When it comes to the home, it can not be denied that colour matters. For a multi-functional space like the living room, the colour scheme needs to fit with your lifestyle and also remain timeless, which can feel tricky.
As the central spot in the home, the living room should be a space where everyone feels comfortable and also reflects the personality of those who live there. This can be with a relaxing neutral colour scheme or a strong accent colour that makes a statement.
From timeless colour palettes to unexpectedly bold options, discover the many ways you can inject colour into your space with these living room colour schemes.
How To Choose Your Colour Palette
When choosing a colour palette for your living room, here are a few tips to consider when starting. Amanda Bailey-Rook, Senior Stylist & Creative Coordinator at Furniture And Choice UK has weighed in:
1. Think About How You Want The Room To Make You Feel
Do you want the room to make you feel calm and relaxed? Or joyful and energetic? Colour psychology plays a big part in our emotions so take these factors into account. Muted, earthy tones make a space feel relaxing and calming, while more vibrant colours will make the room feel more energetic. The colours we like are very personal. If you are unsure what colours you like, look at the clothes you wear. Think about the colours of your favourite outfits and how you feel when you wear them.
Warm tones like yellows, reds, and oranges create a cosy, welcoming atmosphere, while cooler shades such as blues and greens evoke calmness and openness. Always start with how you want your space to “feel” before you decide how it should look.
2. Take Into Account The Living Room Finishes
Is your flooring wood or carpet? If you are keeping existing furniture or buying new pieces, think about what colours your sofa, coffee table, TV stand, or bookshelf will be. The undertone of your finishes matters. For instance, light oak flooring pairs beautifully with soft greys and sage greens, while darker woods like walnut or mahogany complement jewel tones such as navy, emerald, or burgundy.
3. How Dark Or Light Your Living Room Is
Does your living room receive a lot of natural light or get quite dark? If your room is already dark, then adding any darker colours, especially to the walls, will make it feel even darker and possibly even make the room feel smaller.
The direction of the living room determines how much natural light it receives. In Malaysia, north-facing rooms receive more natural light while south-facing rooms get less. East and west-facing rooms depend on the time of day, with east-facing rooms getting morning sunlight and west-facing rooms getting afternoon sunlight, which can affect how your wall colours appear.
If your room does not get much daylight overall, try warmer neutrals like taupe or beige rather than stark white, which can feel cold in dim lighting. On the other hand, sunlit rooms can handle cooler tones such as pale blue or sage green for balance.
4. Create A Moodboard
This is a great way to see what will work together and get a sense of what works well and what does not. Get paint swatch cards or request them online to compare. The textures you choose are also important - add in your sofa fabric swatch or samples, wooden flooring or carpet swatch to see. You can also include things like a statement cushion cover or a photo of a piece of artwork that you are thinking of using.
Consider adding materials such as stone, glass, or linen to your moodboard — they influence how colour behaves in your space, depending on how light reflects off them.
5. Follow The 60/30/10 Colour Rule
A good way of breaking down the room is the 60/30/10 rule. 60% is the wall colour of choice 30% is your furniture in the room, sofa, rug, coffee table, etc 10% is the smaller touches and accent colours that are on a cushion, throw or candle.
————————————————————————————————————————————————
1. Decorate With Light Neutrals
Audley 3+2 seater sofa set in Champagne house velvet
Simple, understated and sophisticated – that’s how you can set the mood with a neutral palette. If white feels cold and uninviting, there are plenty of cream, off-white or beige tones to work with.
Whether it’s classic or contemporary décor, neutrals provide the base for wall colours, sofa upholstery options, and the type of natural materials to use. An important consideration is the types of textures you will be using. To prevent the room from looking one-dimensional, create contrast between the sofas and the flooring or bring in other accents in grey or black to build a neutral-on-neutral look.
Neutrals are timeless because they adapt to any style — Scandinavian, coastal, or modern farmhouse. To make the palette feel richer, layer soft linen curtains, velvety armchairs, and textured cushions for added depth.
2. Lighten Up With Green
Manhattan 3-seater sofa collection
Green is a colour that’s known to evoke feelings of peace and calm, which makes it one of the top living room colour picks. If your living room gets lots of natural light, choose a light shade of green so that it easily reflects the sunlight. This can be sage green, pastel green or mint which will refresh and soothe your space. Thanks to green’s association with nature, bring in lots of wooden accents to match the calming vibe of your space. This can be through furniture or flooring to complete the look.
Olive and sage greens create a serene, organic feel, while emerald or forest green makes a striking accent wall. Complement it with rattan details, leafy plants, and brass fixtures for a polished yet natural touch.
3. Colour Drench With Yellow
Colour drenching is an interior design term where you paint everything the same colour – from the walls, wall panelling, ceiling, and skirting boards to the radiator. Inject optimism and joy with yellow walls to uplift the room and bring a fresh feeling to your space.
Complement the yellow walls with mustard or burnt orange upholstery. Pick lots of cosy textures like velvet or plush fabric for sofa upholstery and a shaggy rug to soften the space.
Soft butter yellows bring warmth and cheer to small rooms, while bolder golden tones create a sophisticated, art deco-inspired vibe. Combine with warm lighting for an inviting glow.
