Living Room Decorating Ideas 2018

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70+ Living Room Ideas That Will Leave You Wanting More

Warning: These living rooms will make you want to redecorate right now.

danielle colding elle decor

Brittany Ambridge

If you want to learn about someone's design aesthetic, look no further than their living room. As one of the most-frequented spots in the home—to be rivaled only by the kitchen—a living room sets the tone for the rest of the house. And while some might think of it as just a "cozy corner," the living room is also a great place to experiment with bold color palettes, cool rugs, and a variety of illuminating light fixtures. (Or, for another way to shake up your space, spring for a new sofa or armchair.)

The only problem? There are so many ways for you to decorate this communal space. So if you're looking for some inspiration, we at ELLE Decor have combed through our latest home tours and are highlighting the very best living rooms for you here. From a pattern-powered pad in New York City to a globally inspired space in Colombia, this collection of living room design schemes is guaranteed to spark ideas for your own home. These luxury living room ideas also prove that careful planning and a commitment to creativity can go a long way.

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True Blue Living Room

It's no wonder that the living room packs the "wow" factor of this apartment on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Designer Stephen Sills paired the bright Lee Jofa wallcovering with a Louis XIV marble mantel and antique French chairs draped in a Clarence House silk.

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Chic London Living Room

Decades after its last refurbishment in 1991, a well-known Kuwaiti family enlisted designer Nebihe Cihan to spruce up their charming London flat. Cihan used sculptural details and a jewel-toned sofa from Minotti to give the space a modern edge—without stripping it of its rich history.

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Upper West Side Living Room

Danielle Colding achieved her signature "cozy cool" look in this prewar apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The crisp white living room is anchored by a sofa from Jayson Home and a Papilio chair, creating an oasis of simplicity, ease, and eclecticism.

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Coastal California Living Room

When Kim Alexandriuk was tasked with designing a family's vacation home in Montecito, California, she sought to highlight many of the space's European features. In the living room, she added a Paola Navone sofa and a slipper chair by Paul Marra Design to play off the extravagant fireplace.

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Cozy Upstate Living Room

Three years after a fire broke out in the back of his home, designer Shawn Henderson restored his upstate New York space to be a soothing escape from the big city. This petite living room is undeniably serene, thanks to a Kaare Klint sofa, a chair by Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist, and a versatile cocktail table courtesy of Frits Henningsen.

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Star-Studded Living Room

Designer Isabel López-Quesada refreshed this charming Madrid apartment—which the actress Ava Gardner used to call home—with soft, romantic details. Highlights include sofas reimagined in Brochier velvet, Pierre Paulin's Mushroom chairs, and artwork by Donna Huanca.

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Cartagena Living Room

Think of Chiqui de Echavarría's Colombian home as a passport-free way to travel the world. With an antique bench from India, South Africa–sourced paintings, and a Spanish Colonial sofa in a Palma de Mallorca fabric, this brick-clad living room has a true global edge.

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Hudson Valley Living Room

Sheila Bridges took her Hudson Valley, New York, living room to new heights (literally) with a mobile she co-designed with Elizabeth Parker. Rounding out the room is a Hammertown Barn sofa, a vintage side table, and a fireplace by Ortal.

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Refined Upper East Side Living Room

Designer Tom Scheerer added some uptown opulence to this Manhattan apartment with a 1950s Danish desk by Jacob Kjaer and textiles from Holland & Sherry, Borderline, and Kravet. With a neutral backdrop—as well as the occasional pops of green and blue—this living room is both elegant and eclectic.

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Modern California Living Room

Designer Ernest de la Torre updated this Tudor-style home in Bel Air—which was built by Hollywood architect Paul R. Williams in 1934—with modern panache. A vintage Jean Royère chair and a rug by Edward Fields soften the sleek space.

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Art Nouveau Living Room

When restoring her apartment in Tbilisi, Georgia, interior designer Eka Papamichael juxtaposed the space's rich Art Nouveau architecture with a vintage cocktail table, a Murano glass ceiling pendant, and sofas by Gervasoni.

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Bold & Bright Living Room

Srila Chatterjee and Mahesh Mathai put their bold aesthetic on full display in their Mumbai living room. The vibrant purple walls are paired with flea-market finds, a tiger sculpture from Kerala, and a custom ottoman and chairs.

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Muted California Living Room

Blending two distinctly different styles in one space is a tall order. When newlyweds asked Natasha Baradaran to decorate their Santa Monica, California, home, she filled the living room with various textiles in an easy, neutral color palette. The result? The perfect compromise between bohemian and Art Deco.

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16th-Century Tuscan Living Room

At this 16th-century retreat outside Siena, Italy, restored by Hubert Zandberg, more is more. The designer added a hefty dose of color into the living room, covering the furniture in textiles from Mulberry and de Le Cuona.

