When it comes to living room colors for living room decor, there are three main approaches.
First, you can go by wall color.
Second, you can go by floor color which contributes to the overall color of a room (although wall color has a much stronger influence to overall color scheme.
Third, you can go by the “overall” color which is based on all design elements and you choose by what you consider the dominant color. Obviously, this is the least precise approach.
This comprehensive article covers every aspect of living room colors and includes two galleries, one showcasing color scheme combinations and the other unique colors and patterns.
Related: Multi-Colored Living Room Ideas | Red and Black Living Room Ideas | Orange and Gray Living Room Ideas | Black and White Living Room Décor Ideas
25 Colors Compared in the Same Living Room
Our color analysis compares 17 colors in the same living room. We took a living room photo and changed the wall color so that you can get a quick glimpse of how different colors look compared to one another.
Living Room Color Examples
1. Pink Living Rooms
The color pink isn’t for everyone, but it also isn’t strictly for a woman’s home (remember, it was initially considered masculine). Although pink isn’t typically a “go-to” choice for many people when considering their living room color ideas, it’s not a color to ignore.
Like most paint colors, shades of pink can range from light with just a touch of pink to deep, dark pink. The color pink can be attractive in nearly any size or design of a living room, but you may want to consider the size of the room when you choose an all-over shade of pink.
If you have a small living room, sticking with a lighter color (a light pink, in this case) will help make the room look and feel larger. Larger living rooms can benefit from darker colors , making the space more comfortable and welcoming.
Whether you’re planning for an all-over pink or just using pink accents throughout your living room, colors complimenting pink can also make it stand out a bit more in the home decor.
See all pink living rooms here.
2. Beige Living Rooms
Much like white, beige is a popular “go-to” color when homeowners are trying to choose a neutral color for their living room. While beige is often avoided because it seems a little drab or old-fashioned, it’s a tone that works well with most living room sizes and designs.
This is why beige is a pretty popular living room wall color , and that’s because many colors go well with it, which helps with furniture selection, flooring color, ceiling color , and the other decor elements you place in your living room. A perfect blend of brown and white, beige is a color that works well in many living room designs from Asian and Mediterranean to Contemporary.
See all beige living rooms here.
3. Gray Living Rooms
Gray is a conservative color. It’s a neutral color which makes for a sound choice because it works with so many other colors that you might incorporate such as blue, orange, yellow, white, black, etc. It’s been called a “compromise color” because it sits between two non-colors (black and white), creating a sense of calm.
Calm isn’t an inadequate emotional response for a living room color. While the psychology of classic gray may come across as being negative, it isn’t at all.
What gray walls do is create a neutral background within which you can bring your living room to life without being overwhelming. It’s no surprise to me that it’s the third most popular living room color these days.
See all gray living rooms here.
4. Orange Living Rooms
Selecting orange as a dominant color in your living room may seem a little bold and maybe even a little tacky if you think of the use of orange in living rooms in the 1970s. Today, the color orange and all of its different shades look attractive and inviting in all styles of living rooms.
If you want to make orange a dominant color in your living room, you may want to balance it out with other colors that work well with orange. For example, gray, brown, and olive look best with a light orange, while cherry or a pale yellow can look great with a dark orange. Blue, lilac, and cyan look striking with a shade of classic orange.
See all orange living rooms here.
5. White Living Rooms
A white-on-white can never go wrong. But too much white would make you feel you’re in a hospital room, right? How to avoid that? Mix an array of textures.
Why not try having a nubby rug and a crocheted throw sofa made out of rough linen to have a monochromatic look or style? I know plain white living rooms can be dull. That is why we give you these tips on how to spice up the part of your home where you let your guests in (most of the time) and where you throw yourself in when you get home from work.
We may think that we need the help of a professional interior designer to make our homes beautiful but I tell you, your creativity is already enough to achieve that white modern living room with a kick.
See all white living rooms here.
6. Black Living Rooms
Black is a powerful color that represents sophistication, elegance, and style. It’s a classic color that many homeowners use for accenting throughout a living room. If you’ve considered incorporating more black in your living room, there are ways to do it without making it feel like you’re trying to darken out any light.
