26 Modern Living Rooms Ideas for a Sleek and Inviting Gathering Space
All products featured on Architectural Digest are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
As major hosting zones, living rooms should be welcoming and cozy—but that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice style. Here, over two dozen modern living room ideas prove you can have it all: one room that could be your easy-breezy reading nook, a cozy corner for family game night, and also a chic retreat for cocktails and conversation. Among them you’ll find spaces from the AD archives—including a São Paulo living room by the Campana Brothers that features a cloud-shaped, light-reflecting mirror; and an Aspen getaway by Atelier AM that showcases a custom-made sectional sofa covered in a brick-red cotton—as well as fresh inspiration from design experts across the country. It’s time to mix a martini, sit down, and stay awhile.
What is a modern living room design style?
You may catch on to a few similarities in the below living room ideas. Common denominators include clean lines and contemporary furnishings warmed up with ever-so-subtle touches like luxurious upholstery, colorful artwork, and fresh greenery. Or, as Joey Conicella of Soco Interiors in Winter Park and Naples, Florida, puts it, “Achieving a modern aesthetic is about neutralizing the overall style of the room. Lean into simple and minimal details and functional furniture pieces. Play with natural light and shadows. Instead of adding furniture pieces and accessories, create more negative space by removing things from the room.”
How do you accessorize a modern living room?
“Accessorizing a modern living room can be a delicate balance between simplicity and impactful statement pieces,” says Jamie Young of home decor brand Jamie Young Co. “Choose sleek, modern lighting fixtures that can double as art. Pendants, floor lamps, and chandeliers can be both functional and decorative with a minimalist feel.”
What is a timeless living room?
Withstanding the test of time usually involves a neutral color palette that provides a versatile backdrop for room decor and well-made furnishings that last—both elements that can be incorporated into modern living room design. Linda Hayslett of LH.Designs in Los Angeles adds, “A timeless living room is one that functions well and has a flow, but also has pieces that last for years in look and comfort. Nothing is too trendy, and lines in furniture and decor are more streamlined and clean.”
Modern living room ideas
Ready to incorporate these designers’ expert advice into your own home? Consider the following 26 modern living room ideas.
Photo: Stephen Busken1/26Set the stage for conversation
If you envision your living area being more about cocktails and conversation than movie night, go for individual seating rather than a sectional sofa. Designer Jeff Andrews of Jeff Andrews Design in Los Angeles says, “A modern living room embraces the lifestyle of the homeowners and embodies the way that they want to use the space.”
Photo: William Waldron2/26Invite nature in
Accentuate your surroundings by including nods to nature in the living room, like a floral arrangement that matches the foliage outside. In this space designed by Poonam Khanna and set in a house in New York’s Hudson Valley, the surrounding forest views take priority over window treatments. The furniture includes BDDW sofas, a cocktail table from Ralph Pucci International, and a David Weeks Studio light fixture; the fireplace is by Fireorb.
Photo: Joshua McHugh3/26Add an eye-catching installation
Desai/Chia Architecture is behind the design of media executive Nick Lehman and his wife Tracy’s New York City apartment. The living room’s Algue wall installation—which is made of plastic elements meant to resemble plants—was created by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec for Vitra and assembled by the Lehman family with the help of artist Jason Grunwald. The Swept sofas are by Blu Dot, and the shag rug is from ABC Carpet & Home.
Photo: Thomas Kuoh4/26Lean in to geometry
“Modern living rooms are airy, bright, and include a balanced mix of lines and curves,” says Emilie Munroe of San Francisco’s Studio Munroe. This room does exactly that, showcasing a variety of shapes, including angular molding and artwork above the fireplace, as well as a curvy couch and coffee tables.
Photo: Roger Davies5/26Mix up your seating
Why stop at a couch when you can have a daybed and accent chairs too? A variety of seating options makes for a more versatile space, as seen here in architect and designer Daniel Romualdez’s Los Angeles living room. Romualdez designed the sofa and daybed, both upholstered in a raw silk. The vintage acrylic armchairs are by Paul Rudolph, the painting on the far wall is by Sarah Morris, and the white sculpture is by Alessandro Twombly.
