Choosing a Colour Scheme for your Living Room
It’s the room you spend most time in, so choose a colour scheme for your living room to make it a relaxing and enjoyable place to be. Before you start slapping on paint from a random mix of sample pots here are a few things to consider…
Think about the ambience you want to create. What time of day do you use the room most? How much natural light comes into the living room?
A living room used during the day that has lots of natural light coming in can take strong colours. Painting the walls in bright shades like sapphire blue or emerald green will look great in the sunlight. They can however be overpowering so it isn’t advisable to use these colours in poorly lit rooms.
For a living room that doesn’t get much sunlight or a room you use mainly in the evenings, painting large expanses of walls in colours like ivory or buttercup yellow can really brighten up the room.
Perhaps a warm cosy living room is what you have in mind. Shades of gold, brown, deep reds and burnt oranges will all create a warmth and cosy glow to the room.
Maybe you are looking for the perfect retreat after a stressful day at work. Cool tones of blues, greys and cool violets will create a calm soothing environment in your living room.
Once you have decided on the ambience you want to create with the colour scheme for your living room…
Think about a focal point, so many living rooms are lacking this.
A feature wall can make a great focal point, but not dominate the room. Timber-inspired wallpapers can create a modern rustic look bringing a little of the outside indoors. Chimney breasts are an obvious choice for a feature wall since they are usually the focal point in the room.
Wallpaper is another great feature to use when choosing a colour scheme for your living room. It doesn’t need to be expensive, there are lots of colours and patterns to choose from; whether you do full walls, or accent recesses and alcoves or line book shelves and cabinets, wallpaper can have a fantastic effect.
If you don’t want the task of choosing a colour scheme for your living room again this time next year, aim for a timeless look with your choice of paints, you can always brighten up or tone down with pictures, rugs and soft furnishings when you feel like a change!