A fresh coat of paint is the best way to add new life to your living room. And while you could stick to the same old white or cream coloured walls, there’s so much fun to be had with a splash of colour. And I’m about to show you why with these beautiful living room paint ideas.
The colour on a wall is so much more than just a colour – it’s the feeling that you and others get when being in that room. So let’s take a quick look at how different colours create different ambience.
Green is the colour of harmony and renewal – it brings new life to your living room.
Grey is not only a popular neutral, but it will also make your small living room feel so much more spacious.
Blue is an all-time favourite colour and, with the calming, stabilising effect it has on your home, it’s no wonder why!
Sand is a timeless favourite, which will work well with neutral furniture and decor.
And black is a bold choice that creates a dramatic effect. Perfect for those who enjoy a strong moody house.
But those aren’t the only options on the market. There are so many more colours and shades to choose from and endless ways to style your walls. To get you started on your decorating journey, I’m sharing my favourite living room paint ideas including colour schemes, feature walls and all-encompassing wall paint. Are you ready to be inspired? Let’s go!
1. Pastel colours
Pastels are increasingly popular for living rooms. They’re a lovely way of adding a tint pretty tint to your room without overwhelming the space. And they make the ideal backdrop for bolder coloured furnishings in complementary tones.
2. Colourful feature wall
Add life to your cosy living room with mix of shades of your favourite colour. Here, a bold orange is combined with a softer pale apricot and then a bright white. This design certainly breaks the boundaries, but I don’t have a problem with it! And if you’re the kind of person who wants to try something new, why not give it a go?
3. Mustard yellow living room
Another popular choice is mustard yellow. If you want to create a space like this, add earthy tones like cream or chocolate and plenty of greenery to complement the softness of the yellow.
4. Blue and white
A soft pale blue like this looks gorgeous with an array of lush houseplants. Choosing white paint for your skirting boards and door frames also looks chic.
5. Pink with grey
A pink feature wall adds so much beauty to this living room. I like how the colour has been broken up by the use of pale grey moulding and the pale grey paint of the balcony. Add potplants for vibrancy and black accents for sophistication.
6. Panelled walls and pastels
Add character to your living room with timber panelled walls. While you can paint them any colour you like, I always think a classic white looks best. And it looks so sophisticated when combined with soft pastel colours like blue and pink. Integrate these touches with a beautiful armchair and a colourful cosy rug.
Try your hand at doing the job yourself or hire a professional painter to make sure it’s done well.
7. Bold blue
If you want to pull out all stops, hold nothing back when you choose a saturated shade of blue like this one. Now admittedly the blue is a bit much so you can complete the space by hanging pictures and prints on your walls in different kinds of frames. Metallics work wonderfully with this shade of blue so introduce them with your coffee table, picture frames and light fittings.
8. Green living room
This is a soothing, peaceful colour. In colour psychology, green is thought to create a sense of serenity. So if you need a little bit of balance in your life, then this just might be the right choice for you!
9. Olive green living room
Green is very hot right now in the home decor space, and an olive green shade sure packs a punch. Pair it with a dark burgundy couch which will look fab against the green walls. When combined, the two colours make a space feel like a trendy winter retreat.
10. Purple
If you want something that’s a little more grown-up than pink yet still feminine, then you can’t go past a violet shade of purple. It gives a striking and elegant feel to any room. And it’s easy to combine with cream, white and grey.
11. Palm print wallpaper
Looking for a fun theme to take your living room to the next level? You’ve got to consider palm wallpaper. Wallpaper with a clear pattern is definitely something that should be left to the professionals because it can be difficult to not only install but also line up the print perfectly. So it’s important to find the right help with your wallpaper installation.
12. Soft blue living room
This rustic living room strikes just the right balance between warmth and cool. The timber flooring and soft white and mint cushions add warmth to the space, while the pastel blue painted walls and throw bring a cool feel.
13. Pretty pink living room
I’ve got to admit, I’m a sucker for all things pink. So I think this is going to be my favourite wall colour. And it works so well with a soft pale grey couch! Meanwhile the dark wooden floating shelves help keep the space from feeling too girly.
Some people love painting and others, well, not so much. If you’re the latter then fear not, because you can get a painter to do all of the endless rolling and cutting in for you.
14. Deep ocean blue
Create a serene living room with the darkest of blue on blue. A dark wall colour, like this one, will make your furniture and decor stand out. Bring in white accents to add light into the space.
15. Eggshell blue
This is a soft and subtle choice for a relaxed living room. Light blue instantly gives your room a coastal feel, adding a sense of peace and calm. Decorate your room with white furniture and pops of blue and one or two other shades (in this case, sunshine yellow and dark red) to complete the design.
