Tips for Choosing Living Room Paint Colors

Living rooms are usually open and visible to the other areas of the home, so these rooms often become the foundation of the color palette for the rest of the house. This video by Ace Hardware presents several tips for choosing living room paint colors:

Neutral paint colors are great for living rooms as they’re versatile, never go out of style and create a mood that’s fresh, subdued, timeless and relaxing. Neutrals with either warm or cool undertones work equally well in living rooms. Whichever you choose, be consistent with the undertones that come through in your other paint colors to keep the look harmonious.

Balance light colors with dark colors; for example, a slightly darker neutral color behind your favorite painting can create a subtle picture frame and highlight your work of art. A darker neutral on trim, molding or shelves is also a fresh take on traditional white trim.
To keep your living room visually interesting, be sure to bring in different textures like wood, glass, pottery, metal and fabric. Your furniture, flooring, lighting and accessories are great places to start. Fill the room with multiple points of lighting to keep it warm and inviting, and open up as much natural light as possible to give it a fresh and airy feel.

Adding a bit of color to your living room is a great way to add some personality and visual interest to your space. Most any color can work in the living room, but it’s a good rule to reserve brighter colors for your accents. A warm yellow on the walls gives a room a cheerful and welcoming feel.

Some safe ways to add bolder color to the room are through accents. Pillows, throws, artwork and painted furniture are great places to add pops of color.
Adding color to architectural features, such as a fresh subtle green on a fireplace, creates a charming focal point for the room.
You can also create a harmonious transition between adjoining rooms by using the same colors in a slightly different way. In this featured living room, the wall color is continued on the trim in the next room, and an accent color from the throw is carried over in the vibrant russet orange for the walls.

Using bolder colors in your living room will add a feeling of vibrancy and energy to your space. Bold hues are best used as secondary colors so they can really pop. It’s a good idea to limit your palette to three or four colors so it looks balanced.

Using bolder colors on painted shelving and furniture adds fun and unexpected pops of color to your space. in the featured living room, the deep sage green on the painted tables echoes the walls of the adjoining room and ties these two rooms together.
Trim is another great place to use bolder colors and connect adjoining spaces. Be sure to keep the overall wall color more neutral to keep the look balanced.

The sheen of the paint can make a color seem more subtle or more bright. Use a flat or eggshell finish for the wall and ceilings. A stain or semi-gloss for the doors, trim and painted furniture adds a touch of vibrancy and gives these spots extra durability.