These warm and welcoming paint ideas will make you feel right at home.
“My living room feels a bit tired and unwelcoming. How can I turn it back into a space that people love spending time in?”
Are you embarrassed by the appearance of faded wall colour in your living room? If so, you’re not alone. More than a quarter of people surveyed by AkzoNobel admitted they’re ashamed of their dull décor and are desperate to refresh faded wall colour. Luckily, giving your living room a new lease of life is easier than you might think. These clever colour schemes will help you transform an unloved living room into a inviting space that’s perfect for entertaining guests, or putting your feet up with the family.
1. Outgoing orange
Jubilant orange fizzes with vitality making it the ideal hue for perking up a lacklustre living room. If you’re going for all-over wall colour, select a subtle shade that won’t overpower the scheme. For a more daring look, choose a vibrant tangerine shade to pick out a key area in your living room, such as the inside of a door or the wall around a window.
Which paints?
52YR 37/501 (Mango Melody 1)
2. Homely neutrals
There’s nothing cosier than a neutral palette, provided you get the balance right.
Paint your walls in a deep shade of taupe to create a warm, cocooning effect. If you don’t want to go dark all over, try painting the wall behind your sofa in a deep shade and choose lighter tones for the rest of the room. Finish the plenty of comfy cushions and throws in luxurious velvets and chunky knit wool – perfect for snuggling up with the family at the weekend.
Which paints?
40YY 78/140 (Twisted Bamboo 2)
70BG 59/124 (Liberty Blue 3)
3. Sunshine yellow
Zingy yellow is full of optimism and cheer. Use it to give your living room walls a sunny lift that will put a smile on the face of everyone who steps inside. If you go for bright, bold tones, balance them with grounding neutrals such as mid-grey. Pale lemon sorbet tones will sing when paired with pastel green or blue.
Which paints?
20YY 36/370 (Cherished Gold)
00NN 13/000 (Night Jewels 2)
4. Emerald green
Bold jewel tones such as emerald green are perfect if you want to make a statement in your living room. Team it with crisp white ceilings and woodwork and accessorise with gold lamps and gilt frame mirrors to enhance the luxurious feel to the scheme.
Which paints?
50GG 11/251 (Minted Glory 2)
5. Gunmetal grey
Do you dare to do dark? If you want the cosy, cosseting feel of a deeper palette without committing to black, gunmetal grey, or even dark blue, is the perfect colour choice. What’s more, it makes a great canvas for eye-popping accent colours – bright yellow and pink are a punchy pick – making your living room feel vibrant as well as snug. If you feel gunmetal is too strong for all-over colour, use a paler grey on your walls and add depth to your scheme by adding a darker shade on your doors, window frames or other architectural details.
Which paints?
90BG 17/090 (Steel Symphony 1)
6. Russet red
Rich and warming, russet will transform your living room into an inviting entertaining space that you’ll love showing off to visitors. Containing hints of orange and brown, this slightly muted hue is cosy too, especially in the evenings when it’s lit by soft lighting.
Team with natural wood furniture to enhance the rustic feel, or deep stained leather for a sophisticated feel.
Which paints?
28YR 29/561 (Bongo Jazz 1)
