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Interior paint ideas 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

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

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

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

19 of 50

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

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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.

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.

2018 Custom Design Ideas & Versatile Paint Options for Classic

0

05/02/2018

The desire to decorate every corner in your home with comfort is natural, and therefore the stylistic direction should be chosen carefully and consistently. Painting the walls in the living room is a concise solution for a variety of interior solutions, the main thing is to decide on the color, texture and bright accents. Further in the article we will consider the features of painting the walls in the living room. nine0003

Wall painting in the living room: mood color

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The direction of the interior and the comfort of guests depend on the choice of color composition in the living room. Therefore, before deciding on a stylistic and color solution, you should pay attention to the types of paints, texture, functional features and performance.

Colors

Coloring compositions for indoor surfaces are divided into two types:

nine0018
  • alkyd;
  • emulsion.

    • Alkyd paints are chemically based on artificial alkyd resins. Previously, they were used for internal and external work. However, today the usual oil or enamel paints with a persistent chemical odor are being replaced with practical and safe ones - emulsion compositions.

    In turn, emulsions are distinguished by composition into:

    • latex;
    • water-based;
    • acrylic; nine0020
    • silicone;
    • silicate.

    The best solution for the hallway, due to the resistance to abrasion, is acrylic and latex compositions. Surfaces treated with such paints serve - 7-10 years.

    What color to paint the living room

    Regardless of the chosen stylistic decision, color decides a lot: with the help of blue, comfort and freshness are created, green has a calming effect, yellow gives warm homeliness, and white awakens creativity. nine0003

    New designs 2018

    Fashion designs for the hallway 2018 is a combination of home comfort and light playfulness, coquetry and flirting. So, designers offer to saturate the room with flirty shades of rose quartz and pearl color. Light shades will visually play with space, and a calm pearly sheen will give the room a slight pathos.

    You can also surprise your guests with a Hazelnut style combination. This is a deep shade of coffee with milk, with a rich, but not flashy brownish color. Combined with dark wood, white ottomans or ultra-black chests of drawers. If you want to dilute pathos with playful notes, you can use bright contrasting interior elements decorated in milky blue or orange tones. nine0003

    For extraordinary personalities with creative views, a combination of colors in the living room in the style of "Flame" is suitable. This is a colorful, but not flashy combination of orange, sand and fiery shades. It is also worth paying attention to the peach shades of "Peach Echo".

    Ideas for small living rooms: how to visually make a room bigger

    Most entrance halls, living rooms in apartments are narrow and compact rooms that require professionalism when choosing a stylistic direction. So, the rule for small rooms is the minimum amount of functional furniture and the right color scheme, which visually expands the space of the room. nine0002 Visually make a small room bigger by applying the following rules:

    • for painting, choose shades of beige, pale blue or light green, sand or mother-of-pearl;
    • when painting, it is worth distributing the wall into separate zones, highlighting them with decorative baguettes or stucco without patterns, which will be several shades lighter from the main color;
    • do not use overall chandeliers, lamps, the best solution is multiple spotlights with a uniform distribution of light; nine0020
    • from furniture choose wardrobes with mirrors without patterns;
    • separate the ceiling area from the walls with baguettes of medium width;
    • do not choose furniture to the floor, it is better to find a pouffe, a soft corner or a chiffonier with high legs;
    • do not use more than three color combinations;
    • natural natural shades look better than heavy and bright colors.

    What color to paint in the hall: a selection of the best designs

    After the hallway, as a rule, there is a hall, which is important to keep in one stylistic decision, suitable color scheme. If the rooms differ in colors, strongly contrasting with each other, this will cause some dissonance. Therefore, the main rule for choosing colors in the hall is a combination and continuation of the interior set in the hallway, living room. nine0002 Designers recommend in 2018 when choosing a color for the hall, look at these colors:

    • textured pearl shades;
    • delicate pearls;
    • pink or peach sunset;
    • cold coffee;
    • blue-lilac shade;
    • cool shades of green.

    Depending on the color, you can complement the selected shade with gold and silver accents, delimiting the space into functional areas. nine0003

    Crossing the threshold of the house, every person wants to feel the protection and comfort of home. Therefore, the choice of colors in the room should be approached responsibly, taking into account the characteristics of each family member.

