15 Best Living Room Color Schemes Designers Swear By – Decorilla Online Interior Design

Designing an inviting and stylish living space is an art. The key? Choosing the perfect color palette! Dive into tried-and-true living room color schemes that designers absolutely love.

Choosing the Right Color Palette for Your Living Room

Think of your home’s palette as a melody that connects every part of your interior into a harmonious whole. It repeats throughout for a rhythmic and uniform style. There’s no better place to set the tone than at the center of your interior. Follow these tips below to ensure your living room wall and decor color scheme is cohesive.

Pro Tip: Different design styles work better in certain colors than others. So, match your favorite living room color schemes to your home’s style. Not sure what that is? Take our Free Interior Design Style Quiz to discover your true decorating style!

How to Create a Beautiful Color Palette: Quick Tips

• Let existing elements inspire you. Your biggest and most prominent pieces can guide your designer interior update, e.g. a patterned rug can indicate which colors will work best. One of its neutral hues could work for walls, a darker shade for complementary furniture, and brighter tones for accent decor. 
• Think about mood and the atmosphere you want. Colors evoke emotions, so pick ones that align with the feeling you aim for. Cooler tones, like green and blue are calm and serene, fiery yellows and red are energetic and vibrant, while layered neutrals and darker shades can feel cozy and warm.
• Stick to three to five colors for living room color schemes. This will make creating a harmonious design and coordinating colors easier. 
• Balance bold and neutral. Too much of one or the other can be overwhelming. So, use neutral tones as a base and add pops of color or contrast for interest.
• Consider your light and test your colors. Lighting significantly impacts our color perception. Natural light, for example, reveals the truest tones. Test your picks, like fabric and paint samples, during different times of the day to ensure they look good during the day and night. You’ll also see how they look and work as a combination.
• Use the 60-30-10 rule for your living room color scheme. Pick one dominant color covering about 60% of the room – think walls and floors or a combination of furniture and surfaces. One or two secondary colors should make up 30%, and the remaining 10% should go to an accent hue that contrasts or uplifts the rest of the palette.  

Best Living Room Color Scheme Ideas 

Explore our favorite living room wall color schemes, where the right hues give off the designer look – plus a sense of authenticity. From earth-tone color palettes to monochromatic and jewel magic, here are a variety of tones to suit each individual! 

1. Warm-Cool Calm: Chic Brown, Blue and White

Warm and cool colors work so well together to create a balanced design. Take this living room color palette as an example. Its chestnut leather, wood, and cobalt blue pillows and artwork set against a crisp white wall make magic. The proportions are just right, too. Neutrals make up most of the space, but it’s the secondary color (browns) and accent blue that defines the design. 

2. Curated Contrast: Veined Marble-Inspired Interior 

As far as a sophisticated color combo for the living room goes, this one epitomizes a timeless feel – all owing to its inspiring marble focal point. A central feature, like this marble fireplace slab, can dictate your color scheme. Here, the crisp white couches and soft gray accents contrast beautifully with the bold black chairs and fireplace, proving that a limited color scheme can deliver a powerful impact. The small amber touches in decor and stacked wood provide just enough visual warmth to offset the cool palette. 

3. Emerald Allure: Gem Tones and Gold

For a luxurious take on living room color design ideas, mix deep jewel tones, white, and warm neutrals. Here, an emerald green sofa becomes the centerpiece set against the gem-colored and white walls. It ties in with the emerald wall paint, creating a rich, jewel-toned harmony.  The repetition of colors creates a visual rhythm and pulls the gaze through the room. 

4. Bold Elegance: Contrasting Black and Pink 

Living room wall color schemes can be as subdued or extravagant as you want. This formal lounge, for instance, makes the best use of contrasting color scopes. On the one hand, matte black walls set a moody and intimate base, and on the other, a vibrant pop of fuchsia in furniture and decor warms the design. This dynamic pair sets a dynamic interior that feels lively despite its dark tones. This daring combination is softened by the neutral grays of the rug and scatter pillows.

