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Dark living room paint colors

The Best Paint Colors For Dark Rooms

Paint is a relatively inexpensive way to completely transform a room, and dark rooms are no exception.

This post delves into some considerations you need to take before choosing the perfect paint color as well as other considerations to to take into account to turn your room into a beautifully bright space.

How Do You Make a Dark Room Look Brighter?

• Determine why the room is dark (no windows, north facing or light is blocked by what's outside the windows).
• Add more artificial light if needed.
• Lighten the paint color on the walls.
• Bring in lighter fixtures and furnishings.

Why Is Your Room Dark?

Before we even tackle the subject of the perfect paint color for your space, it's important to consider why your room is dark to begin with:

• Is it a north facing room?
• Does it have little natural light because of minimal windows or because it's a basement room?
• Is the light blocked by hills or buildings outside the window

Understanding why your room is dark is an important first step in deciding the best paint color and whether other elements will have to first be modified in order to achieve an overall brighter look.

SW Repose Gray

This is because paint colors don't give you light, they only reflect it.

The light they reflect is dependent upon the amount of light in the room, the type of lighting (natural or artificial) and finally, the color on the wall and the furniture/furnishings in the space.

Determine The Mood or Feeling You Want In The Room

Do you want your room to feel like and airy or with lots of personality and drama?

The mood or feeling that you want your room to convey should be your first consideration before you even think about paint colors, as it will dictate the color you end up choosing (this is true for any room, not just dark ones).

If you want a light and airy, casual yet cozy feeling to your space, you will want to stick to lighter colors.

If you want more drama, more personality, more pop to your walls, then a darker, more saturated color will be want you want.

Getting a Light and Airy Feel in a Low-Light Room

So many of us love the bright, fresh feeling that lighter colors bring to a space.

In recent months, I've slowly been adding lighter and lighter colors to the rooms in my home because they make so many of these spaces feel bigger and brighter.

However, lighter colors do not always mean white paint! In fact, contrary to what you may think, if you have a small dark room, white can actually make the situation worse!

Why Painting Your Walls White Is Not Always The Answer

Whether you have a north facing or just generally low-light room with minimal windows, the light plays an important role in how your wall color looks.

The reason rooms with white paint look so bright and fresh is that the light in those rooms reflects off the walls and bounces around the room. In contrast, a room with black walls will absorb the light so no light will bounce around.

If your room has little natural light - or colder light in the case of a northern exposure room - adding white to the walls will only make your room feel flat, since there's not enough light to bounce off it to begin with.

What Colors Work Best in a Low Light Room To Make it Brighter?

If you want to keep the wall color as light as possible, I prefer neutral paint colors to lighten a room particularly those with a yellow or beige undertone.

It doesn't have to be full-on yellow or cream but it does need to have that hint of warmth to stop it feeling flat or washed out.

If you lean towards blues and grays like I do, those can work well too. Just keep in mind that in a darker room, or one with cooler light, blue undertones will become very apparent.

This may make your room feel very cold. For this reason, I usually avoid blue undertones in north facing rooms.

Instead, if I want to achieve a light to medium fresh gray, I'll pick a gray (like SW Repose Gray) that has some beige to it. In a cool light room, that extra bit of warmth stops the gray from feeling cold.

BM Paper White

If your room is basement or just doesn't have much natural light coming in because of too few windows, feel free to play around with bluer toned grays.

In my basement (which has two tiny little windows), we used Behr Reflecting Pool. In well lit spaces in comes across as a very light gray but down here it definitely leans a bit more blue.

But it's really soft, airy and very beautiful!

Behr Reflecting Pool

Don’t forget that furniture plays an important roll, too. Dark, drab furniture will make the space feel just as cold as the wrong paint color (see master bedroom photos below).

If you really want to achieve a light and airy feeling, then keep the furnishings light, too.

A good example of this is my master bedroom. Here you can see the before and after.

Before, the walls were painted a blueish/gray, Behr's Light French Gray. It's a beautiful color but I chose it before I understood the lighting in this space.

Behr Light French Gray

It's a Western Exposure room, so it's cold throughout most of the day save for a couple of hours of sunshine in the late afternoon. The cold light really brought out the blue in this paint color and the room always fell dull and cold as a result.

I repainted it one of my favorite light grays, Paper White, which has just enough warmth to stop it falling flat, while still giving that bright, crisp look that I wanted.

BM Paper White

Now, notice how the furniture plays a huge roll in how this paint color appears.

Yes, initially, the new paint color made the room feel considerably brighter, but by switching out the dark wood furniture for lighter furniture, suddenly the room is transformed.

BM Paper White

Another important aspect to consider is the paint sheen.

Flat sheen wall paint is becoming increasingly more popular for walls - primarily because it hides uneven textures the best, but it's not a good choice for a darker room where your intent is to brighten up the space, as there's no reflective particles to help reflect the light back into the room.

This doesn't mean you need to put semi-gloss paint on your walls!

Do, however, stick to an eggshell finish which has just enough sheen to reflect light while not highlighting imperfections in your walls.

