A living is a place where friends and family gather most weekends and where we spend our evenings. It is where games night and horror stories take place and that is why it’s super important to have the perfect living room. When seeking inspiration for this important part of the home, there is a real array of styles that might call to you. From cozy snugs where the purpose is all about creating an enveloping, cocooning feel, to eclectic spaces primed and ready for hosting and entertaining, to the clean, cool lines of Scandi decor or minimalism, there are many looks to experiment with. Your living room is many things. It’s where you build friendships, connect with family, and watch (or binge) Netflix. Beyond function, your living room is the perfect canvas to express your unique style and personality.

The living room design and the purpose of this room can come in all different shapes and sizes and is ever-changing. Living rooms and sitting rooms historically were laid out around a hearth. In modern times, it was around a TV. But that doesn’t always happen anymore; what is the living room’s focal point now? You want to make it an awesome space, make the scale something that works, and a room that people enjoy and use daily.

Every living room is different and dons a personality of its own. A living room must reflect your persona. Finding the style of the living room that works for you is firstly about conducting some inner reflection. What do you require from the space and what do you need from this particular room? Is it a busy part of the home that incurs frequent footfall? Or is it a quiet place for a moment of calm? Identifying this first and you're one step closer to finding the living room style that suits you. 

Looking for some redesign inspiration? We’ll break down today’s most popular living room styles and how to get the look at home.

MODERN ELEGANCE

-A modern elegant living room has a classical style that is almost traditional in aesthetic but brings it right up to the contemporary to avoid anything too classical, traditional, and stuffy. Some of the details of the room have a classical, historical look, like the antique mirror, fireplace detail, and moldings where the wall meets the ceiling, but the room is brought to the modern day with extra details like the coffee table, which is slightly stacked to give the room some different shapes to focus on, and the interesting lighting fixture. This brings the classical look right into the modern day. Furniture and decor-wise, think about what makes you feel comfortable and cozy. It might be luxurious fabrics like velvet in jewel tones or boucle - both of which look beautiful on an L-shape sofa, or perhaps it's a thick rug or throws. Think about lighting too. The best cozy living room lighting has layers of lighting in pools of light across the room and can be mixed and matched. 

Characteristics of modern design

• Materials: Mid-century modern features wood finishes, metal accents in black and gold, and organic materials like a cane.

• Colors: Neutral shades are common, but you’ll also see rich earthy tones, like rust and forest green. “Modern design doesn’t automatically limit your color palette,” says Thompson, who likes to incorporate darker colors, like moody blues and greens.

• Textures: Bring in natural textures through woven baskets, leather armchairs, and staggering plants.

COASTAL CHIC

-Another look you can embrace in your living room is the coastal style. If you're near the water, this look can anchor a space and help to give it a strong location-based identity to your living room, but no matter where you are in the world, a touch of the seaside can go a long way to bring a sense of serenity to your home. Think of a palette of blues and whites but avoid too many beachy clichés. Think rope detailing, textured sisal, printed soft linens, and breezy kinds of cotton on upholstery. Antiques and vintage art add to the space. It is one of the most popular interior design styles as it creates a laid-back, charming and airy ambiance, even though bright colors are used. And the best part? You don’t have to live in a coastal area to get this design for your living room. 

In coastal design, lighting and bright colors are used to mimic the ultimate beach vibe. Generally, natural and woven materials are used in this style. This adds texture to the room. When it comes to the selection of colors, bright pops of greens and blues are applied, while the furnishing articles have neutral tones.

BOHEMIAN

The purpose of the Bohemian style is to create a relaxing and comfortable ambiance. For this, you can mix different colors, textures, and patterns to add more appeal to your living room and yet have a soothing atmosphere. For example, you can go for a unique wall tapestry in a combination of different soothing colors. It would set a perfect backdrop to experiment with different patterns and rich hues throughout the living room.

When it comes to furniture for your Boho living room, vintage articles make for an apt choice. You can find them easily online and in various stores.

COUNTRY STYLES 

Encompasses a wide range of styles that can include all of the above options. It’s always casual and comfortable with personal treasures collected over the years. Pick up a copy of Country Living or Country Home magazines and you’ll see a little bit of farmhouse, French, English, rustic, shabby chic, and even industrial styling. If you want to choose from the many livings room interior designs that exude charm and comfort, the ‘country’ theme can be a perfect choice. It’s all about creating a comfortable and relaxing living space. As is the case with the “coastal design’, it’s not imperative to be living in the countryside to give your living room this look. To create a country-style living room, pick one from the pastel color palette and add some natural elements i.e., rustic exposed beams and natural wood ceilings. Pair these natural tones with blue and white furnishings, and you will have a country-look living room.