Photo: Suzanna Scott6/26Be bold with color
Contrary to what some may think, modern doesn’t have to mean a white living room. Go with a bright hue and a coordinating shade or two, but still aim for minimalist vibes. Clara Jung of Banner Day Interiors in Berkeley, California, recommends “bringing in some complementary layers and warmth, but ensuring that the overall minimalist aesthetic is adhered to.”
Photo: Pieter Estersohn7/26Embrace natural wood
Natural wood beams and Scandi-style cocktail tables are right at home with modern art and a blackened steel fireplace surround in this Aspen ski home by design firm Atelier AM. The living room features a custom-made sectional sofa covered in a Loro Piana cotton, stools by Atelier AM in a Sam Kasten bouclé, a vintage Prouvé chair, and a Pierre Guariche floor lamp; the painting is by Richard Prince.
Photo: Courtesy of Jamie Young8/26Pick a minimalist palette
Minimalism is the name of the game in a modern space, and that goes for both furniture selection and accessorization. Jamie Young says, “A color palette of crisp whites, blacks, and warm beige tones provides a serene backdrop for adding pops of color with eye-catching accessories.”
Photo: John Merkl9/26Roll out a rug with a linear pattern
“Modern does not have to be sparse or cold,” says designer Kristen Peña of K Interiors in San Francisco. Add warmth by adding a rug, but stick to a pattern with clean lines, rather than, say, a more boho mosaic motif. As Peña adds, “It is about minimizing the visual noise in a room by choosing items and materials that are confident and bold in shape or materiality rather than in embellishment.”
Photo: Courtesy of Arielle Rosenblatt10/26Aim for clean lines
Designer Arielle Rosenblatt worked on this living room—part of the main bedroom—for Instagrammer Esther Coco Berg. “Our main goal was to focus on clean lines, minimalism, and a sleek aesthetic,” Rosenblatt says. “We installed beautiful modern moldings on the wall and a gorgeous mirror in the panels flanking the fireplace for a little more interest…. From there we kept the colors of the furniture and decor simple by only using neutral colors which went with the theme of her house—black and white.”
Photo: Pieter Estersohn11/26Accentuate the fireplace
Make your glowing embers the room’s focal point by skipping the mantle and giving the fireplace an entire accent wall. Decorator Sara Story collaborated with Lake|Flato Architects on this living room in her Texas ranch. The steel fireplace surround is framed in eggshell-veneer panels by Chapeau Design.
Photo: Nikolas Koenig12/26Combine antiques with new pieces
In the double-height living room of decorator Laura Santos's Manhattan town house, a curvaceous Vladimir Kagan sofa is arranged with a vintage cocktail table from Galerie Van den Akker, a 1940s French floor lamp, and a Dune bench upholstered in Mongolian lamb; the diptych is by Mark Francis.
Photo: Veronica Rodriguez13/26Add wall paneling
Ross Blackwood of the Wood Veneer Hub points out that a living room’s walls are the perfect canvas for adding a textural element and some warmth. With wood paneling, you can go for a single accent wall or create a full jewel-box effect. Plus, he says, “by introducing wall paneling, you have the chance to focus on a specific sub-style within modern design, whether it leans towards mid-century modern or Scandinavian, based on your chosen color scheme.”
Photo: Björn Wallander14/26Get creative with mirrors
A cloud-shaped mirror by Estudio Campana, the design firm behind this Brazilian home, reflects the living room and the garden. The firm also designed the bamboo-shade lamp and side table in the corner. An Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia sofa and matching daybed are grouped with a Maxalto cocktail table, also by Citterio; the armchairs are by Poltrona Frau, and the black lamp is by Oluce.
Photo: Lauren Taylor15/26Streamline the look
Clearing any clutter as well as nixing ornate decorative objects is key to achieving a modern look, according to designer Linda Hayslett. She says, “A modern living room style is one that has a simple, easy-going set up: a sofa and chairs on the side with a coffee table or a sectional with a coffee table and a couple of ottomans. Modern living rooms don’t have a lot of fluff or things in the way.”