See all black living rooms here.
7. Red Living Rooms
If red is your favorite color, you probably don’t think twice about using it throughout your home and in your living room. The color red may mean different things to different people, but it can generally represent power, energy, strength, love, celebration, and luck.
Although red is often associated with danger and other negative feelings, it is meant to have positive associations in interior design. While red can definitely be positive, it’s dynamic and stands out, so you need to decide how to use the bold color in your living room.
See all red living rooms here.
8. Yellow Living Rooms
If your living room has had white or walls in a neutral shade for years, it might be time to add a little color to your walls. If you’ve had dark walls for a long time, you might be looking for a color that lightens things up but isn’t as drastic as white; yellow is a great option.
Yellow represents joy, happiness, hope, and mental clarity. Although yellow also has negative associations, such as jealousy or warning, yellow has positive associations in interior design.
See all yellow living rooms here.
9. Purple Living Rooms
Even if you don’t see a lot of living room styles that use purple as a dominant color, it doesn’t mean you can’t use it in your preferred design. While purple is more likely to complement designs like Victorian, Eclectic, or Contemporary, there’s no reason you can’t try to make it work in other designs.
If you’re living room is small, you may want to use a lighter shade of purple. This can make the room feel bigger (you can also paint one wall as an accent wall). Darker shades of purple may work best in larger living rooms, especially if you want to make the room feel more comfortable and cozy.
See all purple living rooms here.
10. Blue Living Rooms
As you browse our Blue Living Room Gallery, you’ll notice that blue is a prominent color in all sizes and styles of living rooms. The color blue represents peace, unity, trust, security, cleanliness, and stability.
While blue can also represent sadness, blue has positive associations with interior design. The color blue is often associated with masculinity and protection, which can make it a traditional color for “man caves,” but different shades of the cool and calm hue can make a living room more feminine or even gender-neutral.
See all blue living rooms here.
11. Green Living Rooms
Green can look attractive and welcoming, especially when you use colors that complement it. Shades of brown, yellow, gray, cream, black, and white look best with green , but don’t let these colors stop you from trying your color combinations.
The meaning of the color green is diverse, as the living room designs use green as a dominant design color. Lighter shades of green are often associated with nature, vitality, and growth, while darker shades of green symbolize wealth and abundance. Despite how the shades of green are used traditionally, you can choose whichever shade you prefer, regardless of the style design.
See all green living rooms here.
12. Brown Living Rooms
Before you are quick to pass on the color brown, think about what it represents. The color brown represents wholesomeness, stability, durability, honesty, and simplicity; what better words to describe a living room that makes one feel welcome and comfortable?
The color brown may not be the first color that comes to mind as you design your living room, but it’s more versatile than you think. In the 1970s, “Earth-tone” color schemes were popular in living rooms, and even though the popularity died down for a few decades, brown is a dominant color in many of today’s living room designs.
See all brown living rooms here.
24 Living Room Color Scheme Ideas
The final visual component of our analysis breaks down the colors for 23 different living room designs. Check it out.
1. Olive, White and Wood Living Room Color Scheme
Source: Wayfair
Large living room featuring green walls and white seats. The room has hardwood flooring topped by an area rug.
Give your living room a touch of earthen colors with this color scheme featuring familiar colors of greys, browns, greens, browns, whites, and yellow.
A majority of the walls are done in a good blend of clover and finch green similar to olives, with a dash of off-white/grey colors to accent corners. Top this room with white/brown/green furnishings to give it that earthy feel.
2. Blue, Grey and Light Brown
Large living room featuring classy seats, a fancy area rug, and gorgeous ceiling lighting, surrounded by blue walls.
A living room featuring cozy seats and a stylish area rug covering the hardwood flooring. Gray walls surround this living room.
Combine grey, blue , and browns to give your room a relaxing aura, as the colors give a nice touch of elegance and calmness. Use white or grey paint and pillow furnishings to accent your ceiling and key corners while the entire walls are in calming rock/river blue or grey colors. It will remind you of the sea at night.
