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Modern 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.

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1

Gray-Purple

Seth Smoot

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.

2

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.

3

Cerulean Blue

TREVOR PARKER

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.

4

Cloudy Green

Sean Litchfield

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.

5

Sunny Yellow

Alyssa Rosenheck

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.

6

Ebony

Haris Kenjar

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.

7

Red Clay

Mali Azima

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.

8

Frost Blue

LAUREY GLENN

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.

9

Teal

2022 TREVOR PARKER PHOTOGRAPHY

"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.

10

Sangria

Bjorn Wallander

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.

11

Cream

Lisa Romerein

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.

12

Dark Blue-Green

Jared Kuzia Photography

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.

13

Dusty Rose

Thijs de Leeuw/Space Content/Living Inside

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.

14

Buttercream

Anna Spiro Design

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.

15

Pitch Black

Brie Williams

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.

16

Peach

Kendall McCaugherty

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.

17

Clay

Read McKendree

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.

18

Off-White

Nicole Franzen

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.

19

Olive

Robert McKinley

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.

20

Steel Gray

Chris Mottalini

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.

30 top living room paint colors |

Adding color with paint is a quick and easy way to add style and personality to a living room. Whether your living room is an oasis of calm or home to a house full of children, nothing can transform a space like paint. Take a look at these brilliant living room paint ideas to inspire your own decorating scheme.

Color (even if you’re using neutrals) should be the first thing to consider when you are looking for living room ideas. Ensure your chosen hues work well in your room by applying testers of paint onto sheets of white paper, then tacking them onto each wall you’re thinking of using that color on.  

Leave them up for a few days before making any final decisions, noticing how the light affects the color at different times of day, as well as checking they work well next to other elements, such as curtains or couches.

If you’re not confident in choosing a scheme, go with a pre-selected paint ideas palette already picked out by the paint brand you’re using, or follow our advice later on working with tonal, harmonizing and contrasting colors.

Living room paint ideas – 30 colors to inspire

If you are looking for living room color schemes, all inspired by paint colors, these are perfect, having been chosen for their suitability for living rooms, but also because they are on trend for the year ahead – yet ultimately timeless. 

Choose living room paint ideas in tones that are right for the orientation of your room. East- and North-facing living rooms will need warmer shades than South- or West-facing living rooms. 

Similarly, poorly lit rooms will benefit from lighter shades – unless, of course, you purposely choose to make your living room dark and cozy.

1. Create an ombré effect

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

One of the main entertaining spaces in the home, the living room is the perfect place to create a stunning feature paint effect to capture attention. 

There is an array of living room feature wall ideas to choose from, but using paint can be a simple yet highly impactful way to create a unique design that reflects your style and personality.

In this living room, the collection of paint colors by Benjamin Moore , Pink Harmony, Salmon Peach and Dusk Pink work in harmony to create a unique, striped feature wall. This playful, adventurous design shows the versatility of working with paint in the living room, and how you don’t necessarily have to use decorative accessories or wallpaper to create a unique feature wall in a space. 

2. Use a bright accent color

(Image credit: James Merrell)

In this living room, the use of the bright yellow accent color not only creates a unique focal point and design feature, but creates a stylish zone separation between two rooms.

The bright yellow accent creates a beautiful contrast with the cream paint on the walls and the soft, powder-blue painted shelving unit, adding a bold, contemporary twist to the space.

Whether you use paint to highlight architectural features in a living room, or paint a door or piece of furniture, accent colors can create impact and beautifully elevate a room.

3. Match with furniture

(Image credit: James Merrell)

If you want to paint your living room but are struggling to pick the right shade, matching the paint on your walls to the color of your furniture is a great option for a bold, monochrome look.

In this living room, the gorgeous azure blue paint and matching twin sofas create an impactful design that celebrates paint and color. With the metallic and wooden accents adding warmth and contrast, the overall look makes for a statement living room design.  

4. Create contrast

(Image credit: Chris Everard)

Contrasting colors on the color wheel are always a match made in heaven in interior design, creating a vibrant scheme full of energy.  

