Fully renovated ranch style house. Layout has been opened to provide open concept living. Custom stained beams
This is an example of a large country formal open concept living room in San Diego with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround and beige floor.

Liseter Weatherstone

Mary Cook

Taylor Photography
Inspiration for a traditional living room in Philadelphia with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Living Rooms

Tuckahoe Creek Construction, Inc.

This cozy and welcoming study with a wood burning fireplace, raised paneling and a flush marble surround makes you want to sit and stay awhile! Photo credit: Kip Dawkins

New Canaan Shingle Style

Michael Smith Architects

Laura Moss
Inspiration for a large traditional formal enclosed living room in New York with grey walls, a stone fireplace surround, medium hardwood floors and a standard fireplace.

Port Ludlow House

FINNE Architects

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal. The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces. The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

Urban Townhome Living Room

LORRAINE G VALE, Allied ASID

In this combination living room/ family room, form vs function is at it's best.. Formal enough to host a cocktail party, and comfortable enough to host a football game. The wrap around sectional accommodates 5-6 people and the oversized ottoman has room enough for everyone to put their feet up! The high back, stylized wing chair offers comfort and a lamp for reading. Decorative accessories are placed in the custom built bookcases freeing table top space for drinks, books, etc. Magazines and current reading are neatly placed in the rattan tray for easy access. The overall neutral color palette is punctuated by soft shades of blue around the room. LORRAINE G VALE photo by Michael Costa

William Hefner Architecture Interiors & Landscape

Studio William Hefner

Design ideas for a modern open concept living room in Los Angeles with a standard fireplace.

Living Room - Contemporary

AMI Design

Transitional living room design with contemporary fireplace mantel. Custom made fireplace screen.
Design ideas for a large contemporary open concept living room in New York with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a music area, medium hardwood floors and no tv.

Bergen Street Residence

The Brooklyn Studio

This is an example of a mid-sized transitional formal living room in New York with grey walls, a standard fireplace, no tv, a stone fireplace surround and brown floor.

Great Room

Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors

Large country open concept living room in Denver with grey walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv, brown floor and vaulted.

Belterra Project- Furnishings, Light Fixtures & Interior Design

Haven Design and Construction

The grand living room needed large focal pieces, so our design team began by selecting the large iron chandelier to anchor the space. The black iron of the chandelier echoes the black window trim of the two story windows and fills the volume of space nicely. The plain fireplace wall was underwhelming, so our team selected four slabs of premium Calcutta gold marble and butterfly bookmatched the slabs to add a sophisticated focal point. Tall sheer drapes add height and subtle drama to the space. The comfortable sectional sofa and woven side chairs provide the perfect space for relaxing or for entertaining guests. Woven end tables, a woven table lamp, woven baskets and tall olive trees add texture and a casual touch to the space. The expansive sliding glass doors provide indoor/outdoor entertainment and ease of traffic flow when a large number of guests are gathered.

Living Room

CS Thomas Construction

The dining/living room has a coffered ceiling, vertical shiplap walls, 12-inch wide heart pine floors that were circle-sawn from reclaimed barn beams.

Contemporary Living Room

Photo of a contemporary living room in Tampa with blue walls, a ribbon fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

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.

North Lincoln Hinsdale

Plain & Posh

The homeowners wanted to open up their living and kitchen area to create a more open plan. We relocated doors and tore open a wall to make that happen. New cabinetry and floors where installed and the ceiling and fireplace where painted. This home now functions the way it should for this young family!

Scandi Modern

Coddington Design

Minimal, mindful design meets stylish comfort in this family home filled with light and warmth. Using a serene, neutral palette filled with warm walnut and light oak finishes, with touches of soft grays and blues, we transformed our client’s new family home into an airy, functionally stylish, serene family retreat. The home highlights modern handcrafted wooden furniture pieces, soft, whimsical kids’ bedrooms, and a clean-lined, understated blue kitchen large enough for the whole family to gather.

Woodside House 2

Dotter & Solfjeld Architecture + Design

Large midcentury open concept living room in San Francisco with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, no tv and beige floor.

West Highlands Community

Brock Built

Photo of a country living room in Atlanta with grey walls, medium hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace surround and white floor.

White Sails Mid-Century Modern

Patterson Custom Homes

Photo of a midcentury open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors and a ribbon fireplace.

Long Island Tudor

Raychel Wade Design

Transitional formal open concept living room in New York with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, no tv and brown floor.

All Fireplaces 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 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 living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which 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 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 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 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.