16. Colourful
If you want to create a multi-coloured living room with eye-catching pieces of furniture and decor, then it’s important to make a careful choice when it comes to your walls. Choose a colour for your walls that will complement the tones in your furniture.
17. Red walls
Going with red for your walls is sure to make a statement. If you want to play with this much red, ensure you incorporate a variety of textures to stop it looking flat. You could also add in some animal print textiles—these work fantastically well with bold red tones.
18. Grey-blue in a vintage maximalist room
If minimalism is so not your thing, embrace your inner maximalist with a quirky living room like this one. The sleek grey with blue undertones as pictured below is perfect for this space. It brings another dimension to the room while softening all the dark elements.
19. Grey and blue tones
Grey walls will make your living room feel elegant and sophisticated. And there are so many benefits to this colour. Grey makes your living room feel more spacious and it’s so versatile, suiting many different styles. You can keep things simple by sticking to grey and white, or you can experiment with pops of colour and statement pieces.
20. Orange
While this isn’t a very common choice, orange sure adds a lot of fun and warmth to this space. When painting your walls, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to add the same shade to the entire four walls of the room. Instead, you can add one colour to parts of your wall or just one side as a feature wall.
21. Blue hues
How much blue is too much blue? I don’t think there’s a limit! Here, a stunning greyish teal blue which really makes a bold statement, especially with the designer furniture.
22. Jade green
You don’t have to get away for the weekend to relax. All you need to do is create a tranquil oasis in your own home. And the best colour to do this with is green! Add deep green to all of your living room walls or create a standout feature wall like this one. And then decorate your room with greenery and flowers to bring more of the outside world in. Before you know it, you’ll have your own peaceful space.
23. Choose sunny yellow
If you’re looking for a colour that will brighten up your living room, then you simply can’t go past yellow. It will completely transform your space, making it inviting and warm. And if you want to create detail, leave the bottom part of your wall white. This will break up the yellow and add a sophisticated touch.
24. Grey wall
Create an elegant adults-only living room by adding plenty of grey. While you can combine colour with grey, it’s also very effective on its own or with touches of white.
If you like grey but maybe this darker approach doesn’t tickle your fancy, here are more grey living room ideas for you to be inspired by.
25. Lime green walls
Lime green certainly isn’t a common choice for living room paint but it adds another dimension to this room, making it a little bit edgy. The green works in this space because the rest of the room is fairly neutral, with the grey couch and some complementary greenery.
26. Dark wall living room
Make your living room feel Frenchy chic with a dark colour choice. Popular options include navy, dark green or even black. I like how this design offsets the dark with a clean, white roof and a gorgeous ornate mirror.
27. Bird wallpaper
If you want to create a vintage living room, why not consider a quirky wallpaper like a bird-print design? Team it up with patterns and textures for a maximalist look, or keep it simple with white or timber furniture.
28. Sand
This is a traditional choice that will make for a very sophisticated living room. The good thing about sandy tones is that they are so versatile. You can layer on other neutrals or you can choose pops of colour like yellow, pink, orange and blue, and decorate with furniture and hanging wall prints.
29. Deliver a wow with wallpaper
Dramatic wallpaper is a brave choice and definitely not everybody’s cup of tea. But if you’re wanting to challenge the status quo and go for something unique, then this might just be the option for you. Combine it with a solid colour feature wall.
30. Wood panels
Set the foundation for a warm theme in your living room by applying wooden panels to your walls. This is such an easy base that you can build on with neutral colours like grey, brown and black. And combined with warm colours and neutrals, this makes for a really cosy space. You’ll still have to finish the timber with a coat of sealer, but this is a fairly low maintenance option.
31. Black
Now, this isn’t the most obvious colour choice for a living room, but that’s what can make it so appealing. A living room with four black walls (and a black ceiling) is dramatic and totally unexpected. Black can help to bring attention to architectural details in your walls, and can also highlight furniture which pops against the dark backdrop.
If you have a large window or glass door that allows a lot of sunlight into your living room, black walls can help to balance out the glare. A black living room is sure to make a bold statement that will form the centre point of your home.
Well, that’s the round-up done! 30+ lovely paint and colour theme ideas for your living room.
Now it’s over to you. Which style are you going to choose? Are you going to go with something bright and fun like a yellow, orange or pink wall? Or are you going to choose dark and moody with a navy, green or timber living room? Or maybe you’re going to draw completely outside the lines and choose something patterned or multicoloured?
The great thing about your walls is that you can dress them up again and again! You can always choose a colour now and change it in a few years’ time as your style evolves. Or you can dip your toe in the water by starting with a fancy feature wall. Whatever you do, I want to hear about it. Comment and tell me what fabulous paint choice you’re going to choose for your living room.
