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Best room painting ideas


50 Best Living Room Color Ideas

Read McKendree

When it comes to living room design, a flattering color palette is one of the first aspects you need to nail down. It will likely drive the whole design scheme and set the mood for years to come. Plus, your living room is probably the most-used room in the house, so choosing colors that make you look forward to spending time in it is a must! Whether you want something bold and bright, neutral, or dark and moody, we've laid out tons of designer-approved living room paint color ideas to help you get inspired. All you have to do is put on your overalls and grab a roller—or, you know, hire someone else to do the dirty work. The hardest part will be deciding between all of these living room colors. But once you do, you can start shopping for the decor.

🏡You love finding new design tricks. So do we. Let us share the best of them.

Seth Smoot

1 of 50

Gray-Purple

In a Cape Cod-style home for a couple of empty nesters, designer Lauren Nelson painted the living room walls in Farrow & Ball's Dove Tale—a warm gray with purple undertones. It keeps the atmosphere neutral yet inviting.

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Pearl

A soft white paint with a slight gray tone to it can easily make your living room a spot you want to spend all day in. Take it from designer Sharon Rembaum, who dressed this living room with textured pieces in a neutral color palette to boost its overall coziness.

TREVOR PARKER

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Cerulean Blue

Designer Garrow Kedigan made use of Lakeside Cabin by Benjamin Moore on the walls of this cozy corner. The faded cerulean blue acts as a soft backdrop to the rich orange and gold decor and dark gray sofa.

Sean Litchfield

4 of 50

Cloudy Green

Reminiscent of the outdoors and luxurious spas, sage green can instantly make your living room feel welcoming. In this speakeasy-inspired room by Brooklinteriors, Art Deco, Eastern World, and bohemian elements are blended together on a background of Clare's Dirty Martini paint for an opulent but casual atmosphere.

Alyssa Rosenheck

5 of 50

Sunny Yellow

Sunny yellow walls can instantly brighten up your living room— no matter if you have big windows or small openings for natural light. In this room designed by Taylor Anne Interiors, Farrow & Ball's Citron adds energy to the tropical-yet-modern space.

Haris Kenjar

6 of 50

Ebony

Set a moody yet cozy scene by painting your walls and ceiling in a soft shade of ebony. For designer Sean Anderson's client, comfort and function in the living room were crucial for entertaining. He painted the room in Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams and layered items that told the homeowner's story to enhance the welcoming atmosphere.

Mali Azima

7 of 50

Red Clay

Designed by Melanie Turner, this living room's walls are painted in Windswept Canyon by Sherwin-Williams. The assortment of furniture styles is united by a common colorway that pairs nicely with the paint.

LAUREY GLENN

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Frost Blue

Frost blue walls—in Benjamin Moore's Philipsburg Blue, to be exact—offer the right amount of softness in this formal dining room designed by Jenny Wolf. Gold framed art and a textured rug add warmth near the fireplace.

2022 TREVOR PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY

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Teal

"It’s a vibrant happy blue while not being too overwhelming, says designer Rudy Saunders of the color on the walls of his Upper East Side studio apartment. It's Fine Paints of Europe Jefferson Blue from the Dorothy Draper paint collection.

Bjorn Wallander

10 of 50

Sangria

Designer Krsnaa Mehta aimed for a salon feel in the heart of his India home. The sangria-and-blue palette of the living room achieves that inviting look that's best suited for entertaining.

Lisa Romerein

11 of 50

Cream

This sunny living room designed by Thomas Callaway exudes warmth, despite the grand size and ceiling height. Callaway broke the room into zones to enhance intimacy and then used soft buttery glaze on the walls to give the room a golden glow, and layered rich yet mellow fabrics.

Jared Kuzia Photography

12 of 50

Dark Blue-Green

Designer Cecilia Casagrande chose rich jewel tones for this Boston Colonial living room. It's classic yet fresh. The paint color—Farrow & Ball Hague Blue—in particular, straddles that duality of modern and traditional styles, perfect for a historic home. Casagrande also mixed contemporary elements with more traditional ones to further play with that juxtaposition between old and new.

