If you’re looking to give your living space a new look without having to spend lots of money then opting for paint is the perfect way to go. The right living room paint ideas can truly transform your lounge and give it whatever look and feel you’re after.
From the best paint shades to choose to incorporate in your living room colour scheme to the most creative, as well as stylish paint styles and techniques, we’ve covered all the bases with these tips to try in your sitting room.
Living room paint ideas
‘When selecting colours for your living space, think about the atmosphere you want to achieve – whether it's a peaceful retreat, a cosy sanctuary, or a lively area for entertaining,’ says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene.
And while that goes for anything you incorporate into your living room, it’s especially true for the room’s paint ideas.
1. Go for deep, dark hues
Going for a light and bright look has been the leading living room trend for the past few years, partly due to the huge popularity of Scandi living room ideas. But in recent times, dark and cocooning living rooms are increasingly being embraced.
‘Deep, dark hues on all four walls can create a dramatic, intimate, and cocoon-like feel, transforming your space into a cosy haven. Dark living room walls can also add an unexpected contrast in homes filled with light and bright colours. These rich tones evoke a sense of comfort, perfect for intimate evenings, lively conversations, or quiet moments of reflection,’ Ruth at Little Greene says.
Lucy Steele, paint and interiors specialist at Valspar Paint, says that black paint specifically can work really well on living room walls as Ideal Home’s Editor-in-Chief, Heather Young has already tested by choosing Farrow & Ball’s Railings for her lounge.
‘Black wall paint might not be the obvious choice for a relaxing living space, but when mixed with animal prints, vintage furniture and green plants, it works really well. A black living room doesn’t feel dramatic or confident like the colour often does - instead it feels charming and serene,’ Lucy says.
Railings remains to be one of Farrow & Ball's most popular paint shades in 2025 after becoming one of the brand's most famous colours a couple of years ago. It's an almost black shade but not quite and it's truly unique.
Purple is trending this year - especially the deep plum or aubergine shades like this Lick collaboration with Soho House. And if the masters of colour are partnering with one of the most stylish organisations around, we certainly want a piece of it.
This year, Farrow & Ball launched 12 new shades which doesn't happen all that often. And Broccoli Brown was one of the released new colours. It's a dark, earthy brown that's right on trend in 2025.
2. Opt for a neutral scheme
Going for a neutral living room colour scheme might not be the most groundbreaking of ideas but it’s a colour palette that really suits a lounge and just simply works – so why fix something that’s not broken? Having a neutral living room can also feel very soothing and relaxing which is perfect for a space that’s designed for relaxing.
‘Warm neutrals, such as creamy naturals and soft stone shades, offer sophistication and comfort, blending seamlessly with various design styles. We’ve also seen that there is a greater desire to surround ourselves with comforting, nurturing colours that are not only easy to scheme but provide serenity and tranquillity in our homes. This has been reflected in the increasing popularity of neutrals and earthier tones that have an inherent warmth,’ Ruth at Little Greene says.
3. Double drench your lounge
By this point, you may have heard about colour drenching. But double drenching is the new and evolved take on the look that emerged this year – and it’s perfect for injecting some colour into a living room.
‘Instead of using one colour to paint a space like the colour drenching trend, this twist on the well-known trend involves using two or more similar colours. The technique shows a sophisticated use of colour that gives the space a more dramatic transformation,’ Lucy at Valspar Paint says.
Ruth at Little Greene adds, ‘Double drenching can add unexpected contrast to a living room with minimal architectural detail, highlighting ceilings, walls, and woodwork, or drawing attention to classical features in period properties. This technique envelops the space entirely in colour, leaving no room for white ceilings or skirting. Instead, it involves using two or more complementary colours with varying undertones to create a fully cohesive, immersive interior.’
4. Make the ceiling into a statement
Despite the prominence of white ceilings, most interior experts would tell you that the ceiling is one of the places that shouldn’t be painted white – or at least not as a default. And we couldn’t agree more, especially as statement ceilings are one of the biggest paint trends of 2025.
