Living room decorating ideas images
84 Beautiful Living Room Ideas with Attractive Decor Choices
Lincoln BarbourWhether you barely have room for a loveseat or regularly host dozens for movie night, the living room is one of the hardest-working spaces in your home. It's where you sit down with family, host guests, read a book and more, so it's only natural that you'd want it to be as comfortable and inviting as possible. That's why this collection of fresh living room ideas will come in handy as you decorate.
No matter your decorating style — from midcentury to farmhouse, modern to minimal — we have you covered. After choosing the best paint colors for the space (it's okay to pick a trendy paint hue too!), you can revamp the area with a wide range of architectural features and smart decorating choices. Add exposed wood beams to high ceilings, build custom shelves for color-coded books, or make the fireplace your focal point with brick or stone. You'll also find inspiration for decorating with statement rugs, which can define areas within a room and add a pop of color to an overly neutral layout.
Overall, these living room ideas are budget-friendly and easy to recreate on your own. And since decorating is all about having fun, we've peppered in some of the top interior design trends of the year that can do wonders for a living room.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
1
Vintage-Inspired Gallery Wall
Aimée MazzengaA living room is the perfect place to show off vintage finds and unique family heirlooms that have been collected over time. Make your arrangement of paintings and curios stand out even more by going for a dark-colored backdrop. Designer Alexandra Kaehler chose a deep green shade for this basement clubhouse.
SHOP BENJAMIN MOORE'S ESSEX GREEN
2
Classic Navy Blue and White
Phil CrozierGo for a timeless blend of white and navy hues to pull a living room together. Here, Reena Sotropa In House Design Group paired elegant navy seating with crisp white walls and patterned curtains for contrast.
3
Picture Frame TV
Bless'er HouseWhat's more unique than a TV that doubles as decor? Swapping your old television for a Samsung Frame TV allows you to display stunning artwork on screen. Plus, it's easy to replace images to keep them on theme with the room's ever-changing design.
Follow Bless'er House for more »
4
Tray Ceiling
Brittany Ambridge/OTTODon't forget the "fifth" wall! This New York City apartment, crafted by Kati Curtis Design, features a tray ceiling that beautifully accentuates the Sputnik globe chandelier and adds depth to the layout. What's more, the mix of light and dark hues create a striking 3D effect.
SHOP CHANDELIER
5
Color-Coded Wall Bookcase
Sinan TuncayIf you have an ever-growing book collection, put it on full display! The best spot? Framing the television. Arditi Design added a navy blue custom bookcase to this inviting living room. The color-coded books and matching accessories make it the room's focal point.
6
Dynamic Patterns
Sara Essex BradleyDon't be afraid to make a living room pop with dynamic patterns and colors. This lively setup feels like a work of art, thanks to the graphic green and yellow wallpaper, cane storage cabinet, floral upholstered chairs and that chandelier!
7
Add Comfort with a Daybed
Benjamin MooreMaking the most of every inch is key for designing smaller spaces. A built-in daybed — complete with drawers — creates extra seating with a view, along with a place to read and lounge in style.
SHOP BENJAMIN MOORE'S MAN ON THE MOON
8
Design a Cheerful Playroom
Jill WellerAlice Arterberry and Barrett Cooke of Arterberry Cooke Architecture designed this living room in an airy Pasadena, CA, pool house. The hints of yellow, alongside white tones, add a dose of cheer to the design scheme.
9
Elevate With Green
Laurie Kilgore PhotographyGreenery never fails to bring a room to life. Designed by Stephanie Stroud Interiors, this stylish setup features a dark grass color, which charmingly highlights the gold decor and light furniture in the room.
10
Rotating Bookshelf
Troy ThiesCan't decide where to put your TV and bookshelves? Martha O'Hara Interiors designed this white space with a custom rotating cabinet that holds the screen as well as shelving for decorative finds. It's a brilliant arrangement for switching up the living room's theme from season to season.
11
Green and White Stripes
Stephen KarlischUnsure of how to spruce up your living room walls? Give them a cool yet eye-catching contrast with green and white stripes. Tori Rubinson Interiors amped up the coastal vibe by choosing framed nautical art, paired with woven lighting and storage baskets.
12
Shades of Red
One Kings LaneIf you love the color red, but you can't choose which design will suit the walls, rug or overall look, don't stick to one pattern. Pick a red-and-white striped rug and use red-flowered wallpaper to complement the look.
13
Luxe Aesthetic
Justin KrugThis beautiful living room features hardwood floors, a luxurious fireplace and a large set of windows with views of lush greenery. Implement some of these style elements to give your area a timeless feel.
14
Entertainment Section
Paul VersluisSimilar to how designer Tamara Day styled this sitting area, you can add bean bags instead of regular seating to turn the space into the perfect game room or entertainment setting for kids and guests.