Thijs de Leeuw/Space Content/Living Inside

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Dusty Rose

Atelier ND and homeowner Carice Van Houten used a variety of plant species to liven up the room and create visual intrigue with different heights and shapes. It really freshens up the bold pastels and rich earthy tones for a unique composition. Pro tip: Don't forget to paint the ceiling for a more immersive impression.

Anna Spiro Design

14 of 50

Buttercream

Instead of painting the walls blue, designer Anna Spiro covered the hardwood floors in a cheerful blue color. She also made the windows extra sunny by painting the frames buttercream yellow.

Brie Williams

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Pitch Black

Dark black walls and lots of warm gold and caramel tones make this living room designed by Ariene Bethea super cozy but also formal and regal—the ideal balance if your living room doubles as the family room. She used Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams.

Kendall McCaugherty

16 of 50

Peach

The open floor plan in this Chicago family apartment designed by Bruce Fox called for cohesion between the dining and living room areas. That soft peachy paint and deep pink sofa are reflected in the printed armchair at the head of the dining table, and also mimic the rosy glow of the pendant light. The color scheme was inspired by a photograph taken of the family in London during spring when the city was veiled in cherry blossoms.

Read McKendree

17 of 50

Clay

Dark gray walls can be a bit brooding, like storm clouds, but in the case of this sunny Manhattan apartment by Elizabeth Cooper, they look playful and contemporary. Cheerful pinks, a dash of cobalt blue, traditional granny-chic patterns, and whimsical artwork lighten the mood.

Nicole Franzen

18 of 50

Off-White

While bright colors can help liven up a room, it's not the only route. Take this neutral-toned living room by Kristin Fine: Soft and texture-rich upholstery mix with off-white paint, rustic wood pieces, and plenty of antique accents to make a surprisingly modern impression with lots of character.

Robert McKinley

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Olive

Robert McKinley wanted to keep the color scheme in this country retreat earthy and neutral but also wanted to inject it with a little warmth. He opted for a quietly sophisticated shade of olive green for the walls while the chose a cream color for the wood-paneled ceiling.

Chris Mottalini

20 of 50

Steel Gray

This New York City living room designed by Nanette Brown is a lesson in dark paint decorating that strikes the balance between formal and casual, sophisticated and easy-going, elevated and cozy. The exact color pictured is Amethyst Shadow from Benjamin Moore.

Paul Raeside

21 of 50

Light Lime Green

Take your cues from the bold pattern mixing and modern artwork on display in this living room designed by Les Ensembliers. A light green color on the ceiling is an unexpected surprise that ties the whole room together. Here, it pairs beautifully with the yellow curtains, geometric green ottoman, and plenty of gray tones throughout.

Paul Raeside

22 of 50

Lemon Yellow

Does the thought of painting your living room yellow scare you to your very core? How about now that you've seen this timeless and cheerful living room designed by Michael Maher? One glance at this space, and we're about ready to repaint our own: It radiates warmth and offsets the cool blue tones.

Heidi Caillier

23 of 50

Light Fawn

This muted fawn color in a living room designed by Heidi Caillier is hard to pin down, and that's exactly why we like it. Not quite brown, not quite beige, it's a nice offbeat eath-tone option that functions as a neutral.

Simon Watson

24 of 50

Glossy Black-Green

Deep, dark, and glossy, the lacquered black-blue-green color makes this living room by Kristin Hein and Philip Cozzi seductive and mysterious. Paired with bohemian furniture and accents, the more moody qualities become more approachable and cozy.

Maura McEvoy

25 of 50

Kelly Green Splash

"I love the juxtaposition between the traditional space and the modern staircase," says Eliza Crater of Sister Parish Design. The rich kelly green accent wall and decorative floral curtains help bring some fullness and warmth to otherwise all-white surfaces in her home.

Bjorn Wallander

26 of 50

Charcoal

The traditional, neutral furniture in this room designed by Balsamo Antiques and Interior Design make a minimal visual impact so the moody colors, artwork, light fixtures, and other decorative accents can stand out. A deep, almost purple-gray tone turns out to be a wonderfully complex and evocative backdrop, so don't be afraid to try something different.