3. Grey, Brown and Green
Source: Wayfair
This living room features a gray sofa with white bookshelves at the back. The room is surrounded by gray walls.
Want the light to dance around your living room , even at night? Try playing with a grey, brown , and green color scheme throughout the room. Use light greys for the walls and the sofa.
You can use brown-colored furnishings and home accents for highlights. You can even add a green ornament to complete the living room feel.
4. Creamy Brown with Green Accents
This living room features comfortable seats, a stone fireplace with a large widescreen TV on top. The room has a tall ceiling.
Large living room featuring hardwood floors and cream walls. It has nice seats and a fireplace with a large TV on top.
Using creamy brown colors and other light brown blends works well in living rooms with high ceilings and windows. These colors would give more light to your room and make it look larger. Use green upholstery to add more color to your room.
5. Black, Brown and Yellow
Source: Wayfair
A living room featuring black leather seats and a stylish table cabinet at the back.
Give your living room a modern and luxurious feel with the use of a black, brown and yellow color scheme. Use a yellow palette scheme for the walls to give emphasis on the lighter feel of the room. Balance it with brown and black furniture and fixtures to modernize it.
6. Country Brown and White
Spacious living room featuring a brown theme with a white accent. It features a classy fireplace and bookshelves.
Large living room featuring a strong wood tone all over the place. The room offers comfy seats and a large fireplace.
Want to give your living room a country aura? Play with a light brown- cream wall color to provide a softer ambiance. Use dark brown – mostly wooden ornate and floors – to give it a country feel. Use light-colored furniture or furnishings to balance out the wooden brown fixtures.
7. Blue, White and Violet
Source: Wayfair
Large living space featuring white cabinetry on the side and a set of comfy seats. There’s a dining table set on the side as well.
Violet and blues are very relaxing for the eyes and can relax people the longer they are in a room with such colors. Blend blues and violets with white furnishings to emphasize a stress-relief and light-filled living room for you and your guests.
8. Wooden Brown and Earth Tones
Source: Wayfair
This living room features a wood tone. The room offers cozy seats and a classy area rug.
If you want to give your living room an antique feeling, why not play with both dark and light shades of brown? Use light brown colors for your walls and accentuate them with dark brown furniture and pieces.
9. Rustic Red and Grey
Source: Wayfair
Spacious living space features rustic red walls, white shelves, and gray seats.
Although red can boost appetite and even bring out other emotions, using subtle and more rustic blends of red and combining it with grey would neutralize those emotions and, instead, calm you as you gaze around the room. It also works great in providing natural lighting ambiance.
10. Grey and Violet
Source: Wayfair
This living room features hardwood flooring and gray walls. It offers a long L-shaped sofa along with gray seats and a fireplace.
Combine the modern design with a bit of luxury using this color scheme. Use darker shades of violet or grey for the curtains or the furniture while using lighter shades of violet or grey for the walls and the ceiling.
11. Red, Orange and Grey
Small living space featuring red walls and cozy seats set on the white area rug.
A small living space featuring modish seats with a large widescreen TV in front.
Give life and light in your living room by combining rich shades of red or orange on the walls with lighter shades of grey for your ceiling and furnishings. These colors would light up your conversations quite well and still relax you as you bond with family and friends.
12. Brown and Grey
Large living room featuring hardwood flooring and cozy seats. It has a fireplace as well.
Spacious living room featuring a ceiling with beams and a pair of bookshelves on both sides of the door.
Large living room featuring hardwood flooring and cozy seats. It has a fireplace as well.
13. Yellow, Orange and Brown
A closer look at this living room’s modern L-shaped sofa set with a fireplace and built-in shelves on the side.
Another look of this living room featuring a fireplace in the corner, an L-shaped sofa , and built-in bookshelves.
Use a nice shade of muted yellow for your walls to make your living room somehow expand in size, as the colors allow more light to dance around. Use orange and brown accents – from the floor to fixtures- to add to your living room’s inviting aura.