SHOP BEAN BAGS
15
Rattan Hanging Chair
Stacy Zarin GoldbergAdding a rattan hanging chair is a functional, unexpected addition to an interior. Hang one in any corner of the room where you or guests can casually lounge or read.
SHOP HANGING RATTAN CHAIR
16
Rustic-Modern
Hulya KolabasTransform your area with a rustic-modern appeal using wood beam ceilings, a stone fireplace and crisp white slipcovered furniture.
17
Match Walls to Furniture
Eric Piasecki/OttoWhether you want to create a moody, bright or minimalist feel in your living room, match the color of the walls to your furniture. This will pull the room together in a seamless and unique way.
18
Green Couch
Rachel WhitingWhen in doubt, choose the color you love the most and use it everywhere, from your furniture to your window treatments.
19
Pretty in Pink
Silke Zander Getty Images/Picture Press RMPink is said to symbolize love. Bring a light and loving atmosphere that your guests will enjoy with pink furniture and walls. Use a lighter shade for the walls and a darker hue for the couches, stools and tables.
20
Statement Fireplace
Mike GartenMake the fireplace your focal point by opting for one made of stone or brick. Keep the walls white and choose brown leather furniture to complement the room's semi-rustic feel.
71 Best Living Room Decor Ideas 2022
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
1
Refresh With Accent Paint
Avery CoxWe're loving this dark blue-green color in a living room corner designed by Avery Cox. It's stylish enough to hold its own against the rich chartreuse velvet fabric as well as the layers of quirky prints. She only painted one of the walls along with the door and moldings so that a complementary wallpaper could be applied on the opposite side.
2
Put a Record On
Victoria SassVictoria Sass of Project Refuge Studio snuck a record player into the corner of this texture-rich and minimalist living room. It opens right up into the kitchen, where the side of the island facing the sitting area contains ample exposed shelving for an extensive record collection.
3
Display Old Books
Oliver ThorntonThere's just something about old books that instantly makes a room feel more personal. Whether you collect used books or you've inherited some, display them on an exposed shelving unit so they can shine. In this living room designed by Oliver Thornton, they add character and speak to the layered warmth of the furnishings.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4
Warm Up Walls With Wood
Space Content studioDesigner Nicole Dohmen applied hardwood floors in a Hungarian point pattern in this living room. It's a complex and classic parquet flooring design that works surprisingly well with modern furniture and geometric patterns, as seen here. But the fun doesn't stop there! Dohmen also applied wood panels to the wall for an extra surge of warmth.
5
Balance Hard Materials With Soft Ones
Caroline TurnerIf your living room has hardwood floors or stone tile flooring and lots of glass surfaces like this one designed by Caroline Turner, soften it up with super plush seating and rich materials like velvet in jewel tones. A statement light also helps bring down the scale of the high ceilings.
6
Enhance a Bakyard View
Gordon BeallWorking with landscape architect Lila Fendrick, designer Nestor Santa Cruz chose a wall of steel and glass windows and doors for this formal pool house living room that leads to the backyard. Though the glass decor, from the pendant light to the coffee table and doors, leaves a decidedly sleek impression, the plush rug and ethereal curtains make it extra cozy, too.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7
Dabble In Nostalgia
Andrea CaloEmbrace old-fashioned trends and hand-me-down furniture, like this chaise in a nostalgic yet contemporary living room designed by Amity Worrel. Dainty florals, ginghams, and plaids are paired with modern accents and artwork, so the classic prints take on a whole new meaning.
8
Work Around Restrictions
Karyn MilletWhen designer Celerie Kemble moved into this New York City apartment, there was only one thing that prevented it from being the perfect fit: The building had a no wallpaper rule. To work around that obstacle, she applied a light shade of pink paint in a plaster-like finish that channels the texture of wallpaper.
9
Mix Clean Lines With Casual Materials
Nicolas GourguechonIn the living room of designer Devin Kirk, a light shade of blue-gray along with clean-lined furniture makes for a polished backdrop while the woven chairs, light wood side table, and tree stump coffee table ensure a laidback atmosphere. It's the perfect balance of approachable and formal.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10
Incorporate Fun Trees and Plants
Read McKendreeInvite some nods to nature into your living room with quirky indoor plants and trees. Designer Elizabeth Cooper placed a lush citrus tree in the corner for an extra pop of life and color and then staggered topiaries on the windowsill.
11
Create Zones With Area Rugs
Laure JolietThis sitting room is right off the open kitchen, so designer Regan Baker decided to visually separate it with a custom sectional and area rug. A cleek armchair is positioned at a diagonal, establishing a nice balanced whole.
