Living Room Design Ideas. Create an Elegant, Welcoming Space for the Whole Family

The main room in the house should be a welcoming, practical space for everyone in the family and reflect the best of your designing abilities. Whether you are about to do a complete makeover or a quick change, spice up the family’s favorite room with these living room design ideas.

Low furniture

Short pieces, like this tufted couch, keep an open floor plan cozy. Use area rugs to define individual “rooms” within the space.

Living room design ideas. Sneaky furniture

In a small living room, choose a few full-size furniture pieces instead of cramming in lots of smaller ones. The living room will fell larger and you will have a sofa you actually like to sit on.

Dramatic color

Give beige a break. Dramatic hues can drench a large living room, but also provide a fairly neutral background, like this inky blue.

Living room design ideas. Subtle pattern

Avoid future boredom with calm colors using texture and pattern. In this dreamy beach house living room, prints in the same palette make the neutral color room interesting.

Statement rug

The key to subtle color lays at your feet. A patterned carpet plays up the neutral furniture, while a similarly-hued pillow adds another punch to the armchair.

Need space? Swap boring shelving for more decorative options, then load up on fabric boxes or baskets to hide an overflow of knick knacks.

Living room design ideas. Family-friendly

If you like white furniture, here’s how it can work in a house with kids. Just choose durable fabrics (a leather couch) and surfaces (the plastic rocker, the lacquer table) that wipe clean easily.