Can You Paint a Dark Room a Dark Color?

Yes! If it's done right. Sometimes working with what you got is easier that fighting it.

Embrace the darker aspects of your space and complement its moodiness with rich, dramatic colors. This is a great way to inject personality into a darker room.

Dark and moody living room via Craftberry Bush

A room can always be made to feel brighter with other tricks such as good lighting (think lots of can lights, sconces and floor lamps) lighter drapes and mirrors that bounce light back into the room.

Keep shades on lamps white, wood trim white and add in metallics like silvers and mercury glass to instantly achieve the light reflecting properties that you need to visually brighten the space.

These tricks are especially important when dealing with spaces like basements that really have almost no natural light coming in.

My Favorite Paint Colors and Brands For Dark Rooms

Hopefully all the aforementioned info makes sense. With that being said, there are some paint colors that I go to time and time again when I'm dealing with small, low-light or just downright dark rooms.

Just remember - no matter what paint color you choose, you need to first identify why your room is dark and amp up the amount of lighting accordingly.

Paint colors should ALWAYS be tested before committing. So many different elements play into whether a color will work in your room (the color's undertones as well as colors reflecting from the furniture/fixings in your space). Learn more about this in my ebook.

I have written full paint reviews on many of the colors mentioned below. Where this applies, the paint color name is linked for you to click through to the full article.

White Paint Colors

When studying these photos, look to the darkest point of the photo (for example, the inner corner of a wall, or a portion in shadow) to see how the color looks at the darkest spot.

This will give you the best idea of how it will look in a darker room.

Sherwin Williams Alabaster

Alabaster is a beautiful creamy white that doesn't disappoint.

SW Alabaster via Addison's Wonderland

Benjamin Moore Simply White

Closer to a basic white, BM Simply White has just enough warmth to stop it feeling cold. This is also a great choice for white trim and kitchen cabinets.

Want a smidge more warmth? BM White Dove is another really popular choice.

BM Simply White Living Room via Concept and Colorways. Photo by Joe Schemlzer.

Benjamin Moore Navajo White

Another beautiful light but warm paint color. Artificial light will bring out more of the yellow tones but that may be a good thing in a particularly dark and dull room.

BM Navajo White via Julie Blanner

Neutral Paint Colors

If white and off-white is not your cup of tea, a simple neutral paint color in a shade of gray or beige may just do the trick.

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray

Incredibly popular for good reason. Repose Gray works in almost any space. It's a beautiful warm gray that still reads like a neutral gray.

Repose Gray Hallway via Jenna Kate at Home

Sherwin Williams Collonade Gray

A wonderfully warm and versatile gray. I used Collonade Gray on our patio this past summer and instantly fell in love.

It's a wonderful color for a dark room, too and really pops against white trim.

SW Collonade Gray Kitchen via Maison de Pax

Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray

Agreeable Gray, is a very agreeable color! It's really popular for a reason.

Similar in tone to Collonade Gray but a little less beige. If you're looking for a warm gray, this or Repose Gray would be great choices.

SW Agreeable Gray Living Room via Inspired by Charm

Benjamin Moore Paper White

I repainted several of the darker rooms in my home Paper White and absolutely adore how it looks in all of them.

It's bright, modern and a very light gray. It has just enough warmth to stop it feeling cold but not so much that it takes it out of the light gray territory.

BM Paper White Bedroom Walls via Jenna Kate at Home

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray

If you're looking for a slightly more saturated gray, then Classic Gray is a great choice.

BM Classic Gray Living Room via Kylie M. Interiors

Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray

Edgecomb Gray is much more a "greige" (a mixture of gray and beige) than a true gray.

In the picture below, you can barely see any of the gray tones at all. It is a beautifully warm color that works in dark and bright spaces alike.

BM Edgecomb Gray Entryway via Nina Hendrick

Dramatic, Saturated Paint Colors

Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray

Hands down winner, pair it with bright white trim for stunning effect

BM Chelsea Gray Bedroom via Chris Loves Julia

Behr Hostaleaf

Behr Hostaleaf Board and Batten via I Spy DIY

Benjamin Moore Salamander

Another amazing moody green. It looks super elegant paired with rich mahogany and antique brass.

BM Salamander in San Francisco Apartment via Hunker

Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal

I adore Kendall Charcoal for a dramatic accent wall. Just don't be afraid to really amp up the artificial light!

BM Kendall Charcoal shiplap accent wall via The Creativity Exchange

Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue

Pair this navy blue paint with some crisp white trim to really make it pop and add serious wow factor.

BM Newburyport Blue via The Decorologist

Sherwin Williams Serious Gray

Another one of my all-time favorite colors. It's a bit of a chameleon - sometimes it looks like a really dark gray, other times a dark gray/blue and even sometimes just downright blue.

But this is the exact reason I love it! It never bores me!

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Best Sherwin Williams Colors For North Facing Rooms

Finding a suitable color for a north facing room is not without its challenges. North facing rooms have grayish, cool light, meaning shades of gray can become victim to blue undertones.

