The fireplace in the house may be the coziest place, but it is also one of the most challenging places to decorate. So if you are looking for ideas for your living room, you have come to the right place. To inspire you to redesign your living room (or even just give your living room a slight refresh), we've put together a selection of elegant furniture ADVERTISEMENT-selected living spaces, along with some new inspiration shared by designers from coast to coast. From small-space ingenuity to elegant modernism, these stunning spaces are sure to spark some ideas for your next remodel.
How should you go about designing a living room?
To avoid decision fatigue when searching for the living room ideas that are right for you, Atlanta-based interior designer Laura Jenkins offers her best advice: “Start with a decision first and build from there.” That could mean choosing a colorful sofa or using a work of art as a starting point for your design or making more practical lighting considerations. “When there is nice natural light, we lean against lighter walls and bring color through the fabrics and artwork,” she adds as an example.
Another factor to consider is what type of artwork you layer in your space. Both Cleo Murnane of L.A.-based Studio Murnane and James Dolenc of Chicago interior design firm James Thomas note that they aim to avoid furniture and art that feels too matching; Instead, they recommend letting each decorative item speak for itself. In one of Dolenc's residential projects, he remembers deliberately avoiding design decisions that intentionally seemed too cohesive. “After designing the interiors, we arranged the artwork so that nothing fit together too perfectly,” he says.
And if you're designing a small rental apartment or a space that you know won't be your forever home, follow the instincts of Palm Beach, Florida-based designer Caitlin Kah. In her last house, she kept all the upholstery neutral so it would work in future rooms.
How to choose a color scheme for the living room?
Choosing colors for your living room can be daunting, but Jenkins recommends thinking about how each element interacts with one another, from the window treatments to the large statement furniture. “Think about how color spreads from one room to another,” she suggests. “And don't be afraid to choose color, whether you paint the wood trim the same color as the walls or keep your walls neutral and paint the trim a contrasting color.”