    Useful video

    Wall color in the living room - how to choose, 100 photo-ideas of living room interior

    The living room is rightfully considered the center of the apartment and the house, since it is in it that relatives and friends gather for rest and relaxation after a working day. For a good mood, relieving nervous tension and a complete distraction from everyday life, the color of the walls in the living room is selected taking into account a number of rules used by professional designers around the world. nine0003

    Selection details

    The right color scheme allows you to visually make the room bigger and more spacious, fill it with light, support the overall concept and even eliminate some of the room’s shortcomings.

    Color selection criteria

    • Lighting features. Dim lighting can be corrected by using bright, light palettes that evenly distribute light and remove dark corners. If natural light enters the room in sufficient quantity or even in excess, preference should be given to cool, calm tones. nine0020
    • Design and personal preference. First of all, the color of the living room should please its owners. In addition, if a certain style concept has already been chosen in the design project, it must be adhered to.
    • Functionality requirements. The color of the finish can often act as a tool for zoning space instead of massive partitions or furniture groups.
    • Living room area. A spacious room opens up more opportunities for the implementation of bright ideas. Here you can create a contrasting finish, or use smooth transitions. Small living rooms require the use of light colors and neat accents that will be in harmony with other interior details. nine0020

    It is not necessary that all walls be painted the same tone, but there must be a balance in everything. The floor and ceiling finishes are pre-thought out so that all surfaces blend well with each other.

    Influence on the choice of cardinal points

    Any palette can manifest itself differently depending on the degree of natural light. This factor depends not only on the size of the window openings and their openness, but on the side of the world from which the room is located. nine0003

    1. South. Often, sunlight is not only enough, but also in excess. In order to reduce the “temperature”, it is recommended to use moderately cool shades (white, blue, turquoise, gray).
    2. West. During the daytime peaks, the room can be too hot and light, so there should be cool shades, such as mint (closer to blue), deep blue, gray, brown.
    3. East. It is recommended to give preference to pink, brown tones, which will favorably beat the sunrise and compensate for its lack in the afternoon. nine0020
    4. North. Due to the coldness and short duration of the sundial, you need to choose warm, soft shades (beige, coffee, green, yellow). They will not only add light to the room, but also visually fill it with the sun.

    Before choosing the color of the walls for the living room, you need to consider the location and intensity of the lighting fixtures. If they are located around the entire perimeter of the room (in the form of LEDs or built-in lamps), the tint palette can be changed depending on the desired effect. nine0003

    Feng Shui in the colors of the living room

    The use of Eastern teachings in the selection of interior colors allows you to determine the direction of vibration and energy, which will positively affect the mental and physical health of a person. The doctrine is based on the main elements: Wood, Fire, Metal, Water and Earth. At the same time, the finish should lie on smooth, even walls so that nothing interferes with the movement of positive energy.

    Feng Shui color characteristics

    • White. Symbolizes the ideal, purity, light. For comfort and warmth, use in combination with another palette. A great solution is to add yellow tones.
    • Red. The color of passion, activity, movement. It stimulates the appetite, but can sometimes cause bouts of aggression. In combination with gold, it attracts good luck. Red doesn't go well with black. The palette is not recommended for people with diseases of the nervous system.
    • Orange. Combines the positive energy of yellow tones and the power of red. Disposes to a pleasant conversation in the guest room, attracts well-being and kindness. nine0020
    • Golden. Denotes respect, honor, status. Previously, only rulers could use this color in the interior. The golden palette has a positive effect, attracts monetary energy.
    • Black. In fact, it is not considered a mourning, but a magical color according to Chinese teachings. But, many still equate it with a negative, so the use of black is best minimized or used for accents.
    • Blue. The main association is water. The palette has a calming effect, restores harmony, relaxes and is suitable for meditation. Blue stimulates spiritual energy, intuition. nine0152
    • Green. The color of calmness, peace, nature. It stimulates wealth and well-being, means life, growth, harmony with others. Pairs well with yellow and gold to create an energy of success.
    • Yellow. Symbolizes positive energy, success, happiness. It attracts warmth and makes the living room cozy, causes an optimistic mood, attracts good luck.
    • Violet. It has mystical, magical properties. Suitable for creative people, symbolizes material well-being. nine0152

    When choosing not one, but several wall colors in the interior of the living room, it is important that they indicate one direction to enhance energy. You should be guided not only by the above characteristics, but also by your own preferences in order to create a cozy interior.