For this reason, it's important to ensure that north facing rooms either have a lot of natural light, or make up for the lack of light with extra artificial lighting.

If you're not looking for your room to feel cold and lifeless, it's important to choose a color which has a warm undertone to counteract any cool undertones (like blue or purple) that will really increase that cold look.

Neutral paint colors will lighten the room, but you also need to understand a few key ideas.

First You Need to Understand Why Your Room Is Dark

Understanding why your room is dark is an important first step in deciding the best paint color and whether other elements will have to first be changed in order to achieve an overall brighter look.

This may mean more artificial light is needed, or lighter toned colored furniture and fixtures.

Lighter colors that will reflect light back into the room are ideal to brighten up a dark room, but they need to have a slight warm undertone.

An LRV of 60 or above is ideal for darker rooms. In case you don't already know, LRV stands for Light Reflectance Value and it runs on a scale of 0 to 100, with 0 being pure black (absorbs lights) and 100 being pure white (which bounces back light, thus making the room feel brighter).

While the LRV of a paint color is a great indicator of how much light it will reflect back into the room, you need to remember that it only works when you actually have enough light coming in to actually be reflected back.

So if you have a northern exposure room and not much in the way of windows, there's only so much paint can do.

The Types of Colors That Work Best in North Facing Rooms

A green undertone paint color is is ideal for northern exposure rooms because it neutralizes cool tones in paint colors without having to add yellow.

Creamy colors also work, as long as they have a beige base to stop the yellow undertone from looking, well, too yellow.

Even if you usually prefer cool tones like grays and blues, there are versions of these paint colors that will work - grays with a taupe or brown undertone or blue-greens.

I do not recommend painting your entire room white with the thought that it's high LRV will instantly make the space brighter.

Yes, it may be brighter but more than likely in cold northern light, it will look dingy and cold. Not exactly the look or feeling we want.

I have compiled some of my absolute favorite paint shades from Sherwin Williams to help you make the most of your space and really inject some warmth and light into your north facing room.

Grays and Greiges

Accessible Beige

SW Accessible Beige is a greige (think beige and grey) which tends to lean slightly more to the beige side of life.

This is a beautiful contemporary greige so forget those yellow toned beiges of the 2000's. This shade will inject some life and warmth into your space while keeping it fresh and modern.

Kilim Beige

We saw in my post about 2022 home decor trends that beige is coming back strong! If you are looking to revamp and choose a trendier earth toned color for your home - this may be the perfect choice.

Kilim Beige entryway via Final Touch Designs on Instagram

Kilim Beige is a wonderful beige with an orange/red undertone making it an excellent choice for a north facing room.

It pairs particularly well with a room decorated with earth toned furniture - so think lots of exposed wood.

Just be careful - you'll want a slight warm undertone in your trim to compliment it (Pure White is always a safe choice!)

Agreeable Gray

Agreeable Gray is Sherwin Williams best selling color for good reason. It's a wonderfully versatile greige with brown and purple undertones.

Agreeable Gray tends to lean a little bit more grey than beige, although it does go back and forth between the two depending on the light and furnishings in the space.

While Agreeable Grey looks cooler in tone in comparison to Accessible Beige, it is still considered a warm toned paint and will have a beautiful modern warming affect on your north facing room.

Silverpointe

If you are in the search of a gray paint color that doesn't appear cool to the bone Silverpointe may be a good choice for you.

Silverpointe is a real chameleon so this paint color will vary quite significantly depending on the artificial light you have in your room - as I always say get a swatch and try this one out in your home to see!

It is a beautiful green toned gray which, yes, technically is a cool toned color but has just enough green to help neutralize it.

If you have your heart set on a more cool toned gray for your north facing home, then this is your best bet. There is one thing for sure, you will need to have excellent artificial light in order to really show off this beauty!

Repose Gray

Repose Gray is one of my all time favorite gray colors, so much so I have used it extensively in my own home.

This is a wonderful warm toned gray which has a beige/taupe undertone. This is such a wonderfully versatile paint color which will look great pretty much anywhere in your home but especially help to warm up those cooler northern facing rooms.

Useful Gray

Useful gray is a timeless greige which is leaning more towards beige. It has wonderful soft warm undertones making this a great choice for a cool northern facing room.

It looks fantastic with a feature wall - expresso brown and soft warm toned white trim.

Worldly Gray

Worldly Gray is very similar to Agreeable Gray however Worldy Gray tends to pick up a tiny bit of green giving it a smoother look.

This is a wonderful option for bathrooms or kitchens which are north facing.

Popular Gray

Popular Gray is a stunning greige paint color. There's not a massive amount of grey in this one - it's definitely leaning to the beige to side of things!

This warm toned beauty has some lovely pink purple undertones which make a cool northern faced a little warmer!

White, Off White and Creams

Just because whites can be tricky in a north-facing rooms, doesn't mean they can't still look beautiful when done right.