12
Add Personality With Texture-Rich Neutrals
Stephen Kent Johnson / OTTOA quirky indoor tree is s fun surprise in this polished and cosmopolitan living room designed by Shawn Henderson. And, instead of a classic white or warm off-white paint color, he opted for a cooler gray neutral that complements the other subtle tones throughout the room. This also allows the texture-rich accents to shine.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13
Extend It Outdoors
Stacy Zarin GoldbergThis vacation home in Maui, Hawaii blends indoor and outdoor living beautifully. Designed by Breeze Giannasio Interiors, the two living spaces are connected by a sliding door that simply disappears when open for total connection between the open-air terrace and the indoor living room. The materials, colors, and fabrics are all coordinated for visual flow, too.
14
Transform a Generic Space With Texture
Gieves AndersonIf you live in a generic rental or simply have a small space, get inspired by this living room designed by David Frazier. Not only does it prove that size isn't everything, but it's also full of tricks that bring more dimension to otherwise simple architecture. Pops of marigold speak to the warm antique wood pieces and break up the monochromatic color scheme and the large rice paper pendant keeps things casual so it can function as a more relaxed family room. A gallery wall, large indoor plant, and ceiling-high curtain rod add depth.
Check out Society6 for affordable and stylish prints and artwork to jazz up your walls.
15
Get Weird On the Coffee Table
Romanek Design StudioInstead of decorating your coffee table with the classic assortment of stacked coffee table books, opt for something subtly quirky and unique. Here, Romanek Design Studio covered the surface with a collection of classic pots and planters, which both enhance and juxtapose the formal, traditional elements throughout the space as well as the more modern ones, making for a fun and eclectic yet timeless sprawl.
Check out Terrain for all your indoor and outdoor gardening needs.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16
Swap High Back Seating for Daybeds and Benches
Frank Frances StudioBring in extra seating with daybeds, settees, and window seats in smaller spaces. They have lower back profiles, which prevents interrupting the visual flow and also keeps the space feeling open. We're loving the pop of yellow in this bold living room by Courtney McLeod.
Check out Albany Park for great living room seating options.
17
Redefine "Neutrals"
Nicole FranzenIf you don't love playing with tons of patterns and bold hues but appreciate experimental pieces and tasteful pops of color, take notes on this living room. Rather than opting for all black and whites, the anchor pieces—like sofa and tables—remain neutral, while the throws, artwork and lamp offer just a splash of color (nothing too crazy: just marigold, red, navy, and green).
Check out Design Within Reach for iconic design pieces.
18
Carve Out a Home Bar
Stacy Zarin GoldbergIn this living room designed by Carmel Greer, the paint color (Peach Blossom by Benjamin Moore) and casual jute rug set a sweet foundation while the modern, angular artwork, right fixture, seating, and throw blanket bring an edge. One built-in niche is optimized to function as a full-on home bar station while the other stores and displays firewood. The mirrored wall within the left niche also helps bounce light and gives it a swanky nightclub vibe.
Check out Huckberry for great home barware.
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19
Add Something Unexpected
Heather HilliardWhile the classic blue grasscloth wallpaper, floor lamp, and curtains set the stage for a traditional living room, designer Heather Hilliard added some unexpectedly edgy elements. The floral sofa and the green lucite coffee table are a welcome surprise that break up the classic elements without overshadowing them.
Check out Kartell for cool lucite furniture.
20
Conceal Your TV
Nicole FranzenThis neutral-toned living room by Kristin Fine is refined and grown-up, but also family-friendly. The soft and textural upholstery mixed with cream paint, rustic wood pieces, and plenty of antique accents are partially to thank, but there's also a large television mounted to the wall for family movie marathons. Fine gave it prime over-the-mantel placement but discretely tucked behind panels that double as modern art.
Check out Samsung for clever tech television designs.
Hadley Mendelsohn
Senior Editor
Hadley Mendelsohn is House Beautiful's senior design editor and the co-host and executive producer of the podcast Dark House. When she's not busy writing about interiors, you can find her scouring vintage stores, reading, researching ghost stories, or stumbling about because she probably lost her glasses again. Along with interior design, she writes about everything from travel to entertainment, beauty, social issues, relationships, fashion, food, and on very special occasions, witches, ghosts, and other Halloween haunts. Her work has also been published in MyDomaine, Who What Wear, Man Repeller, Matches Fashion, Byrdie, and more.
tips for choosing style, decoration and furniture - INMYROOM
The living room in the house is the place where, as the name suggests, guests are received. However, the owners themselves relax here, spending time in front of the TV or a book, with drinks, pleasant conversation and other activities. Therefore, the living room should be the most comfortable place in your home.
If your family consists of several people, it is important to consider the interests of everyone. It is quite possible that for one of the family members, when designing the interior of a living room in an apartment, they will have to give space for working at a computer, doing creative work, even sports. All these points must be planned at the stage of designing the premises.
Determine the center of the living room
Living room design is inseparable from a competent layout. After looking at examples of photos of the living room in the apartment, you can see various space planning options. Of course, the choice depends on your preferences, as well as on the size and functionality of the room.
