Modern and Traditional Living Room Ideas

As the home's main entertaining area, the ideal living room should be both comfortable and stylish. With a vast selection of living room furniture and decor items to choose from, it can be tough to mix and match pieces to create a cohesive look that fits both these criteria. Find inspiration from Pottery Barn's gorgeous gallery of living room ideas. Browse through the photographs to get an overview of the room, then click to see furniture and living room decor used in the scheme in more detail.

Living Room Seating

Seating is the most important of all the living room furniture categories. A classic living room setup features a standard-sized sofa flanked by accent chairs. This setup works well in most spaces and creates a comfortable u-shaped seating area. A large l-shaped sectional is another great choice in larger spaces. In small living rooms, simple loveseats add cozy seating without overwhelming the space.

The color and style you choose for your seating will depend on your living room vision. Brown leather sofas and floral patterned sofas have a traditional vibe while black leather and clean linens are more contemporary. If you want your sofa to be the room's focal point, choose a bold color like cherry red or ocean blue. Otherwise, you can also add color to your seating with fun accent chairs or decorative pillows.

Living Room Tables

Having a table within reach of the sofa gives your guests a spot to set down a mug of coffee or glass of wine. Long rectangular coffee tables are the perfect size to sit in front of any standard sofa. Wooden coffee tables look great in traditional settings and glass or metal coffee tables work best in contemporary settings.

After choosing a coffee table, look for matching accent tables and console tables to increase the surface space for decorative and functional items in the living room. You can also find TV stands or entertainment centers which coordinate in material or color with the room's other tables to pull the look together.

Living Room Decor

The living room decor you choose is what will really transform your space. Pottery Barn is home to hundreds of wall hangings, lights, pillows, mirrors and other decorative items that can be used in modern or traditional spaces to add color, texture and style. Get inspired and refresh your space with these living room ideas.

Place a large piece of canvas wall art or a coordinated set of mirrors behind the sofa to create a beautiful feature wall.
Use your coffee table to display candles, plants or books. You can also add a metal or wooden serving tray to the table which can be used to display decorative items or to serve drinks.
Place pretty lamps on your side tables to add extra lighting or install a few wall sconces near the seating area.
Install floating wall shelves filled with family photographs to give the room character and create a welcoming vibe.
Add greenery throughout the room with real or artificial plants, flowers and succulents.

Whether you're looking to add a few new decorative accents to your space or completely redecorate, you'll find high-quality living room furniture and decor at Pottery Barn. Get creative with living room ideas for modern or traditional spaces and enjoy a room that's perfect for relaxing or for entertaining.