Now that you know to avoid cooler toned colors, and instead go for colors with warmth in them, it's easier to pick a shade of white that will work.

Alabaster

My personal favorite white for these situations is Sherwin Williams Alabaster (I also adore Benjamin Moore White Dove, but since this a SW post, I'm not including it).

Creamy

Sherwin Williams Creamy via Plank and Pillow

Sherwin Williams Creamy is a stunning off-white with just enough yellow to make it a cream, but also with a neutral base to not make it look day-glow yellow.

It adds wonderful softness and warmth, particularly in north facing rooms. I don't like this color as much in warmer light, but the grayish cast that northern light brings takes away the yellow edge to leave behind the perfect warm off-white.

Final Thoughts

To sum it up, warm colors will balance out northern exposure rooms. Avoid blue and purple undertones, and instead look for colors with beige, taupe, yellow/green or neutral yellow/beige undertones.

I hope you have enjoyed my pick of some of the best (and of course, my favorite) Sherwin Williams paint colors for north facing rooms.

I think you'll agree there are some beautiful modern paint colors to choose from which will inject some warmth into your space.

Don't forget - no matter what you've read or photos you've seen online, it's really important to sample paint colors in your home before committing!

Samplize provides real paint samples that are easy to move around your home, and cheaper than buying a gazillion paint pots! It's the only way I buy paint samples.

Try Samplize For Yourself Here

And as always, have fun decorating!

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50 photos of interiors, what color to paint the walls in

The color of the walls in the living room can be called the basis of the composition in the interior, because they become the background for further arrangement of a comfortable, aesthetic and harmonious room. The mood of the situation, the feeling of comfort and warmth depends on the shade of the finish.

The choice of palette depends not only on personal preferences, but also on the parameters of the room - color schemes will make a room with low ceilings and one north window more comfortable, a very narrow or irregularly shaped room.

The choice of colors depending on the direction of the world

Perhaps the first thing to determine is how effective the natural light of the room is: the northern rooms do not receive sunlight, while in the southern rooms there is an excess of them. Of course, a lot also depends on the climate, because some even the southern regions are distinguished by the predominance of cloudy days.

Colors help make the living room more comfortable.

• In a room facing north, there is usually a feeling of lack of sunlight and warmth . Therefore, the color of the living room in this case should be warm, soft, cozy. Usually it is a beige palette, muted shades of green combined with natural woody, chocolate scale with terracotta and yellow notes.
• The color of the room with windows facing south can be cooler - blue, gray, white and turquoise . But these tones do not seem cozy to many, so they are often changed to a neutral range - barely noticeable cream, milky, gray-blue and white-sky.
• Northwest and northeast rooms can be different. To determine in what shade to decorate such a room, it is worth watching. If there is no time, you can choose combined solutions - paint the wall where the rays of the sun fall in light cool colors, and the opposite one - in the shade - on the contrary, in the sunny palette. Then it will seem that there is still more sunlight in the room than there really is. To make the effect more noticeable, choose bright colors of warm colors for accents - they will look as if sunlight is also falling on them.
• More comfortable rooms - southwest and southeast . Here the sun's rays look more, respectively, they warm the room and make it bright. For a hall in an apartment with such an arrangement, any shades and their combinations are suitable.

Combination of finishes and furniture

The choice of color for the living room and its furnishings is usually based on simple rules of harmony. And in this matter, it is not so important what the chosen shade for the walls will be - it is important to find an aesthetic combination.

Natural duets and trios are among the traditional combinations. This, of course, is the color of greenery and wood, sky and earth, greenery and buds. Obviously, the blue, pastel olive and pistachio walls of the living room complement the brown furniture. An example is the combination of woody and vibrant greens, mint and fuchsia.

Combinations of beige scales with all natural shades look just as harmonious: the color of sand and the sea, clouds and clear sky. But the most organic are considered tones close in gamut - for example, cream, sand and peach, as well as pistachio, azure and emerald.

The achromatic palette is always out of competition, because it goes well with any - both natural and "poisonous" tones. The white, gray or even black color of the living room does not determine the shade of the furniture set - any other shade looks great against such a background.

To find the best combinations, you can use the circle, in which harmonious tones are selected using shapes inscribed in it - triangles, squares or rectangles - depending on how many shades are needed for decoration.

How to find the perfect color for your living room

In search of the best decor, hosts look not only to personal preferences and design advice, but also to various psychological aspects. For example, psychologists are sure that deep blue is the best shade for a bedroom, while light green gives a feeling of peace and tranquility.

Another theory of the influence of the color palette is associated with the Taoist symbolic exploration of space, called "feng shui". In this teaching, it is believed that the color for the living room is as important as your spiritual state is for you. Here, the balance and distribution of color throughout the room is significant. In this theory, the palette is divided into male and female shades. And they should all be present in the design. According to Taoist theory, a cozy living room should include almost all existing shades, but it is recommended to give priority to the feminine, then the atmosphere will turn out to be soft and hospitable. These tones include white, blue and green - a rather cool palette, but they must be complemented by "male" colors - black, orange or red.

