INTERIOR TIPS | How to choose a color for my living room

How to choose a color for my living room? Avoid mistakes and be inspired with our guide for the perfect living room paint choice!

Choosing the perfect color scheme for your living room is exciting. If however, it keeps you up at night because you can’t make up your mind, then you should read on these simple guidelines. This is my step-by-step guide for choosing a color for your living room. After all there is always a benefit from understanding how to combine colors and make them work for you in a space.

How to choose a color for the living room? Start from here

So it all begins with the ambiance. That means basically the mood that you want to convey – the atmosphere. The mood of a room is affected by several factors. One of these factors is the amount of natural daylight your room receives based on its orientation. Thus, the way you deal with direct sunlight is also of importance.

Your lifestyle is also of decisive importance. How many hours do you spent in your living room? How do you usually use it? Do you entertain people often or relax and unwind while reading a book.

Warm hues like deep yellows, browns, and rusty reds create a warm, cozy vibe with almost any light. Saturated jewel tones add warmth and look great in large rooms as long as they are well lit. On the other hand, cool tones such as blues, cool violets, and grays make a great choice for a more relaxed vibe.

How to choose a color for the living room? Picking the correct color

Once you have figured out all these factors, then it is time to look through some color swatches. Now, I think it is really significant to stick with the colors you love. Forget about any swatches that make you uneasy or are unsure of. Comfort is your ultimate priority. If you are comfortable with the choices you make, then you will be proud of the outcome and show it off best. Hence, go for colors that make you happy or peaceful and set those swatches apart from the rest.

The next step is to take a close look at your existing décor and furnishings. Chances are that you may have a prominent piece that could serve as inspiration for you. Moreover, check to see if that piece has any one of the colors that match your favorite color swatches.

If so, then you hit the jackpot! That means that that color may well serve as your dominant room color. You can then pair it with some of its complimentary hues for your secondary colorings and a couple of accents for creating a cohesive, well-coordinated ensemble. (A color wheel will help you identify the exact complimentary hue to your dominant color).

How to choose a color for my living room? A useful rule

As a matter of fact many designers use the 60-30-10 rule. That is 60% for the dominant color, 30% for the secondary colors and 10% for some bold accent colors. I don’t follow this rule, but nonetheless it does result in some good looking outcomes.

Now, if you can’t decide to take the plunge with any particular color, then I recommend a neutral base, like beige or gray. Both will serve right any interior aside its style. They are classic choices due to their versatility. Soft grays and light browns make exquisite dominant colors. Moreover, their darker shades make exceptional secondary and accent colors.

Similarly, any muted shades of natural colors help create an organic vibe for a calm atmosphere. For a traditional outcome, pair neutral colors with rich hues (i.e. navy blue). Or else combine contemporary shades with rich colors for a transitional color palette that will work with both traditional and modern décor.

How to choose a color for my living room? Be inspired!

Finally, in the case that you don’t have a prominent piece to draw inspiration from then it wouldn’t hurt to “copy” the color palette of your favorite piece of art imagery. Another idea is to check out Pinterest. That is one big inspiring image library. You will be surprised with the color schemes you’ll find when it comes to interiors colors.

Above all else though, planning ahead makes all the difference in the world. Knowing what you intend you use in the living room and having a good grasp of what you want to accomplish will help you get there faster and with greater ease. So planning will ensure better color coordination that won’t throw you off-track.