Place sofas and armchairs around the perimeter of the room in no case is worth it. Firstly, this is the last century, and the modern design of the living room categorically does not accept such a layout. In addition, you will clutter up the space with only recreational items, leaving no free space for other functional areas.
The best option for the interior of the living room is to highlight the central group, around which the rest of the furniture will be grouped. As a rule, a recreation area with a TV and a sofa is chosen as the center of the composition.
A fireplace can also be a central element, next to which chairs, rocking chairs or even luxurious skins for relaxation will comfortably fit.
Standard set of furniture for designing a living room in an apartment:
- sofa;
- several armchairs;
- coffee or coffee table;
- shelving for decorative items and/or books.
If the room is large, or it has to take on a diverse functional load, of course, you should not limit yourself to this. The living room may well have a desktop for a computer, chests of drawers and cabinets, a bar counter.
In order not to clutter up a cramped room too much, give preference to the transformer models that are popular today. Such furniture is very functional and allows you to perfectly save scarce space.
Choice of colors
If your living room is located on the sunny side, then you are practically unlimited in the choice of colors for finishing and furnishing it. The contrasting interior design of the living room will look very interesting. For example, walls and floors can be decorated in cold colors, while furniture, in contrast, in warm colors.
Many modern interior styles welcome the clean slate living room design. This technique involves decorating the walls and ceiling with plain white plaster or paint. And furniture and decor elements can be selected in a variety of colors: bright or rich dark - to create a spectacular and stylish interior, delicate and pastel - for a light, cozy and elegant design.
For north-facing living rooms with little to no daylight, choose warm-coloured finishes. Such an interior design of the living room compensates for the lack of sun, makes the room cozy and conducive to relaxation no matter what.
And, of course, if the room is a bit dark, you should take care of good artificial lighting. Well-placed spotlights are best suited to illuminate every corner of your living room.
Of course, the choice of colors for decorating a room should also depend on what visual and emotional effect you want to achieve.
If the living room is intended for stormy parties and active pastime, then it makes sense to decorate it in bright, saturated colors.
If the owners want to indulge in a calm and relaxing holiday, then the interior of the living room should be to match. In this case, you should give preference to soft light tones or, conversely, deep and calm, but in no case flashy.
Finishing materials
The choice of finishing materials should largely depend on the style in which you would like to maintain the design of the living room in the apartment. So, paper wallpapers with romantic flowers are definitely not suitable for laconic hi-tech or minimalism. And Provence or country-style interiors will not be combined with bright carpets with psychedelic prints and ultra-modern wall coverings with fur or leather texture.
In addition, the shape and size of the room is of great importance. Properly selected finishes will perfectly smooth out the flaws of the room and focus on its merits. While a thoughtlessly chosen design can spoil even a spacious and bright room.
Walls
The classic rule is that for small rooms it is better to choose light shades. It always works flawlessly. However, if this solution seems too boring for you, you can try all sorts of interesting wall designs. Spectacular examples of wall design in the living room, photos of which are presented in our article, will help you navigate and choose the most attractive options for yourself.
For example, even smooth, light-colored walls can be made a spectacular interior detail by adding bright or simply contrasting color accents to them. See such unusual living room interior ideas in the photo below.
All kinds of plasterboard niches look very stylish. They not only diversify the interior, but also become its very functional detail. After all, they can accommodate both decorative elements and items needed in the household. And if such a niche is beautifully illuminated from the inside, this will create an interesting effect of depth.
The traditional option for decorating the living room walls is wallpaper. Fortunately, today there is a great variety of them: both classic paper, and modern non-woven, and washable, and glass, and even innovative liquid wallpaper. If you are a lover of change, then you can pay attention to the wallpaper for painting. With such a finish, you can easily change the look of the room, at least several times a year. However, please note that, as a rule, such wallpapers are designed for a limited number of repaints.
Smoothly plastered or painted walls look great in modern interiors. At the same time, if you are a fan of the original design, you can pick up plaster with all sorts of beautiful and unusual textures. With its help, you can add a twist to your design and create a truly beautiful living room interior.
One of the fashion trends in modern design is the combination of materials. It is very important to use combinations of several finishes in one room: different types and shades of plaster, paint plus wallpaper, or even a combination of two types of wallpaper with different patterns and textures. See examples of such a living room design in the photo below.
Using this technique, you will not only be able to make your interior bright, stylish and original, but will also successfully cope with the zoning of the room. As you know, for proper zoning, it is not enough to collect several diverse groups of furniture in one room. So that all this does not look like a "hodgepodge", it is necessary to highlight each of the functional areas with its own design elements. And here, the design of wall sections in different colors and even different textures is the best fit.
Ceiling
When choosing the design of the ceiling in the living room, first of all, start from the size of the room. No matter how much you like spectacular multi-tiered structures, in a small room, packed full of necessary furniture, they will look simply ridiculous. In no case do not overload the design of the room.