4. Earthy Browns and Green Accents
Lucia 3-seater sofa in Olive green house velvet
Brown is trending now and is the perfect way to introduce an earthy colour palette to the living room. Choose muted tones like beige, camel or latte on the walls for a luxe feel. This light base makes it easy to bring in dark brown tones as accents. You can do this by highlighting parts of the room, like painting an alcove dark brown or furniture like a coffee or side table.
If you want to add other pops of colour, choose complementary earth tones to enhance the look. Green is an easy pick, providing a stylish accent while still keeping to the earthy palette. Your choice of textures are also key in nailing this look - go for dark woods, cosy fabrics and indoor greenery to liven up your space.
5. Heat Things Up With Jewel Tones Like Burgundy
Arden 3-seater sofa in Cream house plush fabric
Jewel tones are commonly associated with luxury, sophistication and elegance. Burgundy has started to trend once again and is here to heat things up. As a colour, burgundy brings a sense of grandeur to a space, thanks to its deep reddish hues. Even though it used to have more of a vintage feel thanks to its regal associations, burgundy takes on a more contemporary approach with this new update.
If your room has wall panelling, the burgundy tone will emphasise these details and elevate your room. With its deep undertone, it goes well with a burnt orange tone and stirs feelings of passion and comfort with textures like velvet or plush fabric.
Pair burgundy with gold accents, velvet upholstery, or marble details to evoke an opulent yet modern aesthetic. Jewel tones also layer beautifully — try adding navy or emerald accessories for contrast.
6. Brighten A Grey Living Room With Playful Pastels
Grey living rooms sometimes get a bad rap for being the ‘safe and boring’ choice. However, that does not have to be the case; it’s an incredibly versatile colour that serves as the perfect canvas for pairing with other colours, and it goes well with any interior design.
Bring a playful charm to your grey living room with pastel accents. Use warm hues like mustard yellow, blush pink, or sunset orange to contrast against cool-toned greys. Introduce these vibrant colours through cushions, accessories, artwork, and even fresh flowers. You can mix and match different colour combinations as long as the colours have the same warm undertones.
7. A Light Monochrome Palette With Black Accents
Lexi 3+2 seater sofa set in Cream house plush fabric
A monochrome colour palette is always a good idea if you love timeless and elegant décor. For subtle depth, you can create a layered look with a cream sofa and off-white walls. Choosing cosy fabrics will help highlight the subtle contrast between white and cream if you’re using both tones.
Use black to highlight specific parts of the room, whether with a feature wall, art, or even with a statement sofa. This works beautifully in a monochrome space since black and white (or cream and beige) are one of the undisputed true pairings in the design world, creating immediate visual (chic) contrast.
Monochrome is perfect for minimalist interiors — add marble, chrome, or glass surfaces for a sleek modern edge. To soften the look, layer in tactile fabrics like wool throws or linen cushions.
8. Tropical Cool With Blue
If California’s sunny climate is on your mind, Palm Springs décor and colour palette may be just up your alley. This style is known for open plan style design, indoor-outdoor connections and contemporary lines and sunny colour palette. For this décor style, sky blue is your best pick for a wall colour.
The key element is to make the most of your natural lighting. The sunshine streaming into your home is the magic ingredient to make it feel like you’re on the set of Selling Sunset. Pastel accessories in light pinks, peach tones, alongside crisp whites and cool greys will accentuate this sunny look.
9. Millennial Pink And White
Lexi 3-seater sofa in Dusky pink house plush fabric
If you want to keep your walls white but add pops of colour, millennial pink makes for a chic and uplifting accent. This dusty rose pink hue, which was popular in the mid-2010s, promises joy and light-hearted fun.
Choose millennial pink as the sofa colour pick for a stylish focal point for this two colour combination for the living room. The white walls serve as an easy base to decorate, so bring in other pink accents through artwork or accessories. This colour combination is also a great excuse to perk up your room with fresh flowers (in pink of course!).
10. Use Green As An Accent In A Neutral Colour Scheme
Burford 3-seater sofa in Moss green house plush fabric
Green is an incredibly versatile colour thanks to its natural connections and can be used as the primary colour or as an accent, depending on how you decorate.
If you want to inject colour into a neutral living room, choose forest green accents as a stylish contrast. This can be with a green fabric sofa or by adding lots of green accents through accessories like cushions or throws. Its deep green hues stylishly contrast with light wooden textures and feel right at home if you have indoor foliage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Living Room Colour Schemes
What colour is the best for a living room?
Think about a colour that suits your lifestyle and personality the most. If you’re having trouble deciding, think about the colours you regularly wear or what appears most in your closet.
Which two-colour combination is best for a living room?
Blue and white is a timeless pick for the living room. Dark blues like navy ground the room while white lightens up the space.
What is the latest trend in living room colour?
The latest trends suggest that more people are experimenting with colour. This can be with bold accent colours or the colour drenching method where the whole room is in one colour. More people are experimenting with colours like burgundy, burnt orange or yellow.
Is pink a good colour for a living room?
Yes, pink is a good colour for a living room. Even though it may feel too feminine for some people, it is an incredibly versatile colour that goes well with other colours. It pairs easily with white, pastel tones like peach, mint green and sky blues.
How do lighting and texture affect colour choice?
Lighting dramatically changes how colours appear — natural light enhances cool tones, while warm artificial light can deepen earthy shades. Layering textures like wool, velvet, and rattan adds dimension and prevents the space from feeling flat.
