If your decor is feeling a bit flat or outdated, our modern living room ideas can help you inject some character into your space.
Whether that’s adding a burst of colour, making the most of natural light, or completely overhauling your style, we’ve got plenty of inspiration for you.
In our round-up, you’ll find all the latest trends for living room decor – just choose your favourite and get creative.
12 modern living room ideas to liven up your space in 2025
1. Colour drenching
Colour drenching is a much-discussed trend among interior designers, and it’s set to take 2025 by storm.
This bold design choice uses a single striking colour across the entire room, including walls, ceilings and even flooring for a seamless look. For a more in-depth guide to colour drenching, take a look at our living room colour trends for 2025.
2. Pantone Colour of the Year: Mocha Mousse
Pantone’s Colour of the Year, Mocha Mousse, is set to make a splash in homes and interiors throughout 2025. The colour is Mocha Mousse, a rich, comforting brown hue. Pantone says, ‘It nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.’
Brown hues are perfect for creating a warm atmosphere and look great combined with other natural colours and decor for an earthy, peaceful space.
Credit: Pinterest
3. Bright, bold colours for a maximalist design
Dare to go bold with vibrant colours and eye-catching wallpaper. YourHomeStyle caught up with Di Roome to explore her stunning interior decor, which fully embraces the beauty of maximalist design.
Maximalist design celebrates bold choices. It’s all about embracing busy patterns, vibrant colours, and daring decor. It’s the perfect style for anyone who loves colour, treasures unique trinkets and isn’t afraid to experiment with unconventional designs.
4. Modern farmhouse living room ideas
The farmhouse style has been long loved, and unlikely to go out of style. It’s cosy, rustic and charming. You might have even heard it be called ‘cottagecore’ in recent years.
Think soft colours, wooden flooring and lots of natural-coloured furniture or decor. It’s very much about creating a cosy space that feels calm and neutral.
Credit: Pinterest
5. Mid-century modern living room ideas
Mid-century modern is already a very popular style, but it’s timeless. It's based on the period between 1940-60 and takes elements from the style and brings it into the modern world.
It embraces a natural look, with wood panelling, light, airy spaces and neutral colour themes with pops of colour throughout.
The design focuses on utilising space in a practical yet stylish way. We have lots more about it in our mid-century modern living room ideas.
6. Bold lighting
A big, bold ceiling light in your living room can add a touch of grandeur and luxury to your space. Choose wisely though because you don't want it to completely take over the room or look out of place.
We love this option, which makes use of natural materials for a simple yet impactful look.
Credit: Pinterest
7. Curved furniture for your modern living room
Curved furniture has been one of the standout trends so far this year. It’s all about replacing sharp, straight edges with soft, rounded shapes to create a more inviting and comfortable space. Rounded sofas, in particular, are making a big impact and are popping up everywhere.
We adore this one from Sofa Club in the colour ‘Barely Beige’. Take a look for yourself:
8. Smart technology
Smart technology has become increasingly common in homes over recent years. From voice-controlled lighting to automatic blinds, there are lots of ways to make your home more efficient.
Smart lighting, in particular, is an easy way to upgrade your space. Phillips Hue light bulbs, for example, can connect to your mobile phone and be controlled through an app. Alternatively, they can be paired with a smart speaker like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, allowing you to adjust the lights using just your voice.
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9. Eco-friendly or reclaimed design
Living eco-consciously is more popular than ever. If we’re going to look after our planet, doing our bit, even if you think it’s small, can make a big difference.
That could be shopping second-hand or thrifting furniture rather than buying new or upcycling your old furniture to give it a new lease of life.
If you do need to buy new, then opt for sustainable materials like bamboo wood and recycled materials.
We have lots of upcycling projects here on Gathered. One brilliant one is our guide to upcycling a chair using wallpaper decoupage – not only are you breathing new life into an old chair, but you can use up any scraps of wallpaper you’ve got lying around.
10. Scandi minimalist design
While minimalist design isn’t new, it’s a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. If you’re someone who loves organisation and prefers a clean, tidy space, you’ll adore this design for your living room.
It’s all about quality over quantity and creating an elegant calmness in your space. YourHomeStyle defines it as, ‘Characterised by its minimalist lines, bright neutral tones that reflect light and a noticeable lack of clutter, it favours open, airy spaces and incorporates elements of nature to create a scheme that feels calming, tranquil and functional.’
They go on to say, ‘To introduce a Scandi look into your own living room, first create an open and airy base by using light, neutral colours on the walls and flooring.’
Once you have that natural base, add furniture in similar tones and choose each item with comfort and simplicity in mind.
11. Retro-style modern living room ideas
We’ve already spoken about Mid-century modern design, but there are other ways to incorporate retro style into your living room. Firstly, think about the era you love, whether that’s the 60s, 70s or 80s, and research into what was popular at those times.
You can bring your chosen era to life through paint colours, wallpaper, lighting, and much more. A great way to embrace retro style is by adding quirky accessories that capture that era – think vinyl players, retro telephones, typewriters, bold statement vases, or vintage artwork. Pair these nostalgic pieces with modern elements to bring your look into the modern day.
Remember there are no rules – you can take elements from any era and pair them together.Pinterest will be your friend for discovering what you like!
Credit: Pinterest
12. Biophilic design
If you’ve never heard of it, Biophilic design simply means bringing the outside in. It celebrates bringing parts of nature indoors to improve our mental well-being and encourages a more peaceful space.
A big part of Biophilic design is having real plants in your home, whether through hanging plants or even a living wall.
One easy way to bring nature inside is by putting up a shelf for your plants, like this Pinterest-inspired idea where the shelf is positioned above the door, allowing the plants to trail down into the room. It gives a natural feel and looks beautiful!
Credit: Pinterest
Modern living room ideas that anyone can do
You don’t need to be an interior designer to create these looks, and you also don't need to do it all at once. Introducing different elements slowly can help you to decide what you like (and what you don’t), helping you to build a unique look that you’ll love.
Small living ideas which make even tiny spaces dreamy
If you have a small space it can be more challenging to create certain styles, but we’ve got lots of tips and tricks to make the most of your space. Take a look at our small living ideas for inspiration.