Of course, no one can tell you what the ideal color for your living room will be, so you should take into account a variety of parameters and personal preferences.

The neutral character of pastel shades

A living room in pastel shades is a versatile solution for a project in any style. This range is distinguished by a particularly light spectrum, almost imperceptible emotional coloring, the possibility of combining with any other bright accents. The best shades in this range are, of course, beige, milky, cream, powdery, gray-beige. Less commonly, pastel yellow, green, blue are used in the design. They are more emotionally colored, so choose them when the owners are sure what mood they want for the interior of their living room, albeit in pastel colors.

This palette has both warm and cool tones:

• Beige tones in a wide range help to make the room warm and cozy . They are applicable to the interior in any style and are harmoniously combined with bright color spots of any spectrum.
• Warm pastel yellow . It is quite close to beige, so in this color the design of the living room will become more sunny and cheerful.
• Cool include ultra-light and muted gray, blue and green, lilac, pink . Of course, there are also warm tones in every spectrum. The choice depends on the overall design, the location of the room, its area and shape.

Living room in pastel colors can be different - restrained and neutral, strict and unemotional, hospitable and cheerful, solemn and elegant. The inclusion of any bright color sets the mood and shapes the character of the setting.

Living room in warm colors

It is obvious that warm colors in the interior of the hall create a very unambiguous atmosphere - cozy and pleasant. Lighter shades are quite sophisticated, but saturated ones are homely and emotional.

• The lightest and most neutral creamy tones are a sophisticated option for decorating rooms in classic, modern, technological and solemn - a variety of styles . Close to white, this color looks unobtrusive and elegant. Together with gilding, it can be used in a classic majestic interior, and with the inclusion of bright colors of the "acid" palette - in the hi-tech direction.
• Living room in cream tones - an elegant option for discreet classics, laconic minimalism, a cozy interpretation of high-tech style . This is a universal color from the beige range, which is easily combined with different shades - deep, bright, dark.
• Living room in peach tones - a richer interior in which it is easy to create a special atmosphere . Summer aromas and a light atmosphere are literally in the air here, so you should choose the appropriate solutions for decoration. Peach color in the interior of the living room helps to decorate the room romantically, gently, unobtrusively. It easily fits into the directions with a rustic character, where natural white textiles, simple wooden furniture, wicker sets are also appropriate.
• Terracotta color in the interior of the living room is a rather bold decision . Of course, this is the natural color of a traditional brick, but it is distinguished by its brightness and saturation, so the terracotta shade cannot fill the entire room. And if it was chosen for painting a large area, but even the hinged shelves will be lighter and weightless.

A living room in warm tones can be either red - extravagant, or brown - in a natural, rather saturated color of natural wood. Against such a background, elegant details in a peach shade, in a white and beige palette, as well as green, blue, and pink decor are harmoniously used.

Warm colors in the interior of the living room can be both pink and green. To do this, just add yellow notes to such shades, and you get a curious mix of halftones that will allow you to combine opposite temperature spectra for full harmony and filling the composition. For example, a peach-colored living room includes a hint of pink, which allows you to organically use the rich shade of fuchsia in accents.

Living room in a cold palette

Cool shades are usually chosen for rooms that are flooded with sun. Most often, these are apartments and houses in the southern regions, because even the southern rooms of the northern climatic regions actually rarely see the sun. But a living room in cool colors can also be chosen to implement a discreet - modern or solemn pompous style. It will be a detached environment, perhaps strict and even businesslike, technological or with futuristic features. Of course, even such a palette can be made cozy if you choose light shades for the background, and the main composition will be wooden pieces of furniture, accents in a warm palette - red, orange, yellow, beige, chocolate.

The lilac color in the decoration of the hall will look extraordinary. Shades of lilac range are quite peculiar and ambiguous. They include a wide range of other pure colors, which creates a variety of variations and nuances of this color scheme. For example, the predominance of notes in the purple range will make the interior mysterious and meaningful. In the living room in lilac tones, there will hardly be an additional zone in the form of a children's or play area. Such a room is more often used for receiving guests and spending time with a married couple without children.

Black is designed to emphasize the style of the hall in cool shades - it outlines the contours, sets off the depth of the background color or demonstrates the lightness of the light palette.

Cool tones of blue, green, gray-beige remain pleasant for perception. These are light and unobtrusive colors that can be pastel or more intense, but their nature allows for organic and comfortable compositions.

Living room decoration in dark colors

Before choosing the main color for the living room, it is worth evaluating its parameters: if it is spacious and light enough, the walls can be painted in an intense shade from any palette. Of course, black surfaces will press psychologically, so when choosing a specific tone, one should take into account its effect on human sensations.

Despite the seeming extravagance of a rich background, you can find a lot of interesting solutions:

• 0016 . This is a standard solution for the loft style, as well as for many industrial, urban, ultra-modern areas in which there is a lot of metal, concrete, glass.
• The interior of the living room in dark colors is often made in chocolate tones . Such design can be implemented both in modern style and in classicism.