Douglas Friedman

27 of 50

Navy

Ann Pyne worked with decorative painter Arthur Fowler to create a contrasting geometric pattern on the walls. "I think of the puzzle-like shapes as a metaphor—it's a game of fitting all these disparate 'treasures' into a graphically coherent whole," she says. Matte navy blue and a gritty mustard tone work together to set a pensive and seductive backdrop—perfect for a smaller living room.

Heather Hilliard

28 of 50

Crisp White

A crisp, matte white is totally timeless. Sherwin-Williams Pure White is there for you when you're not interested in going for a trending paint color.

Francesco Lagnese

29 of 50

Mint Green

Channel a lush tropical oasis, as Thomas Jayne and William Cullum did, with this fresh color. In a living room where the paint stretches all the way up to the rafters, the hue changes depending on the way the light hits it, shifting between sharp mint and soft sea foam green.

Paul Raeside

30 of 50

Khaki

Designer Garrow Kedigian defines a neutral as "anything that isn't jarring," which is a super helpful way to reframe things if cream, white, or gray simply isn't cutting it in your living room and you can't figure out why. Certain spaces just call for something outside the box, whether it's because of an architectural style, light exposures, or existing furniture. Here, the walls are painted Benjamin Moore's Rattan.

The Best Paint for Your Walls 2022

Every item on this page was hand-picked by a House Beautiful editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

Grab a brush!

By Jessica Cherner

Lick x Soho House

Nothing is more transformative than swathing your rooms in a new hue, so if you’re in the mood to start a project, you’ll need the best interior wall paint on the market. To lead you in the right direction, we tapped interior designer Becky Shea for her expert opinion. "One of my favorite paint brands is Benjamin Moore, they offer such a range in color and what you can do with the color is also out of this world," she tells House Beautiful.

Here’s the thing about paint, there’s a lot of it. And color aside, you need to consider other factors when choosing your shade—namely, finish. The ones to know are flat, matte, eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss. Don't stress, the finishes aren’t room-specific, so feel free to glaze your walls in any paint that suits your fancy.

The same goes for color in that there are no rules. That said, one thing to keep in mind is that darker shades tend to make a space look smaller, so you may want to avoid painting your powder room navy blue. Or you can always experiment with different tones. "I've played around and made colors darker and lighter by diluting or enhancing the pigmentation," Shea adds.

All in all, before you commit to an entire gallon, start by ordering a sample so you can see what the color would look like in your specific space. The best thing about painting is that it’s one of the easiest projects to master. You just need a paint roller, brushes, a tray, painter’s tape, and, of course, paint. Ready to transform your space? Scroll through for all the best paint for your walls and get to work!

Newest Collaboration

Lick x Soho House

Pink 13 Nashville House

Lick x Soho House

$70 AT SOHOHOME.COM

Moodiest Blue

Farrow & Ball

Hague Blue

Farrow & Ball

$120 AT FARROW & BALL

Most Environmentally Conscious

Benjamin Moore

Chalk

Ace Hardware

$89 AT ACE HARDWARE

Most Regal

Magnolia for KILZ

Conservatory

Magnolia

$60 AT ACE HARDWARE

Best White Alternative

Clare

Beigeing

Clare

$64 AT CLARE

Most Dramatic

Behr

Pure Black

The Home Depot

$42 AT HOME DEPOT

Best Accent Color

BACKDROP

Ghost Ranch

Amazon

$45 AT AMAZON

Most Unexpected

KILZ

Crimson Velvet

Amazon

$53 AT AMAZON

Best Neutral

Farrow & Ball

Hay

Farrow & Ball

$120 AT FARROW & BALL

What is the best paint finish for interiors?

There is no best finish when it comes to paint. That said, glossy paint is a bit more durable than matte, so if you think your walls may get a bit weathered, go the gloss route.

What is the best paint brand?

When it comes to choosing the best paint brand, the most important factor to consider is whether or not the paint contains any toxic chemicals. Companies like Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball, and Lick all create colors that are completely toxin-free, making them the best of the best.

Why trust us?

Becky Shea is the principal designer and founder of New York City-based (BS/D) and pays as much attention to details like paint as she does big-ticket elements like furniture. You can trust that this expert knows all there is to know about the best paint for walls.

Jessica Cherner Jessica Cherner is House Beautiful’s associate shopping editor and knows where to find the best high-low pieces for any room.

