8 Design Ideas for Living Room from Designers

The living room is where we welcome guests and spend time with family. It perfectly reflects the character of the apartment's owners. Russian designers offer unique solutions for room decoration, experiment with new finishing materials, choose atypical styles, and emphasize designer furniture and decor.

1. Vintage Brick

The wall behind the TV is often highlighted with decorative panels. However, in the living room designed by designer Denis Sokolov from the SVOYA STUDIO studio, the scale of the finishing is impressive. The large surface is decorated with vintage brick from buildings over a century old. It has had time to turn green, darken, and even grow moss in some places. But that wasn't enough for the project's author! Instead of the traditional laying method, he chose a 'tree' pattern more commonly seen in parquet.

Design: SVOYA STUDIO

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2. Designer Furniture and Textiles

The dominant feature of this living room interior in a flat on Taganka is designer furniture and souvenirs from Northern Europe of the 1960s-70s. Organic chairs by Vitra and Swan by Fritz Hansen are unique works of object design that immediately catch the eye.

To divert attention from them, the project's author Irina Krasheninnikova chose an elaborate textile. She selected four tapestries from Marimekko: the recognizable 'Makis' by Mai Isola, Taapeli by Jenni Tuominen, a fun black-and-white print Vatruska by Aino-Mai Metsola, and her own 'Rain Clouds'.

Design: Irina Krasheninnikova

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3. Experimental Finishing Materials

In one room, architects Anastasia Mizenova and Larisa Gracheva tested three unusual wall finishing materials at once – wood, stone, and live plants. The use of natural materials was especially important for the owners of a country house who are fans of eco-style.

The puzzle made of wooden rhombuses was mounted on a metal frame, the mosaic made of marble cubes of various sizes was glued to the wall, and natural moss was soaked in a special glycerin solution. Thanks to such thoughtful attention to detail, the interior will remain unchanged for many years.

Design: Anastasia Mizenova and Larisa Gracheva

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4. Wood and Custom Furniture

Wood is a fairly popular material that, even in its raw form without painting or treatment, is very decorative. Designer Inna Kliksina from Liberta Interior Studio took advantage of this property. She concealed numerous storage systems behind textured facades.

All furniture for this living room, except the sofa, was custom-made based on the project's designer's sketches. Only this way could an ideal arrangement of many wardrobes and cabinets be achieved. In addition, the wall behind the TV was also finished with cubes made from wood of various shades.

Design: Liberta Interior

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5. Bold Accents

Designers from ToTaste Studio proved with this Saint Petersburg apartment that an interior can be stylish, refined, and sophisticated, even if it was created using rough materials. For example, in the living room, unprocessed wood, panels imitating concrete, barn-style doors, and technical lighting appeared... and all of it in vibrant colors and shades!

Design: ToTaste Studio

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6. Functional Minimalism

Sometimes a living room looks very ascetic – without the usual soft zone and other elements of comfort. Designer Marina Evstigneeva created a minimalist interior for a dancer who needs space for training and rehearsals.

Therefore, the living room project was almost devoid of furniture. Except for the kitchen cabinet with an island, the only thing present in this spacious room is a large wall-mounted wardrobe with decorative niches. Right in it, a small section with a soft bench and cushions is set aside for rest. When needed, it can be unfolded into a full-size bed.

Design: Marina Evstigneeva

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7. Sea Outside the Window and Sea in the Living Room

When decorating a small flat in Gelendzhik, successful designer Anna Muravina did not limit herself in color selection. The interior featured all shades of the sea, sun, and heated sand, as if flying in through the window. To expand the space, optical illusions were used.

Thus, the floor covered in cubes appears almost infinite, mirrors reflect the living room multiple times, and the doors are painted in the same tone as the walls and thus dissolve into them. Much of this bold and unconventional living room interior was created because Anna Muravina developed it for herself.

Design: Anna Muravina

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8. Living Room Without Clutter

For the owners of this flat in Skolkovo, pragmatism and minimalism became a way to get rid of clutter. In the combined kitchen-living room, there is nothing extra – just a large sofa, a pouf, a pair of coffee tables, and a kitchen island.

The cabinet is hard to find due to facades that continue the wall and do not stand out from it. The main decorative element is panels on the wall behind the TV, imitating bubble wrap. The project authors Pavel Lychik and Anastasia Ivanova note that one of these views should already soothe and calm.

Design: Kameleono, Pavel Lychik and Anastasia Ivanova

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Read also:

• Another 10 Original Design Solutions in Projects
• From Old Brick to Graffiti: 5 Ideas for Fashionable Wall Finishing
• How to Arrange Furniture in Different Rooms: Tips and Infographics