14. Green, Brown and Grey
A close-up look at this living room’s couch set on the gray rug covering the hardwood flooring.
This living room features a couch, a gray area rug, and a fireplace, along with wall lights.
Lighter earth tones work well in open living rooms such as the one above. Use a lighter shade of green or olive tone for your walls , then highlight it with light brown flooring and grey furnishings.
15. Lush Violet, Dark Grey, White/Grey and Light Yellow
This living space features a purple L-shaped sofa and a center table on the gray rug covering the hardwood flooring.
A close-up look at the living space’s yellow chair and classy window curtains.
If you have a lot of natural lighting, accentuate it with white or grey wall paint to allow more light to flow in the room. Highlight key areas in your room with rich colors such as lush violet furnishings, dark grey/black curtains, and something vibrant like a light yellow furnishing.
16. Grey and Green
Large living room featuring brown leather seats that look so comfortable.
Is your living room close to the doors of your backyard or front lawn? It would be great to use a rich green color for the walls. Accentuate this jungle and outdoor feel with brown furniture and grey ceilings.
17. Violet and Grey
Spacious and bright living room featuring a white and purple color scheme. The white and purple window curtains look so stunning.
Combine light grey/white walls with violet accents to make your room as regal as you want to feel when you get home. Not only do these colors supplement the calming effect of violet, but it also gives a clean and elegant feel to your living room.
18. Mute Grey, Violet, White and Brown
Large living area featuring white walls and a white tall ceiling. It also offers a white L-shaped sofa and a glass top center table.
White living space featuring a white L-shaped sofa set in front of a wooden fireplace.
If you live in a place that is close to the sea, it’s best to mimic the calming effects in your living room. Use muted grey and white for your walls and top it with brown and violet accents to give color to your all-white/grey room.
19. Deep Brown and Cream Brown
This living room features brown seats and cream walls. The home features a tall ceiling with exposed beams as well.
Give your living room a welcoming feeling by blending deep brown and creamy brown color in your room. Use a cream brown coat for your walls and deep brown furnishings to get that rustic/country feeling for your living room.
20. Brown Living Room Color Scheme
Spacious living room featuring hardwood flooring, classy seats , and a fireplace, surrounded by brown walls.
Play with different brown blends for your living room – from your walls to your floors – as it can calm your mind and give a homey feel. Use a darker shade of brown for your flooring and compliment it with light brown wall blends. Accentuate it with creams and even white to blend with your living room.
21. White, Grey and Brown
A bright and warm living space featuring modern seats, a rustic center table set on an area rug, and a fireplace.
Spacious modish living space features a white couch, pair of black seats , and a fireplace.
If you want a classic but welcoming look for your living room, play with whites, browns, and greys. Going for a classic look for your living room makes it look homey for others. It also reflects a clean, modern look to your visitors.
22. White and Brown
Large great room boasting elegant brown seats and a ceiling with skylight. White walls surround the room.
Want something modern and yet a classic feel for your living room? Try out this color scheme. Similar to number 21, brown furnishings for your sofa and cushions, while your tables and other furniture are in deep black or marble grey.
23. Grey, White, and Brown
This living room offers rustic pillars, hardwood floors, and a ceiling with exposed beams.
Use lighter blends of grey, white , and brown for your living room if your living room combines wood and marble materials for your walls and accents. Use white paint for your walls and ceilings, and allow browns and greys to accentuate the fixtures and other parts of your room , like the stairs and house foundations.
24. Zebra
A living room boasting classy white and black seats , a pair of handsome-looking ottomans, and a zebra rug.
Color palette software used (with thanks): Tineye (used with permission).
Examples of Living Rooms with Each Color
Beige Living Room Walls in the Traditional Style
Beige is a warm-toned color that works great to accentuate and complement similarly toned neutral colors. Perfect as a base color for modern, minimalist, or contemporary living spaces, beige is a color that exudes elegance.
