The color palette you choose for your living room really sets the foundation for its whole vibe. Getting the colors and their combinations just right is the key to making the styling and decoration a success.
Honestly, sometimes all you really need is the perfect paint color, and the decor can be secondary. The colors you pick make that huge first impression of your living room and your entire home.
Here are 30 of the most sophisticated and timeless color palettes that designers recommend for living rooms. See if you can spot one that would be perfect for your next project!
1. Nordic Greys and Blues
I have always been drawn to the upbeat minimalism of Nordic style, and you can see why it’s a favorite everywhere. It’s totally possible to recreate this bright room in your own home.
It’s all about those white walls, grey furnishings, and then layering in lots of adorable blue details.
2. Magnificent Magenta
Wow! This electric color is absolutely the star of the show and just defines the whole room! The key is to keep fittings and decor to a minimum.
Any extra trimmings would just end up cluttering a space that is already so brightly charged.
3. Tangerine, Tan, and Turquoise
Isn’t this just so bright and sunny, while still being tastefully beautiful? The happy clutter of colors and textures gives me those charming cottage feelings.
It feels cozy, a little crowded, and makes you think of pets and gardens. Just so lovely.
4. Earth Tones
Sometimes you just need to keep things basic with earth, wind, and fire vibes.
I love that the cool earth tones, natural patterns, and elemental inspirations make this space feel so elegantly timeless. Perfection!
5. Modern Black and White
There’s something so sophisticated and elegant about this look. It’s totally timeless while still feeling modern.
I think it’s amazing how it can be effortlessly formal but also casually cool at the same time.
6. Vivid Jewel Collection
Okay, wow! This room is just fabulous. It uses incredible jewel tones like quartz, amethyst, and sapphire to get that magnificent feeling.
Did you notice how the furnishings are actually pretty ordinary? They are totally transformed by the magical use of these colors.
7. Emerald and White
For those times you can’t get enough of the sultry tropics, why not bring those rich, lush colors into your living room?
I adore this emerald scheme because it feels so splendid and stunning without a hint of tackiness.
8. Rich Browns
This rich mix of brown shades gives the space an air of down-to-earth opulence that I just love. The patterns are so beautifully rustic, but in a really grand way.
I feel like you would never want to change a single thing in this room.
9. Pretty Pastels
I’ve noticed that light pastels are becoming such popular additions to the contemporary neutral colors we see in minimalism.
Just add some pastel touches to the more somber tones in your living room to get this pretty, welcoming, and elegant style.
10. Dramatic Black and Grey
Minimalist living rooms tend to have that timeless style, don’t they? Keeping your colors neutral with minimal décor is the secret.
I think this black and grey combination will just never go out of style. A true classic!
11. Calming Sea Hues
Seascape themes and ocean colors are such longstanding favorites for living room designs, and I totally get why.
That interesting wall mirror décor is the perfect finishing touch for this graceful, calm, and beautiful room.
12. Rustic Elements
Okay, this is definitely an outdoorsman’s living room! The wood, sheepskin, and natural fibers perfectly capture that spirit of the outdoors.
At the same time, the clean lines, plain walls, and natural colors give the room its modern look.
13. Bright and Yellow
This stylish room manages to put yellow and elegant in the same sentence. It’s not easy to incorporate such a bright, perky hue into the formality of a living room.
But this design proves it’s not only possible but also absolutely dazzling!
14. Traditional White and Navy
Cool, chic, and a true classic. That deep royal blue tone is the perfect accent for the crisp brightness of the white.
It’s no wonder this color scheme has been such an enduring favorite for so long.
15. Cool Charcoal and Teal
I love the idea of adding the perky colors of the ocean to a cool and neutral grey. This seaside-inspired design is so elegantly subdued and absolutely refreshing.
Plus, it comes with an undeniable touch of drama!
16. Forest Greens
The rich emerald and gold combination in this living room is just so luxurious and captivating. It’s a room with a faultless sense of style that feels confident and fierce.
17. Blush Pinks
Pink shades are so hot right now, and they are beautiful and versatile. You can combine a cool blush, light pink, or dusky rose with white or grey for a room that feels pretty and demure.
Or, go for fuchsia, magenta, or hot pink with black, and you get a Goth princess room!
18. Orange Palette
Do you dare to go bright and warm? This fascinating and warm desert orange palette can chase all the blues away!
Just remember, if you plan to use a lot of bright colors, keep them dusky and toned down so the room doesn’t feel overwhelmed.
19. Darker Shades of Blue
Deeper and darker shades are a favorite because of their mysterious and elegant look. This dark blue living room is just as beautiful as it is sophisticated.
20. White and Bright
So clean and stimulating, white and bright! This room uses a base of white and light tones, which gives it that vividness.
Then, the bright spots of greens, pinks, and golds provide that stunning element.
21. Modern White and Grey
You can truly never go wrong with a grey and white combination for your living room. I love that you can perk up this elegant color scheme with splashes of bright details.
Adding red, blue, yellow, or orange décors will give the room its own unique character.
22. Bursts of Orange
There is just nothing like a few generous pops of orange to perk up a room. This is such a great way to upgrade a bland modern living room by tastefully adding some bright, colorful touches.
23. Coastal Living Room
You definitely don’t have to live in a coastal house to have this timelessly beautiful living room. All you have to do is use sea and sand tones to create your very own coastal escape.
24. Luxurious Marble and Gold
This is luxury that is done so elegantly. The marble wall feature, the gold center tables, and that fur accent. Just simply gorgeous!
25. Browns and Tans
The warm and welcoming earth tones in this space create such a calming air. It feels like a haven you would never want to leave. It’s comfortable and relaxing, but also elegant and beautiful.
26. Minty Shades
Light, airy, and minty cool. I think the simplicity of this living room is where its elegance comes from. It has minimized frills and just plain everything.
27. Charming Floral Blues
Here is another living room design that you could honestly keep forever. The dainty flower prints mixed with soft blue accents on a white background is such a classic.
I bet your grandmother loved it, and your granddaughter will too!
28. Aubergine and Green
This combination of rich and royal shades of aubergine and celadon green makes for one elegant living room. The trick is to balance out those rich colors with some white or light grey.
29. Colours of Summer
You can chase away the winter blues with the brightest, most cheerful, and summery of all living room designs. The large windows and glass details here just add to the roomy and open feeling.
30. Warm Neutrals
Neutral colors are just the best for timeless and elegant living rooms.
I find that adding spots of brighter hues, like the green and pink in this space, gives the room interesting focal points and really cheers it up.
