bellevue

Oswald Homes

Design ideas for a traditional living room in Perth with red walls.

Family House - Richmond

Mia Karlsson Interior Design Ltd

Marco Joe Fazio
Mid-sized traditional formal open concept living room in London with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and red walls.

Traditional Living Room

Traditional formal living room in Dallas with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Traditional Living Room

Inspiration for a traditional living room in Atlanta with red walls.

Showroom

Leroy Hearth and Home

Mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in New York with red walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Equestrian Estate

Interior Effects by Michael McNamara

Photo of a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Chicago with red walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

Traditional Dining and Living Room

Wilson Lee Interiors

The bright red walls are complimented by the brown faux finished wainscoting I selected rugs that further emphasized the red walls and added amber crystal chandeliers above each area. The golden silk upholstery was selected as a compliment to the chandeliers.

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.