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Sophisticated Milan Living Room

Being neck-deep in a gut renovation—in the midst of the pandemic, no less—can feel overwhelming. However, Dimorestudio's Emiliano Salci turned his new Milan apartment into a theatrical abode. He furnished his pigmented living room with antique finds as well as pieces from his home-furnishings brand, Dimoremilano.

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Classic-Meets-Cool Living Room

When designing his San Francisco home, Antonio Martins took a trip down memory lane for inspiration. From a gallery wall of 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century portraits to the sleek RH, Restoration Hardware cocktail table, his living room bridges the gap between old and new.

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Hotel Lobby–Esque Living Room

As the mogul behind 1 Hotels and the Baccarat Hotel, Barry Sternlicht brings a well-appointed eye to his hospitality ventures. So it's only fitting that his personal residence follows suit. Sternlicht gives his Miami Beach living room the first-class treatment with a Jean de Merry armchair, side tables from MS Ceramic Design, and a sofa covered in Loro Piana fabric.

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Fun and Feminine Living Room

When Lucinda Loya was tapped to design fashion model Maya Henry's London flat, she wanted to fill the cold space with plenty of personality. From the fringed Munna chairs to a candy-coated color palette, this living room feels feminine and edgy in equal measure.

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Art-Filled Hamptons Living Room

Furniture doubles as art in this Hamptons home. A white sofa matching the wall and floors sets the stage for cream vintage Joe Colombo chairs that flank a custom Marmoreal coffee table. The Egan Frantz artwork spans the length of the sofa.

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California Casual Living Room

Exposed beams, a plaster fireplace, and wrought iron door frames create a Mediterranean vibe in this Newport, California home. A mix of cream upholstery with wood furniture and floors looks elegant but not fussy.

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High-Contrast Living Room

An accent wall made of dark charcoal tiles boldly stands out in this elegant Mill Valley living room. Deep blacks complement warm whites with gold accents to create a glamorous scheme.

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Limestone Living Room

Modern updates like industrial lighting and a polished cement floor create an eclectic aesthetic in this old-word living room. Cube-shaped poufs and linen-upholstered Bergère chairs add softness and texture.

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Glam Chicago Living Room

A sophisticated, neutral living room in Chicago's historic Palmolive building features a clever mix of antiques and vintage finds, which create a sense of balance.

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Palm Beach Living Room

A 1920s Palm Beach home, owned by art adviser Heidi McWilliams, serves as the perfect backdrop for displaying her impressive collection. The living room is furnished with claret armchairs (right) and a hexagonal table by Rose Tarlow Melrose House, along with a neutral rug by Patterson Flynn Martin. An Anish Kapoor mirrored wall sculpture accentuates the 16th-century Italian limestone mantel, and the coffered ceiling, which is original, adds character to the room.

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Minimalist Living Room

Kara Mann's Chicago living room is a lesson in minimalist design. A pair of white chairs complement the marigold-colored rug by Miyabi Casa. The floors are large-scale limestone tiles.

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Nashville Living Room

Since this Nashville home originally didn't have a living space, interior designer Jason Arnold transformed the main parlor into a beautifully layered living room with earthy tones and bold stripes.

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Serene Ibiza Sitting Room

This Ibiza living room features local-limestone floors covered in custom Spanish esparto rugs from Antonia Molina. Walls covered in a sandy lime plaster, and a wood-beam ceiling set a rustic tone in the living room. Custom sofas are by Atelier Tapissier Seigneur and the curtains are in a quilted Braquenié fabric; the Oeil cocktail table by Pierre Chapo is vintage, the lacquered-coral sculpture is by Maurizio Epifani, and the painting over the mantel is by Alex Katz.

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Refined Buenos Aires Living Room

In a Buenos Aires home, the original marble mantel in the living room was specified by Maison Jansen, who decorated the apartment in the 1930s. The circa-1940 chairs in the foreground, the console (left), and the side table (right) were designed by Jean-Michel Frank for the Argentine firm Comte. The 1930s Frits Henningsen settee is covered in a Holland & Sherry mohair, the chairs next to the fireplace are 18th-century Gustavian, the circa-1950 Sphere cocktail table and lamp are by Jean Royère, and the 1930s table (front left) and sconces are by Maison Jansen.

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Amanda Seyfried's Living Room

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California Bungalow Lounge

For designer Patrick Printy, his bungalow in Oakland, California is all about eccentric design. In this living area attached to his study, a pair of vintage sofas are upholstered in a Ralph Lauren Home stripe, the Eero Saarinen table is from Design Within Reach, barstools by CB2 are covered in a Katie Ridder fabric, the ceiling lantern is by Visual Comfort, the rug is by Ralph Lauren Home, and the busts are by Oly.

The artworks include photographs by Jason Fulford, Garry Winogrand, and Richard Misrach, flanked by silhouette portraits by Julian Opie.

Kelsey Mulvey Kelsey Mulvey is a freelance lifestyle journalist, who covers shopping and deals for Marie Claire, Women's Health, and Men's Health, among others.

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