Adding pops of crisp white color and using warm-toned metal décor ties the look together in a cohesive, subtly-tied fashion. Note how the creamy white painted fireplace adds sparkle and depth to this room and works to accent the main beige color scheme.
Painting your walls beige will create a soft and soothing living space that you can further accentuate with contrasting throw pillows and modern design elements. Play with lighter and darker shades and assorted textural elements to create a multifaceted, layered look that looks effortlessly cool.
An Eclectic Style Living Room with Cheery Orange Walls
Bright, juicy, refreshing orange! Orange is a wonderful way to add punchy cheerfulness to a room. The key to pulling off a living room with orange walls is to employ restraint with the other color choices you make.
Notice in this picture how fresh white accents are used to punctuate and break up the brightness of the orange color to keep it from being overwhelmingly bold and in your face. The use of the color white is carried over to the chairs on the right, which feature a black print that contrasts well with the vivid orange hue.
In keeping with the springy theme, the black print is of flowers. The wall and its vivacious color are the focal points of this room. Quietly elegant accessories in a palette of muted colors offset the brightness of the orange.
Warm brown tones found in solid colored lamp shades and a richly upholstered sofa are judiciously and wisely used to pull this room together in all of its delightfully eclectic glory.
Transitional Living Room Style with Multicolored Walls
A multicolored wall is an opportunity within itself to bathe an ordinary room in copious amounts of beautiful colors. The liberal use of color livens up living room spaces and creates a sizeable impact.
Multicolored walls are bold expressions of color. In keeping with the bold theme, complementary bold colors are found throughout the room pictured above. Note how the richly upholstered jewel-tone fuchsia seats perfectly pick up the pink on the multicolored walls.
A painting to the far right has just the right amount of yellow to perfectly complement the yellow pillow and lesser amounts of yellow color on the wall. This room is transitional done right and is a study in balance, form, and carefully applied eclectic practices that offer a dazzling display of colors and textures to please the eye.
Mid-Sized Contemporary Living Room with Blue Walls
Blue is an exceedingly popular paint choice for living room walls. Whether icy blue, powder blue, navy blue, or even true blue, this cool watery hue is a tried and true classic with true versatility.
When paired with crisp white accents, blue takes on a beautiful formality and becomes almost regal in nature. Look at the way the white brings out the vividness of the blue on the walls and how that wall paint serves to enhance the blueness of the gorgeous china vases.
The lipstick red upholstered chairs are a fantastic addition to this color and scheme and keep the room from being overwhelmingly cool-hued with and heavy-handedly blue. With the addition of warm-hued red, the monotony of the blue and white scheme is broken up in a visually appealing and beautifully unexpected way.
The classic pairing of red and white with the blues found in the room are tied cohesively together with the consistent application of polished dark brown wood.
Traditional Living Room with Asian Elements and Green Walls
Softly muted green wall paint is accented by lush green foliage, a natural jute rug, and Eastern paintings for a look that is suggestively Asian. The vivid leaves of the tree work to strengthen the muted hue of the wall paint, and the images further add to the natural aspect. The fibers in the jute rug are a lovely accent and bring textural cohesion to the walls, trees, and paintings.
Contemporary Living Room with Purple Walls
In this living room, purple is used as a statement color. The gorgeous hue of deep dark purple is crisscrossed in fun pink geometric lines and accented by punchy orange seating for a fun and cheerful environment.
Transitional Living Room with Asian Elements and Pink Walls
Carnation pink colored wall hangings give this living room bold, unique color, and a freshly feminine cheer. The teal, purple, and darker pink throw pillows add continuity throughout the room, and the silk fabric provides a luxuriant feel.
The Asian-themed vase on the coffee table is an unexpected design touch that works nicely with the general look and feel of the room. Toward the back, the Asian theme remains consistent with an ornate vase filled with fresh pink orchids. The bold red couch ties together the Asian elements perfectly.
Modern Living Room with White Walls
Crisp white paint offers a clean, refreshing, relaxing, and pleasing look. A muted color palette and assorted textures add depth and complexity to the room.