Photo: Courtesy of Homebody16/26Customize your couch
Arguably the most important piece of living room furniture, the couch is key to your design. That’s why customizable options—like The Couch from Homebody—are clutch. Pick the perfect shade to complement your paint color, wall art, and throw pillows for a modern, streamlined look. You can also choose the configuration of your modular seating, which is especially handy for small spaces.
Photo: Michael Moran17/26Go graphic with black and white
There’s no mistaking the color scheme in the living room of this Manhattan duplex, designed by Lee F. Mindel with his partner Peter L. The chairs and sofa are by Osvaldo Borsani and the table is by Ettore Sottsass—all iconic pieces from the 1960s and ’70s. Above the mantel is a Frank Thiel print.
Photo: Douglas Friedman18/26Create a personal art gallery
A tapestry by Jan Yoors and a series of the artist’s charcoal drawings add graphic punch in the living room of this Nantucket vacation compound by Jacobsen Architecture. A Mies van der Rohe daybed by Knoll is grouped with a pair of Christophe Delcourt sofas from Ralph Pucci International.
Photo: Scott Frances19/26Get comfy around a cocktail table
For his home in Sag Harbor, New York, architect Frank Greenwald hired decorators Foley & Cox to create relaxed, comfortable interiors. In the living room, the duo placed a linen-clad Christian Liaigre sofa and a pair of Poul Kjærholm leather-and-steel lounge chairs from Republic of Fritz Hansen around a cocktail table by FTF Design Studio.
Photo: Roger Davies20/26Choose a show-stopping couch/table combo
In the living room of movie producer Peter Guber’s Los Angeles home, designed by Nancy Heller, the couch’s curvy silhouette is mirrored in the cocktail table and again in the area rug. The sofa is by Vladimir Kagan from Ralph Pucci International; the table is by Jean de Merry; and the artwork is a Jessica Rice triptych.
Photo: Louisa & Fyodor21/26Accessorize with natural materials
According to Molly Torres Portnof of New York City’s DATE Interiors, a contemporary living room is “simple, clean, polished, and minimal with natural materials.” So it makes sense that she also suggests accessorizing the space with “a bit of greenery, like florals and branches,” in addition to pottery and coffee table books.
Photo: Kris Tamburello22/26Play with texture
Here, a single color—a soothing gray—is anything but boring thanks to a variety of textures incorporated into the room’s design. As Brittany Farinas, Design Director at Miami’s House of One says about accessorizing a modern living room, “The key is to feature different textures through bespoke pieces such as Murano glass, leather accessories, and fresh florals to awaken the space.”
Photo: Stephen Allen23/26Incorporate abstract lighting
Once you’ve achieved “a soft color palette,” which Farinas advocated for as the ideal color scheme for a modern living room, you can incorporate other statement design ideas. Here, those showstoppers include a chandelier made of floating orbs and a painting in bold colors.
Photo: Become Legendary24/26Pair a monochromatic palette with statement pieces
“Ultimately you don’t want to overwhelm the eye,” says designer Joey Conicella. “A modern living room should feel soothing and restful. Think lower profile pieces, clean lines, larger scale, and reducing visual clutter.” A simple color scheme lets the eye focus on a few statement pieces.
Photo: Derek Israelsen25/26Embrace wall texture
You can do more with living room walls than just paint them. For a dramatic change, consider the ways you can add texture to this part of the space. Felt, such as these removable felt wall tiles from Felt Right, can make for a unique statement and as an added bonus, they’re sound-dampening. This might come in handy if your living room doubles as an office or podcast booth (hey, what’s more modern than that?).
Photo: Andrew Twort26/26Make a statement with modular seating
Architect Monica Mauti created a relaxing, contemporary, single-floor London residence—in a Victorian-era apartment building—for a couple and their two children. In the living room, which features a modular sofa, she kept the original windows and French doors and added a large fireplace wall made of Italian ceramic tile.
