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Contemporary Living Room Ideas

Contemporary living room ideas and inspo.

Are you designing a contemporary living room and looking for inspiration? You’ve come to the right place. Spoak has all the interior design inspiration to get those creative juices flowing. Browse room designs, inspiration images and decor ideas or take our free room design tool for a spin below!

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Living Room Inspiration added by Susan Steadman
Living Room InspirationAdded by Susan Steadman
Living Room Ideas added by Cate Lenz
Living Room IdeasAdded by Cate Lenz
Living Room Inspo designed by Chelsea Spinos
Living Room InspoDesigned by Chelsea Spinos
Contemporary Living Room Inspiration added by Corina Fradin
Contemporary Living Room InspirationAdded by Corina Fradin
Contemporary Living Room Inspo added by Susan Steadman
Contemporary Living Room InspoAdded by Susan Steadman
Contemporary Living Room Inspo designed by Michelle Mitchell
Contemporary Living Room InspoDesigned by Michelle Mitchell
Living Room Ideas designed by Tara Biondo
Living Room IdeasDesigned by Tara Biondo
Living Room Inspo designed by Maria Palantino
Living Room InspoDesigned by Maria Palantino
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Living Room Inspiration designed by Kristen Chanda
Living Room InspirationDesigned by Kristen Chanda
Living Room Inspiration added by MI CASA TO CASA
Living Room InspirationAdded by MI CASA TO CASA
Living Room Inspiration added by Victoria Villasenor
Living Room InspirationAdded by Victoria Villasenor
Contemporary Living Room Ideas added by Carrie Coats
Contemporary Living Room IdeasAdded by Carrie Coats
Living Room Ideas added by Lauren Reis
Living Room IdeasAdded by Lauren Reis
Living Room Inspo designed by amber durden
Living Room InspoDesigned by amber durden
Living Room Inspiration designed by Mckenzie Carpenter
Living Room InspirationDesigned by Mckenzie Carpenter
Living Room Ideas designed by Dorka Standard
Living Room IdeasDesigned by Dorka Standard
Living Room Inspo designed by claire coggins
Living Room InspoDesigned by claire coggins
Living Room Inspo designed by Doctor Designs
Living Room InspoDesigned by Doctor Designs
Living Room Inspiration designed by Kate Hanson
Living Room InspirationDesigned by Kate Hanson
Living Room Ideas designed by Ashley McCain
Living Room IdeasDesigned by Ashley McCain
Living Room Inspiration designed by Alise Kruze
Living Room InspirationDesigned by Alise Kruze
Contemporary Living Room Ideas designed by Jennifer Haas
Contemporary Living Room IdeasDesigned by Jennifer Haas
Contemporary Living Room Inspiration designed by Samuel Bolivar
Contemporary Living Room InspirationDesigned by Samuel Bolivar
Living Room Ideas designed by Joia Woods
Living Room IdeasDesigned by Joia Woods

Find your Design Style

Design tips for decorating a contemporary style living room

Here’s how to achieve the contemporary aesthetic room of your dreams.

What’s the best way to design and decorate a contemporary living room?

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home. But if you ask us, the living room gives it a run for its money since it’s likely the most used room in your house. From entertaining guests to lounging around reading a book to watching way too much TV (no judgment here), your main living space has to be both comfortable and functional. Open-concept living spaces may also include an eating area or a full dining room for easy living.

Whether you're in the process of a living room remodel or looking to makeover your existing one, these are the key elements to include in your design:

