Living room with paneling on all walls, coffered ceiling, Oly pendant, built-in book cases, bay window, calacatta slab fireplace surround and hearth, 2-way fireplace with wall sconces shared between the family and living room. Photographer Frank Paul Perez Decoration Nancy Evars, Evars + Anderson Interior Design

Woodmeister Master Builders - WestWind

Woodmeister Master Builders

The living room features petrified wood fireplace surround with a salvaged driftwood mantle. Nearby, the dining room table retracts and converts into a guest bed.

Maryland Drive

Joseph Spierer Architects, Inc.

Redefined interiors, bringing the outside in.
Large mediterranean open concept living room in Los Angeles with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround, no tv, beige floor and vaulted.

The Black-White House

Jill Romine Interior Design

Inspiration for a beach style living room in New York with beige walls, medium hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace and brown floor.

NW Idea House 2023

Space Lab Design Services LLC

Photo of a contemporary open concept living room in Seattle with light hardwood floors, a ribbon fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and beige floor.

Great Hills Remodel

Kelley Design Group

Beautiful open living room with ceiling beams and fireplace.
Transitional open concept living room in Austin with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and exposed beam.

Organic & Modern Nashville Family Home

Kathy Kuo Designs Inc

Kathy Kuo styles the coffee table details in this modern Nashville interior design project.
Design ideas for a large transitional open concept living room in Nashville with white walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv and brown floor.

Ocala, FL Modern Contemporary Design

Goodwin Heart Pine Company

A master class in modern contemporary design is on display in Ocala, Florida. Six-hundred square feet of River-Recovered® Pecky Cypress 5-1/4” fill the ceilings and walls. The River-Recovered® Pecky Cypress is tastefully accented with a coat of white paint. The dining and outdoor lounge displays a 415 square feet of Midnight Heart Cypress 5-1/4” feature walls. Goodwin Company River-Recovered® Heart Cypress warms you up throughout the home. As you walk up the stairs guided by antique Heart Cypress handrails you are presented with a stunning Pecky Cypress feature wall with a chevron pattern design.

Chelsea family home

Turner Pocock

Inspiration for a transitional living room in London with white walls, carpet, a standard fireplace and brown floor.

Lincoln Park Japandi Loft

Devon Grace Interiors

The focal point of the living room is the dramatic fireplace wall. We chose a book-matched stone to go behind the tv and a satin black porcelain to wrap the fireplace beneath the mantle. We carried the black across the bottom with 4-foot wide fluted wood cabinets.

Hubertus

S&G wohnbau GmbH

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern formal open concept living room in Nuremberg with white walls, a corner fireplace, a plaster fireplace surround and brown floor.

Cape Cod Residence in Pasadena

JAMES V. COANE & ASSOCIATES, ARCHITECTS

Photo of a transitional living room in Los Angeles with white walls, a standard fireplace and grey floor.

Memorial Park

MMI Design

This is an example of a small transitional open concept living room in Houston with beige walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround and a wall-mounted tv.

Newport Island Residence

Eric Aust Architect

Mid-sized country open concept living room in Orange County with light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a brick fireplace surround.

Foo

The Ranch Mine

Photo by Roehner + Ryan
Modern living room in Phoenix with concrete floors, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv.

Happy Valley Residence in Lafayette, CA

Melanie Stewart Designs

This living room received a refresh when the outdated corner fireplace was removed, which opened up the room and allowed for a more flexible layout. A new gas fireplace was installed, along with two sidelight windows to enhance the natural light and exterior landscaping. The walls and ceilings were smoothed, and crown molding and trim was added to give the room a clean, but polished look.

Home on the Plains - Magnolia Journal Feature Project

Kelsey Leigh Design Co.

Mid-sized transitional open concept living room in Oklahoma City with white walls, light hardwood floors, a standard fireplace, a concrete fireplace surround, a wall-mounted tv, beige floor and recessed.

Living Room

Catlin Design

Mid-sized beach style living room in Jacksonville with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

The Magnolia - Great Room to Kitchen

Drewett Works

WINNER: Silver Award – One-of-a-Kind Custom or Spec 4,001 – 5,000 sq ft, Best in American Living Awards, 2019 Affectionately called The Magnolia, a reference to the architect's Southern upbringing, this project was a grass roots exploration of farmhouse architecture. Located in Phoenix, Arizona’s idyllic Arcadia neighborhood, the home gives a nod to the area’s citrus orchard history. Echoing the past while embracing current millennial design expectations, this just-complete speculative family home hosts four bedrooms, an office, open living with a separate “dirty kitchen”, and the Stone Bar. Positioned in the Northwestern portion of the site, the Stone Bar provides entertainment for the interior and exterior spaces. With retracting sliding glass doors and windows above the bar, the space opens up to provide a multipurpose playspace for kids and adults alike. Nearly as eyecatching as the Camelback Mountain view is the stunning use of exposed beams, stone, and mill scale steel in this grass roots exploration of farmhouse architecture. White painted siding, white interior walls, and warm wood floors communicate a harmonious embrace in this soothing, family-friendly abode. Project Details // The Magnolia House Architecture: Drewett Works Developer: Marc Development Builder: Rafterhouse Interior Design: Rafterhouse Landscape Design: Refined Gardens Photographer: ProVisuals Media Awards Silver Award – One-of-a-Kind Custom or Spec 4,001 – 5,000 sq ft, Best in American Living Awards, 2019 Featured In “The Genteel Charm of Modern Farmhouse Architecture Inspired by Architect C.P. Drewett,” by Elise Glickman for Iconic Life, Nov 13, 2019

Light & Bright Remodel

Buchanan Construction

Large modern open concept living room in Dallas with grey walls, dark hardwood floors, a ribbon 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.