12x20 Living Room Design Tool

Emerald Sitting

Jonathan Rachman swathed this San Francisco home in dramatic, hand-painted wallpaper, then carried its verdant character throughout the room by carefully curating the furnishings and accessories. A jade-toned velvet Chesterfield sofa, velvet armchairs, forest green upholstered bench and an array of vintage glassware on the mantel extend the gorgeous shades of green throughout the space.

Into the Blue

Southern California designer Erica Bryen emphasized the marine blue that begins on this living room's feature wall and carries it through the space by reaching for background tones like gray-veined marble and an area rug in a similar hue. Those choices focus the eye on blue-green cabinetry, leather armchairs, window treatments and ottomans.

Rosy Glow

Feature walls are all well and good, but in a blush-on-blush space like this one, the power move is a feature ceiling. The wallpaper used here both reflects light and deepens the hints of petal pink in the drapes, toss pillows and area rug.

Beyond the Pale

Overscale, semicircular sectionals are unquestionably the stars of this opulent white space, where the expanse of upholstery is a near perfect match for the walls and hearth. The tone maintains crispness with just a hint of black on the exterior doors, coffee tables and chandelier.

Radiant Red

Bright red is seen on the walls of this living room, but the hue is showcased against different textures. Along one wall, the shiplap is painted red, the far wall features red grasscloth, while the trim is a lacquered red. While the same color is seen throughout the space, designer Brian Patrick Flynn keeps it interesting with his use of different materials in the same hue.

Before Midnight

The rich blues in this room demonstrate how beautifully dark tones can frame a vivid outdoor scene. Natural light prevents the space from feeling cavernous, and reflective metallic elements like the brass floor lamp, wall fixture and the gilded agate slice on the ottoman lighten the mood with a bit of sparkle.

Sand Castle

Natural materials and driftwood tones give this Martha's Vineyard space a coastal-casual elegance. From the massive sisal area rug to linen upholstery and rustic, weathered beams, this gracious beige-on-beige gathering spot evokes a serene Atlantic dune.

Neutral, Rustic Great Room in Martha's Vineyard

Smoky and Sophisticated

Deep gray is the epitome of urban refinement in this Parisian living room, where two expansive sectionals and a broad coffee table, in a similar shade, share space on a soft area rug. The artwork, chandelier and hardwood flooring could take the space in a traditional direction, but the consistent palette is utterly modern.

Beautiful in Blue

Navy blue is the consistent theme throughout this sitting room, seen on the walls, ceiling, door and furnishings. Perched along the wall is a sofa that is a slightly darker shade of navy, with royal blue accents along the arms and skirt. Drastically different in style from the other rooms of the home, this all-blue space serves as a relaxing reprieve.

Blue Notes

New Orleans designer Kelly Sutton gave this sexy living room the feel of a jazz club by coating the walls with navy paint and placing a sofa in sapphire velvet atop a storm-blue, shagreen-patterned area rug. The upholstered barstools add depth to the color story.

Prairie Polish

The stone fireplace surround in this Kansas living room gave designer Jaclyn Joslin a natural foundation for her design. From the sofa and the stools, to the fibers of the window treatments, the space is full of sunbaked hues. A subtle traditional pattern on the area rug and a polished, geometric coffee table provide just enough stylistic contrast in this living room space.

Awash in Pastels

By choosing pale artwork, ceramic table lamps and a sofa clad in pastels, designer Tobi Fairley creates an aqueous backdrop for the blown-glass sculpture on the coffee table.

The Power of Purple

Eggplant-hued wallpaper and a matching sectional wash this space in a deep, bold color. Here, watching a movie is both enjoyable and stylish.

Fire and Ash

Art Deco accessories like the pendant light, wall sconces and mounted mirror in this vaulted living room pop against its soft gray walls and armchairs — after the eye goes straight to the stunning marble fireplace, that is. In a monochromatic space, the dramatic effect of a warm hearth increases exponentially.

Statement Color

How do you make a bold statement with unassuming, floor-to-ceiling robin's-egg blue? By using it everywhere except atop the upholstered x-stools that double as coffee tables.

Cool White Oasis

This Arizona atrium's clean look begins with the snowy tufted leather Barcelona chairs then expands to wintry walls and a floor-to-ceiling fireplace surround. A modern, white space doesn't have to feel minimalist. Pieces like the gleaming pedestal table and charcoal sectional are neutral and understated, and they offer functionality without interrupting the overall color story.

Precious Stone

Chicago designer Lauren Svenstrup extended the dark tone of a modern fireplace across this living room with complementary, ultra-masculine paint and drapes. A mottled area rug both amplifies the monochromatic effect and introduces enough blue to make space for a few nearly-black velvet pillows.

Clean & Crisp

Designer Corine Maggio gives the gallery wall a clever tweak in this mostly-white Brooklyn living room. Since the arrangement of framed photos features extra wide mats, the well populated space still reads as white. A sideboard and coffee table with similarly crisp borders echo the eye-catching look.

Between the Lines

This airy Montauk home features framed white expanses on a much larger scale. Here, crisp black borders (beams and window casings) punctuate the massive walls and ceiling. Desaturated flooring, seating and storage surfaces complete the ultra-minimalist look.

Solid Gold

It doesn't get sunnier than this living room, where designer Jeff Andrews embraced golden yellow's funky, midcentury associations with vintage ceramics and starbursts. The simplest way to deploy a shade like this is to go all in: the sofa, coffee tables, curios, and flower arrangement Andrew chose are confident restatements of his theme.

Awash in Ivory

If a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling commitment to a single tone feels like too much, audition the look with a vignette like this one. The neutral, antique white that carries through the walls, draperies, lighting and accessories in this living room can be distributed throughout a much larger space to create a different look if your monochromatic motivation wanes.

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A Shift in Perspective

The bright white used throughout this living room turns down the volume on architectural details that would feel far more intrusive in other shades: the coffered ceiling, for example, is a subtle surface here. The built-in bookshelves disappear into the wall beside the fireplace, so that their contents almost seem to float. There's plenty to see here, but thanks to the consistent use of a single background hue, these details don't overwhelm.

Strong Foundation

This handsome, transitional space illustrates how readily a monochromatic living room can accommodate seasonal details. The gauzy drapes, sofa, lamp and area rug harmonizing here can feel like breezy summer pieces one month and winter whites the next, depending on how they're accented. There's nothing basic about this white.