9 California Mid-Century Living Rooms That Still Shine
California’s mid-century modern living rooms remain timeless examples of design excellence. These spaces blend indoor and outdoor living with clean lines, natural materials, and bold colors that captured the optimistic spirit of post-war America.
From Palm Springs to San Francisco, they showcase why this style continues to captivate homeowners and designers alike.
1. The Stahl House Floating Glass Box
Perched high in the Hollywood Hills, Case Study House #22 features a living room that seems to float above Los Angeles. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls erase the boundary between inside and out, creating a breathtaking experience.
Original furniture pieces by Charles Eames complement the minimalist space. The iconic photograph by Julius Shulman of two women sitting in this living room became the defining image of California modernism and continues to inspire designers worldwide.
2. Palm Springs Desert Modernism
Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann Desert House showcases the perfect marriage between architecture and landscape. The living room’s sliding glass doors open to mountain views and a swimming pool, embodying the indoor-outdoor California lifestyle.
Natural stone walls provide texture against sleek furniture. The neutral palette allows the desert’s changing light to paint the space throughout the day, while strategic overhangs protect from the harsh sun while maintaining the connection to nature.
3. Eichler’s Revolutionary Open Plan
Joseph Eichler brought modernism to the masses with his tract homes featuring revolutionary open-concept living rooms. The signature A-frame ceiling with exposed beams creates a dramatic sense of space despite modest square footage.
Central atriums flood these living areas with natural light. The original wood paneling, often mahogany or redwood, has been lovingly preserved in many Eichler homes across Northern California, showing how quality materials develop character with age.
4. The Colorful Palm Springs Retreat
Not all mid-century spaces stuck to neutrals. This vibrant Palm Springs living room embraces the playful side of modernism with its sunshine yellow sectional and turquoise accents against white terrazzo floors.
A sunburst clock and starburst chandelier add whimsical touches overhead. The room’s careful balance of bold colors with clean architectural lines demonstrates how mid-century design could be both sophisticated and fun, a combination that feels especially relevant for today’s homeowners seeking personality in their spaces.
5. Sunken Conversation Pit Comeback
The sunken living room at the Lew House by architect Richard Neutra creates an intimate gathering space within an open floor plan. This conversation pit, lined with built-in seating, encourages face-to-face interaction away from screens and devices.
A central fireplace serves as both a visual anchor and practical heating element. Once considered dated, these architectural features are making a comeback as homeowners rediscover their social benefits and unique spatial quality that can’t be achieved with conventional furniture arrangements.
6. Redwood And Stone Harmony
The Moore House in Ojai blends California redwood paneling with a massive stone fireplace that anchors the living space. Architect Craig Ellwood designed built-in shelving that seems to float along the walls, keeping the footprint open and airy.
Original Danish furniture pieces maintain their elegant simplicity decades later. The home’s thoughtful orientation captures morning light through clerestory windows while protecting from afternoon heat, a masterclass in climate-responsive design that predated today’s sustainability movement by half a century.
7. Marin County’s Organic Modernism
Nestled among redwoods in Marin County, this living room by Bay Area architect Joseph Esherick embraces organic modernism. Unlike the stark minimalism of some mid-century spaces, this room features curved seating that follows the natural contours of the hillside site.
Handcrafted redwood ceiling beams complement custom furniture. The space demonstrates the distinctive Northern California interpretation of modernism, more relaxed and nature-inspired than its Southern California counterparts, yet still embodying the period’s commitment to honest materials and connection to landscape.
8. San Diego’s Coastal Modernism
Architect Russell Forester created this La Jolla living room to capture ocean breezes and panoramic Pacific views. The space features a distinctive butterfly roof that seems to take flight above walls of glass, creating a pavilion-like feeling.
Original terrazzo floors have developed a beautiful patina over decades of use. The current owners have respectfully maintained the architect’s vision while updating systems for energy efficiency, proving that mid-century homes can be both historically significant and environmentally responsible when thoughtfully stewarded.
9. Hollywood Hills Glamour
Architect John Lautner’s Sheats-Goldstein residence features perhaps the most dramatic living room in Los Angeles. Concrete triangles form a coffered ceiling that opens to frame city views through frameless glass.
Built-in leather seating follows the room’s angular geometry. Famous from countless films and fashion shoots, this space represents the boldest expression of California mid-century design-sculptural, theatrical, and unmistakably connected to its site. The current owner has spent decades perfecting every detail of this architectural masterpiece.
