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.

Sleek, streamlined, and uncluttered, contemporary living room designs allow eyes and foot traffic to move freely through casual, comfortable furniture arrangements. Explore our contemporary living room ideas to find inspiration for fashioning pared-down digs rendered in relaxing neutrals that put the spotlight on chromatic accessories and abstract artwork. See contemporary living rooms where steely gray walls highlight white leather sectionals and sandy shades quietly mix it up with pale ocean blues and sea green furnishings. Discover living room decor items that supply a contemporary kick, such as geometric-pattern textiles, sculptural metal lighting fixtures, sunburst mirrors, glass tables and shelves, and natural furniture finishes. Learn how repeating large blocks of one solid color, as sofas, rugs, focal walls, drapery panels, painted shelves, or lacquered cabinets, energizes contemporary living rooms without muting the volume of the room’s modern vibes. Browse through our photos of living rooms to check out vintage-cool spaces furnished with colorful midcentury chairs, steel-framed sofas, kidney-shape coffee tables, and retro area rugs. See more conventional contemporary spaces where monochromatic schemes, spare furniture arrangements, and touchable textures combine to maximize the impact of this less-is-more decorating style.

35 Contemporary Living Room Design