but I will always hate it in my living room.

Then address your concern to the builder. I doesn't really matter what is normal, or what a group of strangers think -- it's what you think that is important.

We have one in the living room but it is in the baseboard since we have a basement. I agree that pics with an air return on the living room wall are not attractive and would try find another solution.

My (custom) builder found a way to put the return vent in a hall - HVAC company was going to put it in the entry. Its worth asking your builder for options.

"Obviously not the ideal location."

That depends upon your perspective.

I wonder why they try to put it in the most conspicuous place. I was aghast when I saw it on my dining room wall during the framing stage and I asked them to move it to a less conspicuous spot above the wet bar. Thankfully it worked or else it would have depressed me to see it on the original location for life.

Locating HVAC supplies and returns is the quintessential battle between form and function. I infer from your post that you have a system with one or more large, common returns and not one with smaller returns in each room. The location is constrained by what will serve multiple areas well, and sometimes, by the framing of the structure.

I suggest you do a walk through with your builder and mechanical contractor and discuss alternative locations for the return. Make sure the location is not one that will be blocked by large furniture after move in.

When it comes to the main floor with a large open space return is usualy centrally located with a thermostat being in close vicinity. This way return can pull the conditioned air from most of the floors open space.

The problem with centrally-located returns is that they rely on the space between the bottom of interior doors and the floor--which is rarely adequate--for return air flow. Better designed systems will have multiple returns on each level and one in each bedroom at a minimum. Multiple returns will each be smaller than a single, centrally-located return and offer more flexibility with respect to where they can be located.

Charles Ross your scenario would be ideal, but kinda fugly with returns all over your home?

Luckily my newly built home has three returns, one on each floor/basement in "DGAS" locations. The DG stands for "Don't Give".

@cobalty2004,

The return grills are located so they aren't obtrusive. The advantage is that we have more return grill area, more consistent temperatures throughout, and the return air flow is unaffected by doors being closed. Single returns on each level are a compromise, at best.

Not a new build, but remodel of single story with same time, same level addition. The HVAC air return was placed in the dining room floor with a grate same color as flooring. It wasn't awful, and worked efficiently ;0)

Ours is in the hallways by our entry and near the thermostat.

There is another one upstairs in hall and a third in basement ceiling.

The one on main floor is blocked by a bench and despite us providing a gap for circulation it gets badly clogged and we need to figure out a mew option.

I talked with my builder and basically, they aren’t moving it. They said the HVAC was designed for the house with maximum efficiency. Moving it at this point would throw off the whole design and would be costly and delay construction. I also noticed a vent right in front of the back patio sliding door. It’s in front of the part that doesn’t open, but still seems like a really dumb spot. I was again told that Moving it would mess it all up. So I guess we will just have to live with both and hope I don’t hate it.

OP, maybe the return grate(s) can be painted or decorative?

@cobalty2004 my GC said they paint the inside black and it looks “pretty sleek” in his words.