Creating contrast through your paint choice in the living room can add impact as well as forming a harmonious design full of character and style.

In this living room, renowned complementary colors pink and green work to great effect, with the added teal blue paint elevating the contrasting design scheme one step further. 

(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)

Not all design statements need to be big, bold and bright. By using select living room paint ideas you can create an elegant, subtle statement. 

In this living room, the walls have been painted a deep shade of Knoxville Grey by Benjamin Moore, the room is then lifted by a delicate, linear outline of paint in the Peanut Shell shade.

A simple paint technique that works to beautiful effect, the finished result creates a decadent, almost art-deco feel. The look is then further enhanced by the metallic accessories and furniture in the room, coordinating with the Peanut Shell shade to create a balanced, unified design.

6. Work with white

(Image credit: Future / Jan Baldwin)

Nothing surprising about this, but brilliant white paint has a transformative effect on interiors – use it on walls and ceilings and it will make a star of every non-white piece of furniture, fabric and accessory in your living room. 

White is also an ideal choice when planning small living room ideas. It is a wholly selfless paint shade, providing all the light and energy while reflecting the attention elsewhere – and white living rooms are incredibly easy to switch up.

Decorating with primary colors over white will bring the scheme to life, pastels will be pretty, or you can go for a monotone scheme by sticking to white and black – although the addition of gold or coppery metallics will add warmth.

7. Add a touch of warmth with cream

(Image credit: Future / Emma Lee / Sally Denning)

For a while, back in the 1980s, white was replaced by magnolia. And though now we tend to shy away from that pinky-cream, it is a forgiving shade that fits perfectly well into contemporary or mid-century modern living rooms (above) or more traditional schemes (below).  

In fact, if you love the idea of a white room but have a North- or East-facing living space with little warm natural daylight, this should be one of the colors you test out. It will reflect light, but add an inviting warmth to the room that white can't.

8. Add the warmth of cream – but make it edgier with ochre or coral

(Image credit: Salvesen Graham)

Beige living room ideas that leans towards ochre (above) can be truly lovely spaces. North-facing rooms can feel chilly, so use shade like a burnt ochre to warm the space up. 

Neutral rooms that use any color that mimics something we can find in nature – stone and mushroom for example – will always have a calming effect. 

Follow it through into blinds and drapes too and add accents of grass green to add a fresh feel – you can’t go wrong if you follow nature’s palette. 

Coral (below) has emerged to be one of the most popular shades over the last six months, so we asked Helen Shaw, UK director at Benjamin Moore why she thinks it’s such a hit.

‘Corals and pink peach tones are perfect for making a design statement. They create a rich, warm welcoming feeling with undertones of red, orange and pink. It works beautifully as an accent to a gray scheme, or in its own right as a statement wall color.

'More neutral, natural plaster tones or light terracotta shades can create a wonderful earthy feel in a room. They look particularly eye-catching in well lit spaces and when paired with natural materials or painted wood.’

9. Choose the right shade of gray

(Image credit: Future / Lisa Cohen)

Now the best-selling paint color after white, gray has secured its position as the modern neutral of choice. Finding the right gray living room ideas is exactly like buying a red lipstick: you choose one with the undertone that suits your skin tone.

Gray paint tones vary from the cool end of the spectrum, with blue undertones as shown here, to warm shades featuring red bases that give a brown, pink or purple tint.  

Your journey starts with deciding on the ‘temperature’ of color your room needs – cool or warm.

10. Pick a warm gray-beige

(Image credit: Future / James Merrell)

This shade of gray has a touch of yellow in the paint, giving it a brownish tint. This color of gray is great for East- and West-facing rooms for diffused light at sunrise or sunset respectively, while adding warmth at other times of the day. 

Gray, like other neutral living room ideas, acts canvas for other colors. Team it with bright artwork and accessories for a truly striking appearance.

11. Pick a deep, earthy tone

(Image credit: Morris & Co)

For cozy living room ideas, picking a deep, earthy tone will always be a great option. 

This snug living room, painted in Morris & Co 's Wooded Dell green, a new paint shade for 2022, creates a relaxed, inviting ambience. The deep green complements the traditional country cottage interior, with the yellow accent shade, Sunflower Yellow, adding an uplifting, contemporary twist.

