Are you looking for the right paint colour to graphically pop against a living room’s white, grey and beige accents? You want dark colours (not light).
Paint your living room walls in Raccoon Fur to add drama and sophistication. Its violet undertones are the perfect backdrop to brass detailing and mirrors.
Black Blue
Varnish your living room to freshen up the space – darker accent walls can make rooms feel wider and more spacious and the light will flow throughout much nicer. Sherwin Williams Retreat is a soft yet beautiful, warming shade.
Layer on some calm with blue Sheer tranquility: use blues recommended by Views by Sherwin Williams, which bring the beach home with you.
Sherwin-Williams Whipped scatters and diffuses light into a north-facing living room for the ultimate interplay of heavy furniture or gold-framed artwork.
Malted Milk
Whether you’re hosting game nights or chilling out on a Sunday afternoon, it’s essential to make your living room something inviting without losing that special decorative je ne sais quoi. From ambience-setting paint colours to accentuating houseplants hung from the ceiling or photos in gilded frames on the walls, it can do the trick.
Comfort Gray will make your living room feel breezy and cool because, to the eye, its grey tone doesn’t come from anywhere – neither blue nor yellow, it works very well with white furniture. If you want to add more colour, try Dirty Martini: it is a light olive/almost sage green and it was also recommended by a commenter – Ashley Daubert!
Sealskin
With its rich hue of deep gold, sealskin enhances the inherent beauty of walls in a traditional living room with oak beams or in a room with plenty of natural light. Finish off the look by combining it with brass details and mid-tone wooden furniture pieces for a splendidly chic ambience.
The right shade of paint for your living room is going to depend on the amount of natural light the space receives and what kind of furniture you create for it. Go into a paint store near you or online, buy samples, and look at them different times of day to gauge what the paint would look like with different kinds of natural lighting.
Regatta
So whether you’re throwing a cocktail party or curling up with a good book, it should feel like a place to relax. And that’s why white and greige neutral shades hold an honoured place among homeowners, an easy backdrop that goes with every decor style.
Research indicates that green can imply nature and promote relaxation, so go with a breezy green such as Headspace (blue-green) which can convey airiness with softer neutrals.
According to Ashley Daubert of Ashley Daubert Interior Design, ‘I always knew that Regatta was one of those shades that worked with just about every colour palette – from warm to cool accents, creating more space and brightness in the room.’ She used it in one north-facing room to make it even more lively.
Raccoon Fur
The living room is the focus of family life and entertaining, and thus important in giving visitors a good impression. Painting your living room is the easiest and cheapest way of creating the scene and setting the mood for your home.
Or onyx, which can soften a space immediately, with woods and white trim, and contrast with natural light.
If you’re looking for a warm, earthy neutral, whip up some Angora. Sand-coloured taupe, as Ashley Daubert the interior designer recommends this colour for north-facing rooms.
Lichen
Lichens are exotica – alien plants in unusual shapes and shades Lichens are hybrid organisms composed of two kingdoms: the Kingdom Fungi and the Kingdom Protoctista, comprising either a green algae or a blue-green cyanobacteria. Lichens grow on other lichens, providing a protective home for their environment, while their food source – the fuel of their carbohydrates – is energy.
The light neutral makes a good match with north-facing living rooms, and creamy white furnishings.
Your living room has to stay cosy and fresh – which is why your store can offer you paint that is formulated to suit your own needs: your designer instincts and the lighting conditions of the room.
Renew Blue
Fog and mist (lighter blues), glacier lakes and sand dunes (deeper hues) all went into the formulation of Renew Blue, which Valspar describes as ‘the ideal colour to lift your mood’ alongside bolstering storytelling, while also fostering a sense of wanderlust. It’s important the colour is used as an accent by painting along baseboards, wainscoting or ceilings to really make the most of it. Valspar calls its 2024 colour of the year Glacial River.
Renew Blue looks terrific at home in any setting, paired with soft neutrals, such as Comfort Gray or gray- and tan-undertoned whites, and the muscle of earthy woods and woven fabrics.
This paint is your go-to colour for a comfy little reading corner by the fire in your house. With a touch of abstract art hanging from the wall and some timeless hanging houseplants to perk up the room a little, this paint will definitely help you achieve the dreamy effect you’re looking for!
