Use Bold Contrasts

This luxurious living room offers all kinds of dramatic elements. First, bold black paint coats the walls and molding in the space, contrasting with its light-colored carpet and cream furniture. Then, playful photographs of Marilyn Monroe hang on the exterior of a bookcase, and it’s worth noting that the books are displayed with their binding towards the wall. This creates a highly modern and stylized effect that’s fitting with the décor in the rest of the room.

Add European Flair

If Parisian décor sparks your interest, turn your attention to this elegant living room with plenty of European flair. Delicate ceiling molding looks luxe above a gilded mirror. The leather chaise is another glam addition to the space, as is the light pendant, highly-designed fireplace, and leather chairs.

Want more French styling tips? Take heed: Embrace imperfection, mix it up, and don’t be afraid to plumb your personal history.

Set a Modern Theme

The clean lines displayed in this San Francisco apartment are about as modern as it gets. Lofted upstairs and situated in an open floorplan next to the kitchen, this living room creates its own boundaries with a large white sectional, a velvet chair, and a striking marble fireplace that dominates an entire wall.

And modern doesn’t have to mean austere. We’ve got more proof that modern can mean warm and inviting.

Include Pops of Color

This modern living room with complementary pops of color is situated in a historic Brooklyn Heights building, formerly used as a bank. The easiest way to include pops of color is by selecting a rug or a statement piece the way Elizabeth Roberts did here. It’s modern with a touch of nostalgia.

Stay Cozy, Yet Vibrant

What’s not to love about this fun, vibrant, and undeniably cute living room? Sliding barn doors serve as an innovative way to distinguish this space from a nursery in the other room, and contemporary furnishings create a peaceful and calming space. We love the gold chandelier, neutral wall art, and the leafy green plant placed in the corner.

For more ways to make your living room extra cozy, pile on the pillows, light a fire and add texture.

Work in Customized Contemporary Concepts

A cozy, contemporary living room, this space features a custom built-in sofa suitable for hosting many guests for an evening in. Exposed brick walls, cacti and snake plants, and a concrete accent wall contrast the otherwise warm and inviting space. With hues of white, soft pink, and light wood, it evokes feelings of serenity.

Be Playful With Neutrals

This unique living room manages to burst with personality despite its rather neutral color palette. Camel-colored butterfly chairs frame a wooden coffee table in the center of the space while sitting on top of a cream rug. On the far side of the room, a dramatic black and white portrait captures your attention while contemporary lighting continues to draw the eye upward.

To add a softer touch to your room, try including fresh plants and textured pillows.

Embrace Blue

Rich jewel tones are the centerpiece of this modern living room found in a Southwest Hills historic Victorian building. Although the property was originally built in 1885, this room feels entirely modern. To get the look for yourself, use varying shades of blue throughout the room as this space did with the curved couch, accent chair, and gray-blue paint on the walls. Despite the bold colors, the room remains subdued and inviting.

Go the Midcentury Modern Route

Bonus points if you recognize the celebrity owner of this gorgeous, light-filled living room. It belongs to none other than Mandy Moore and is a lesson in midcentury modern décor for the 21st century. Flooded with light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, the space features jewel tones, copper, and original architectural details. A simple way to add some midcentury touches yourself is to include geometric dećor items, furniture that is low to the ground, or pieces that feature the famous hairpin legs that this style is so well-known for.

Be Soft and Sophisticated

You might be surprised to learn that this sophisticated living room is not located in a Parisian apartment, but rather in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Cobble Hill. It’s the home of chef, interior designer, and lifestyle blogger Athena Calderone, and it’s every bit as stunning as you’d expect from the creative. Note the rounded sofa, sculptural tables, ceiling molding, and one-of-a-kind fireplace. We’d move in without batting an eye.

A white color palette, rounded furniture, and modern style dećor can go a long way to creating a low-key yet stunning environment.

Add Woven Elements

The trick to elevating woven elements in your living room? “Pare back the rest of your space so that the tactility of the weave can speak for itself,” says Sally Pottharst, co-founder of Australian company Armadillo & Co, in a previous MyDomaine interview. This living room does a great job of showcasing the woven rug and the gorgeous blanket, keeping the rest of the items neutral and minimal.

