Golden hour in the living room.

Madison Park Ranch House

SHED Architecture & Design

Photo credit: Rafael Soldi

1950's House Refurb

Born Designers Ltd

Reading corner with round feature window and Ercol coffee table

Mid-Century Modern Beach House

Ann Lowengart Interiors

Located in San Rafael's sunny Dominican neighborhood, this East Coast-style brown shingle needed an infusion of color and pattern for a young family. Against the white walls in the combined entry and living room, we mixed mid-century silhouettes with bold blue, orange, lemon, and magenta shades. The living area segues to the dining room, which features an abstract graphic patterned wall covering. Across the way, a bright open kitchen allows for ample food prep and dining space. Outside we painted the poolhouse ombre teal. On the interior, we echoed the same fun colors of the home.

Wayzata Mid-Century Modern Whole Home Restoration

Thompson Construction

Mid-Century Modern Restoration

Indoor Living Space

CplusC Architects + Builders

Bachelors' Pad

RM Interior Design

Holloway | Mid-Century Modern Farmhouse

Vision Interiors

The Holloway blends the recent revival of mid-century aesthetics with the timelessness of a country farmhouse. Each façade features playfully arranged windows tucked under steeply pitched gables. Natural wood lapped siding emphasizes this homes more modern elements, while classic white board & batten covers the core of this house. A rustic stone water table wraps around the base and contours down into the rear view-out terrace. Inside, a wide hallway connects the foyer to the den and living spaces through smooth case-less openings. Featuring a grey stone fireplace, tall windows, and vaulted wood ceiling, the living room bridges between the kitchen and den. The kitchen picks up some mid-century through the use of flat-faced upper and lower cabinets with chrome pulls. Richly toned wood chairs and table cap off the dining room, which is surrounded by windows on three sides. The grand staircase, to the left, is viewable from the outside through a set of giant casement windows on the upper landing. A spacious master suite is situated off of this upper landing. Featuring separate closets, a tiled bath with tub and shower, this suite has a perfect view out to the rear yard through the bedroom's rear windows. All the way upstairs, and to the right of the staircase, is four separate bedrooms. Downstairs, under the master suite, is a gymnasium. This gymnasium is connected to the outdoors through an overhead door and is perfect for athletic activities or storing a boat during cold months. The lower level also features a living room with a view out windows and a private guest suite. Architect: Visbeen Architects Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography Builder: AVB Inc.

Montecito Mid-Century Craftsman

Giffin & Crane General Contractors, Inc.

Jim Bartsch

Krisana Park Mid-Century Modern

Cadence Design Studio

JC Buck Photography Artwork by Kelton Osborn of Quickbend Design Sectional Sofa from Studio Como by Bensen

Carmel Valley

HK Designs

Great room opens to the eating nook, with large spacious windows bring the outdoors in.

Butterfly Beach Villa

Neumann Mendro Andrulaitis Architects LLP

Ciro Coelho Photography

Brentwood - Sullivan Canyon

Susan Jay Design

Tom Bonner Photography

1305 Ranch

Rowland+Broughton Architecture & Urban Design

Coursed cut lime-stone on the exterior of the house continues into the interior in the form of walls and a double-sided fireplace. The fireplace works to screen the dining room from the living room creating an intimate gathering space within the open floor plan. Horizontal curved zinc panels make a sculptural chim-ney to top off the design.

Ragley Hall Residence Living Room

User

Atlanta mid-century modern home designed by Dencity LLC and built by Cablik Enterprises. Photo by AWH Photo & Design.

Pleasant Run Home Remodel

Alair Homes Arizona

A mid-century modern home remodel with an open concept layout, vaulted ceilings, and light laminate floors throughout. The kitchen was completely gutted to start fresh with all new fixtures, appliances, and a glass subway tile backsplash. The custom island, and single wall kitchen were designed to keep an open concept feel with the rest of the home to maximize living space.

Colossia Laminate Flooring in Garner Oak

TORLYS Floors

Atlanta Mid Mod

Atelier Davis

Midcentury Brown Living Room Design Photos

A living room, often referred to as a lounge room in Australia and New Zealand, is the hub of the home. If you only have one living room in the house, it’s likely to serve multiple purposes: be it a place to watch TV, play games, spend quality time with family or hang out with friends. If you have the luxury of two living areas, one is usually a formal living room or lounge room, reserved for reading, relaxing and entertaining. A successful midcentury living room design is inviting, has enough seating for the whole clan – a comfortable couch is a must – and encourages conversation. Browse photos on Houzz for living room layouts, furniture and decor, and strike up a conversation with the interior designers or architects of your favourite picks. For even more midcentury living room ideas, check out the Stories section on Houzz.

Which midcentury living room layouts will work best for you?

Every living area will have design challenges. A long, narrow lounge room, for example, risks looking like a hallway if furniture is lined up against the walls. Instead, opt for small furniture items, like a cosy two-seater couch, and create various focal points throughout the space. In square living rooms, a symmetrical layout encourages a formal setting. Place seating on either side of the room, with a focal point in the middle to pull the room together. For a truly intimate vibe, replace your couch with some occasional chairs positioned around a coffee table or ottoman. This will make the main focus conversation. An open-plan home – one where the lines are blurred between kitchen, dining and living – may require a layout that focuses on definition. You’ll want to make sure furniture doesn’t block the flow between spaces, and instead use something like an area rug to create zones.

How can you decorate your living room?

The living room can be a place in which to show off your personality, but if you want a timeless living room scheme, stick to neutral walls, couches and ottomans. Colour can be added through accessories, and is a lot more interchangeable! Rugs, cushions and throws are great for adding colour, while mirrors, lamps and ceiling lights will set the mood. Make your midcentury living room unique by including family heirlooms and photos. For a polished look, try creating a coffee table vignette – you could use books as pedestals or group items together on a tray. Try adding a vase, a mixture of round and rectangular objects and some books.

What are some small living room ideas?

Small living room designs can be tricky to work with, but aren’t doomed to fail. Often, you just have to get creative with furniture. An open-back chaise can create a sense of spaciousness, while small side tables paired together can substitute a coffee table. Even better, an ottoman can be used as a footrest, coffee table or extra seating. Big furniture items like the couch are best kept in light colours, and if there’s room for a coffee table, a glass-top one is best. If you have two spaces in one – perhaps your midcentury living room sits in front of a single-wall kitchen – make sure they are connected by decor, colour and style. For definition, just add area rugs, or use your couch as a dividing wall. It’s worth having a few furniture pieces, whether a bookshelf, couch or entertainment unit, in the same colour as the walls, too, so they blend into the room and visually expand the space.

Is open-plan living for you?

Today’s homes often embrace open-plan living, whereby the living room runs off the kitchen and/or dining areas. Open-plan living allows greater functionality, but can risk creating a vast, soulless space if not done right. To avoid a cavernous feel in an open-plan design, define areas with furniture, rugs and lighting, or consider using a wall divider. Also be sure to keep flooring, lighting and materials consistent throughout, for cohesiveness. Noise may be an issue – someone banging pots and pans while you’re watching TV, for example – so include lots of soft midcentury furnishings, such as rugs, curtains and couches to help absorb the noise. You will also need to factor in plenty of storage, so mess is kept at bay.