Modern Living Room Ideas - Contemporary Designs

It’s a common saying that the kitchen is the heart of the home but for many people, it’s the living room.

It’s where you express your personal style, entertain guests, and make lasting memories with your family and relax after a tough day. With the living room holding such significance, it’s certainly worth considering a modern overhaul.

The ideal modern living room retains the sensibilities of the old world in terms of comfort, refinement, and congeniality. It does this while embodying on-trend aspects of the new.

Repurposed materials including wood, metal, and industrial items along with simple color schemes, and clean lines are all components of the modern living room. Carefully selected and personally valued objects add a final touch, allowing guests a glimpse into your inner life and aspirations.

Your modern living room is a place to relax and regroup from the trials and responsibilities of the outside world. Just as your guests deserve to feel welcomed by your living room’s appeal, you deserve to feel at home in the dwelling you’ve so painstakingly curated.

Crackling fires, comfy armchairs, and warm lighting are just a few of the ways to offset and familiarize your modish abode, the possibilities are endless.

But how should you style your new modern living room? Well, we’ve got some great ideas. Join us as we inspire you to create a living room that is perfect for you.

1. Living Room With A View

Contemporary living room with gray sofas, glass wall, and breathtaking city skyline views

If you have a beautiful view in your home, then make the most of it! There’s no point living in a beautiful area only to close it off with walls and small windows. An aspect of modern design is to have as much light flowing in as possible.

Spacious modern living room with large windows, city view, cozy sofas, and a central coffee table

One of the best living room ideas is to open up your space with huge windows and wide doors to let the outside in. Once you do, then you can arrange your main furniture piece to look in that direction, so you can take it all in.

Modern living room with large glass walls, sleek furnishings, recessed lighting, and visible outdoor greenery

Luxurious living room with large windows, mountain view, cozy fireplace, and sleek modern decor

Modern living room with gray sofas, a fireplace, and glass walls opening to a patio with a stunning view

Luxurious open-plan kitchen and living room with a city view and infinity pool

Sleek living room with curved glass walls, white sofas, a large screen, and cityscape views

2. Mid Century Modern Style

Contemporary living room with a white sectional sofa, black and white decor, geometric art, and stylish lighting

If you speak to any interior designer then they’ll probably start talking about the mid century modern style. The definition of this can be a little blurred but it essentially means having old-style furniture and fittings but with a modern twist.

Modern living room with gray sofa, black chairs, geometric rug, and glass table; large windows illuminate the space

This can mean a classical lounge chair but also accent chairs are often favored. If you want to give your living room furniture a traditional twist, this is a great option for you. That mix of old and new styles can look brilliant.

Modern open-plan living room with gold pendant lights, sleek furnishings, and a large TV

Modern living room with gray armchairs, stone fireplace, large TV, and geometric ceiling panels

Spacious, sleek living room with tall windows and circular chandeliers

3. Minimalist

Spacious living room features white sofas, a large TV, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a sleek fireplace

The minimalist look has been in fashion for a long time and many of the aspects of modern interior design involve stripping everything back and going with something much more understated.

Chic living room with gray circular sofas, a round coffee table, large artwork, and a sleek vertical light fixture

This may involve having a main sofa and a few chairs but not much else. The color schemes are also usually minimal with clean lines everywhere you look. An instant change you can make for a modern look is by taking a minimalist approach.

Modern living room featuring a large gray sectional sofa, sleek black walls, and city views through expansive windows

Modern living room with a spacious white sofa, abstract art, dark shelves, and a stylish chandelier

4. Maximalism

Chic living room featuring a large sectional sofa, fireplace, decorative plants, and elegant teal accents

If you want to rebel against minimalism then you can go for the opposite approach, which is called maximalism. This is where you have a more cluttered space filled with all the things you love.

Modern living room with a white sofa, black table, chandeliers, and silver decor; kitchen in the background

In these organic modern living rooms you can have throw pillows, artwork, ornaments and anything you like. You can give it a contemporary look by lighting up the space and adding modern furniture pieces with a modern or subtle color palette.

Luxurious modern living room with sleek furniture, glossy floors, large windows, and mirrored ceiling accents

Cozy living room with high ceilings, hanging lights, large windows, and a modern fireplace overlooking the forest

Luxurious living room featuring a velvet sofa, metallic accents, and a sleek coffee table in dim lighting

5. Open Plan

Modern living room featuring white sofas, a sleek fireplace, TV, and large glass doors leading to a lit pool area

Many people love the idea of open plan rooms where you have a high ceiling and plenty of space. Some like their living rooms to be rustic and intimate while others like their living rooms to be part of a beautifully open ground floor living space.

Modern open-concept living room with large sofas, fireplace, and elegant lighting fixtures viewed from kitchen island

You can still have a defined living space. One of the best living room ideas is to have a large area rug which dominates the space. If you want to show off your beautiful house in all its glory then don’t be afraid to opt for an open plan style.

