How to choose a colour scheme for your living room

Choosing the perfect colour scheme for your living room can be an exciting but daunting task.

In this blog, our decorating experts share industry tips and clever tricks to help you select the best colour and bring your vision to life.

1. Consider the mood you want to create

The first step to choosing a successful colour scheme for a living room is to consider the mood you want to create. Do you want a serene and calming space, or a vibrant and energising entertaining area? This will help to determine the main colours. For a calming space, consider soft pastels, neutrals or cool blues and greens. For a more energetic space, opt for bold, bright colours such as reds, oranges or yellows.

2. Start with a neutral base

A neutral base will serve as a blank canvas for your living room, allowing you to add pops of colour and texture through accessories, furniture and artwork. A pale shade can also make the space feel larger and airier. Consider using hues of beige, grey or white on the walls, ceiling and flooring.  Top interior designers often recommend painting woodwork – skirtings, internal doors, dado and picture rails – the same colour as the walls to really accentuate the feeling of spaciousness.

3. Add pops of colour through accessories

Accessories are a great way to add colour to any room without committing to a bold wall colour. Consider adding colourful sofas, cushions, throws, rugs and curtains to bring in pops of your chosen accent colour/s. This also allows you to change up the scheme easily and often by simply switching accessories.  It’s also a far more cost-effective solution than redecorating every time you fancy a change.

4. Experiment with accent walls

A feature wall can be a great way to add colour to your living room without overwhelming the space. Choose one wall to paint in a bold colour or use wallpaper to create a statement. This can be a great opportunity to use a colour you love but fear may be too bold for the entire room.  Several paint and wall-paper websites now have software that enables homeowners to upload a photograph of an actual room and experiment with how it might look in different shades by using computer-generated imagery.

Many interior designers use virtual presentations to showcase how they would transform a client’s home before committing a single brushstroke to a wall and, with a bit of time and patience, you too can play around with the free software to create your own dream scheme before committing a penny.

5. Consider the natural light in the room

The natural light in your living room will have a big impact on how the colours look. If your living room gets a lot of strong daylight, consider using paler colours to make the most of the brightness. If the room is darker, try warmer colours to create a cosy and inviting space. There are many inspirational home decor magazines and websites for garnering ideas; just don’t get overwhelmed! Pinterest and Instagram are fabulous for identifying new trends but scrolling can soon become time-consuming and 100s of saved pins are unwieldy.  Grab a few tester paint pots and paint some swatches on the wall so you can check how they look at different times, you may find your opinion changes as the day unfolds. Don’t rush or try to zealously copy other’s schemes – your home should be as unique as you.

6. Play with texture and pattern

Texture and pattern can add depth and interest to your living room, as well as helping to tie the colour scheme together. Consider using a mix of fabrics such as velvet, linen and wool, and incorporating patterns through cushions, rugs or wallpaper.  There are also many interesting wall-claddings around, in timber, stone, felt or plaster, which can be painted or left natural to add another layer of interest to your living space.

7. Use a colour wheel to guide you

If you’re still struggling to choose a colour scheme, a colour wheel can be a useful tool.  These circular spectrums simply show the relationships between different colours and can help you choose complementary colours, analogous colours or triadic colours. Complementary colours are opposite each other on the wheel, while analogous colours are next to each other. Triadic colours are evenly spaced around the disk.  Colour wheels are the secret weapon of interior designers and can easily be purchased for a few pounds online.

Time to get the paintbrushes out

In conclusion, choosing a colour scheme for your living room can be a fun and proudly rewarding experience. By considering the mood you want to create, starting with a neutral base, adding pops of colour through accessories, experimenting with accent walls, considering the natural light, playing with texture and pattern, and using a colour wheel as a guide, you can create a beautiful and inviting living room that reflects your personal style.

BUT… if you still feel completely overwhelmed by the task don’t panic! Ask a stylish friend to cast an eye around the space and give you their aesthetic opinion or consider employing a trained interior designer to prepare a mood board. Creating a grand design isn’t everyone’s idea of fun; and you certainly won’t be alone if you choose to delegate the responsibility to a professional who creates living rooms for a living. Our experienced decorators are well-trained in interpreting design briefs and bringing schemes to life… however you got there! Let’s paint!