There are literally thousands of paint colours to choose from today, which can feel overwhelming if you don’t know where to start. There are many things to consider, from making sure your hues go with your furniture to making your space feel like you. We want to help you stress less over all the options available and make your life easier with these tips on selecting the best paint colours for your living room.
Look For Inspiration On Pinterest or in Design Magazines
When you don’t really know what look you’re aiming to achieve with your living room design, take time to browse online to find inspiration. Pinterest is a great resource with lots of beautiful interior layouts that you can find for all types of styles. Once you find ideas that you like, create a board so you can refer back to them when it’s time to head to the paint store.
Decide on the Feel
If you want a room to look and feel bigger, try lighter hues. On the other hand, if you want to feel cozy, you can opt for earthy greens and browns. While darker colours can make walls appear closer together, be careful not to go too dark because this can ruin the intimate look you are going for and make your space seem overwhelmingly tight.
Get Creative with Neutrals
Neutrals are one of the most common selections for living rooms. The muted tones keep interiors bright, clean looking, modern, and make it easy to change up other design elements when you want. But neutrals can also feel boring. Get creative by adding something interesting to the mix, like a feature wall. You can use a different colour that compliments your neutral tone, like soft pastels such as baby blue, pale pink, or mint. Alternatively, you could consider adding a striped wall or another unique design using a neutral colour. Simple additions like these can rev up the entire look of your living room.
Use Your Furniture to Choose a Colour
Another popular way to choose a colour for your living room is by using your furniture or accent features like artwork and accessories. If there’s a particular colour that stands out or you feel drawn to, consider finding a similar paint colour. If you’re uncertain about putting a bold colour on the walls, stick to one main wall for starters. As mentioned above, a feature wall is ideal for spicing up the room without fully committing to the colour. This is a strategic way to avoid the basic neutral look without making your interior feel or look too overwhelming. But don’t be afraid to add some personality to your space. You can also find complementary colours in the artwork to create a suitable colour scheme.
Consider Contrasts
Sometimes, a little contrast can improve the look of a space dramatically. For example, consider playing with lighter or darker shades of the same colour wheel. Remember, many paint stores can create customized colours if you can’t find the shades you want.
You can also go bold with colour combinations like pink and green, which can bring a fun, lively atmosphere to your living room. If you choose striking hues like this, ensure that you still keep a balance by incorporating some neutral tones with your furniture and decorative elements.
Decide on the Finish
Types of paint finishes include matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. While these have been traditionally chosen for practical reasons, like stain resistance and cleaning ease, you can also use these to add visual effects to your living room. For example, the higher the gloss, the more attention you will draw to a wall. Painting adjacent walls the same colour with different finishes, like matte and semi-gloss, can create a velvet look when natural light hits. Combining these contrasting looks is a simple way to elevate your space without worrying about colour combinations.
Sample The Colour Before Going All In
When you finally decide on a colour, sample it first before you dive in and purchase gallons of it. You can get a small amount to take home and test on a wall. This is an important step because the lighting is always different in the paint stores, which can skew the appearance of the colours. Choose an area on your wall that’s close to natural light, let it dry and then see if it’s still what you had hoped for. If you’re planning out your living room design while on the hunt for a new apartment, we have lots of options available for your unique needs at CLV Group and InterRent REIT. View our listings today to find your next place to make your own.