If the room is small, then the best option is a simple ceiling in light colors with built-in ceiling lights. A good design move would be a small cornice around the perimeter, it will add a sense of depth.
Another interesting solution for visually increasing the space is the so-called "floating" suspended ceilings. This is a two-tier structure with a small height difference and built-in lights mounted inside the "upper" tier in such a way that they themselves are not visible. This technique creates soft diffused light and an interesting depth effect. As a result, the room seems visually higher and more spacious.
However, remember that the design tricks you have listed are inappropriate for small rooms with high ceilings. If in such a room you try to “distance” the ceiling even more due to visual techniques, then you will feel in it like at the bottom of a bottomless well.
In narrow rooms with high ceilings, it makes sense, on the contrary, to reduce the height - through visual means or with the help of suspended structures. Then the living room will immediately seem more comfortable and suitable for a comfortable stay.
If you are lucky and your living room is spacious and has high enough ceilings, then feel free to experiment with their design.
Here, multi-level suspended structures, both laconic and intricate forms, stucco, columns, scallops, and complex lighting systems can be used.
The main thing is not to overdo it and stick to the intended design of the room. If the room is decorated in a ceremonial classical style, in the spirit of Baroque or Empire, then without a doubt, both bas-reliefs and columns will be appropriate. But for more concise modern styles, you should choose a simpler and more rigorous ceiling design.
If your living room will have several functional areas, then the zoning can be "supported" with an appropriately designed ceiling.
For example, a central seating area with a sofa group and a TV set can be highlighted with a second tier of false ceiling. Depending on the general style of the room, both strict rectangular shapes and soft rounded lines may be appropriate.
The ceiling does not have to be white. Delicate, warm pastel shades will look perfect in almost any room.
Fans of more extravagant options can experiment with bright shades. It is not necessary to decorate the entire ceiling in saturated colors. However, if you highlight only part of it or one of the tiers with a spectacular shade, you will get a chic look.
As far as materials are concerned, it is best to avoid whitewashing and painting. After all, this will take a long time and carefully level the surface. An excellent modern solution is plasterboard suspended ceilings or stylish stretch models. They are quick to install, provide perfectly flat surfaces, and in addition, allow you to create a wide variety of design options.
Lighting
Just a few years ago, when choosing lighting, the issue was always decided in favor of a large ceiling chandelier. Of course, today there are many lovers of such lighting fixtures, including those decorated with numerous "crystal" pendants. However, you should not get hung up on this option, because modern manufacturers offer many interesting, stylish and comfortable options.
If you - due to adherence to traditions or in order to create a certain style of interior - have opted for a massive chandelier, you do not need to limit yourself to this. In any living room, additional sources of lighting will be appropriate: wall sconces, floor lamps and portable standing lamps.
Additional light sources perform several functions at once:
- They allow you to well illuminate all corners of the room without leaving any terra incognita areas in it, where it is dark in the evening, even if you gouge out your eye.
- Create separate lighting and comfort in each functional area. Thanks to a well-placed floor lamp or sconce, one of the family members with all the conveniences can read or work at a computer in the corner of the hall, while others have a “movie show” or an evening rest in the twilight on the sofa.
- Can create decorative lighting in a niche, near art objects, etc.
- They are additional decorative elements.
If you are a supporter of laconic design, then recessed ceiling lights are the best fit. They also allow you to create separate lighting in different functional areas of the living room. And besides, with their help you can always adjust the brightness and level of illumination of the room. And with all this, they remain almost invisible, do not overload the design and fit almost all interior styles.
It's safe to say that recessed ceiling lights are the best choice for a small room with low ceilings. But, at the same time, they will also be appropriate in a spacious hall.
Style Selection
Choose a style based on the tastes of the whole family. Look at photo examples of living room designs in a magazine, on the Internet, explore the various styles that are in abundance today.
Of course, the dimensions of the room must also be taken into account. In a small room in Khrushchev, a lush baroque or any other “palace” interior will look out of place. For small living rooms, it is best to choose a laconic design in the Scandinavian style, elegant classics or strict hi-tech or minimalism. Country and Provence are perfect, as these styles suggest comfort and emphatically home furnishings.
If your living room is large, then there is room to roam. In principle, a spacious room can be decorated in almost any style that you and your family like.
When choosing the style of the living room, be sure to take into account the features of the interior of the other rooms. Maintain style and harmony.
Classic
The classic style of the interior involves the use of the most natural materials. The whole environment should breathe quality and good taste. As part of this style, traditional furniture made of solid wood or at least high-quality MDF will be appropriate.
Classic interior colors are soft, calm, usually light. But in principle, within the framework of this style, almost any shades (except bright and flashy) will be appropriate if they are correctly beaten.
Elegant wallpaper, paintings, vases, traditional chandeliers, beautiful curtains - all this will be an excellent frame for an interior in a classic style.