5. Timeless Tranquility: Layered Peaceful Neutrals

A serene blend of creamy beiges and soft whites creates a tranquil and inviting atmosphere. The natural light enhances the warm hues, while the darker wood tones provide a grounding. Making the most of darker accents or details is crucial in all neutral living room color schemes. It’s important to provide distinction and, fortunately, it’s easy to do in a light interior. Also be sure to add a pop of interest, like an invigorating green houseplant.  

6. Modern Monochrome: Chic Gray Gradient

This living room’s color scheme with gray showcases a harmonious gradient of tones, creating a sophisticated and unified space that’s both stylish and welcoming. The space is balanced through differentiating textures and upholstery. Different shapes, tonal contrasts in fabric, and the use of vertical space for a gallery wall keep the space intriguing.  

7. Autumnal Aura: Rich Warm Tones and Off-White

Want your space to feel like a cozy hug? Mix rich reds with earthy tones. Remember to pick a balancing base, like a neutral off-white or sandy brown. Your surfaces can be color-drenched but ensure a grounding element for eyes to rest and to break possible monotony of one tone.

8. Painter’s Harmony in Hues: Black, White and Gold

This living room’s high-contrast color palette draws inspiration from contemporary artwork, featuring a blend of stark black and white. With a clever use of artwork, curved seating, and line rug, the interior mimics the bold strokes of abstract linework. Gold is the key to softening the space. Its warm hue offsets the cool tones while also adding a touch of luxury. 

9. Classic Charm: Traditional Color Palette with a Twist

With its soft white backdrop and classic furniture pieces, this traditional color palette then adds a playful touch with vibrant blue and coral accents. The mix of patterns among the throw pillows and the curated botanical prints on the wall infuse the room with a timeless yet personalized aesthetic.

10. Nature’s Equilibrium: Vibrant Green and Terracotta

Step into your living room and get whisked away to a woodland wonderland! Picture rich, deep greens wrapping you in the embrace of a forest canopy. Terracotta accents bring the warmth of autumn leaves, while cozy beige in pillows and a throw mimic the softness of tree bark. It’s like bringing the serenity of nature indoors, where every color tells of the quiet beauty found in the heart of the woods.

11. Seaside Serenity: Soft Neutrals with Blues

A soothing array of sand-like neutrals and oceanic blues mirror the tranquil seaside surroundings. It works so well because of the combo of natural textures and light, airy tones creating a space that feels like an extension of the shoreline outside. You can create a just as serene coastal design – just focus on a mainly light palette with one vibrant and one dark accent. Remember to layer interest through textures and form.

12. Formal Meets Fun: Vibrant Modern Living Room Palette

Modern minimalist design with a twist is becoming increasingly popular. By using muted beige and off-whites as a canvas for bold pops of blue, yellow, and coral the interior feels both grounded and lively. For a refined vibrant living room, pick one or two neutrals as the dominant and secondary colors, and keep your bright accent tones to three or fewer. 

13. Minimal Urban Oasis: Light Warm Tones and Black Accents

Calming spaces with a positive energy, like Japandi design, are on the rise. Take the color use in this minimalist Japanese-inspired interior, for instance. Its layering of light, warm neutrals is successful because each piece can be appreciated individually. Each stands out thanks to either form, texture or size. Black decor punctuates the design, giving it just that little bit of contrast to keep things interesting. 

14. Outside In: Wood Tones, White and Gentle Grays

This living room color palette speaks to the serene and sophisticated, with a symphony of wood tones, grays, black, and duck egg tones harmonizing with the tactile appeal of organic materials. Although this interior is far from minimal, it’s just as calming thanks to its coordinated color scheme. 

15. Cozy Corner: Earthy Gray and Burnt Umber

This living room’s earth-toned color palette features a blend of soft gray, warm taupes, and inviting burnt umber. The use of natural materials and organic shapes throughout the space enhances the connection to the outdoors, providing a grounded and serene setting.

Ready for more than a perfect living room color palette?

Transform your living room into a haven of beauty and comfort now! Simply schedule a Free Interior Design Consultation to get started with our team of leading experts today!