12. Pick a deep chocolate brown for enveloping warmth

(Image credit: Dulux)

Dark living room ideas can feel a bit scary to use, but actually darker colors can be a wonderful choice for a living room. Warm and nurturing, they work well in a room that feels too big, and of course balance is key to making the rest of the scheme work. 

Called Cherry Truffle and described as a ‘bitter chocolate with a hint of red’ – hence the berry theme – the brown above looks great with lighter hues like ruby and claret as they’ll lift the overall look. 

If you add in a warm metallic accents – perhaps in accessories – the room will glow and not feel too dark. Keep the floor pale and the ceiling white for contrast. 

The sophisticated space below uses Charbone from Paint & Paper Library. Keeping your ceiling light will lighten a room and bring balance and contrast to the scheme. 

Team brown living room ideas with warming shades like taupe, sandstone, blush and coral to create a cocooning feel that’s cozy and uber stylish – just make sure you have a few paler pieces, textures and patterns to add a decorative element.

13. Go back to black with your living room paint ideas

(Image credit: Dulux)

A deceptive but delicious black paint, the blue undertones of this black living room shade give a pleasurable richness and depth. When used with white, it will dramatically change the interplay of light and space in your room. 

Striking enough to take center stage yet subtle and confident enough to allow other hues to shine, black is a dream to work with. Use it wall to wall in a room that gets lots of daylight, or highlight architectural features, such as window frames and shutters, in rooms that are more light-starved.

14. Go for deep blue to make a living room intimate

(Image credit: Future / Paul Raeside)

Nothing pops like a blue living room; blue is a shade that has the power to transform. 

Deep and bright, indigo is surely the most joyful blue hue. Sitting between pure blue and violet on the color spectrum, this intense color is the shade of choice for designers and artists.

15. Create a sky blue living room scheme

(Image credit: Future)

A shade that’s always been popular in the world of interiors, soft blue is a growing living room trend that is set to be next year’s color du jour. 

Powder blue paint has the quality of being both soothing and invigorating, and offers plenty of design versatility. Used with crisp white and pebble grey, it creates a calming coastal feel, while as one block of color it can be an enveloping breath of fresh air.

16. Keep it cool with Tiffany blue

Artist's atelier designed by Timothy Corrigan

(Image credit: Timothy Corrigan/Amy Barnard)

If you love blue but are worried that the room you are decorating might feel a little cool afterwards, choose a color with a touch of yellow in it. This produces a much warmer blue that can cope with the coolest of atmospheres. 

This cool color is inspired by the iconic packaging of the jewellery store. Tiffany blue is not a shade for the faint hearted, so if you’re nervous of adding bold color all over, use it in alcoves or as part of your accent wall ideas instead.  

The trick is to balance out this dynamic hue by teaming it with black or white furniture and a distinctive color, such as red.

17. Give your living room green credentials

(Image credit: Future )

Bringing the outdoors in by having green walls in your home is always a good idea; the nod to nature will create a calm atmosphere however busy the space, so opting for a green living room works just as well as using this shade in a spa-style bathroom. 

Green is also said to inspire creativity and spontaneity, making it the ideal choice for your living room walls.

18. Turn up the heat with yellow

(Image credit: Future / Davide Lovatti)

Sophisticated and inviting, yellow living rooms bring in warmth and a cocooning feel. Its rich, textured caramel tones elevate it from just another brown, making it surprisingly tranquil, particularly in small living rooms. 

Using earthy shades sets off the vibrancy in colors such peony pink, apple green and amethyst purple, but also highlights classic stone and white.

19. Warm a cool room with an autumnal color palette

(Image credit: Little Greene)

Even if you're not on a lazy, far-flung holiday, you can still evoke the feeling of sun-drenched escapism with a burnt orange paint colour. 

Walls painted in terracotta create a bold backdrop for building up layers of interest with a colorful sofa, patterned rug and two-tone accessories.