Despite certain design rules, there are different directions for decorating a living room in the spirit of the classics. Within the framework of the classical style, several variations can exist at once:
- refined and rich "palace", in which discreet gilding and more elaborate forms will be appropriate;
- solid and reliable English style, suggesting solid furniture of simple shapes and unpretentious decor;
- neoclassical, meaning lighter and simpler forms, expensive elegance without ostentatious luxury.
Minimalism and high-tech
High-tech and constructivism can also be combined under this general direction. All these styles imply laconic finishes, emphatically simple and modern furniture models, built-in lighting, and an abundance of technology.
Minimalism is characterized by soft colors, calm combinations, stylish and simple shapes.
For hi-tech, for all their similarities, saturated tones, metallic luster and a lot of glass are more characteristic. High-tech furniture or decor can have very unusual, but at the same time laconic and streamlined shapes.
Minimalist interior of the living room is best suited for young and energetic people who keep up with the times, who do not attach much importance to luxurious surroundings, preferring simplicity and elegance of lines.
However, do not think that the interior in the style of hi-tech or minimalism is something from the category of "cheap and cheerful". Such a design may well turn out to be much more expensive than some magnificent Empire style.
Country and Provence
These styles are perfect for lovers of home comfort, antiquity and rustic simplicity. If you want to enjoy peace as much as possible, relax and forget about the bustle of the city, then these are excellent options for the living room.
At the same time, country is deliberately rough, emphatically rural, with simple, almost unfinished furniture and themed textiles. It is characterized by natural, natural shades: soft light and dark green tones, the whole range of brown, light yellow, ocher. Of the prints, a large cage, as well as various variations of floral patterns, will be especially harmonious.
The Provence style, as it should be for a true Frenchman, is more refined, distinguished by a special chic and charm. It is characterized by lighter shades of furniture and finishes: white, cream, pale blue, turquoise, beige. Decor and textiles can be very flirtatious: with ruffles, scallops, flounces, etc.
Today, these design trends are very popular not only in the design of country cottages, but also in the decoration of city apartments. Therefore, in stores you can easily find furniture, decor and finishing materials that perfectly match these styles.
Scandinavian
This style is incredibly popular right now. The secret of its success is in the harmonious combination of minimalism, comfort and homeliness. It involves a simple and concise finish, convenient and comfortable furniture of simple shapes, stylish, but at the same time soft and not defiant decor.
The Scandinavian style is characterized by calm shades: white, beige, light gray, gray-green, pale blue, dark blue. Often in the colors of such an interior there is a certain marine theme.
Living room interior in Scandinavian style is the perfect balance of functionality, convenience, modernity and home comfort. Stylish and modern upholstered furniture for the living room is perfect here, a photo of which you can see below.
Choosing furniture
Before you start choosing furniture for your living room, carefully consider which functional areas will be allocated in the room. Beautiful furniture for the living room, the photo of which can be seen below, is not all. It is important to correctly arrange it so that all the inhabitants and guests of the apartment feel cozy and comfortable.
If it is intended exclusively for families, then a comfortable sofa, armchairs, a TV stand and a couple of shelving will be enough. If space allows, you can add a coffee table, as well as small cabinets where you can place various decor items.
If you often arrange parties, like to receive and treat guests, then you will need a bar counter. It looks stylish, modern, spectacular, can serve as a place to store all kinds of items and will allow you to organize the serving of drinks and treats for guests in a very small area. In addition, the bar counter can be an excellent dividing element if you need to zone the living room.
Choose the dimensions of the sofa and the number of chairs depending on the number of family members and the possible number of guests. It makes no sense to choose an airfield sofa and three armchairs if you live alone and rarely receive guests. In this case, it is worth limiting yourself to more compact options and leaving more free space in the room - to create a feeling of spaciousness or to accommodate other functional elements.
If you expect your guests to occasionally stay overnight, then the choice of sofa should be approached especially carefully. Choose folding models, on which, if necessary, you can fully sleep. If there can be several overnight guests, then it makes sense to consider options for transforming chairs that can fold out and turn into a bed.
Modern design solutions, as a rule, do not involve the placement of solid cabinets in the hall. It is assumed that this tradition should remain in the Soviet past. However, if you don't have a walk-in closet and don't have enough space to place storage items in other rooms, no one can force you to give up a spacious closet in the living room.
In a classic interior, it can even be a solid wall. However, if you prefer more modern design trends, then it is better to pay attention to stylish wardrobes. For a small room, models with mirrored doors are perfect, they allow you to visually expand the space, and will not weigh down the interior as much as their counterparts with solid doors.
A small room should not be cluttered with a large number of pieces of furniture. Such an "abundant" environment will overwhelm, distract, and simply interfere with free movement around the room. If you don’t have a lot of things, then you definitely shouldn’t put a massive closet in the living room, limit yourself to a light and elegant rack. If you want to create a truly light and stylish design, pay special attention to the modern style living room furniture, the photo of which can be seen below.
