75 Beautiful Formal Living Room Ideas and Designs - February 2024 (2024)

Looking for living room ideas? Whether your living room is lacklustre, your lounge is limited in space, your sitting room is suffering from outdated decor or your front room is full of clutter, there are living room ideas and designs that will inspire you to breathe life into your living space. Discover small living room ideas to help maximise tiny spaces or layout ideas that will work with awkward shaped living rooms. Perhaps you’re struggling to decide on living room colours? Read on for help with colours, layout and design ideas, or find inspiration from the millions of living room photos on Houzz.

Living room wallpaper ideas

A good place to start when it comes to redesigning your living room is with the walls. While paint may seem the simplest choice, and easy to change, don’t discredit the design opportunities of wallpaper in living rooms. There are tons of great living room wallpaper ideas, from modern geometric patterns to traditional florals, and loads of ways to use them – you don’t have to cover the whole room or go for the ubiquitous feature wall. You could wallpaper only above the dado rail (if you have one), either side of a chimney breast, or behind a shelving unit to give your displayed items a stylish backdrop. Discover more living room wallpaper ideas or if paint is more your style, there’s plenty of living room designs to discover when it comes to paint ideas; just browse through the huge selection of living photos and search for the specific paint you’re after if you really want to narrow it down.

Small living room ideas

When it comes to our living room design, we want it to feel as welcoming and personality-filled as possible, but that can be a struggle when we’re working with a small space. But not to fear, there are small living room ideas to help you make most out of what you’re working with. A couple of small living room ideas can include: working with the height you have – installing floor-to-ceiling bookshelves or drawing the eye to the top of the walls with wallpaper; choosing space-saving or storage-incorporating (or both!) furniture, such as corner sofas with storage space under the chaise longue section; and keeping things symmetrical – a central fireplace with seating opposite, or seats facing each other, can give the illusion of a larger, more grand room. When it comes to the best decor for small living rooms, you can either choose to keep things light and airy to open up the space, or embrace the cosiness of the smaller area you have by going for warm colours and filling the room with your favourite accessories.

Living room layouts and choosing the right living room furniture

When it comes to the layout of your living room, it will depend on what pieces of furniture you have – but how do you choose what living room furniture to add, whether you’re refreshing your living room design or starting from scratch? The best place to start is with the seating – one corner sofa will usually seat three to four people, and if that’s all you think you’ll need, then you can leave it at that. Placing your sofa along the longest wall helps to make the most of the space, but think about where you want the focus of the room to be, too. If you need more seating, look at armchairs that offer comfort but don’t take up too much space – cramming a room with too many large armchairs is something to avoid. But armchairs and sofas don’t have to be your only options – go for bean bags and floor cushions for an eclectic feel, pouffes and ottomans if you’re more traditional, and smart design chairs for contemporary living room ideas. Coffee tables are always handy, but you can always add a couple of side tables if you don’t want to clutter the central space in front of seating with anything. If you centre your living room design around a fireplace or TV, then you might want storage and shelving to feature around the focus of your room. There are plenty of style options when it comes to TV units, and you can even go for bespoke living room storage units to make the most of the space if you want a sleek, built-in look. Keep reading below for more living room storage ideas. Discover a huge range of living room furniture, as well as living room accessories, to help you finish your room design.

Living room design ideas

Struggling with what living room colours to choose, or what style to go with? While a grey living room design is popular at the moment, you might not want to go with the ubiquitous colour. Although, if neutral and contemporary are the living room ideas you’re after, a grey sofa or grey walls will give you a good base to work on. If you want to stay neutral, beige is not your only other option, either. Light yellows, taupes and soft greys will work. Why not try adding simple but plush cushions to your sofa and a rug in these colours to achieve a modern-traditional look? For contemporary living room ideas, dark blues and greens are on trend, but if you don’t want to dive straight into the dark wall trend, you could opt for a couple of pieces of furniture, or go for dark-hued living room accessories instead. Whites, woods and pastels could work well for Scandinavian living room designs. If an eclectic living room is what you’re after, you could go for large print wallpaper, a statement lighting piece, vibrant rug and lots of colourful book or ornament displays. For a country feel, rustic carpet, stone hearths, comfy armchairs and traditional patterns in creams, greens and browns will give you that cosy cottage feel.