Note how white opens the room and lends itself perfectly to the expansive glass windows, adding to the airy feel. A woven rug, abstract paintings, and a black leather chair provide interest, small pops of contrasting color, and cohesion.
Transitional Living Room with Red Walls
This living room is filled with rich textures, fabrics, and color. One wall is painted in a creamy vanilla tone, which matches the color in the vanilla and red paisley chair. Fresh white accents interspersed throughout tie together the assorted colors, brown leather, Oriental rug, and paisley designs.
The red brick wall is perfectly executed. The muted tone of the brick red is just strong enough to pick up the red of the oriental carpet and in the paisley chair without being over the top or overwhelming.
The incorporation of white color within the red wall tones down the overall look and feel. The plush avocado green chairs serve as a beautiful contrast color.
Modern Living Room with Gray Walls
Cool gray adorns the walls of this living room. A couch in a slightly darker shade of gray adds monochromatic interest. The sliding barnyard door in the bright shade of red makes the gray color scheme in this living room work very well.
The black trim on the rail and handles provide contrast. The gorgeous polished wood coffee table anchors the room nicely for a clean, modern aesthetic.
Eclectic Living Room with Mid-Century Components and Black Walls
Black wall paint is an unexpected and unique color for living rooms. In this picture, the black walls perfectly counterbalance and offset the multiple bright color choices throughout the room.
Bright colors are a consistent theme, from the carpet to the chairs to the cushions, and even the books. The black acts as an anchor and brings the multitude of bright colors together strongly and quietly subtly.
Traditional Living Room with Slight Craftsman Elements and Brown Walls
Classic brown tones are warm, regal, and handsome. Corresponding warm-hued tones are used throughout the decoration of this room. Note the gorgeous patina of the leather couch and the use of mixed woods throughout the room.
Different textures, colors, and antique decorations give this room a carefully curated feel that is luxuriant and abundant. The marble accents frame the fireplace beautifully, creating a visual focal point that nicely anchors the room.
Photo Gallery of Unique Living Room Color-Wise
This room has a light and cool color palette, with a few pieces of furniture bringing dark rich wooden tones to contrast. Some of the patterns have hits of green, but mostly the palette for this room is blue, blue-silver and white.
This simple, modern design has a bright and cool color scheme. The lighter wood tones and the cool blues are slightly contrasted by dark and dull grays, but it maintains a clean and simple look.
This room features an understated cream palette with orange accents. The orange brings a glowing warmth to the creams and off-whites, giving a warm-lit and cozy illuminated look.
See more of this home here. Designed by Crosby Pye
This room uses a number of different shades and hues of green to create a great deal of depth and a dynamic feel with using only a few colors. While there are mostly shades of green, they are all somewhat faded or dusty.
This room sides on the cooler shades. The grays work well with the cool blues and purples. The natural wood colors of the ceiling and the floor show that the wood tones can go with almost any color scheme.
See more of this home here. Designed by Bates Masi
This room has a darker black and off-white backdrop for warmer-colored furnishings. The room is almost divided by the color theme. One side is covered in a deeper red, while the other has a good splash of yellow.
This room has a simple grey, brick, and natural wood palette. To spice up this palette, there are a variety of colorful throw pillows with several patterns and colors. A simple color scheme can bring a great deal of life to it by something as simple as a colorful accent pillow.
See more of this home here. Designed by Garza Camisay Architects
This is a simple and clean color scheme. All of the natural tones, browns, creams, and off-whites are accentuated by the warm and soft lighting.
This is a darker version of a natural earth-tone room. Many natural wood colors and browns are accented by a few small pieces that add some colors.
See more of this home here. Designed by Angelica Henry Design
This room is a super simple and pretty color design. The rich purples, along with the monochrome of the rest of the room, make a very planned and intentional look. It is spotless and makes an impact.
This is a fantastic light, bright and clean design. The whites and light grays are brought to life with a theme of pale blues. This creates a relaxed and upscale, and calming atmosphere.
See more of this home here. Designed by DKOR Interiors
A colorful carpet and pillows give this simple room a fun aesthetic.