  • Paint or Wallpaper: Select a color or pattern that sets the desired mood for the living room and complements the contemporary style you want to achieve. We are partial to covering walls, ceilings, and trim in a uniform paint color to create a cohesive look. Or consider an accent wall to serve as a focal point.
  • Sofa, Couch, or Sectional: A staple of any living room, the sofa or couch provides a comfortable seating option for relaxation and socializing. The sofa should be the functional focal point of the room. When creating the furniture plan for your living room, start with the sofa as the largest piece of furniture and plan the rest of the room around it. If you have a small living room, you may want to select a sofa with a shallower depth or a L-shaped sectional to maximize your seating space. If you have a large living room, you may want to consider multiple couches to take advantage of your space.
  • Armchairs: These individual accent chairs offer additional seating and can be placed strategically around the living room to create cozy conversation areas. In addition to leaving space around furniture groupings, make sure to also leave space around each piece of furniture. This allows people to move freely using various routes within the living room. It's important to strike a balance between creating a cozy seating area and providing enough room for easy navigation.
  • Coffee Table: A central piece, the coffee table sits in front of the sofa and provides a surface for placing drinks, books, and other items. Pro tip: The recommended distance between a coffee table and the sofa in a living room is roughly 15-18”. This allows for enough space to move around comfortably and ensures that the coffee table is within easy reach from the seating area.
  • Side Tables and/or Ottomans: Placed next to sofas or armchairs, side tables offer a convenient surface for placing lamps, drinks, or other small items. Ottomans are even more versatile and can serve as a footrest, extra seating, or even a side table or coffee table when paired with a tray. Choose side tables or ottomans that are proportionate to the furniture they accompany. The height of the side table should be similar to or slightly lower than the armrest or seat height of the sofa or chair.
  • Console, Entertainment Center or TV Stand: This furniture piece typically houses the television and often includes additional storage for media devices, gaming consoles, or to display decorative items. Ensure that the size of the media console is proportionate to the size of the screen it will be supporting. Even if you don’t plan to include a TV in your living room (we support your decision for less screen time!), a freestanding console or built-in shelving unit is great for storage and organization. You can hide (or replace) your TV with a large piece of wall art.
  • Area Rug: It’s common to include an area rug in a living room for extra warmth and coziness. If possible, all furniture pieces should “live” on the rug in your living room. If your rug doesn’t really allow for that, then at least the front legs should be atop the rug. This ensures the furniture doesn’t look like it’s floating in the room.
  • Decorative Lighting: Combine task, ambient, and accent lighting for a layered lighting scheme. Typically in a living room, you’d want a flush surface mount light or chandelier on the ceiling and wall-mounted sconces or table lamps placed around the room for mood lighting.
  • Contemporary Decor Accessories: Decor in a living room can transform a living area into a vibrant tapestry of textures, colors, and forms, creating a welcoming and personalized environment that reflects your contemporary style. The strategic placement of books, vases, and candles on coffee tables or shelves infuses the room with character and warmth. Throw pillows and blankets introduce texture and color helping to make the space feel cozier. Wall art helps to ground the space and showcase your personal taste and interests. Mirrors can amplify light, making the room feel more expansive.
  • Curtains or Blinds: Window treatments not only help control the light and provide privacy but also serve to tie the room's design together. They offer an opportunity to inject color, texture, and pattern into the living space, making it more inviting and personalized. Whether flowing and sheer for a light, airy feel or rich and textured for a more luxurious look, curtains play a pivotal role in setting the tone and atmosphere of the living room.

Get creative and have fun with your contemporary living room makeover! If you need an extra hand, check out our step-by-step guide on How To Design a Living Room.

What materials and home decor should I use to achieve a contemporary living room design?

The word “contemporary” is often thrown out in the design world, but what does it actually mean? (We thought you’d never ask.) Contemporary interior design is ever-evolving, reflecting current design trends and innovations while maintaining a sleek, sophisticated aesthetic. Unlike our other design styles, contemporary design isn’t tied to a specific time period. Contemporary design borrows elements from modernism, minimalism, and art deco, prioritizing clean lines, neutral color palettes with bold contrasts, and open spaces that promote a sense of calm and order.

To achieve a contemporary look in your living room, focus on furniture and accessories that are sleek and streamlined. Furniture should be stylish yet functional, with an emphasis on form and quality materials like glass, metal, and smooth wood. Decor is minimalist but impactful, with statement pieces like large-scale art or sculptural lighting taking center stage. The contemporary style is adaptive and fluid, effortlessly blending elements from various periods and movements to create spaces that are cutting-edge and harmonious.

Read more about contemporary living room ideas and inspo.
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