‘There’s nothing wrong with a bit of white paint but adding colour creates a sense of luxury and personality. Statement walls or wallpaper have always been a popular choice but now statement ceilings are definitely creeping in too! It’s more common to have the ceiling and wall different colours, for example a neutral or white wall with a bold coloured ceiling.
5. Drench the room in colour
If you want to go for a singular colour for your living room walls, one way to take it to the next level is by matching the paint to skirting boards, architraves and the ceiling – in other words, embrace colour drenching.
This takes what might otherwise be a simple scheme into a curated design mirroring hotel-inspired interiors. Extending the colour to every inch of wall and ceiling space also makes the room feel larger. So whether you're blessed with a period property with high ceilings or want to make a small living room feel more spacious, this clever paint trick delivers both style and function.
'If you want to make an impact, paint the ceiling and skirting in the same darker paint colour and add a mirror. By painting the ceiling in the same colour it will make the ceiling feel higher,' says interior designer, Sonnaz Nooranvary.
Lucy at Valspar adds, 'Colour drenching is a great painting technique if you want to create a unified, immersive effect in a space.'
6. Give limewash a go
Paint ideas don't always need to be bold - limewash is a creative alternative for those to want to keep to a neutral living room scheme but also want to try something new.
Limewash creates a mottled texture akin to suede, adding dimension to a wall without a statement pattern or colour. It has an organic touch which will suit those attracted to trends like quiet luxury, as it looks perfectly down-to-earth yet premium.
7. Contrast an open-plan space
Open-plan living rooms are common in many homes, but instead of aiming to create a cohesive scheme with a neutral palette running throughout, why not make a bold contrast?
Not only does this help to zone your home, creating dedicated spaces for dining and lounging, but it also makes for an eclectic interior that is bursting with personality. There are so many colour pairings that are unlikely partners but actually work well together, so finding a combination that works for your home and taste should be simple.
8. Focus on primary colours
Primary colours aren't a common choice for a living room, as many people look towards neutrals or warmer tones, however, if you're into a maximalist aesthetic then this will be the palette to follow.
Bright red, blue and yellow shades work especially well together for an abstract and modern living room idea. You can either go full statement by painting an entire wall or experiment with layering shapes. It's also a great idea if you can't decide on a singular living room colour scheme idea, as it gives you the opportunity to toy with a few.
9. Add colour to unexpected areas
Looking for unexpected areas to paint in a living room will make a space feel professionally designed. If your home has interesting architectural features such as beams, consider using them as a way to display a pop of colour.
It's a great way to tie in a shade without it dominating the room, offering the opportunity to combine it with accent furnishings and accessories. For example, if you're wanting to give pink living room ideas a go but aren't ready to commit, finding a smaller area to feature the shade acts as a great segue into the trend.
10. Match walls to a sofa
We've already mentioned matching skirting and architraves to your wall colour, but why not go one step further and match a sofa to it too?
Whether you have a standalone softly furnished sofa that you can match the tone to or a wooden sofa bed where the base can be customised with the same paint, it will create a warm and inviting look.
11. Look to new neutrals
If you want to stick to a neutral living room scheme but also want to experiment with colour, reach for a new neutral for a twist on an old faithful. Mushroom and khaki shades offer a variation on the grey and beige palettes we see commonly in homes, but they're still easy to style.
Neutrals are popular for their versatility in terms of matching with other colours, and darker taupes will still offer this but with a hint of a bold touch similar to black and navy.
'There are many beautiful warm earthy colours around at the moment, with rich terracotta, cocoa brown and ochres helping to give a room warmth and a flattering glow. Green is still very popular, as it's so easy to live with, but we are seeing a move away from teals, into sludgy olives and khaki and mustard,' says textile designer Clarissa Hulse.
