Contemporary living room
Large transitional enclosed living room in Sydney with white walls, light hardwood floors, a two-sided fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, brown floor and wallpaper.

Killara House

O'Meara Jones

Design ideas for a large transitional open concept living room in Sydney with dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround, no tv, brown floor and coffered.

Kew Sale

Top Snap South East Melbourne

Inspiration for a transitional living room in Melbourne with white walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Balmain Terrace House

Annie Bowen Design

Graced with character and a history, this grand merchant’s terrace was restored and expanded to suit the demands of a family of five.
This is an example of a large transitional living room in Sydney with blue walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and no tv.

Wine Cup Hill Kitchen & Living Room Remodel

Haven Design and Construction

Our clients desired an organic and airy look for their kitchen and living room areas. Our team began by painting the entire home a creamy white and installing all new white oak floors throughout. The former dark wood kitchen cabinets were removed to make room for the new light wood and white kitchen. The clients originally requested an "all white" kitchen, but the designer suggested bringing in light wood accents to give the kitchen some additional contrast. The wood ceiling cloud helps to anchor the space and echoes the new wood ceiling beams in the adjacent living area. To further incorporate the wood into the design, the designer framed each cabinetry wall with white oak "frames" that coordinate with the wood flooring. Woven barstools, textural throw pillows and olive trees complete the organic look. The original large fireplace stones were replaced with a linear ripple effect stone tile to add modern texture. Cozy accents and a few additional furniture pieces were added to the clients existing sectional sofa and chairs to round out the casually sophisticated space.

Oak Hill Craftsman

Marilyn Hill Interiors

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional formal open concept living room in Nashville with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and no tv.

Gold Fork

Gardner Homes

The Gold Fork is a contemporary mid-century design with clean lines, large windows, and the perfect mix of stone and wood. Taking that design aesthetic to an open floor plan offers great opportunities for functional living spaces, smart storage solutions, and beautifully appointed finishes. With a nod to modern lifestyle, the tech room is centrally located to create an exciting mixed-use space for the ability to work and live. Always the heart of the home, the kitchen is sleek in design with a full-service butler pantry complete with a refrigerator and loads of storage space.

Craftsman Manor Resurrection

Board & Vellum

Photograph by Travis Peterson.
Large transitional formal open concept living room in Seattle with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Last Chance Lakes

Quilter Construction & Remodeling

Jared Medley
This is an example of a transitional open concept living room in Salt Lake City with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and brown floor.

Home in Hampton Lake

Coastal Signature Homes

A lovely, relaxing family room, complete with gorgeous stone surround fireplace, topped with beautiful crown molding and beadboard above. Open beams and a painted ceiling, the French Slider doors with transoms all contribute to the feeling of lightness and space. Gorgeous hardwood flooring, buttboard walls behind the open book shelves and white crown molding for the cabinets, floorboards, door framing...simply lovely.

Merchandise Lofts

Croma Design Inc.

Donna Griffith Photography
Inspiration for a large transitional formal enclosed living room in Toronto with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

Living Room

Bruce Johnson & Associates Interior Design

Living Room
Design ideas for a transitional living room in Calgary with a stone fireplace surround, beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

NOB HILL | Remodel + Styling

Designology Studio LLC

Transitional living room in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, beige floor and exposed beam.

White Christmas

Delphinium Design

Updated living room with white natural stone full-wall fireplace, custom floating mantel, greige built-ins with inset doors and drawers, locally sourced artwork above the mantel, coffered ceilings and refinished hardwood floors in the Ballantyne Country Club neighborhood of Charlotte, NC

California Chic | Portland Whole House Remodel

Mountainwood Homes

Painted white cabinets with marble tile, Rift White Oak accent for the countertop and mantle.
Design ideas for a large transitional open concept living room in Portland with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a built-in media wall and beige floor.

The Kingsway Transitional

Geometra Design Ltd.

Large transitional formal open concept living room in Toronto with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Inspired By Artwork - Living Room

Allard + Roberts Interior Design, Inc

The renovation of this town home included expansion of this sitting room to encompass an existing patio space. The overhang of the roof over this patio made for a dark space initially. In the renovation, sliding glass doors and a stone patio were added to open up the views, increase natural light, and expand the floor space in this area of the home, adjacent to the Living Room and fireplace.

Lowcountry Estate

Pearce Scott Architects

Transitional living room in Atlanta with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround and brown floor.

Born & Bred Studio - Open Plan Living, Upminster

Born & Bred Studio

Photo Credits: Anna Stathaki
Mid-sized transitional living room in London with green walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Skillman project

MAWR Design

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional enclosed living room in Indianapolis with blue walls, carpet, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

All Fireplace Surrounds Transitional 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 transitional 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 transitional living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which transitional 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 transitional 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 transitional 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 transitional 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.