35 Refined Living Room Ideas to Dress Up Your Gathering Space

The hearth of the home may be its coziest spot, but it’s also one of the most challenging to decorate. So, if you’re scouring for living room ideas, you’ve come to the right place. To inspire your living room makeover (or even just a light living room refresh), we’ve rounded up a selection of elegant AD-featured living spaces, along with some new inspiration shared by designers from coast to coast. From small space ingenuity to sleek modernism, these stunning spots are sure to spark some ideas for your next remodel.

How should people approach designing a living room?

To avoid decision fatigue in figuring out the living room ideas that work for you, Atlanta-based interior designer Laura Jenkins offers her best advice: “Start with one decision first and build around that.” That could mean using a colorful sofa or piece of art as your design jumping off point, or making more practical calls around lighting. “If there is beautiful natural light, we lean into lighter walls and bring in color through the fabrics and art,” she adds as an example.

Another factor to consider is what kinds of artwork to layer into your space. Both Cleo Murnane of the LA-based Studio Murnane and James Dolenc of Chicago interior design firm James Thomas note that they aim to avoid furnishings and art that feel too matchy-matchy; instead, they advise letting each decorative item speak for itself individually. In one of Dolenc’s residential projects, he recalls specifically avoiding design choices that felt too intentionally cohesive. “We arranged the artwork after designing the interiors so nothing seemed too perfectly paired,” he says.

And if you’re designing a small rental or 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 of the upholstery neutral so it would work in future spaces.

How do you pick a living room color scheme?

Selecting paint colors for your living room can feel daunting, but Jenkins recommends considering how each element will interact with the others, from the window treatments to the large showpiece furnishings. “Think about how color travels from one room to another,” she suggests. “And don’t be afraid to go for color, whether that’s painting the wood trim the same color as the walls or keeping your walls neutral and painting the trim a contrasting color.”