The photo shows the design of the living room in chocolate tones.

Decorating a room in this palette is quite easy - it goes well with light and saturated shades of other ranges. Chocolate can be the color of natural wood panels or painted concrete, then there are discreet gray notes in it.

When choosing a dark color for the hall, another interesting question arises - regarding the choice of color for the kitchen-living room when combining these zones. Obviously, a saturated room in a deep palette cannot be monotonous. When we design a combined space, it should not be cluttered with intense tones. The combination of contrasting shades will be the perfect tool for zoning a room. With any dark range, white, light gray, beige will organically look.

Choice of finishing colors for individual surfaces

It is unlikely that anyone thinks that it is enough to paint the walls in the living room and the interior will be ready: the composition, mood, atmosphere are formed by many details, and you should not take away an important role from floor and ceiling coverings in this process. One thing is obvious - they almost never merge with vertical surfaces. Even in the same range, clear boundaries are drawn between the planes with the help of a plinth. In a monochrome room, the flooring, the color of the walls of the living room, the ceilings will be implemented in the same range, but in different shades. Although among the harmonious combinations there are many stylish and elegant solutions.

White living room

The ideal solution for a bright, spacious room is, of course, white. It is chosen for walls and ceilings in classic, Scandinavian, Greek style, as well as contemporary and shabby chic. Depending on the direction, you can find the best answer to the question of how to choose the color of the floor.

Popular and harmonious floorings include:

• Parquet or other wood alternative . Most often, the coating retains its natural shade, so the color of the laminate is usually brown, although this range is quite large - from whitish to chocolate with golden threads. If you choose a monochrome design, gray-white types of laminate are suitable for a white room; they will look stylish and restrained in the living room interior. The warm brown shade of wood will make the atmosphere cozy and homely.
• Natural stone will make any room solemn - natural mineral looks so luxurious. Marble, which is dominated by a white palette, will look exceptional in a classic interior. But other minerals, differing in a variety of colors, will organically fit into an aristocratic interior.
• Ceramic tiles, due to their variety, can be used in any style . When choosing such a coating, a well-chosen ornament is important - a tile can imitate wood material, natural stone, or represent a completely different category - the ability to create patterns on the surface in the widest palette of shades.

From ceiling coverings for a white interior, similar materials are usually chosen - preference is given to stretch fabrics. The choice of gloss or matte surface depends on the style and parameters of the room. As a rule, glossy ceilings are equipped in rooms that are too low and in modern design directions. In tension multi-level structures, colored canvases can be used - in the central and zoning inserts of various shapes. It can be a regular geometric figure or a contour of arbitrary geometry.

Beige interior

Everything is clear here: the use of beige neutral colors creates an elegant environment with a discreet character. As a rule, cream or sand wallpapers complement the wood floor. The ceiling can be painted both in traditional white and in milky - a softer tone.

Universal beige is a good solution for both luxury and budget interiors. Such a palette allows you to save a lot - there are no flashy and demonstrative details, the price of materials fades into the background, like the whole environment - comfort plays the main role.

Gray room

Gray palette - a wide variety of shades for decorating rooms in different styles. Silver is a frequent guest in restrained classicism, matte ash is the color of pure concrete in a loft style, aluminum and steel is a high-tech direction priority, graphite can become the basis of any modern or retrospective design. Of course, a living room in dark colors is possible only with a sufficient area of ​​​​the room. However, there is always room for an accent surface.

To decide what color to paint the walls, it is worth comparing the parameters of the room and the nature of the chosen style. Universal and achromatic gray can be appropriate in any of the directions in a very different format.

Picking up the same color for the floor and ceiling is not difficult.

• Wood brown flooring is the perfect choice for any interior . It is a warm color that will balance the cool and austere ash, especially when used metallically in modern settings.
• Gray granite or grey-beige slate - a luxurious solution for a room with monumental features . This wear-resistant coating is expensive and has a variety of decorative textures, but the weight of the material prevents its widespread distribution.
• Ceramic tiles can be bright enough - any accent looks stylish against a smoky background. And it is the floor that can become an accent in a laconic self-sufficient interior.

Wall materials

Still, the main issue when choosing a particular palette is the choice of wall material. The traditional answers are paint and different types of wallpaper. A painted interior is the simplest solution, the implementation of which is available to everyone. For a textured finish, you can choose wallpaper for painting, which differ in unobtrusive relief, or plaster, but it’s better not to work with it without skills.

Other options include decorative wood panels, glass and stone panels for accent and partial wall decoration. Such coatings can imitate doors to other rooms, look like paintings, mask built-in wardrobes, etc.

The most common option is, of course, wallpaper.

The choice of these depends on many factors:

• If you need coatings for an accent wall, you should pay attention to bright colors, catchy patterns, stylish ornaments. For example, if you choose materials for the Provence style, floral wallpaper will do. The same is worth picking up curtains, sofa cushions.
• To create a harmonious combination, it is worth considering what color other surfaces are painted.
• When choosing base coats with a pattern, it is worth finding a plain or textured strip to place photos on the walls. In the same tone, curtains are selected.
• Wallcoverings can be combined – solid colors with stripes or floral motifs, stripes with floral motifs on adjacent walls, alternating stripes, contour ornaments and plain textural areas.