CONTEMPORARY STYLE

The word contemporary means “belonging to the present”. This is why it is often used to describe things that are modern in design. However, defining this theme can be tough since it combines elements of various other living room interior designs and styles. For example, contemporary style may include art deco, modern, traditional and futuristic design as well.

Having said that, the definition of contemporary style that’s relevant today may not be the same in a couple of years as it is continuously evolving. In the current era, the contemporary look is defined by minimalism, neutral colors, and curved lines. When it comes to contemporary furniture, articles having smooth surfaces and clean lines without any adornment or carvings make for the best choice. They are made from light-colored woods i.e., birch and maple.

THE COTTAGE LOOK

It is one of the most preferred living room interior designs because of the cozy and homely atmosphere it helps to create. It is, basically, all about exhibiting and preserving features of your living space, intending to give it a cottage-like look.

Cottage interiors boast a unique character because of timber floors, quirky angles, and rustic ceiling beams.

When designing your living room as per the cottage style, choose colors that are inspired by nature, and get some botanical plants and antique wooden furniture. For an authentic Cottage interior design style, choose white walls, neutral furnishings, and an iron chandelier.

INDUSTRIAL

Not many thinks about selecting an industrial theme when choosing a theme for their living room. However, it can prove to be the best choice among many interior design styles because of its unique and rather interesting look.

This particular design is all about the celebration of the vintage era. It encompasses wide open spaces along with unfinished and raw décor, which exudes an old-world charm. You can use materials like Edison bulbs, unfinished/raw wood, leather, and exposed ductwork to achieve this look. If your home has an industrial past, embrace the architectural features to emphasize the heritage. Your living room is a great place to get started. If your home doesn't have an industrial story, you can still give off look with simple furniture and decor additions that pay homage to this stylish look.

The pillars of an industrial living room are exposed beams, original architectural details, and a color palette of black, brown, white, and grey. Think exposed, raw materials - reclaimed wood, iron, brick, concrete, steel.

SCANDINAVIAN LOOK

If minimalist decor is your thing, and clean lines, a light palette, and an uncluttered living room help you feel calm, Scandi decor is a simple interior design style that can be easily replicated in your living room. Its pillars are a neutral palette and a sense of timelessness where less is more and decor is pared back. Storage is cleverly used to seamlessly hide away clutter and living room accessories are simple but might include plants, textured fabrics, throws, and beautiful high-pile wool rugs at most. The Scandi ethos celebrates the bare bones of the room and the natural lighting - so the space is welcoming without any surplus furniture or objects. Scandi design also has strong ties to nature, with natural materials used in design schemes, the use of wood, and a sustainability focus.

FRENCH COUNTRY

French Country Style, as the name suggests is about combining the sophistication of French design with the comfort country design offers. It, basically, merges the best of both these styles and creates a comfortable yet stylish and elegant living room that going to have a welcoming vibe to it. The French country living room is a place with luxury mixed with chic and graceful elements. The main pieces of furniture in this room should be cozy chairs, a small sofa, and an oval or round table. If it is possible, a fireplace on which are placed candles with luxury scents, photos, and other small decorative elements.

This style usually contains warm hues and antique wood furnishing. Lighter shades and beamed ceilings are other focal features of the French Country design. Your French country living room must have enough windows that could be wide open so the light can enter the room. At the same time, they must be decorated with beautiful heavy curtains made of expensive material with beautiful cornices, pelmets, and tassels.

The main decoration in the living room can be a huge crystal chandelier, whose reflections fill the whole room with a rainbow. If you do some shopping for antiques online, you can find some great deals on chandeliers and similar statement pieces!

MODERN ELECTIC

The modern eclectic style is when a blend of styles comes together to look cohesive and acutely personalized, and it's a look that works well in the living room - often a room in the home where personalization is key. Think of antique styles, vintage pieces, and collectibles that are personal to your life, mixed in with a contemporary look. Eclectic design wants a mix of styles that seamlessly work together without anything feeling overly designed. Eclectic style often requires a lot of discipline and attention. It merges different interior design styles into one and creates an appealing look.

As it is a fusion of different themes and styles, it can be termed an unconventional way of designing a living space.

HOW TO CHOOSE AN INTERIOR THEME?

When thinking about your living room and what style might work for you, first and foremost think about what makes you feel calm. Do you feel at peace when surrounded by your collectible items, pieces of art, bits and pieces collected throughout your lifetime? Or do you feel most calm in a snug, dark and moody setting? Perhaps it's a pared-back color scheme of neutrals or the clean lines of minimalism that help you relax. The living room is a space for decompressing at the end of the day, so think about what you need around you to help you do this. This will steer you on the right path to identifying the living room style for you.