Photo of 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.

Wimbledon

Studio Qasabian

Living room painted in Farrow + Ball Brinjal. Custom fireplace surround in Rosso Levanto marble. Versaille pattern parquet flooring in custom black finish. Custom wall paneling design. Pink Venini glass chandelier.

Трехкомнатная сталинка в Хамовниках

Маша Хусеинова

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional living room in Moscow with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround and yellow floor.

Palacio Duarte

Lorenzo Moinet Ybarra

Inspiration for a large traditional formal enclosed living room in Madrid with red walls, carpet, no fireplace and no tv.

Laminate Flooring

Oceanside Abbey Carpet

Large traditional formal open concept living room in San Diego with red walls, laminate floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Aluminum Blinds

Window Expressions

Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Baltimore with red walls, dark hardwood floors, a wood fireplace surround and a standard fireplace.

East 88th Street Residence

Jennifer Flanders Inc.

Francis Smith
Design ideas for a traditional living room in New York with red walls.

Our Portfolio

Masse Group

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional enclosed living room in Boston with red walls, dark hardwood floors and no fireplace.

1870's Second Empire Style

Peter LaBau, LLC

Traditional living room in Orange County with red walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround, no tv and black floor.

Quadra-Fire Stoves

Leisure Time Inc.

This is an example of a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in Other with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a wood stove, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

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.

Cheswold Carriage House

Eberlein Design Consultants Ltd.

Photo Credit: Tom Crane
This is an example of a traditional living room in Philadelphia with red walls, a two-sided fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Beaugureau Studios

Photo of a large traditional living room in Chicago with red walls.

Entertainment/Bar

Merlin Custom Home Builders

Jim Lindstrom
Photo of a large traditional open concept living room in Las Vegas with red walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and no tv.

new bay window treatment

A & J Interiors, LLC

My client wanted to update the look of her living,dining and family rooms. She wanted to replace the swags and cascades in the bay windows with something more current. Since the bays were in the front of the house we created a consistent look from the street while still giving each space its own personality. In the living room, the deep wall color is the perfect backdrop for these beautiful embroidered window treatments. Debi Pinelli, A&J Interiors, LLC

Upper West Side Traditional Townhouse

Tonos Design Studio

Suchitra Van
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional formal enclosed living room in New York with red walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, no tv and brown floor.

Midrise Renovation

Pamela Hoffer Design Associates

This is an example of a small traditional open concept living room in Houston with red walls and carpet.

West Village: One Bedroom Condominium Organization

apartmentjeanie

The lighter & brighter living room can now show off the beautiful built in shelving and fireplace. Photo: Rikki Snyder
Design ideas for a mid-sized traditional open concept living room in New York with red walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a wood fireplace surround.

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.

Downton Abbey Style

Hamilburg Interiors

The formerly beige and green family room was redesigned with a raspberry and camel color scheme. Against the backdrop of the bold Cowtan and Tout grass cloth wall covering, the new room is warm yet tailored and still kid-friendly. Michael J. Lee Photography

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.