20. Pick pale pink for warmth and light

(Image credit: Polly Wreford / Claudia Bryant)

A strong trend and so versatile, pink is an easy color to pair with others and works particularly well when used with ochre, green, mulberry, coral or orange. At the stronger end of the palette, fuchsia or ruby are impactful, while the softer tones are ideal for a calming living room.

A room painted pink will look warm and inviting all day long, regardless of how much natural light is present, and at night the same space will be wonderfully cozy.

Try using a pink paint in a North-facing space to warm up that cool light. This beautiful scheme uses a calming color palette of pink and white with bright pops through the choice of accessories.

21. Be enchanted by warm pink

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

It’s inviting, uplifting and effortless to decorate with, so it’s no surprise that pink is now seen as an interiors neutral, working in everything from bohemian living room ideas to vintage inspired schemes, like the one above. But with choices from pastel to bubblegum, the right shade can prove a tricky quest.

There is an unexpected earthiness to a warm pink, recalling the natural landscape, that makes the color a dream companion to other shades. This versatile hue adds freshness when used alongside classic furniture, and impact in a more contemporary setting. Quite simply, it’s a pink for grown-ups.

22. Paint a living room with a heritage red

(Image credit: Simon Griffiths, Hardie Grant)

When designing a living room, warm up the space with a heritage red. No other shade evokes a celebratory mood quite like a rich cranberry red. 

Add a mix of eye-catching and natural elements, such as wooden furniture, bold pattern and accents of black, for a modern take on a traditional palette.

23. Paint a living room recess

(Image credit: Farrow & Ball)

Paint is the perfect way to express your artistic and experimental side. ‘I see people being far more creative with paint these days, doing lovely things, such as painting the inside of a recess a darker shade to give it extra definition,’ says Joa Studholme, colour consultant, Farrow & Ball. ‘Ideas such as these can take as little as 20 minutes and will transform the room.’

The darker shade in the recess allows cherished objects to stand out, while the television successfully blends into the backdrop to create a subtly colorful yet minimalist living room.

24. Contrast living room paint ideas with wallpaper

(Image credit: Studio Peake/Alexander James)

Living room paint ideas are really useful for zoning an open- or broken-plan living room, particularly when used in tandem with wallpaper ideas.

The room above is a case in point – the cozier, darker area used for movie nights is in a color-blocked blue; this color is then picked up in the pretty – but much lighter – wallpaper in the part of the room used for socialising. 

25. Use paint to highlight living room furniture

(Image credit: Future/Jon Day)

Living room paint ideas needn't be limited to the walls – you can use color to quickly transform furniture. 

Even just painting the inside of a display cabinet can introduce a beautiful accent color into your living room scheme, highlighting the beautiful objets you have inside.

26. Make rooms feel larger by color drenching

(Image credit: Crown)

Some believe that decorating with dark living room colors can make spaces feel smaller, however, when used across walls, woodwork and the ceiling they can in fact make a living space feel bigger – this technique is known as color drenching.

‘Painting skirting boards and window frames to match the wall color is a simple but stylish touch for the living room. Not only does this create a contemporary, monochromatic look, but it is also an easy way of creating the illusion of bigger walls, making the whole room appear more spacious,’ explains Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown .

Elegant and sophisticated, color drenching a room in one dark shade can also help the space feel cosy and cocooning. A warm, velvety blue, this Indulgence paint from Crown pairs beautifully with the warmth and texture of a buttoned sofa in rich umber, establishing an elegant look for ceiling paint ideas.

27. Paint the ceiling in a contrasting color

(Image credit: Paper & Paint Library)

If you have a room with high ceilings, why not take the opportunity to make a dramatic statement by painting the ceiling in a contrasting color to the walls? A great look for living room ceiling ideas.

Painting a ceiling in a lighter color to the walls can help lead your eye upwards to give the illusion of height, but is also a brilliant way to highlight architectural features such a beautiful plasterwork as demonstrated in this Georgian room.  

In this space Paper & Paint Library's Grenache on walls and Lady Char's Lilac on the ceiling makes for a striking and playful pairing and is a fun way to channel the lilac  trend. 

