50 Formal Living Room Ideas For 2020

Formal rooms are filled with pieces of furnishing and decor that are the height of elegance. A formal living room can feature anything from gold decor to lush couches to regal artwork. To help you plan your room, check out these ideas for how to decorate a formal living room.

From ideas for rooms with high ceilings to small formal living room ideas, there are living room designs here that will look wonderful in every house. Use the filters to find your perfect formal living room design and begin planning a formal living room that will astound all your guests. Make it even more unique with personalized home decor items like large canvases, vases and more.

Instructions: Click through the buttons below to sort by size and style. Click the photo for a larger view.

Add a glam touch to a coffee table in a formal living room by using pieces of gold decor.

Photo Credit: 2 Ladies and a Chair

Monochrome is a great choice for a formal living room's color scheme. For inspiration, take a look at this room's shiny black coffee table and black and white chandelier.

Photo Credit: Aaron Redman

Create a cohesive look in your living room by using two of the same couches. For contrast, also include one couch in a different color.

Photo Credit: Allison Bills Photography

Wingback chairs are a classic choice for a formal living room.They look wonderful paired with an antique coffee table.

Photo Credit: Amanda Carol Interiors

Add a pop of color to a mostly white living room by hanging up a bright painting.

Photo Credit: Amy Hill Design

If your living room has high ceilings, fill the space with a low-hanging chandelier and a large painting.

Photo Credit: Anthology Interiors

A silk sofa is an elegant addition to a formal living room. You can also pair the sofa with silk decorative pillows to give the room a unified look.

Photo Credit: Beaux R'eves

The beautiful vase and the delicate bird figurine are the stars on this coffee table.

Photo Credit: Bliss at Home

Pair gold paintings with gold decorative pillows for a truly glamorous formal living room.

Photo Credit: Brandon Barre

Encourage conversation in your formal living room by placing couches and armchairs in a circle around your coffee table.

Source: Lori Morris (House of LMD)

Photo Credit: Brandon Barre

Give your living room a unique look by using an interestingly shaped coffee table, like the hexagonal table in this room.

Photo Credit: Centsational Girl

Create a cozy seating area by your fireplace by placing white fur decorative pillows on your armchairs.

Photo Credit: Centsational Girl

An ottoman is a great choice for a coffee table in your formal living room. Use one in a color that matches your couch.

Photo Credit: Chip Pankey

Make a statement by using a bold piece on your mantel, like this lovely silver flower mirror.

Photo Credit: Christian Garibaldi

Everything in this formal living room matches perfectly, from the Delft vases on the mantel to the blue and white decorative pillows.

Photo Credit: Classic Casual Home

The sideboard in this formal living room displays wonderful symmetry with its matching lamps and similar vases.

Photo Credit: Classic Casual Home

An antique bookshelf is a beautiful piece of formal living room decor, and it can be decorated with lovely vintage pieces.

Photo Credit: De Su Mama

Mirrored ceiling panels and a shining silver chandelier add modern twists to a formal living room.

Photo Credit: DKOR Interiors

Highlight the gold accents in your sideboard by pairing the sideboard with pieces of gold decor.

Photo Credit: Erin Williamson Design

An abstract painting featuring the same colors as the furniture and decor is the perfect finishing touch in a formal living room design.

Photo Credit: Fashionable Hostess

Incorporate a mixture of modern and classical decor into your formal living room design, such as ceramic vases or a marble bust.

Photo Credit: Fiorella Design

If you need small formal living room ideas, take a look at how this room expertly matches their couch and paintings to create a cohesive look.

Photo Credit: Forrest Glover Design

Gold handles add a pop of color to an all-white sideboard. For even more color, hang illustrations above the sideboard.

Photo Credit: Fresh Crush

A regal purple rug and gold chandelier pair well together, adding brightness to a formal living room.

Photo Credit: Hi Sugarplum

Gold is used subtly in all different ways in this living room, from the gold stapler on the coffee table to the golden decor on the shelf.

Photo Credit: Home Made by Carmona

This living room expertly pairs together bright paintings with a muted color couch to provide the perfect balance of colors.

Photo Credit: House of Jade Interiors

This living room features beige furniture and strategically placed plants to add a pop of brightness to the room.

Photo Credit: Isaac Bailey

The piano is the highlight of this formal living room. The large silver mirror above the instrument draws your eye to that corner.

Source: Kristen Rockwood

Photo Credit: Jen Bacher

Green and gray is a wonderful color combination for a formal living room design. You can pair flowers and plants with muted gray armchairs.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Holmes

Create a gallery display on your mantel by pointing lamps at your favorite framed illustrations.

Photo Credit: Kayla Snell

The blue decorative pillows and vases add the perfect subtle pop of color to this black and white living room.

