Painting a Living Room Wall

The living room is where you can freely express your personality and an avenue to show your guests and friends who you are like. And there’s no simple yet striking way to do that as painting the room. Paint is a very versatile and useful tool that can truly transform the look of your interiors without breaking the bank.

Neutral color schemes would give you more flexible choices in terms of furniture and accessories, but there’s a lot to be said if you would introduce color. Colors of the wall can evoke different moods and effects for the living area, and you can create more impact with its blending with the furniture and accessories. Here are some tips and suggestions for painting your living room wall:

1. Choose paint color based on the main element of your living room.

Choosing a paint color for your living room wall can be overwhelming because of the many tones and shades available. But this can be made simpler if you would find a centerpiece or the main element that would serve as a basis for the rest of the color and design options. It can be a couch, a painting or a table. Before buying paint, go to the hardware store or shop and look for around five color samples with the tone similar to your main element. Place the samples next to your main element and against the walls, then decide which one you like best.

Mixing and matching colors with the furniture is a creative choice. As long as it matches (and as long as you, the homeowner, love it), then there is no right or wrong way to do it. As for the suggestions, here are some of the tried-and-tested fresh living room color schemes that are trendy and worked out really well:

 

  • Tan + brown + muted red and green – If you have a brown couch, you can use a tan paint for your wall, then add muted shades of red and green to create a calming and warm atmosphere. It looks great for both traditional and contemporary styled living areas.
  • Cream + dark red + gold – For a classic look that will match your creamy white sofa, paint your walls in eggshell white, then add red and gold accents around. Add a red and white rug, red and gold cushions and a golden curtain to pull the color scheme together.
  • Turquoise + blue + white + mustard yellow – Pick a vibrant yet not too brash shade of turquoise and pair it with a blue couch. To keep the bluey-ness of this color scheme controlled, add hints of white with a white coffee table, white lamp and wide white frames for artwork. Finish with mustard yellow cushions and yellow flowers for decoration.
  • Wine red + mauve grays + dusty rose + light browns – This plum-toned color scheme warms up the living room during the colder months. Paint the wall with wine red and decorate with dusty rose textiles like curtains, pillows, and throws. Keep the furniture muted by using light brown and soft mauve gray tones.
  • Cool blue + cream + dark brown – Cool blue looks so soothing with cream architectural details and draperies. It’s also a nice color to pick when you have cream upholstery. This contrasts well with the dark brown flooring and accessories, creating a relaxing area.
  • Bright green + fuchsia + whites – Uplift your living room area with a bright green wall. Contrast it with a fuchsia accent couch and accessories, then surround the couch with white chairs to subdue the colors. Integrate the bright green color of the wall with ottomans of a similar shade. This color combination will show how lively and fun you are.
  • Dark gray + cream + purple – Rich, saturated shades like dark gray and purple makes an elegant impression. But to avoid making the space too dark, pair it with cream upholstery and draperies. Add white wall sconces to brighten up the room.
  • Powder blue + red + muted yellows + white – This powerful, primary color combination gives a soothing yet vibrant look to a living room. A subtle shade of powder blue paint works great with a red accent couch. Pair it with chairs in muted yellow, and add ottomans, lamps and other details in white.
  • Cantaloupe + whites + earthy browns + green ochre – Make your guests smile with a clear and serene, and also a warm and welcoming living room. With white cushions on a dark brown wicker seating furniture, a cantaloupe-colored wall with white trimmings will truly blend well. Embrace the earthy tone of dark brown wicker by adding a muted sisal rug. Finish the room with green ochre throw pillows.

2. Add texture.

2. Add texture.

If you are a certified DIYer or your household craftsman, you probably know that paint doesn’t only come in flat matte nor glossy finishes. Paint can be textured with different paint treatments, and there are a lot of texturing techniques you can do, like marbling, rag rolling and stippling. With the application of drywall mud, you are left with several options for texturing. Adding texture to walls can make a living room look and feel more luxurious.

3. Make an accent wall.

Do you wish to adopt a bold color into your room but are afraid that it would overwhelm the room? Simply paint it into one wall where the furnishings are facing or on the wall where the main couch rests in to create a focal point. It would be nicer if the accent wall would highlight an architectural feature, like a fireplace, or frame your precious collection of artwork. But remember that an accent wall does not need to have only one color: you may use two colors to create a two-toned wall, stripes, waves, stencil pattern and other multi-colored painting techniques to also help in pulling the color scheme of your wall together.

4. Create contrast with the ceiling.

In painting the living room walls, don’t forget the ceiling. Remember, it’s actually your fifth wall. By adding a splash of color on it, you can create visual interest with your walls and make the room look more dynamic. For a subtle yet soothing vibe, pick a muted shade, but if you want a more striking and brightening effect, choose a bold color that blends or contrasts the color of your walls. If you have a low ceiling, avoid dark colors – choose cooler shades instead to make them look higher.

5. Create a mural.

If you’re feeling bolder and a bit artistic, paint a one-of-a-kind mural into your home (or hire an artist to paint one). It can be small, large or it can occupy a full wall. Making a mural is also a clever idea to help you incorporate the colors of your room and pull the interior design altogether. It’s a brave move, but it will surely catch a lot of attention.