    Optimal solutions

    Gray background

    A modern, popular palette that is suitable for both classic and loft styles, minimalism, modern. For greater effect, it is complemented by geometric textures. Due to the variety of shades, it is suitable for rooms of different sizes. nine0003

    Yellow range

    When choosing, you should pay attention only to pastel and calm, and not bright and flashy shades, which will negatively affect the rest and cause nervous tension. Sunny, warm yellow is associated with summer, comfort. In spacious rooms it can be used for all walls, in small living rooms - for interesting accents in decor, photos, etc.

    Browns

    Mainly used for classical solutions. For accents, more saturated and deep shades are chosen, for the background - coffee, chocolate, etc. nine0003

    Olive shade

    Well suited for Provence, Scandinavian style, country. A soft, natural, pastel shade of green is suitable for rooms of different sizes and locations. The noble tone gives coziness and comfort, goes well with other soft tones.

    Light orange

    Associated with rich summer colors. It is used for various interior solutions, it will become a highlight of mixed style in classic and modern. Pairs well with turquoise and grey. Favorably looks in dark living rooms, the windows of which face the north side. It also compensates for the lack of lighting. nine0003

    Shades of beige

    A popular, versatile, practical color that can be used to decorate any living room. The room will turn out warm, harmonious. Bright, rich colors, imitation of brickwork, textured plaster are used for decoration.

    Shades of turquoise

    The turquoise palette will give a feeling of freshness, freedom, spaciousness. Shades are presented as rich and deep, as well as pastel, fresh. It goes well with different color options, while not overloading the interior. Makes a cold palette softer and more appropriate. More suitable for spacious rooms, plays well in accents. nine0003

    Natural shades of green

    A natural, comfortable palette that symbolizes life. Various shades are used in the interior of the living room. Often gamma is used for zoning space. It goes well with shades of gold, brown, floral prints.

    White background

    Strict and restrained, but at the same time, a neutral color that can be used as a base for any style. Its tint palette is wide and varied, and textured application will open up new facets of white. The palette visually expands the room, fills it with light and warmth, eliminates dark corners. nine0003

    Characteristic stylistic palettes

    1. Contemporary. The modern style allows for more vibrant colors such as blue, teal, emerald, lilac, etc. A combination of several contrasting scales in one room is characteristic.
    2. Scandinavian. The style is characterized by the use of beige, gray and white tones, as well as shades of blue. The color should be harmonious, maintain spaciousness.
    3. Classic solutions. These areas are characterized by muted, calm ranges of brown, green, blue. The interior uses only one shade, wallpaper with a pattern is used for accents. nine0020
    4. Loft. A modern solution for decorating a living room. Mostly cold, calm tones are used for the interior. Gray and white goes well with brick. For such an "industrial" idea, you can use black.
    5. Country. A rustic theme is impossible without natural shades, such as brown, green, pale yellow, blue, peach, olive, etc.
    6. Provence. The base is pastel colors such as olive, beige, lavender, etc. It has a natural, restrained palette. nine0020

    The palette of each style may vary depending on the functional purpose of the color, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room, and personal preferences. If, according to the design project, the implementation of non-standard tones is appropriate, there are no restrictions on bringing such an idea to life.

    Color combinations

    • Contrast. This combination of colors is used to implement modern interiors. You can choose the most unexpected scales, if you place them correctly in the room. Use cases - accent wall, geometric patterns, stained glass or panel effect, etc. nine0020
    • Neutral combination. It opens up ample opportunities for the implementation of original ideas. Delicate shades are suitable for classics, for modern solutions - colder palettes.
    • Monochrome. The use of one color scheme allows not only to visually preserve the area, but also to expand it. There are many combinations, since each color can have dozens of shades. Without overloading the interior, you can zone the space.
    • Two colors. The use of two different colors is acceptable for spacious rooms, but other solutions can be considered if both shades are light. It is important that the selected colors are from one half of the spectrum. The transition is smooth, the gradient method is popular. nine0020

    The use of several combinations is possible only if the living room area is 25 square meters or more. Then one of the zones can be decorated for relaxation in soothing colors, the other can be finished for receiving guests, etc.

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