Try a Beachy and Bohemian Theme

To create the vibe of actress Gina Rodriguez’s home, Decorist designer Sarah Ramirez connected a neutral color palette with sun-drenched tones, nubby accents, and similar patterns in a variety of scales. A statement rug and ceramic, metal, and rustic accents complete the breezy aesthetic. “I especially love the way the little details tie the room together without being obvious,” Sarah told MyDomaine.

Use Simple Tones

In an open floor plan like style blogger Kim Lapides’s home, several reoccurring tones—white, natural wood, black-tie the living area, and dining area together. Try sticking to three colors that aren’t overly bright or bold and play around with their placements. A lighter tone on the walls will open up the room and make it feel larger across the board.

Incorporate Industrial Motifs

This polished yet industrial feel of this New York loft is actually kid-friendly. With the help of Megan Grehl, this living room features a couch made from stain-resistant fabric, while side tables and trunks provide additional storage. Oversize table lamps emphasize the space’s height. Adding metallic and urban accents can help transform a room from simple to bold.

Be Scandinavian-Inspired

Avoid darker hues to create a Scandinavian-inspired living room. While all-white everything is totally on-brand, pops of blue, pink, and green accents are also common. Favor design elements like natural wood (beech, ash, pine, for example), faux fur blankets and rugs, and clean lines.

Don’t Count Out a “Greige” Color Palette

Though it may sound strange at first, a “greige” color scheme is subdued and charming. Designer Katie Hodges mixes gray and beige throughout this living room. Allow these two colors to stay at the forefront of your space to achieve a similar look. As a bonus, add a fiddle-leaf fig tree for a pop of color in the neutral landscape.

Be Inspired by Menswear Patterns

Midcentury shapes meet menswear-inspired patterns like classic stripes, and small-scale patterns are versatile and unexpected. It creates a perfect middle ground between minimalist and modern styles. For inspiration, look to The Inside’s collaboration with GQ.

Work With Natural Textures

To replicate the Cali-cool style of this living room, think lots of natural textures, organic materials (like the hourglass timber side table, pictured), and neutral hues. Choose pieces and style your room in a way that feels lived-in and cozy. Think “light and bright.”

Try a Simple Layout

You don’t have to complicate things to create a stylish room. Try sticking with the basics: a couch, a simple coffee table, a lamp, and one or two accent chairs. You can also try a minimal color scheme to keep things streamlined. A simple layout in a neutral color palette makes this living room look spacious and invites calm.

Choose One Colorful Piece of Furniture

To add a bit of drama to your living space, try selecting one piece of furniture to be the main colorful addition amidst a neutral backdrop. The photo above has several gorgeous elements to admire–the solid black wall, the black and white pattern accent wall, the golden mirror, and coffee tables. However, the teal modern style sofa catches your attention by being the significant color that stands out from the rest.

Use a Primary Color Scheme

There’s nothing wrong with going back to the basics when deciding how to decorate the living room. Primary colors bring a lovely balance while not coming on too strong. This living room has done a stunning job of layering red, yellow, and blue over a neutral backdrop. Try using accent pillows to display each shade or incorporate a rug that uses all three together.

Create a Modern Beach Theme

Choosing between relaxed beach concepts and modern, sleek elements can be tough, so try combining them. The breezy blue, white, and brown color palette paired with the strong, sleek lines of the accent chair and coffee table in this photo allows you to have the best of both worlds. A light color palette paired with modern furniture is the easiest way to achieve the look.

Go for a Sage Green, White, and Wooden Color Scheme

A relaxing atmosphere doesn’t have to be strictly neutral tones. Adding a light, muted option like sage green paired with cool white still accomplishes the goal. The light brown accents with the wooden chairs, plant pot, and shelves help tie the other colors together perfectly.

Master the Art of a Matte Finish

Never underestimate the beauty of a matte finish. This living room pairs blue-ish gray and sandy brown tones for a sophisticated yet friendly vibe but keeps the matte finish. To keep the space from seeming flat or dull, add some texture–the silver ornate mirror and wicker basket, along with the white marble trim fireplace adds interest.

Use an Ottoman as a Coffee Table

If you don’t want to use a standard coffee table, try using an ottoman instead. Ottomans typically serve to create a softer look as opposed to typical table options. You can use a sturdy basket or another flat surface to place on top to put objects in–the result is fresh and modern.

Pair Blue and Gold

A classic color combo is a dark blue and gold, and the living room is a perfect setting to show them off. Especially in a modern style, these two radiate sophistication and elegance. Try making your furniture or walls the blue shade and accent with different gold dećor, like the light fixture and table shown above.