See more of this home here. Designed by Mcloed Bovell
A sofa and lamps stand out in this mostly white room. A sofa is a great place to add color and a great deal of depth and appeal.
A single accent wall can add great visual interest to a room. The pale purple wall brings brightness and life to a mainly monochrome design.
See more of this home here. Designed by Ippolito Fleitz Group
This living room uses an interesting piece of art to pull a color palette. All the colors that may otherwise not connect, are all together in the painting and then make them all tie together.
Black and yellow walls back stark white furnishings. This is a bold and interesting color scheme that has a great deal of visual appeal.
This room uses a piece of art to accentuate the bright color palette in this living room. The green marble fireplace is an interesting piece that ties together the color scheme.
See more of this home here. Designed by Boom town
This living room has several whites and grays with the accent of yellow to bring a deal of vibrance. Monochrome rooms are great and classic places for a single color to stand out.
This sleek and modern design uses simple and toned-down colors. This room is welcoming even without the flash and vibrance of brighter colors.
There is a good use of reflective surfaces and gold to build a luxurious living room.
See more of this home here. Designed by Jerry Jacobs Design
A very toned-down and cozy earth-tone palette is brightened up but the lighter furniture. The natural wood tones and the sleek design are a welcoming and comfortable environment.
This modern living room uses a vibrant accent wall and unique colored pillows to contrast with the monochromatic space.
See more of this home here. Designed by Sa.ne Studio
This living room is mostly white, with a splash of black for some contrast. The green-tinted mirrors bring some exciting color to an otherwise simple design.
This fun and vibrant room uses blue and orange to play off each other to create an energetic and joyous space. Blue and orange are complementary colors, which are always good together.
See more of this home here. Designed by +Modern Design
This modern and simplistic room accents a monochrome design with a vibrant red. The red makes a modern design with great pop and visual appeal.
This room uses a painted wall to give this room a very warm and welcoming appearance. With a touch of green to bring a few lively tones.
See more of this home here. Designed by 2e Architects
This living room combines blue, yellow, and green on a backdrop of ornate natural wood walls to create an elegant and lavish look.
See more of this home here. Designed by Simutin Design
Living Room Color Analysis
Colors play a critically significant role in interior design. Integral to the success of any design scheme, color can be used as a strategic tool to balance, accentuate, and integrate the various components that comprise a room’s composition.
Furthermore, colors can influence emotion and create peace and harmony. Conversely, when improperly chosen, colors can create an environment of discord and discontinuity.
Charted data is included to show the popularity of particular colors in home décor. This wealth of information is designed to assist you in making the most well-informed choice regarding living room paint color and the compositional style your living room is based upon.
Below is a Chart of Popular Living Room Wall Colors Choices and Accompanying Style Notes with Tips and Tricks to Successfully Pull off a Variety of Unique Color Schemes.
The color names link to that specific living room photo gallery.
