Whether you are re-painting, renovating or redecorating your living room, the colour scheme you choose will set the tone of your home. From bold and bright to soft and subtle, it’s important to choose colours that match the atmosphere and mood you want to create. The living room is where friends and family gather to relax, eat, chat, read, watch TV–the list goes on. Which colour is best for the living room depends on the mood you want to create and establish, whether that’s a relaxed vibe, a traditional feel, or cosy atmosphere.
From the latest living room colours to timeless classics, we’ll walk through some of the best colour schemes for living rooms.
Contemporary Colours for the Living Room
Stuck for living room colour ideas? From bright yellow to charcoal, the right colours in your living room can help you create a warm and relaxing space. Think–do you want a bold living room that makes a statement, or a understated space to relax? The colour palette you choose can transform your living room entirely. Whether you’re shaking things up with more colourful home decor, buying a new couch or repainting, the colours in your home can show your unique taste and personality–here are our top choices.
Neutral Tones
Neutral colours, like off-white, cream, beige and grey are common living room colours. Don’t think of these shades as boring, but as timeless, traditional and versatile shades. Natural tones evoke an effortless chic look and encourage relaxation, tranquility and comfort at home.
Beige
Warm and welcoming, beige goes a long way in creating a cosy, relaxed atmosphere. Paired with light or dark wooden tones, beige is a versatile and timeless shade that you can combine with practically any colour.
Timeless Grey
Keep it subtle and timeless with grey. Modern, minimal and easy to style, grey is a great choice of colour for your walls, couch, rugs and throws. Mix in with natural wood and beige tones for a relaxing, minimalist look. For a splash of colour, pair grey with sage or forest green.
Charcoal
Charcoal is effortlessly stylish and elegant, and perfect for an industrial interior design style. It’s versatile and makes a great bold accent colour.
Since this shade is on the darker side, charcoal walls works best in large, open and light-filled living rooms. For smaller spaces, go for a charcoal sofa, rug or armchair. Pair with white, wood, muted blue or earthy tones like mustard yellow or terracotta for a splash of colour.
All White
If you’re going for a minimalist interior style, white is your new best friend. From exposed brick walls painted white to all white furniture, you’ll have plenty of room to get creative with your decor. For light, minimal space, pair light wooden furniture and a marble coffee table with light grey, sky blue, sage or neutral details.
Natural Greens
Green isn’t just for the outdoors. From dark forest green and olive green to sage, green shades go a long way in making your home feel balanced and tranquil.
Sage Green
Go for sage for a soft, nature-inspired look. This delicate, subtle shade will bring a sense of calm to your living room, especially when paired with timber, neutrals like cream and beige tones and white. For a striking accent, pair with a darker shade of green, like forest green.
Forest Green
Dark and moody, forest green works best for larger spaces. Pair with sage for a subtle contrast, or complement the room with burnt orange, berry red, blush pink or mustard yellow for a bold look.
Cool Blues
Tranquil, relaxing or bold and bright–blue can transform your living room. Whether you’re after a coastal vibe, country style home or a bold look, blue is your go-to.
Sky Blue
Whether you cover your walls in a light sky blue or opt for soft blue details in your neutral space, this shade of blue will do wonders for your home. Calming, subtle and versatile, sky blue is perfect for small living rooms and looks gorgeous paired with white, pink, grey, neutrals and gold.
Coastal Blue and White
Dreaming of a seaside cottage? Create your own, no matter where you live. Blue and white is a classic choice for the living room, paired with light wooden furniture, woven baskets, red accents and grey details.
Navy
If you’re looking for something a littler darker, navy is your best bet. It’s bold but versatile and makes for a classy, elegant living room. Navy looks best paired with lighter blue hues, white and blush pink. If you have a large living room, paint the walls navy and make a bold statement with a blush pink sofa, or make a statement with a navy blue sofa against a neutral backdrop.
Warm, Earthy Shades
Colours like burnt orange, pumpkin, rose, coral, terracotta and mustard yellow add a heap of character to your home. Warm, earthy tones are bright, vibrant and warm, perfect for a dynamic household.
Terracotta
From terracotta home decor to terracotta walls, this is a unique colour that will add a calming, earthy feel to your home. Pair with shades of white, cream, red and mustard yellow. Keep the natural look with timber and cane and rattan pieces and woven jute rugs.
Mustard Yellow
It’s bold, but beautiful. Yellow symbolises happiness, joy, energy and optimism–it is associated with the sun, after all. Yellow looks great in spaces with a lot of natural light, paired with warm-toned, light wooden furniture. Pair with neutrals to keep things light, or create a bold accent with forest green or charcoal.
Pastels
No matter what colours you choose, a pastel living room will make a big impression. From lilac and mint to peach and millennial pink, you mix and match pastels with each other to make a statement. Modern and on-trend, pastels can make your home feel like a dream.
