Good color paint for living room


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

3 of 50

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

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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

13 of 50

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

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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

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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.

Lick Paint Launches in the U.S. to Uplift Moods Through Color

Here's a confession: I have been avoiding painting my living room for years. Even with new furniture or decorative accents, I convinced myself that the not-so-chic color of my walls (something possessed me to agree to light-peach paint) could be remedied with low-lift upgrades. I bought huge art prints and even created a gallery wall to hide the color. The warm tint made my space feel cluttered and frankly, outdated, even after rearranging the room and purchasing new furniture. So, when Tash Bradley, Lick's Head of Interior Design, reached out to me offering a color consultation, I jumped at the opportunity.

@lindsey_isla

@carlaelliman

Lick offers a thoughtfully curated collection of high-quality paints and wallpapers to suit every personality—not to mention endless inspiration, community, and in-depth consultations on how to paint your home in a color that fits your style (and isn't an eyesore to your guests).

The UK brand grew in popularity when it first launched during the pandemic. With everyone stuck indoors, all you could pretty much do was watch paint dry—so it's no surprise that many folks were inspired to update their home's color palette. Luckily, Lick has since made its way to the U.S., so my living room makeover can officially happen!

"Decorating can be very daunting," Bradley, a trained psychologist (who happens to be married to the brand's cofounder, Sam Bradley)—admits. "Our main aim is to make decorating very enjoyable, accessible, and easy. We help you along your entire journey. I want our decorators to feel excited about being able to transform their house into a home they love."

Bradley's specialization in color psychology is the core of the brand's mission: to help you understand how colors affect a place. "It's not just about saying, 'Pick this white paint.' We have to look at the color of your sofa and plants, and consider your lifestyle to create a culmination of colors to spread in your home," she explains.

@georgiahamiltoninteriors

To begin the process, Tash and I hopped on a 30-minute FaceTime call for a walk-through of my home and to help her better understand my personality and design goals. I genuinely felt at ease talking to her about my painting woes, and how much I disliked the peach color of my living room walls. "Warm tones make a room feel more intimate and cozy, bringing everything in. If you choose a fresher color, it will make the space lighter and airy," she advised.

After seeing my navy blue couch and bohemian vintage rug, Bradley knew the stuffy walls didn't suit the welcoming vibe I wanted the space to radiate. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she exclaimed, "I want you to show me where the light comes in through your window." As I sat down on the couch to show her how sunlight crept into the room, she smiled and declared: "I know what to do!"

Tash Bradley’s presentation.

Tash Bradley

Tash put together a visual list of recommendations showcasing hues carefully culled from Lick's spectrum of 124 paint colors. I pored over the presentation with anticipation, excited to see the possibilities for my living room. It not only provided six color suggestions, but also the amount of paint I would need. (One Lick color can't be mistaken for any another—"There isn't a shade lighter or darker," Bradley explains—which prevents color paralysis, where "you want one blue color and face 1,000 variations instead," she notes.)

I enlisted friends and family to help me select the best color scheme for my space—and, as soon as I settled on a color scheme, Lick sent me a whole paint kit, complete with a step-by-step guide and all the tools and accessories I would need, from bamboo-handled brushes and recycled rollers to sugarcane pulp trays and biodegradable dust sheets. As a bonus, Tash even included a palette for my kitchen!

Lick Teal 03 Matte

Lick Teal 03 Matte

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"What you never want to do is make a room feel disjointed from the other rooms in the house," she asserts. "You want to get a lovely flow to create harmony."

Lick is the perfect resource for any decorator afraid to commit, DIY-lover in need of an expert opinion, or budding designer looking to hone their decor skills. (Just scrolling through the brand's Instagram feed will help boost your color confidence!)

Ready to give your own home a color facelift? Sign up for a Lick virtual consultation here.


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Medgina Saint-Elien

Senior Market and Partnerships Editor

Medgina Saint-Elien covers everything your home needs. She writes about exciting new product launches, hands-on reviews, and the "lightbulb" moments in every maker's story. In overseeing key HB editorial franchises, including the Live Better Awards, Saint-Elien champions the work of BIPOC entrepreneurs in the design and beauty industries. In addition to House Beautiful, her work has been published in Byrdie, Snapchat, and more. Outside of work, the writer and poet can be found documenting her travels on social media and saving memes for future use.

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:

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. nine0003

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 direction

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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 the orange and red color of the walls, it protects against negative energy and increases 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. nine0003

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 trendy 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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.

Modern

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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

Loft

A 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. nine0003

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:

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. nine0003

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 monophonic. 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. nine0003

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 finishes:

From ceiling coverings for a white interior, similar materials are usually chosen - stretch fabrics are preferred. 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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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.

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. nine0003

The most common option is, of course, wallpaper.

The choice of such depends on many factors:

At the same time, 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. nine0003

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.