8 Creative Wall Painting Ideas You Can Do Yourself

Gone are the days when paint on the walls felt like a hospital, school or public place. Modern interior paint is matte, silky to the touch and comes in many shades. In addition, it is an excellent substitute for wallpaper. With its help, you can not only paint the walls in one color, but also draw, creating your own patterns. Here are some creative wall painting ideas using masking tape, a stencil and a sponge. nine0003

1 Color block

Color combination with large geometric shapes. Usually, bright colors are used to create it, which are opposed to each other, but the blocks can also be pastel, close in shade.

Vertical and horizontal

Division of space into color blocks in a horizontal or vertical plane. In a similar way, it is possible to allocate functional areas in a room, for example, a desktop as an office or an entrance area that is combined with a room. Two close colors look interesting in the horizontal division of the room. Here you should avoid the combination of white and color, this can cause the association of a whitewashed wall. nine0003

Color can correct the geometry of the room: lower or raise the ceiling, push the walls apart, deepen the room. In this way, you can paint sections of walls without observing clear boundaries. This will facilitate the strict style and give lightness to the room.

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Diagonal and triangles are a simple way to paint a diverse room

9 90 They are easily created using masking tape and painting areas with different colors. This method is suitable for all rooms, but is especially popular in the nursery. Contrasting transitions will be appropriate in rooms where you stay for a short time: hallways, corridors, bathrooms, bathrooms. Nuance transitions - in all rooms. nine0003 13

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This is how the sequence of actions looks like when painting a wall with triangles.

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2 and are most often used in children's rooms.

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3 Peas

Fashionable polka dots are appropriate in any room. It can be small, medium, but large peas are especially popular. Often this pattern is used for children of all ages, but it is also appropriate in corridors and bedrooms.

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Learn how to make sponge polka dots.

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Peas can be glued instead of drawn. In this case, it can be metallized: golden or silver. nine0003

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See the sequence of actions when sticking peas with symmetry.

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4 Not only peas

Stars, hearts, Scandinavian snowflakes and other ornaments can be a pattern on a painted wall.

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6 Scandi triangles

More complex geometry that will take time to create. Such triangles look spectacular and non-trivial. You can use bright or pastel colors of paint, but limit your choice to 3-4 shades. nine0003

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8 Stencil Drawings

Using stencil blanks, which are used for textured plasters, you can create a repeating pattern, calligraphy on the wall or depict individual objects. If desired, the geometric contour can be painted in a contrasting color or duplicated with metallic tape.

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15 simple and original ideas to paint the walls in an unusual way

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Painting the walls is a great idea when you want to freshen up the interior, but not everyone wants to live among plain walls. We offer original solutions to decorate walls that are akin to designer interiors. In order for wall painting to be done at the highest level, it is not at all necessary to turn to professionals and pay a lot of money for their work. Here are a few ideas that you can follow to radically change the design of the room. nine0003

Original wall painting ideas

1. Different colors of the geometric pattern

Play around with the geometry of the room with masking tape and different shades of paint.

2. Incredible wall texture with a simple sponge

With this trick, even an inexperienced painter can achieve excellent results.

3. Imitation of brickwork with a rectangular sponge

Agree, because it’s not difficult, but how great it looks like

4. Almost a real tree in your room

Such a tree can be drawn using stencils

5. Light air composition

Features per feat walls make the interior of the room lighter and no additional decorations for the wall are required. Such feathers are also applied to the wall using stencils.

6. Mountain peaks in Ombre technique

Ombre smooth transition from a saturated shade to a lighter one. This technique can be successfully used in painting walls. For the sake of this view, it is worth working hard, but with great desire and patience, you can get an excellent result.

Another example of ombre mountain slopes. A sheet of newspaper is used as a stencil.

7. Ombre technique

If you want to achieve an ombre effect without additional pattern. Each shade of paint is applied separately, then the transition between colors is shaded. nine0003

8. The color transition on one wall with the help of a geometric ornament will allow you to zone the space in an original and beautiful way.

9. Decorative honeycombs of different shades will make the interior modern and original.

10. A complex geometric motif is best placed on one wall only. This pattern is easy to make with masking tape and a roller. nine0291

11. Two in one: ombre technique and geometry.

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