| Popular Living Room Color Choices | Style Notes |
| Beige | Classic and versatile neutral that looks fantastic when done in gradient shades or a monochromatic and uniform color schematic. |
| Orange | Used for pops of punchy and cheery color. Try painting a single wall a bright orange and tie the look together with a vase of bright orange poppies in a contrasting vase. |
| Multi | Offers visual interest and can be used strategically to tie in multiple colors for a cohesive, pulled-together look. |
| Green | An unexpected wall color; works very well when coupled with elegant design details like polished wood, stainless steel, and a complementary and contrasting color. |
| Blue | Blue is a popular color and evokes feelings of serenity and peace. Accented with fresh white details and pops of red, this color scheme is beautiful, classic, and elegant all at once. |
| Purple | Commonly used as a statement color, purple walls can offer delightfully large expanses of unexpected color that can be decorated in various ways, from regal to funky. |
| Pink | Pink walls offer festive, feminine fun. Intricate details in the same shade of pink will tie the look together for a cohesively spunky and fresh look reminiscent of the Spring season. |
| Black | Black walls are an ingenious way to add depth, personality, and tone to an otherwise drab color scheme. Try painting one wall black and accenting it with black vases, bright colors, and plenty of textural elements to break up the darkness of the color scheme. |
| Gray | Elegant and versatile cool-toned neutral that looks fantastic when accented by polished wood accents and pops of unexpected color. |
| White | Classic, fresh, and clean paint option that livens, brightens, and enlarges rooms. Can be used as an allover paint color or as crisp white accents to punctuate a contrasting color. |
| Red | Bold red walls are a trendy way to add visual interest. Muted accessories, plenty of contrasting colors, and complementary textural elements will tone down the loudness of the paint color and bring the room’s décor together. |
| Brown | Classic brown offers a vintage look, elegant appeal, and timeless aesthetic. Accentuate with classic oriental rugs, worn leather books, and your favorite oil paintings for an inviting and comfortable, enduring look. |
The Best Living Colors Based on Popularity
Top 3 overall color schemes:
- Brown
- White
- Gray
Top 3 Wall Colors:
- White
- Beige
- Gray
Top 3 Floor Colors:
- Brown
- Beige
- Gray
Data-Driven Analysis
This color analysis is based on analysis of hundreds of thousands of living rooms so it’s fairly representative of today’s designs.
1. Overall Color Scheme
Assigning an overall color scheme to any room is not an exact science. It’s not like walls or floors which you can say is X color. Overall color schemes include several colors and so it’s attempting to choose the dominant color which isn’t so easy.
Nevertheless, we analyzed 545,545 living rooms based on subjective color assessments.
Chart
Table
| Red |
1.65% |
| Orange |
1.75% |
| Wood |
2.10% |
| Yellow |
1.34% |
| Green |
2.27% |
| Turquoise |
0.80% |
| Blue |
1.18% |
| Purple |
2.26% |
| Pink |
0.17% |
| Black |
7.65% |
| Gray |
11.14% |
| White |
15.69% |
| Beige |
8.92% |
| Brown |
43.06% |
2. Popular Living Room Wall Colors
Based on the wall color of 220,359 living rooms, we discovered that the 3 most popular wall colors are white, beige , and gray.
Chart
Table
Below are the precise percentages:
| Beige |
31.40% |
| Black |
0.59% |
| Blue |
4.13% |
| Brown |
3.04% |
| Gray |
16.91% |
| Green |
2.73% |
| Multi |
1.67% |
| Orange |
0.46% |
| Pink |
0.21% |
| Purple |
0.31% |
| Red |
0.69% |
| White |
34.30% |
| Yellow |
3.56% |
3. Top Living Room Floor Colors
Floor color is the weakest room color indicator, but it does make an impact. As you’ll see, the most popular floor color is brown, which is expected given the color of hardwood floors. Yet, for many such living rooms that have white or gray walls with wood flooring, you wouldn’t necessarily describe it as a brown living room.
Nevertheless, given the impact floor color makes, we include the analysis based on 10,040 living room floor colors.
Chart
Table
| Beige |
25.05% |
| Black |
1.81% |
| Blue |
0.69% |
| Brown |
53.44% |
| Gray |
11.02% |
| Green |
0.18% |
| Multi |
1.43% |
| Orange |
0.62% |
| Pink |
0.08% |
| Purple |
0.03% |
| Red |
0.53% |
| Turquoise |
0.03% |
| White |
4.78% |
| Yellow |
0.32% |
How is this helpful?
During the early stages of design, getting an idea of what’s being done generally can be helpful. For example, gray is relatively popular, yet you may not have considered gray for your walls or overall color scheme because you think it’s too blah or neutral. Yet, gray can be a magnificent dominant living room color when integrated with other colors.
Learn More About Colors
- Color Psychology: I like the “Empowered by Color” website, which offers some interesting insights into the different colors.
- Color Combinations: Another excellent color resource is this color combination site which showcases hundreds of different color combinations that can be super helpful for putting together your color scheme.
- Paint stores online: Various paint stores like Behr, Sherwin Williams, and Benjamin Moore offer huge color palettes that you can check out.