'If you want to incorporate lilac into a darker more dramatic interior, consider painting the skirting, wall and cornicing in the same color, with a lighter lilac color on the ceiling to create a feeling of height,' explains Andy Greenall head of design, Paint & Paper Library . 

28. Add grandeur with metallic finishes

(Image credit: Project Phillip Thomas / photograph Michael Mundy)

When it comes to choosing living room paint ideas, it’s not just color that should be considered – the finish can make an impact, too. 

‘I always love a high gloss lacquer finish in a living room, as it adds lightness and luxury to the space,’ explains New York-based interior designer Phillip Thomas . ‘I also enjoy experimenting with metallics, especially on ceiling ideas. A metallic finish on the ceiling can have a truly transformative effect, making your space feel much taller and grander.’

Phillip Thomas explains how color and finishes played am important role in the designs for his sister’s apartment (pictured). ‘There is nothing less than a satin finish on any surface. From having the walls skim-coated throughout, to using metallic finishes on the ceiling in the living room and library, it was about creating a kind of glow in the space,' he says.

The designer also took care to consider the colors used in adjacent rooms to ensure balance throughout, choosing Benjamin Moore's striking dahlia for this living room alongside its equally vibrant Aniline Red in the adjoining library.

28. Lift spirits with orange

(Image credit: Chelsea Townhouse with bespoke paint finish on walls by Kelling Designs)

Being one of the most used rooms in the home it's important that living rooms are happy spaces, and decorating with orange is guaranteed to bring a joyful, uplifting feel.

'A firm Kelling favourite, orange is the new black and looks color with every colour you pair it with, says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director at Kelling Designs . 'It brings in warmth, brightness and an uplifting energy whether you use it on a whole wall or bring in splashes of orange through your accessories.'

If you're considering an all-orange scheme be sure to introduce plenty of texture and variations in tone to prevent the space feeling overpowering. For walls, use paint ideas that combine two tones of oranges and choose a rug with a gentle pattern as done in this scheme by Kelling Designs. 

For upholstery, opt for sculptural shapes in deeper shades of orange to anchor the scheme and choose sumptuous fabrics such as soft velvet or chenille for added texture.

30. Don't be afraid to be bold

(Image credit: Project Phillip Thomas / Photograph Michael Mundy)

When it comes to choosing living room color ideas don't be timid say the experts. 'Stop playing it safe, and choose colors you love and bring you joy,' advises the New York based interior designer Phillip Thomas. 'In one of my favorite living rooms, we used Benjamin Moore's Ladybug Red to create a super vibrant space with a strong personality.' 

Warm and bold, the vibrant red shade helps balance the strong architectural lines of this space, but also makes a wonderful backdrop for patterned fabrics and bold artwork. 

'I also love layer artwork, whether that means creating a gallery wall of prints and photographs, putting a framed painting next to shelves of small sculptures, or creating a dialogue with architectural elements, such as hanging art over a bookshelf or propping it up against a column,' adds Phillip Thomas.

Which color paint is best for a living room?

The best paint color needn't rely on the latest trends. Nor do we have to believe that white walls are the only way to go. A plain and neutral base can indeed be a good starting point from which to build a decorating scheme, but if you ignore the spectrum of colors and patterns available in paint, you could be missing out.  

Be brave and find colors and looks that work for you. Do your research and start collecting together living room pictures you are drawn to in order to find your perfect shades.

There's no denying that gray living rooms are still the most popular mainstream color choice. It has become the neutral of choice, replacing cream and beige for the modern home.

What paint can you use in the living room?

Today’s paints are, in fact, all about practicality. Chalky finishes are less fragile than before, and mattes more wipeable. Pretty much all paints are less smelly than they used to be, and the eco-friendly alternatives now offer a robust covering as well as being socially responsible.

Quite simply, there is something for every surface, every room and every shopper. Some colors do come and go, and sometimes brands appear or disappear from the offering in the big DIY stores, but it’s fair to say that the color choice is still immense. 

And, if you can’t see it on the shelves, have your ideal living room paint ideas mixed for you in whatever finish takes your fancy.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

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.

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:

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.

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 you to create 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:

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.

Learn more