Ruth at Little Greene adds, 'Consider rich, soothing caramels such as Affogato which pair beautifully with the complementary Slaked Lime - Mid on the ceiling, forming a sophisticated, cocooning living room scheme that feels both luxurious and inviting.'
12. Add bold blocks of colour
For rooms that lack a focal point, living room paint ideas are a clever way of creating one without involving the cost or bother of undertaking structural work. Paint can be used to trick the eye, draw attention to key areas or create faux architectural details that give a plain room extra oomph.
Paint a bold block of colour on one wall to create a living room feature wall idea in a plain living room. A simple panel painted in a contrast shade creates a colourful backdrop for a display area, with open shelving styled up with artwork, greenery and decorative pieces. Opt for an off-centre arrangement to create extra visual interest, then fill in empty wall space with wall-hung plants and artwork.
13. Try a half-painted wall
Give white living room ideas a colour lift by painting walls in a half-and-half paint treatment. Less hassle than painting an entire room, painting just the lower portion of walls gives the added benefit of introducing a warmer, brighter or more dramatic colour into your scheme without overwhelming the space completely.
Painting the lower section of wall in your darker ‘hero’ colour can help to ground the scheme and provides a contrasting backdrop for furniture, such as a sofa or sideboard. While having a lighter colour at the top will help to create a sense of height, which is useful for small living room ideas.
Hang artwork that crosses the paint line, so that the paint effect looks intentional and part of a well-thought-out scheme. Opt for mix-and-match frames to provide visual variety and choose colours that complement furniture and soft furnishings.
14. Get creative with a chalkboard backdrop
In a family den or playroom, have some fun and paint a panel or feature wall with black chalkboard paint. It’ll provide an area where little ones can get creative with drawings and doodles or could be used as an oversized family memo board in a study area or WFH space with notes and reminders easily chalked on.
15. Add wow with a diagonal design
Create a modern, mid-century living room vibe by painting feature walls in bold diagonal blocks of colour. The perfect backdrop for a retro scheme, choose colours that echo furniture and soft furnishings to create a more considered effect.
Keep it simple by opting for just one or two contrast colours and with the colour restricted to just one corner, rather than all over. Create your diagonal lines using painter's tape to give a crisp edge. Position your longest line first and then create your second area of colour going off from this. You could even take the colour onto a section of the ceiling for added effect.
16. Opt for ombré stripe walls
Perk up a plain living room by going for chic ombré effect stripes in warm peachy tones. Opting for a graduated wash of colour rather than sharp lines and hard edges creates a softer effect that feels more relaxed and easy on the eye.
Choose a tonal palette of colours with varying depths to achieve this easy ombré effect. For a natural gradation of colour, paint the lower section of walls in the darkest shade, and the midsection in a mid-tone, then use a paler hue towards the top of the walls for an airy feel. Leave the edges soft and ragged rather than clean and crisp for a subtler look.
17. Fake a ‘built-in’ look with paint
Use paint to upgrade basic flatpack furniture for various IKEA hacks and create a sleek, built-in look. Match furniture paint with wall colour and paint both to create an uninterrupted swathe of colour that gives the impression of bespoke built-in furniture rather than freestanding pieces. Add clip-on lights and conceal the cables to further the 'bespoke' effect.
18. Use colour blocking to break up walls
Create a colour-block wall of uplifting colour by using a tonal palette separated by a white border. Think vertically to add height to the room, using blocks of pastel blue and green and dividing the area with an off-centre stripe of white.
The use of white for the dividing line mirrors the skirting boards and ceilings to create a frame of colour to make the coloured blocks feel all the more impactful.
Coordinate the look with matching soft furnishings and accessories. Choose a living room colour scheme to suit your own personal tastes to make the look totally unique for your home.
19. Transform an empty fireplace
If your living room features a fireplace that is purely ornamental, i.e it's not a working fire, why not really show it off with a splash of vibrant colour.