If you do not plan to receive guests often, it makes no sense to purchase a grand dining table in the hall. In order to drink coffee or have a snack in front of the TV, an elegant coffee table will be quite enough. To save space, you can choose a functional transforming table, which will serve as both a stand and a storage for books and magazines, and, if necessary, can be expanded into a fairly full-fledged springboard for home meals.
Fireplace in the living room interior
If you want your living room to breathe genuine comfort and hospitality, consider purchasing a fireplace. Naturally, it is almost impossible to establish a real hearth in a city apartment. But today there are a lot of magnificent imitations on sale that will emphasize the elegance of the interior, create an atmosphere of comfort in the room and even be able to heat it.
An electric fireplace is perfect for an apartment. Do not think that this is a more beautiful analogue of the heater. In fact, modern manufacturers produce incredibly realistic models that amazingly imitate real flames. There are even models with sound and aroma accompaniment. That is, in front of you there will be not only the illusion of an open fire, but also real crackles, as well as the smells of burning logs.
Fireplaces are produced in a wide variety of styles: exquisite classic, ultra-modern laconic high-tech models, mysterious gothic, luxuriously decorated with gilding and marble in the rococo style, cozy stoves in the spirit of the country. In addition, fireplaces in the living room can vary in location: wall, corner, island.
Such a variety of models will allow you to choose exactly the option for your living room that fits perfectly into the layout and style of decoration.
Photo
See our gallery for 212 more amazing living room design ideas.
75 photos of interiors, ideas for renovating the hall
Traditionally, the living room was a place for receiving guests. But in modern homes in this room you can often meet the owners themselves, who relax after a working day in front of the TV, read books from the home library or spend time with their families. To create a favorable environment for any type of activity, you need to take into account many aspects of the design of the living room, which will be discussed in this article.
Interior style
First of all, you should start with the choice of style. This is an extremely important stage: the design of the whole house depends on it, the center of which is rightfully considered to be the living room. Weigh all the advantages and disadvantages of space, area, window placement, ceiling height, and layout to settle on the ideal option.
Classic living room design
Modern design must follow the needs of the time, and if any style lags behind this rule, it is modified. That is why the classics in the form in which the aristocrats of past centuries saw it are rarely found today - it is impractical, prohibitively expensive and difficult to implement. What should be emphasized in such interiors is comfort, high-quality materials, solid furniture, noble decor, as well as a sense of spaciousness.
It is recommended to choose a classic style for living rooms with a large area or, as an option, combined with a kitchen. A prerequisite is large-scale windows that let in enough light to highlight the natural colors, the texture of the textiles and the noble texture of the wood, which is an important component.
Pieces of furniture must create a certain compositional integrity. In the center there is usually a sofa and several armchairs, which are arranged around a coffee table. Often in the interior of a living room in a classic style you can find a fireplace - real or decorative. But with the technique you should be more careful, if possible, hiding it behind the facade of the cabinet.
Provence style living room design
This style has features in common with the classics, but differs from it in decorative simplicity, pastel colors and a slight provincial charm. Despite the fact that Provence came to us from French villages and is more often used in the interiors of country houses, today it is becoming more and more relevant in the space of city apartments.
Style gravitates toward everything natural, therefore, along with light and space, as many natural materials as possible should be “weaved” into the design of the living room. Wooden furniture with an antique touch, which is painted with white paint, as well as linen or cotton textiles look the most harmonious. Small trinkets, like ceramic vases, figurines, family photos, will only emphasize the cozy atmosphere.
Minimalist living room design
Being the exact opposite of the above styles, minimalism sacrifices decorativeness for practicality, as a result forming a kind of "silent" aesthetics of shapes and lines. If the classics are not distinguished by condescension to the shortcomings of the interior, then modern trends tend to hide or transform them.
The color scheme consists mainly of several neutral colors close to the natural palette: white, black, gray, brown. More often than in other styles, glass and metal are used. But the minimalist interior of the living room cannot be called uncomfortable or cold, just the geometry of objects, the texture of materials, light and space act as means of expression.
Loft living room design
It's amazing how non-residential space has become a popular place to live. The loft originated in the inhospitable walls of abandoned industrial buildings, but today it can be found in modern comfortable apartments.
The initial conditions of the living room for interior design in the loft style are of key importance. It is desirable that the brickwork of the walls, which is brought to the fore, look neat, otherwise you will have to spend energy to create the desired texture. Not the last role is played by the layout, which should be as open as possible. A great option if the living room is combined with a kitchen or bedroom.
In such a room, it is necessary to arrange a large number of seats: leather sofas and antique armchairs that would line up around a coffee table. The priority is modular furniture with a simple geometric design, as well as unique decorative elements, such as posters, figurines, art objects.
