1-Red , White and Blue

Traditional yet cozy, this living room pays homage to the golden age of Hollywood, when tastes ran to contemporary, boxy shapes. Clad in neutral textures, the furniture performs a supporting role to a collection of patriotic portraits and etchings.

Choose furniture that can do double duty like this ottoman.

Two trays quickly take an oversize ottoman from a casual put-your-feet-up piece to one fit for formal entertaining



Hide your clutter in undercover storage units.

For an inexpensive take on a coffee table that's flexible to move and packs hidden storage, try a pair of cubes. Children's toys can be stashed inside these wicker models for easy access and they look great in almost any room.



Use artwork to add big style to a small room.

Give artwork extra sizzle against light-reflecting white walls by layering it on top of an inexpensive painted artist's canvas.



Stick with the same colors.

Subtle tone-on-tone patterns add interest to the draperies, area rug, and sofa upholstery in this living room without making the space feel busy. "See-through" legs on the sofa, side tables, and coffee table also help keep the room's feel open and airy.



Stacking accessories can add visual interest and contain the clutter



Get creative with your artwork.

Pieces of architectural salvage add instant character to rooms, but they can be difficult to frame. Here, a painted border cleverly showcases two old ceiling tiles, turning a small corner into an attractive focal point.



Certain window treatments can make a room look bigger.

Swing-arm-rod draperies make light work of creating privacy by night and framing views by day in this living room. Symmetrically arranged furnishings and matching sets of side tables and chairs underscore the sense of calm and order



Choose lower furniture that will complement the size of the room.

The success of many small living rooms relies on smart furnishings. A pair of low chairs allows an uninterrupted view through this apartment while providing a chat-friendly seating arrangement.



Use rugs to separate the spaces.

Conquer a long, narrow living room by breaking the space into two separate seating areas.

Cool and calm living room

Mix light tones of ivory, lemon and green with borders and accents of rich, dark chocolate for a smart edge. The nest of tables are from Dunelm Mill and the leather box used as a side table is from John Lewis.

Fresh and elegant room

Use crisp tones of lemon and apple-green with off-white for a clean grown-up look. The walls are painted in Hound Lemon from Farrow & Ball and the curtains are from the Nina Campbell range for Osborne & Little.

The way to get maximum impact from an area rug is to use it as the "soul of your room". The color scheme, furniture placement and accessories should all connect back to it. Uplighting with a dimmer can create mood when entertaining. We used a shag rug and black wood veneer wallpaper as a wainscot for a masculine and swanky look for a swingin' single guy in downtown Denver. Photo by Tim Murphy.

This room, though dramatic on the surface, is very simple and cost effective. The walls are painted in wide stripes, which quickly give the room a lot of interest. The furnishings are straight-lined, bordering on modern. The textured rug, highly coordinated accessories, glass desk and great chandelier add the finishing touches.

In the grand salon, the ceilings were improved with artful soffits to create soft curves, which are also reflected in the furnishings and rug. The walls were dressed with an unexpected horizontal staggered-line tile and wave panel resin material. A beautiful bar was design and built for entertaining. Two conversation areas were laid out in the grand salon. The sofas are a deep chocolate mohair and paired with classic egg chairs and a custom entertainment console dressed with oversized hardware and ostrich leather.Design Tip: Walls don’t have to be painted or papered. Think about tiles, even in a living room.

Earthy tones combine this open space as living room, dining room and kitchen, giving a cozy ambiance.

The ebonized floors and stark white walls provided the perfect backdrop for furnishings in a palette of warm earth tones and various types of wood. The room was divided into two seating areas, with the primary area containing the sofa, chaise and two club chairs surrounding the SPI LINE Blanco Coffee Table whose nickel-plated frame...

To enhance the 11-foot ceiling and the flood of natural light from the large windows in the living area, 8-inch oak molding that surrounded all of the windows was removed, as was the ornamental crown and base molding that existed throughout the apartment. SPI opted to divide the living area from the dining area with large cube towe...

The textural elements of the stone fireplace and shaggy rug, along with hints of apple green, keep this modern space from feeling too sterile.

A cozy family room was created by installing a central chandelier to bring down the height of the ceiling. Additionally, the designer added a sleek shelf around the room for the owner to display his own photographs. Custom iron floor lamps, dramatic drapery and woven shades add texture add warmth to the room. Even though