Modern living room with large windows, city skyline view, and ring pendant lights glowing at dusk

Modern living room with spiral staircase, marble fireplace, bookshelves, cozy sofas, a rug, and large windows

6. Adjoining Bar Area

Modern living room with black sofas, glossy white floors, and large windows showcasing a mesmerizing night view

One of the most brilliant modern living room ideas is to combine your living space with a bar area. You can hop over from your sofa to grab another drink from your bar without ever needing to break conversation.

Luxurious modern living room with a fireplace, sleek black sofas, and expansive windows overlooking a cityscape at night

It’s a contemporary design that is perfect for hosting guests as they’ll also fall in love with the multi function genius of the space. Whether you are hosting a sports night or simply want to unwind with a glass of whisky, this is a great idea.

Modern living room with large windows, city view, sleek furniture, and a stylish bar area

Luxurious living room with white chairs, glass tables, and a large screen displaying a surfer in action

Modern living room and kitchen with leather couch, stools, a cozy fireplace, large windows, neutral tones, and wooden accents

7. Small Living Room

Modern living room with gray sofas, built-in shelves, a fireplace, and large windows draped with sheer curtains

While modern living room design might often be about big spaces and as much light as possible, for many people, that’s not what they want. They would rather have a much more intimate and relaxed space.

Elegant black living room featuring velvet chairs, modern lighting, and a large portrait above the fireplace

Here you can create something a lot more personal and private. You can still make it into a modern living space by adding contemporary furniture and art. You can also use modern lighting to create something classical with a 21^st century twist.

Sleek living room with white sofas, a large gray coffee table, chandelier, and wall-mounted TV

Spacious modern living room featuring a gray sectional sofa, two armchairs, a flat-screen TV, and sheer-curtained windows

Elegant living room with a marble fireplace, gray sofas, a textured ottoman, and metallic coffee tables

8. Neutral Colors

Modern living room with gray sectional, patterned rug, tufted coffee table, and open kitchen featuring pendant lights

One of the biggest hallmarks of a modern living space is that they very seldom use bold color in the décor. Instead, you see a much more limited palette such as white walls or a subtle touch of light blues, greens and greys.

Contemporary living room with white sofas, large windows, city view, and a balcony

Natural stone can also work very well in a modern space as long as it’s light. If you want to have an instant modernization of your living room, then a change to lighter colors will do it.

Modern living room with a spacious sofa, wooden coffee table, fireplace, and city view through floor-to-ceiling windows

Modern living room with gray sofas, city view, and a sleek fireplace beneath a large TV

Modern living room with gray sofas, wooden table, surf art, and minimalist decor for a relaxed vibe

Spacious living room featuring a grey sectional sofa, stone fireplace, large windows, and elegant modern chandeliers

9. Monochromatic Grey

Opulent dark-toned living room with elegant chandeliers, plush sofas, and a glass coffee table

Another color variation is where you use a monochromatic grey scale. This is where you only use black, white or different shades of grey. We see this plenty of time in modern décor and the results can be utterly fantastic.

Luxurious living room featuring a grand chandelier, fireplace, and elegant furniture

For your furniture to fit in with this modern style, a leather sofa is a great idea. You can also get a fabric sofa that matches the color scheme. When you opt for this style of design, you need to commit to it and ensure that everything matches.

Elegant, neutral living room with a grey sectional sofa, large orchid centerpiece, and abstract wall art

Contemporary living room with white sofas, dark ceiling, fireplace, and large windows showcasing a night cityscape

Modern living room featuring a gray sectional sofa and a stunning, cascading glass bubble chandelier

Spacious living room with a large TV, gray sofas, and decorative shelving holding vases and sculptures

Luxurious living room with plush seating, a cozy fireplace, modern furniture, and large windows

FAQs

What is a modern look in living room?

A modern look can be a mixture of different aspects but it is usually characterized by clean lines, modern lighting, plenty of natural light, and modern furniture.

The confusion can come from styles such a mid century modern where they used classic pieces are used such as accent furniture. Even though some styles take traditional elements, they manage to keep it modern in other ways such as with a minimalist look.

How can I make my living room more modern?

There are many quick changes that you can make. These include stripping back any clutter that you have and going for a more minimalist feel. Mid century modern furniture is a popular addition but if you don’t like accent chairs, you can get something contemporary.

Other changes you can make include painting any wood surfaces, changing old light fittings into spotlights, and letting in as much light as you can. With some simple and quick changes, you can easily upgrade to something more modern.

What do you put in a modern living room?

You can put in anything that you want as long as it fits in with the overall style. A wood coffee table may seem antiquated but when surrounded by modern furniture, they can look incredible.

If you have possessions that you love then don’t take things out just for the sake of a minimalist design. If you want to add a bold piece then a regular or geometric rug is a great call, along with touches of modern art.

What is the best color for a living room?

One of the best colors for a modern living room is subtle shades of light green but any light and neutral pastel color suits the modern living. You can also go for the grey décor look which gives any space a modern feel.

What should every living room have?

In terms of seating, it’s great to have modern living room furniture that not only looks great but is very comfortable too. Aside from that, you can choose whatever you love as there are no rules here. The likes of coffee tables, pillows and art are all optional extras.

Modern Living Room Ideas – Contemporary Designs