Scandinavian living room design
Functional minimalism with subtle features of a traditional Swedish home - perhaps this is how you can characterize the Scandinavian style, which is gaining more and more popularity today. A room designed according to his principles will be cozy in winter, cool in summer, but always comfortable.
It may seem to some that the Scandinavian-style living room interior looks sterile - mainly because of the white color, which, like snow, “covers” almost the entire space. But it is worth adding wooden furniture, fluffy carpets, paintings or a fireplace to the room, as this inhospitable whiteness “comes to life”, giving way to a feeling of cleanliness and spaciousness.
Living room colors
The mood and character of the interior always depends on the color scheme. But even with one shade it can be difficult to decide, not to mention the harmonious combination. Consider the most common options for living room design.
White
Some housewives may say that white is a very impractical color, on which the first traces of dirt are immediately noticeable. But, firstly, this indicator depends on the material, and secondly, from the point of view of color, it is considered a universal option for design.
White in the living room can be used as the main motif or as a backdrop for bright details. Moreover, it is a key color of Provence, Scandinavian style, and is also often found in minimalist interiors.
Semitones
Stylish solution, for which shades of the same color are taken. The living room with this approach does not look boring or faceless, as it might seem at first glance. Let's just say that one purple has about 50 shades, for the use of which one room will not be enough.
Contrasting colors
To create accents in the design of the living room, you can use one or more bright colors that stand out against the background of more muted ones. For example, the contrast of furniture and walls, pillows and a sofa, several types of finishes.
Pastels
Pastel shades are a fashionable design approach that allows you to diversify the interior colors without oversaturating it with bright colors. Often used in Provence or modern solutions, creating a romantic, calm mood.
Natural shades
One of the main trends of this year is a return to nature, which implies the use of natural materials in the interior design of the living room and, accordingly, the most natural range for a person: green, sand, shades of wood, gray, blue.
Living room decoration
Although each style has its own requirements for living room decoration, a few recommendations will help you decide on the choice of a practical and aesthetic option.
Floor
As a flooring, it is better to use finishing materials that are resistant to external influences, the cleanliness of which is easy to maintain. The most budgetary, versatile options are parquet or linoleum. If the living room is combined with the kitchen, you need to think about a solution that is suitable for two zones at once. However, in the lounge, the floor is often covered with carpet, which hides design flaws.
Walls
Living room wall coverings rarely have specific requirements other than decorative ones. Smooth plain walls are the perfect backdrop to fill the space. If you need to diversify it, then the wallpaper has a wide variety of colors, textures and patterns. With the help of decorative plaster, you can imitate natural materials, and paneling can “revive” the interior. If you can't stop at one option, you can combine them.
Ceiling
Much depends on the height of the ceiling - if it is more than three meters, you can think about suspended structures that are used to install recessed lighting, cover surface imperfections, zoning and create a unique appearance. In other cases, a simple even light coating will suffice.
How to choose furniture?
The choice of subject content of the living room is related to its size, the number of residents and their needs. But traditionally it includes a sofa, one or more armchairs, a coffee table, and a wall. They form the compositional center of the space, and the rest of the furniture is optional.
Quite often the room includes cabinets or shelves with books - a kind of home library. In an open plan living room, a dining table can be located, but it belongs to the dining area, separated, for example, by a sofa.
The design of objects depends on the chosen style. The classics are characterized by glass facades of cabinets or doors with frames, soft sofas on curved legs with textile upholstery. The opposite of minimalism prefers flat, smooth facades, which often form a monolithic structure, more mundane furniture, as well as modular models.
When arranging furniture, pay attention to the geometry of the room. With a square layout of the living room, the main furniture ensemble is placed in the center, and with a rectangular one, along the walls to make room for movement.
Decor and textiles
It's hard to give specific decor recommendations because, as with furniture, a lot depends on the style chosen. We will only mention a few elements in the interior that have wide decorative possibilities.
Firstly, curtains - these pieces of fabric not only hide you from prying eyes, but also create a cozy living space. You can stop at a transparent curtain, pick up massive textiles with lambrequins, or purchase Roman blinds.
Bright pillows look stylish against the background of the monochrome range of the rest of the space or a carpet with geometric patterns. The living room is an ideal place for a fireplace, not necessarily a real one - today you can buy or make beautiful imitations yourself.
Along with the paintings, don't forget the shelves, which can be decorated with figurines, framed photographs or flowers. And do not forget, the more plants, the better, especially in polluted cities.
Small living room: interior design
Adding extra square meters to a small living room is unlikely to succeed, but everyone can improve the situation with the help of small tricks. So, if you want to visually increase the space, you should:
- Choose a light range that does not create borders, but fills the room with light;
- Stop at light curtains or completely abandon them;
- Choose compact furniture and arrange it in accordance with the geometry of the room;
- Use hanging shelves instead of bulky cabinets;
- Limit yourself to a small number of decorative elements, leaving room for "air".