In this case, the color of wallpaper with a pattern loses its original character - here the shade of the ornament takes on the main role. This should be taken into account when decorating a living room in a certain range.

Features of choosing a color for a living room combined with a kitchen

The rules for choosing a palette for a living room combined with a kitchen, in fact, are not much different from choosing the color scheme of any room.

Nevertheless, there are nuances that are worth paying attention to.

• A popular solution is white color for the kitchen, then the facades of the kitchen set literally merge with the wall finish, visually freeing up space . But this range remains the brand itself, so you should choose it only if you are ready to regularly care for such surfaces. True, you should not save on white furniture - modern manufacturers offer functional coating options that do not absorb dirt, so they are easy to clean.
• The kitchen can be made in the same color as the living room . Then it is worth considering constructive zoning methods that will not allow the working block to merge with the recreation area.

• When combined with a dining room, and not just a working area, it is worth decorating the entire room in the same style, but you can choose a different color . In the kitchen, for example, bright - pink, blue, blue, green, and in the guest part - neutral, more balanced. The dining room will become a transition between territories with different purposes. It can be arranged in a transitional shade or in a combination of basic ones.
• A comfortable color solution with the same background will help make the living room together with the kitchen unit complete in composition . But it is important to choose harmonious details: decor in combination with zoning tools will make the interior self-sufficient. A trio or even a quartet of shades will look organic here. Of course, tones in one palette with one catchy look more stylish, but you can pick up notes of different character.

Since in the kitchen area, instead of wall decoration, sets are usually visible, it is precisely its facades that will be combined with the decoration in the hall. The doors can be made both neutral and similar to the background, but the apron will stand out. Therefore, its color and pattern should be chosen in harmony with the decor in the recreation area. It can be colored furniture for the living room, as well as sofa cushions, lamps, a similar panel.

One should not neglect the unity of style and color even in budget interiors. Here, at least, there should be the same tabletops, curtains, drawings in terms of decoration - in the apron of the working area and the accent wall of the guest area. Only then the most modest furnishings, as well as luxurious finishes, in any color will be comfortable and harmonious.

features and selection rules (60 photos in the interior)

Features of choice

By choosing the color scheme of the walls, you can visually increase or decrease the size of the living room.

Factors affecting the choice of color:

• Room size
• Lighting
• Personal preference
• Functional requirements

For compact living rooms, light colors are suitable, thanks to which the area of ​​​​the room will appear larger. Successfully complement the interior, in harmony with the overall color, a pattern on one of the walls.

In spacious rooms, the possibilities for realizing fantasies are much greater. The color palette can be with a soft transition or contrast.

Vertical stripes on the wall will stretch the space, while horizontal stripes will expand it.

Wall color and cardinal directions

When choosing the color of the walls for the living room, you should pay attention to the lighting of the room. The same shade in natural and artificial light will look completely different.

Turning the room to one of the cardinal directions also affects the overall "picture". Soft and warm shades are suitable for the north side, they compensate for the lack of sunlight. It can be yellow, green, beige or chocolate.

If the windows face south, then the living room can be cold shades, as there is enough daylight in the room. Sky blue, turquoise and white.

For the oriental side, it is better to use warm light colors, for example, soft pink, honey, peach.

For a west-facing living room, cool colors should be preferred. The walls can be painted in gray, blue, mint.

Feng Shui Wall Color

Feng Shui is an ancient and very interesting theory, the purpose of which is to have a beneficial effect on life with the help of objects and colors. It is believed that any colors affect the energy of the house and affect the spiritual state of a person.

According to the rules of Feng Shui, the color palette of the living room can be chosen according to the principle of masculine or feminine, or based on which side of the world the room faces.

Light and warm colors such as red, yellow, green and white are masculine.

Dark and deep colors are assigned to the female part, for example, blue, purple, black.

For a living room located on the north side, blue is suitable. Shades of blue promote relaxation, reduce activity. As an interior design, you can choose paintings depicting reservoirs.

For the southern part, it is better to choose orange and red walls, they protect against negative energy and increase vitality. These colors should be treated with care. According to the theory of Feng Shui, red color can increase blood pressure and has a negative effect on the nervous system. For the living room, it is better to use more muted shades of these colors, soft coral and peach. Red color

For northeast and west rooms it is better to use a cream, beige and honey palette. Colors enhance mood, vigor and inspire optimism.

Popular living room colors

Beige

Beige is versatile and looks great in almost any style. The living room will turn out warm and cozy, the character of the room can be changed with the help of decor. The finish may be brickwork or unusual paint application.

Gray

A modern and fashionable color that is often used to create loft, classic, modern styles. The walls of the room can be complicated by a variety of textures and geometric shapes.

