Wall color ideas for living rooms

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

$49 AT AMAZON

Most Unexpected

KILZ

Crimson Velvet

Amazon

$53 AT AMAZON

Best Neutral

Farrow & Ball

Hay

Farrow & Ball

$120 AT FARROW & BALL

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.

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.

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.

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. 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:

• General color palette
• Choice of wall color depends on lighting
• The lighter the color, the more spacious the room appears
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Colors for a small living room

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

• Light colors are preferred for small rooms

• Decorative elements add bright colors to the interior

• Mirrors and reflective elements help visually increase the area

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

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

Each room in the house has its own function and should be as comfortable as possible to stay in it. Spend a lot of time in the living room. The color of the walls should be pleasing to the eye and not cause an annoying effect. nine0003

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. nine0003

The choice of colors depending on the cardinal direction

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

Colors help make the living room more comfortable.

• In a room facing north, there is usually a feeling of lack of sunlight and warmth . Therefore, the color of the living room in this case should be warm, soft, cozy. Usually it is a beige palette, muted shades of green combined with natural woody, chocolate scale with terracotta and yellow notes.
• The color of the room with windows facing south can be cooler - blue, gray, white and turquoise . But these tones do not seem cozy to many, so they are often changed to a neutral range - barely noticeable cream, milky, gray-blue and white-sky. nine0012
• The northwest and northeast rooms can be different. To determine in what shade to decorate such a room, it is worth watching. If there is no time, you can choose combined solutions - paint the wall where the rays of the sun fall in light cool colors, and the opposite one - in the shade - on the contrary, in the sunny palette. Then it will seem that there is still more sunlight in the room than there really is. To make the effect more noticeable, choose bright colors of warm colors for accents - they will look as if sunlight is also falling on them. nine0012
• More comfortable rooms - southwest and southeast . Here the sun's rays look more, respectively, they warm the room and make it bright. For a hall in an apartment with such an arrangement, any shades and their combinations are suitable.

Combination of finishes and furniture

The choice of color for the living room and its furnishings is usually based on simple rules of harmony. And in this matter, it is not so important what the chosen shade for the walls will be - it is important to find an aesthetic combination. nine0003

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. nine0003

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 figures inscribed in it - triangles, squares or rectangles - depending on how many shades are needed for decoration. nine0003

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. nine0003

Of course, no adviser 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.

Neutral nature of pastel shades

A living room in pastel shades is a versatile solution for any style project. 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. nine0003

This palette has both warm and cool tones:

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

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

Living room in warm colors

It is obvious that warm colors in the interior of the hall form a completely unambiguous atmosphere - cozy and pleasant. Lighter shades are quite sophisticated, but saturated ones are homely and emotional. nine0003

• The lightest and most neutral cream tones are a sophisticated option for decorating rooms in classic, modern, technological and solemn - a variety of styles . Close to white, this color looks unobtrusive and elegant. Together with gilding, it can be used in a classic majestic interior, and with the inclusion of bright colors of the "acid" palette - in the hi-tech direction.
• Living room in cream tones - an elegant option for discreet classics, laconic minimalism, a cozy interpretation of high-tech style . This is a universal color from the beige range, which is easily combined with different shades - deep, bright, dark.
• Living room in peach tones - a richer interior in which it is easy to create a special atmosphere . Summer aromas and a light atmosphere are literally in the air here, so you should choose the appropriate solutions for decoration. Peach color in the interior of the living room helps to decorate the room romantically, gently, unobtrusively. It easily fits into the directions with a rustic character, where natural white textiles, simple wooden furniture, wicker sets are also appropriate. nine0012
• Terracotta color in the interior of the living room is a rather bold decision . Of course, this is the natural color of a traditional brick, but it is distinguished by its brightness and saturation, so the terracotta shade cannot fill the entire room. And if it was chosen for painting a large area, but even the hinged shelves will be lighter and weightless.

A living room in warm tones can be either red - extravagant, or brown - in a natural, rather saturated color of natural wood. Against such a background, elegant details in a peach shade, in a white and beige palette, as well as green, blue, and pink decor are harmoniously used. nine0003

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. nine0003

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. nine0003

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 saturated background, you can find a lot of interesting solutions:0339 . This is a standard solution for the loft style, as well as for many industrial, urban, ultra-modern areas in which there is a lot of metal, concrete, glass.

• The interior of the living room in dark colors is often made in chocolate tones . Such design can be implemented both in modern style and in classicism.

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 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. 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:

• 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. nine0012
• 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. nine0012

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.

• 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. nine0012
• Granite gray or slate grey-beige - 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. nine0003

The most common option is, of course, wallpaper.

The choice of such 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. nine0012
• When choosing a base coat 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.

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.

• 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. nine0012
• 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 the dining room, and not just the 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. nine0012
• A comfortable color scheme 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.

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