Embrace Your Inner Eclectic

It’s never too late to try out an eclectic style. Bright colors and whimsical details can create a vibrant gathering space to host friends and family or inspire and energize you throughout your day-to-day life. This bright orange, yellow, and blue color combination bring life to the space, and the abstract accent wall shows some serious personality.

Try Your Hand at Vintage

Searching for vintage finds and antique items can serve as great inspiration for your decorating style. The items don’t have to match perfectly, so your creativity can truly shine. This room combines a purple leather couch with stunning navy midcentury chairs and a marble-topped table that all come together to create a colorful, unique space.

Add Unique Seating Arrangement

Creating an inviting space goes beyond colors and statement pieces. A great way to set yours apart is adding in extra seating–even if it seems a little unconventional. This living room takes its gorgeous white brick fireplace and adds a gray cushion and accent pillows to provide extra bench seating. The couch with lower armrests also accommodates more than the traditional couch, which leaves plenty of opportunities to have guests over.

Be Creative With Your Fireplace

A unique way to change up the living room is to turn your fireplace into a stunning statement piece. Adding a floral touch the way LA Designer Affair did here creates a playful and stunning centerpiece that transforms the whole space. Whether you paint or use removable wallpaper, there are plenty of styles and patterns you can work with to make your own version come to life.

Don’t Be Afraid of Color

This stunning room is a perfect example of why everyone should embrace a more colorful palette. The teal couch is a fantastic hue that pairs well with so many others, made apparent here with the touches of pinks, yellows, and greens throughout the rest of the dećor. You can get a similar feel by picking three to four bright colors that work well, choose one as the anchor, and work the others in through smaller design options.

Go the Retro Route

Take a trip back in time and introduce simple retro elements. This living room does so in a subtle but still stunning way. The geometric wood paneling, the midcentury modern wire chairs, the circular table, and golden light fixtures come together to create a peaceful and relaxing environment.

Accent With Watercolor

Blending different styles and concepts opens up a world of possibilities. If you want to add a pop of color and softness, try accenting with watercolor dećor choices. Whether you hang a painting or add an abstract rug like the living room shown here, the results are breathtaking.

Make it Monochromatic

Keeping things modern and cohesive can be as simple as sticking to a simple color scheme. Try going monochromatic in your living room with modern accents for a sophisticated style. The gray leather couch with the silver chandelier and plush gray blanket in this living room are marvelous touches.

Make it Minimalist

You don’t need an overwhelming amount of items to make an impressive room. If you want to keep things manageable, try going the minimalist route. Stick to the necessities and minimal dećor to make the space feel larger and polished.

Go Dark With Your Walls

White walls aren’t the only option to work with. To add a splash of drama, try painting your walls a darker color. If you’re apprehensive, try using a navy blue–it’s often considered neutral given its ability to work so well with other color options. Dark walls can allow lighter color dećor to stand out, the way these tan and white sofas do. It’s a bold statement, but well worth it.

Give Yellow a Whirl

Another way to make a striking statement? Use an unconventional shade on your walls, like a bright and sunny yellow. With its associations of happiness and warmth, it makes perfect sense to make it the main color in your living room. This design from Studio KT uses different patterns and colors in the dećor, yet they all flow together perfectly to create a joyful atmosphere,

Be Playful With Patterns

Mixing patterns is a wonderful way to add interest and personality to your room. The key things to keep in mind are to use similar colors and play around with different scale sizes. The room pictured here uses similar tones featuring red, blue, and pink yet uses distinct and separate patterns across the room. The result is a playful, lively setting–perfect for hosting guests.

Take a Page from the Historic Handbook

If you have a historic house, you can continue to honor it through your dećor. Stick to classic tones and antique finds when selecting items to keep things authentic. The touches of silver, the vintage chest serving as a table, and the classical style paintings shown here cause you to feel as if you’re going back in time.

Create a Fun Gallery Wall

Gallery walls can come in a variety of options–it doesn’t have to be strictly photos. Try including your interests in the design, the way this living room from Will Brown Interiors did. The carefully arranged photos create a base, yet the unique western dećor adds some specific character. The items on the top shelf in front of the wall also seem to flow seamlessly with the items on the wall, for a creative yet cohesive display.