Light blue

Various shades of blue have a relaxing effect. For people with a high load, it will be the best solution for decorating a living room. Corresponds to oriental, nautical, mediterranean and shabby chic style.

White

White is considered a neutral color, but by playing with colors you can create absolutely any interior. It has a lot of shades, and thanks to the complex application to the walls, the living room will turn out to be original and completely unusual. White walls will be the base for creating the character of the living room. For a dark living room, white will be a salvation, there will be more light in the room.

Decor elements will make the interior simple and refreshing, or vice versa, will give comfort and warmth.

Green

A trendy color in recent years, which is associated with greenery and nature. The walls can be painted in different shades, zoning the space of the room. Wallpaper with a bright print will emphasize the eco-style of the living room.

In addition, green has a beneficial effect on vision and has relaxing properties.

Yellow

A bright, summery and sunny color, it is subconsciously associated with something warm and pleasant. Suitable for covering the walls of a spacious living room.

Too bright and poisonous shade of yellow in a living room of a small area will put pressure, while pastel and light colors will contribute to communication, increase attention and mood.

Olive

Olive is a shade of green, it envelops with its noble shade and gives a feeling of comfort.

Wall decoration in olive color will look harmoniously in classic, Scandinavian and country style.

Peach

Peach-colored walls will fill the interior with rich colors of summer and early autumn. Suitable for classic, modern and fusion styles.

Peach is combined with gray, turquoise and burgundy.

Turquoise

Painting the walls in turquoise will give a feeling of freshness and spaciousness to the living room. It has a different color depth from weightless pastel to rich and deep. It is combined with almost any paint without overloading the overall interior of the room.

Color combination

Monochromatic use of shades of the same color allows you to visually preserve and increase the area of ​​the room. Each color has many shades, their combination options will create an original and unique interior of the living room.

Without overloading the interior, by painting the walls in different shades, you can zone the space or focus on a certain area.

The neutral color of the walls gives more room for fantasy. Muted and delicate shades are suitable for the classic style of living room design.

Furniture or decorative elements that become boring over time will change the character and style of the living room. Walls in a neutral color can be set off with bright accents in the decor of the living room. For example, light gray in combination with beige will give home comfort. The calm colors of the walls will relax you after a hard day and will play in the evening sunset.

A contrasting combination for a more modern style.

This option is suitable for brave owners. With proper execution, combinations can be the most unexpected.

A harmonious combination of two colors of one half of the spectrum will give the living room the interior of a Garden of Eden. The walls of the room can be made using a gradient or a smooth transition of colors from one part of the living room to another.

The use of this method is preferable for spacious rooms, although using light colors in a small living room will also be harmonious.

How to match the color of the walls with the color of the furniture

When creating the interior of a living room, it is worth deciding what the attention will be focused on. If the walls of the living room are rich and bright colors, then it is better to choose furniture elements of restrained and solid colors.

White furniture can be decorated with pillows that match the color of the walls

If you choose more restrained shades for painting the walls, bright furniture can become the main accent in the interior. The sofa, as an independent element of the living room or in tandem with armchairs of bright colors, will become the main object of attention in the room.

Also, the whole concept of the living room can be made in one color scheme. The interior will be discreet, but tasteful.

Interior color and style

Classic

Restrained and muted colors, such as green, blue, pear, match the classic style. As a rule, the walls are painted in one color or covered with wallpaper with a discreet pattern.

Contemporary

A living room designed in a modern style will allow you to use more colors. Walls can be bright colors such as turquoise, grey, blue or emerald green.

Most often, only one wall of the living room is painted in a bright color, in this case the space is not overloaded and does not create an oppressive feeling. In contrast with the bright color of the wall, light furniture will look interesting.

Country

Country style is directly associated with nature and rustic themes. Accordingly, the use of any natural shades is suitable.

Ceiling beams are considered a distinctive feature of the stylistic direction.

Wall colors can be painted in any natural shades, green, brown, grey.

Loft

The fashion trend used to create a modern living room. In the literal sense, the loft is translated as an attic or basement. Accordingly, the interior is performed mainly in cold colors.

The photo shows a loft-style living room, the accent wall is decorated with brickwork.

Scandinavian

The walls of the living room are made in light colors, white, beige, blue. A distinctive feature of the style is the maximum functionality and simplicity of the interior.

Provence

Provence style has a restrained palette. The walls are decorated in olive, lavender and other pastel colors.

Features of choosing colors for the kitchen-living room

To create the perfect interior, you should follow a number of rules:

• General color palette
• The choice of wall color depends on the lighting
• The lighter the color, the more spacious the room appears

Color choices for a small living room

The design of a small area room should be as functional as possible. Walls can be decorated with a beautiful discreet pattern.

• Light colors are preferred for small rooms

• Decorative elements add bright colors to the interior

• Mirrors and reflective elements help visually increase the area

• Curtains for decorating windows in the hall should preferably be chosen from a dense and light fabric

• Painting one of the walls in a different color will make the interior of the living room stylish and unusual