Living Room Ideas - Sunset.com

Photo by Lisa Romerein

Mix cool and warm

Steel columns make this living room’s glass corners—and airy feel—possible. The fireplace serves as an interesting focal counterpoint, yet keeps the room warm and cozy.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Strive for versatility

In a small space, make furniture do double--or even triple--duty. In this live-work home, a midcentury Hans Wegner daybed in the multifunction main room acts as sofa, guest bed for visitors, and “conference room” seating for business meetings.

Photo by Coral Von Zumwalt

Embellish with a quirky find

Add a statement piece, like this reclaimed wood swing (dekorla.com), to make the room's aesthetic unique. You can blend heirloom and global finds for an eclectic look.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Freshen things up

In this bungalow's remodel, the living room kept its original paneling, box beam ceilings, and built-in bookcases, but got a face-lift courtesy of Danish modern furniture and a fresh coat of a cheery yet not overpowering color.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Frame a doorway

Bookshelves surrounding the entry from a living room to a dining room make creative use of what might otherwise be under-utilized wall space.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Go for transparency

How do you double a small living space? Appy a few smart design tricks. For instance, glass walls trick the eye into thinking there's more space than there is. In this living room, transparent walls seem to bring the plants into the room itself. It’s a twist on a more traditional take on outdoor living: sliding doors opening onto patios.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Embrace the ethnic eclectic

You can go for an electic scheme that doesn't stray into hodgepodge terrirtory by using a connecting thread of color, tone, or shape. In this living room, floral fabrics mingle with graphic prints, and Moroccan and Mexican accessories with midcentury furniture. All are linked by a ’70s palette.

Photo by Dave Lauridsen

Don't forget the ceiling

Small-home living requires creative--sometimes even eccentric--storage solutions. Bicycles held up by a system of pulleys hover above this comfortable living room.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Provide a common denominator

When it comes to displaying your art, diverse mediums and frames are brought to together by a single, shared wall color.

Photo by David Fenton

Get a beach-house look

Love the beach-house aesthetic but don't live near the ocean? Fake it with this fun idea. A Craigslist find, this drift boat was reinvented as a sofa. The new owners added a fresh coat of white, cut away one side, and inserted a foam mattress. Instead of cutting off the leftover rope, they coiled it into a floor mat.

Photo by Ericka McConnell

Try color-blocking

A color-blocked daybed adds more hues to a room's decorative scheme while remaining sleek and modern.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Increase flow

An open, studio-style floor plan in the areas used for dining, sitting, and cooking makes for easy entertaining.

Think in three dimensions

In this living room, an ebony-stained cedar fireplace wall rises 20 feet to the ceiling, serving as a striking view from a lofted home office.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Get cabin fever

Go for a cabin-inspired look that doesn't stray into dated territory with exposed and sandblasted rafters and beams and a granite hearth.

Photo by Thayer Allyson Gowdy

Update traditional emblems

In this California home owned by a Spanish emigrant, a metal peace sign gets a boost from white lights and some horns, creating an homage to both California and Spain. The red wall and fireplace underscore the Spanish vibe.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Mix high and low

Inexpensive furniture mingles with high-end touches in this living room: Ikea curtains hang on plumbing pipe behind a $1,200 chandelier; custom pillows sit atop a bargain (at $579) settee from Urban Outfitters; a hand-painted chinoiserie coffee table rests on an old Pakistani rug ($85 on eBay).

Photo by Lisa Romerein

Distract the eye

Divert the gaze from the ubiquitous living-room eyesore by hanging a painting larger than the flat-screen right above it. Note: Since the TV already has a frame, ditch the one on the art.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Go minimalistic

This living room has only what the family needs: a sofa, a video player, blankets, and pillows. The sectional couch here expands to a queen bed; pieces separate for extra seats; and a mirror-top tray turns seating into a table. This minimalism helps the room remain uncluttered.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Expand to outer space

The living room of this sustainably-built home is airy and spacious, with sliding glass windows that open to a balcony and breathtaking tree views beyond.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Abandon matchy-matchy

Define small rooms with furniture that makes a statement. Here, neither the leather sofa nor the Wegner shell chair, both from Room & Board, “matches” the custom coffee table, but they create an eclectic vignette in front of the retiled fireplace.

Photo by John Granen

Play with color

This living room finds harmony by combining a mishmash of patterns, offbeat accessories, and colors that might not match 100%, but remain in the same family.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Unify a collection

Even a random collection feels coherent when displayed in a wraparound gallery. The trick here? Hang the gallery centered on a line just above eye level. The piano creates an optional yet strong visual anchor.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Create an anchor

A Danish heirloom bookshelf unit anchors the room with its well-made, classic form. The 1960s unit displays ceramic and glass collections that add personality.

Photo by Daniel Hennessy

Put furniture to work

A small living space can accommodate a lot when you use multi-functional furniture and clever design tips. In this living room, the window seat stores extra blankets, and the subwoofer doubles as a side table.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Give guests a comfy oasis

This living room can easily be transformed into a guest room. The futon unfolds into a bed, and the coffee table becomes a nightstand. Futon casters make for quick rearranging.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Marry past with present

The living room of this midcentury ranch home is designed to mesh with the retro style of the architecture, but with fresh touches that keep the look current. The Danish-modern coffee table was purchased on eBay and the side table/planter at an antiques mall for $40. New items include a Crate and Barrel sofa and a flock of Etsy pillows.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Streamline the palette

The blue and white color scheme pulls this room together. Soothing blue furnishings and accents add just the right amount of color while also providing a tasteful mix of textures and shapes.

Reinvent for style

Found curbside, a knotty tree was transformed into a chic, offbeat coffee table base. Branches, cut evenly, support a glass top. For stability, screws in a 20-by-20-inch steel plate custom ordered from the local hardware store anchor the stump.

Photo by Thomas J. Story

Be an editor

In this house, knickknacks are few and far between, which results in each item gaining a sense of importance and meaning. This makes the house feel peaceful and―by calling attention to the few well-edited pieces on display―also intensely personal. Except for a mix of items found while traveling and trolling flea markets, the living room is uncluttered.

Photo by E. Spencer Toy

Let there be light

Floor-to-ceiling windows, exposed wood beams, and modern pendant lights create a light and airy backdrop for a stunning open sitting and dining room area.

30 living room style tips

Mix cool and warm

Strive for versatility

Embellish with a quirky find

Freshen things up

Frame a doorway

Go for transparency

Embrace the ethnic eclectic

Don't forget the ceiling

Provide a common denominator

Get a beach-house look

Try color-blocking

Increase flow

Think in three dimensions

Get cabin fever

Update traditional emblems

Mix high and low

Distract the eye

Go minimalistic

Expand to outer space

Abandon matchy-matchy

Play with color

Unify a collection

Create an anchor

Put furniture to work

Give guests a comfy oasis

Marry past with present

Streamline the palette

Reinvent for style

Be an editor

Let there be light