Photo Credit: Kimberly Davis

An all-glass coffee table is an elegant addition to a formal living room, and it looks lovely with this room's velvet couches.

Photo Credit: Lance Selgo

Add some color to your living room by using orange as an accent color in your decor and your decorative pillows.

Photo Credit: Laurel Bern Interiors

Create even more brightness in a room with natural light by using white furniture and a light brown coffee table.

Photo Credit: Laurel Bern Interiors

Choose two statement pieces in complementary colors to be the focal point of your coffee table.

Photo Credit: Lemon Stripes

This living room shows how to expertly use classic pieces in a formal living room. The paintings go perfectly with the patterned armchairs.

Photo Credit: Mark Boisclair

Place comfortable armchairs in a circle around an ottoman to create a lovely sitting area for your guests.

Photo Credit: Matt Harrer Photography

Make your paintings come to life by matching them with your decor, like this living room does with its gold embellishments.

Photo Credit: Megan Thiele

Gold, black and white are a classic color scheme that work wonderfully in a formal living room design.

Photo Credit: Megan Thiele

Looking for decor for your sideboard? Consider using a mixture of family photos and elegant decor, like this golden bust.

Photo Credit: Minnie Peters

If you have a favorite painting, make it the focal point of your living room by placing it right above your couch.

Photo Credit: mjcohen photography

Combine a mirrored golden tray with an orchid in a glass vase for an elegant coffee table centerpiece.

Source: A Well Dressed Home

Photo Credit: Nate Rehlander

If your couch comes with matching decorative pillows, place those pillows on your armchairs to make your room cohesive.

Photo Credit: Nichole Loiacono

If you have a large living room, fill the space with cozy couches, colorful vases and bright armchairs.

Photo Credit: Nicole Fuller Interiors

Get a modern glam look by decorating with black and white illustrations and a black couch.

Photo Credit: Nina Holst

Create a curated look by decorating your shelves with a few carefully chosen pieces of decor.

Photo Credit: Restyle it Wright

Bright yellow pillows pop on a white armchair. They also look beautiful next to a white side table.

Photo Credit: Sara Boulter Photography

Light up your living room with a bold geometric lamp featuring a gold base and white shade for contrast.

Photo Credit: Sarah M. Dorsey Designs

Pair a painting of the ocean with seaside decor, like a beautiful piece of coral.

Photo Credit: Sherry Hart Designs

Add a regal element to your formal living room by using an ornate gold mirror.

Photo Credit: Simple Details

A clear glass lamp is a wonderful addition to a formal living room. It contrasts beautifully with this room's dark walls.

Source: Ali Budd Interiors

Photo Credit: Stephani Buchman

If you're planning on doing a lot of entertaining in a small formal living room, fill the room with large couches and armchairs.

Photo Credit: Stephani Buchman Photography

Pair patterned armchairs with a solid colored couch for the perfect balance in your formal living room.

Photo Credit: Swoon Interiors

If there's an empty corner you're trying to decorate, consider using a small shelf filled with a mixture of antique and modern pieces.

Photo Credit: The Brunette One

A brown couch and blue decorative pillows complement each other nicely in a formal living room design.

Photo Credit: The Brunette One

Give a classic gray armchair a modern feel by using a cheetah print decorative pillow.

Photo Credit: The Decorista

Create a different kind of fire in your fireplace by decorating with large white candles. The candles pair nicely with a black fireplace.

Photo Credit: The Decorista

A dark green sofa pairs well with a natural-looking wooden coffee table and a yellow decorative pillow.

Source: The House That Lars Built

Photo Credit: The House that Lars Built

Add a pop of color to your formal living room by using a dark blue lamp and a few bunches of fresh flowers.

Photo Credit: The Joyful Home

Bring brightness into your living room by using white shutters, gold lamps, white patterned armchairs and pink pillows.

Photo Credit: The Joyful Home

Gold accents are a great choice for a mostly white living room. Check out how this room uses a gold-rimmed coffee table and gold lamps.

Photo Credit: The Pink Dream

The cushioned bench with unique metal legs is the star of the show in this living room. The bold piece pairs nicely with the classic white couch.

Photo Credit: Tracey Ayton Photography

This living room beautifully pairs neutral items, including a beige coffee table, a white couch and a lovely antique map.

Photo Credit: Travis J. Photography

Go modern in your formal living room with a black and white striped side table. Pair the table with gold accents.

Source: Emily Henderson

Photo Credit: Zeke Ruelas

Transform your living room into a museum with gorgeous marble busts, classic paintings and abstract works of art.

Source: Brady Tolbert

Photo Credit: Zeke Ruelas


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