Living room storage ideas

It’s natural that our living rooms tend to attract lots of items and belongings seeing as they act as multipurpose living spaces. Whether you love to read a book; watch a film; let your children play with their toys; practise a craft like knitting or drawing; play a musical instrument or play video games in your sitting room, there will always be a need for a few extra living room ideas that can help you with storage. Apart from the standard bookcases, side tables and TV units, there are a few other handy living room storage ideas you can invest in. As mentioned before, if you have the room and budget for it, a built-in storage unit could be the way forward. With a well-built unit you could hide your TV, DVDs, players, books, video consoles and all sorts away in one place. If you don’t quite have a large enough area for one, you could look at shelving – either side of the chimney breast is a great place to install shelving if you have one in your living room. And don’t forget living room furniture such as sofas, benches and ottomans that lift up to reveal hidden storage; providing seating and storing space at the same time. With the right storage solutions your living room design could open up and feel so much more spacious and stylish. Discover more living room storage ideas by browsing these photos. Once you have your living room storage, colours, design, layout and furniture sorted, all that’s left is to browse the millions of living room ideas on Houzz and save your favourites to an ideabook. If you’re still searching for specific living room ideas, check out the popular pages below:

  • Living room lighting ideas
  • Cosy living rooms
  • Grey sofa living rooms
75 Beautiful Formal Living Room Ideas and Designs - February 2024 (2024)

FAQs

What is a timeless living room? ›

Timeless interiors tend to resist the trends and focus on an understated, yet sophisticated, style. Don't rush to purchase furniture, especially big-ticket items, or cover walls in the 'colour of the year'. Instead, add these trendy colours and materials in accent pieces like tableware, lamps, cushions and bedding.

What is the difference between a living room and a formal living room? ›

While there is no set rule, formal living rooms are typically found near the entry of the house since that's where guests will enter. Informal living rooms, on the other hand, are generally located deeper within the house, often near the kitchen or by a door that leads to the backyard.

What makes a room look luxury? ›

A luxury living room combines custom finishes, furniture, lighting, and decor to create an elevated and comfortable look and feel. Defined by an attention to quality, detail, and refinement, these polished spaces can encompass a range of color schemes and design styles.

What makes a house look classy? ›

Make your house look classy with these simple ways
  1. White with a hint of golden works best. ...
  2. Wall paintings enhance the look. ...
  3. Curtains will reflect your taste. ...
  4. Chandeliers will add to the charm. ...
  5. Accessorize Your Home. ...
  6. Pillows – Comfort & Elegance. ...
  7. Furniture Can Be Affordable.
Jan 20, 2022

How can I make my sofa look expensive? ›

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to elevate your couch is by accessorizing it with high-quality throws and cushions. Look for materials like velvet, silk, or faux fur to add a touch of luxury.

What makes house looks cheap? ›

11 Things That Make Your House Look Cheap, According to Designers
  • Design is personal, and your home is a reflection of your personal style aesthetic. ...
  • Bland Substitutes. ...
  • Outdated Lighting. ...
  • Furniture Sets. ...
  • Too Many Colors. ...
  • Out-of-Scale Design. ...
  • Popcorn Ceilings. ...
  • Mass-Produced Art.
Oct 9, 2023

How can I make my room look nice without buying anything? ›

16 Ideas to Upgrade Your Bedroom Without Buying A Thing
  1. Rearrange Your Furniture. ...
  2. Repurpose Items. ...
  3. Focus on Lighting. ...
  4. Add a Statement Wall. ...
  5. Rearrange Artwork. ...
  6. Utilize Textiles. ...
  7. Incorporate Nature. ...
  8. Declutter and Organize.
Jan 9, 2024

How can I make my house look nice without money? ›

How can I make my home look better without buying anything?
  1. Curate a talking point with objects you already own. ...
  2. Use leftover paint cans to add color to trims. ...
  3. Rearrange bedroom furniture to aid sleep. ...
  4. Take the rule of three to your houseplants. ...
  5. Swap rugs from room to room. ...
  6. Create conversational seating.
Apr 3, 2023

What colors of furniture never go out of style? ›

Neutral Colors: Classic and neutral color palettes, such as whites, creams, grays, and earth tones, stand the test of time. Quality Furniture: Well-crafted, timeless furniture pieces made from quality materials like hardwood or leather can remain stylish for years.

What color sofa never goes out of style? ›

Neutral Tones: Neutral colors such as gray, beige, taupe, and cream remain popular choices for contemporary sofas. These versatile hues create a timeless and sophisticated look that complements various interior styles.

What is formal style interior design? ›

Formal Traditional

If elegance and propriety are the stuff of your dreams, this style's for you. The formal traditional style incorporates fine furnishings, exquisite wall coverings, elaborate moldings, formal window treatments and Oriental rugs.

What is the function of a formal living room? ›

The formal living room is where you can entertain guests without a TV in sight. It often has a moodier vibe and is located at the front of the house, usually near the kitchen or dining room, where it can be seen. It is the ideal zone for co*cktail parties, adult conversation over drinks, or hosting holiday gatherings.

Why do people have formal living rooms? ›

“One of the original purposes for the formal living room was for receiving guests and impressing them with your sense of style and wealth. The rest of the house was where you 'functioned,' the living room was kept special.

How big should a formal living room be? ›

Preferably about 200 square feet (18.6 square meters). The minimum width of your living room should ideally be 11 to 12 feet (3.35 to 3.65 meters). Preferably 14 feet (4.27 meters) if you have the space available.

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