The injection of colour creates the ideal backdrop to display an array of home accessories, from candles to photo frames. In this smart living room the yellow accent colour is used on the walls either side of the chimney breast to coordinate with the painted fireplace.
20. Define the fire surround in an accent colour
Paint your fire surround in a bright, happy shade and top it with colourful accessories to make it the focal point of your living room. To take the colour inject up a level try painting logs in an assortment of complimentary shades, as shown in this bespoke living room fireplace ideas.
21. Frame a knock-through with a painted stripe
With open-plan living rooms growing in popularity there are often two spaces merged into one that you might like to give a slightly different purpose to.
While it makes sense to paint the two spaces in the same colour, to provide a sense of continuity you could clearly define the two rooms by adding accents on architectural points of interest, such as archways. This simple act subtly zones distinct living ares within the same open-plan space.
Given it's not a huge area of paint coverage you can change the colour seasonally, or when you switch up accent accessories within the room without huge expense.
22. Use accent colours to highlight features
Celebrate features rather than try to hide them under a uniformed wall colour. An accent colour border will draw attention to lovely period door frames, skirting boards and picture rails. Picking out key architectural details can help to add depth to your living room and create interest.
Even if the space is devoid of features, you could fake a feature with clever paint ideas. No skirting board? Simply paint a two-tone feature on the wall to create the illusion of its presence.
23. Opt for a nature-inspired palette
Not all hero colours are bold attention-seekers. This soft tone that hovers between brown and grey is a quiet game-changer that'll make a room look warmer and more sophisticated at a brushstroke. Plus, it plays well with other colours, so you can indulge pretty much any whim when it comes to accents.
But even if this particular tone is not your vibe, taking inspiration from nature is always a great idea when designing a living room colour palette.
'When you want to bring the outside in, green wall paint is a great choice. A green living room looks chic when it features plenty of natural elements such as wooden furniture, green plants and an earthy stone-coloured sofa. For a sophisticated and contemporary living room space, dark green offers the perfect wall colour,' Lucy at Valspar advises.
24. Work a whitewash
Brilliant white paint has a transformative effect on interiors. Use it on walls and ceilings and it will make a star of every non-white piece of furniture and accessory in your living room.
Opting for a neutral backdrop means that your accessories can do the talking, and it forms the perfect foundation for truly relaxing. There are multiple white shades you can opt for too, so make sure you pick the best white paint with the correct undertones for your space.
25. Paint a feature wall
If you're not too keen on the bold-is-beautiful school of decorating, pick out a single feature in your living room and treat it to your favourite shade.
This warm pink doesn't overwhelm because it's restricted to one area only – the chimney breast. Pick a shade that will work with your fireplace and integrate it into your room by using the same shade on a single piece of furniture and for a small selection of accessories.
26. Balance dark colours
Dark paint can be scary; but it can bring a real sense of character and sophistication to your living area. In this blue and grey living room idea, the heady mix of textures and tones makes for a luxuriously atmospheric space.
27. Create an artistic watercolour finish
Embrace your inner artist, or better still pay a skilled decorator to take the pressure off. Use brushstroke patterns to add an artistic flourish to any scheme.
Don't be afraid to experiment with innovative paint techniques. Choose your favourite colour and work with shades from the same palette to create a graduated effect along one feature wall. Think about including inky dyed textiles with soft blurry edges and ombre, watercolour washes for a painterly effect.
FAQ
What colours are on trend for living rooms?
As grey living room ideas are fading in popularity, nature-inspired hues and earthy neutrals are taking the place of the once most popular living room neutral shade.
'Consumer confidence has grown significantly in recent years, leading to a wider range of colours being embraced in the home,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene. 'From soothing earthy tones that create cosy, restful environments to greens and blues that evoke nature’s beauty and promote calmness, these colours are becoming more popular.'
Which colour and technique will you be using in your next living room decorating scheme?
