Your family will spend a significant amount of time in the living room, so you want it to be an area where you will feel relaxed and at home. An attractive color scheme can create a positive mood and make the room seem inviting. Your individual preferences will play a major role in choosing your living room’s design, but there are some general principles to follow.
Start With the Flooring or Large Furniture
Base the living room’s color scheme around a focal point, such as a carpet or a large piece of furniture. If you have a blue sofa, for instance, incorporating blue in other parts of the living room can create a cohesive style. Don’t base your color scheme on the paint color, since that is easy to change.
Choose Colors and Use Them in Appropriate Amounts
Select colors that reflect your personality and the atmosphere you want to create. If you want your living room to be relaxing, use colors that are near each other on the color wheel. If you’re decorating a formal living room or want to create a more exciting vibe, pair colors that are located opposite each other on the color wheel.
Light colors can make a small room seem larger, while darker colors can make a room feel smaller. Painting the ceiling a light color can make the living room feel more spacious, while a darker color can make the ceiling seem lower.
Use one color in the majority of the living room and use others for contrast and accents. Mix them in ratios that suit your style. Use pillows, rugs, window treatments, artwork, flowers and other accessories to add touches of color without overwhelming the room.
Consider How Lighting Will Affect the Color Scheme
The amount of natural light and the sources and amounts of artificial lighting will influence your color choices. Each type of light can affect people’s perception of color in different ways.
Look at the living room at different times of day to see how the amount of natural light changes. Think about how colors will look in different amounts of sunlight and consider using a variety of light fixtures to produce the effect you want.
Create a Living Room That Showcases Your Personality and Style
Your living room should reflect your lifestyle and preferences. Think about how you and your loved ones use the space, the type of atmosphere you want to create, and the amount of lighting to create a space where you will look forward to relaxing and spending time together.
