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22 Modern Living Room Design Ideas

22 Modern Living Room Design Ideas

By Tamara Kraus

Updated September 07, 2018

Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.

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Oh Joy!

If you could only choose one room in your home to put your heart and soul into designing, the living room would top the list. It’s that treasured (and often off-limits) space that sets the tone for your entire decorating style.

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Pop of Pastel

Oh Joy!

A rainbow-colored living room is hard to achieve without being too overwhelming, but blogger Joy Cho of Oh Joy! knows just how to balance things out in this swoon-worthy living room. Balance out colors with lighter tones and make sure to include enough white space or earthy accents like Cho does with the bookshelf here.

To buy: Natural Rattan Cocoon Chair, $230; worldmarket.com for similar.

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Textured White Room

Modern Glam

There's a formula to creating a magical monotone room, and Ashley Stringfellow of Modern Glam created the perfect space by incorporating tons of texture, like with faux fur, to liven up her living room. The pops of blush tones in accents combined with her paneled wall make for a visually interesting space to curl up in with a book.

To buy: Ivory New Zealand Sheepskin Area Rug, $80; worldmarket.com for similar.

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Blue Living Room

blue-living-room

Add some life to your space with a statement-making plant like designer Grant Gibson does with this larger-than-life Monstera. Bonus tip: mix things up by incorporating furniture in the same color family, but in different shades, like he does here with the blue sofa and chair.

To buy: Halsey Three Piece Sectional, from $2,497; westelm.com for similar.

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Colorful Sofas

Your Marketing BFF

One easy trick to mastering a modern living room is to contrast a soothing wall color with a dramatic pairing, like with these striking blue couches in blogger Tana Nelson's space.

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Cozy Living Room

Jenni Kayne

Sticking to lighter, natural colors like whites, creams, and browns makes it feel like a place you can recharge, says designer Jenni Kayne. Using natural textures in contrast to a bright white also adds an unexpected, yet welcoming look.

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Boho Living Room

Ave Styles/ Photo by Rennai Hoefer

This casual, yet totally put together living room is giving us serious boho vibes. Pinfluencer Alex Evjen nailed this effortless look with gorgeous, jewel toned chairs and a unique fringed centerpiece above the fireplace that serves as a fun talking point.

To buy: Macramé Rope Wall Hanging, $39; urbanoutfitters.com for similar.

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Geometric Lighting

Photographed by Siham Mazouz from How the French Live, reprinted by permission of Gibbs Smith

Offset a neutral space with an eye-catching light fixture, like Siham Mazouz, author of How the French Live, does in this minimal, French-inspired living room. Lighting sets the tone for the entire room's space — so make sure you choose something striking.

To buy: Catalina Geo Swag Pendant Light, $80; hayneedle.com for similar.

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Clean Living Room

Nina Jizhar

A modern living room often features sleek line furnishings and soothing palettes, says Homepolish designer Nina Jizhar, however, incorporating an iconic piece such as this Eames lounge chair bring another level of sense of style.

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Minimal Living Room

Katherine Carter

In this minimal living room, by Homepolish designer Katherine Carter , less is more. While a statement piece is a must to liven up the space, it's important to keep things simple, like with this round mirror, or the space can become overwhelming.

To buy: Copper Metal Framed Mirror, $73; target.com.

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Ornate Living Room

Photographer: Jess Isaac

Modern doesn't have to mean simple. Brooklyn-based interior blog, Aphrochic, shows us how to have a playful and visually interesting space that's totally on trend, but includes some statement-making pieces like the lighting fixture and flower piece above the fireplace.

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Artistic Living Room

Mandy Chengling

When you keep all the elements in a room sleek and uncluttered, it's important to make sure there's a focal point in the room to add visual interest, like designer Mandy Cheng does here.

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Sculptural Lighting

Amy Lind Interiors

An easy way to mix up your living room's style? By adding a lighting fixture with a sculptural quality, like this one that designer Amy Lind used. No need for matching lamps — go for boldly-shaped sconces, an oversized floor lamp, or a statement-making chandelier.

To buy: Sculptural Round Chandelier, $327; westelm.com for similar.

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Dramatic Living Room

Alec Holland

Think outside of the box with this avant-garde living room by Homepolish designer Alec Holland. Achieve this look with oversized, marshmallow-style couches and other interesting shaped pieces.

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Black and White Living Room

Young Huh

New York City designer Young Huh recommends adding in graphic curtains and a surprising piece of furniture, like this floating wood table, to create an unusual, yet stunning modern living room.

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Wooden Accents

Bobby Berk Interiors + Design

A key to warming up modern colors (black, white, and concrete) is throwing in wooden accents, like designer Bobby Berk (of the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy reboot on Netflix) does here. Plus, the wood can double as an unexpected architectural element.

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Luxurious Living Room

Nate Berkus / Christopher Dibble Photography

“Creating a modern living room that feels chic and layered is all about mixing textures and styles; think brass and mixed metals. And bringing in vintage. Paired with luxe fabrics, like velvet and a neutral, but warm, color palette, no way you can’t create an interior you love,” says interior designer Nate Berkus.

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Organic Living Room

Sara Tramp for Emily Henderson Design / Crypton Home

Designer Emily Henderson, along with Crypton Home, achieved this organic living room with plenty of standout pieces like the leather chairs and wood table.

To buy: Butterfly Chair, $59; urbanoutfitters.com for similar.

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Elevated Living Room

Sweat Peas Design

This ultra-modern living room takes things to new heights with swivel chairs, which encourage conversation, instead of a sofa. This space, designed by Sweet Peas Design, is giving us serious living room envy.

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Vintage Living Room

Becki Owens / Alyssa Ence Photography

Who said you can't mix other styles into a modern space? Take note from Becki Owens, as she included a vintage rug in her chic and modern living room design, which brings a surprising element to the space.

To buy: Kumi Rug, from $39; urbanoutfitters.com for similar.

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Natural Living Room

Tichenor & Thorp Architects

Instead of using hard-edged modernist shapes to soften the room, opt for organic shapes with “soft” edges to keep it contemporary, advises Raun Thorp of Tichenor & Thorp Architects.

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Calming Living Room

Jessica Isaac for Apartment Therapy

Emily Schuman, of the blog Cupcakes and Cashmere, is giving us serious bookshelf envy with her color-coded book collection. Her living room, featured on Apartment Therapy, is both playful and sophisticated with pops of color and a chic leather sofa.

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Bohemian Living Room

Marika Wagle's Home Featured in the New Bohemians. Photo by Dabito.

A vintage lucite coffee table can transform even the most boho living room into a modern space in an eco-friendly way. The barely-there quality of lucite gives the illusion that the colors and texture of your rug are floating up and touching the objects on your coffee table.

To buy: Malone Coffee Table, $499; macys.com.

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By Tamara Kraus

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22 Modern Living Room Design Ideas

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Pop of Pastel

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Textured White Room

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Blue Living Room

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Colorful Sofas

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Cozy Living Room

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Boho Living Room

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Geometric Lighting

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Clean Living Room

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Minimal Living Room

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Ornate Living Room

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Artistic Living Room

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Sculptural Lighting

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Dramatic Living Room

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Black and White Living Room

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Wooden Accents

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Luxurious Living Room

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Organic Living Room

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Elevated Living Room

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Vintage Living Room

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Natural Living Room

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Calming Living Room

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Bohemian Living Room

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