by Kathy H

Created on: September 16, 2008

The living room, in most cases, is the first room seen when you enter your residence. Since this room gives a first impression of your house, you want it to create an inviting and welcoming ambience to both you and your guests.

Years ago, parlors, front rooms and sitting rooms were strictly reserved for entertaining purposes when guests came to call. These days, your living room is where you and other family members spend a great deal of your time throughout the day, hence the name living room. It is that space of your residence where you can relax, entertain and share the company of both family and friends. You want your living room to be an extension of your personality, and somewhere you and others can just be themselves in pleasant surroundings.

This has to all be taken into consideration when selecting the color of paint for one of the most important rooms in your residence. The color and shade of paint you choose should be pleasing to the eye, one the majority of family members agree upon and that emits a sense of both relaxation and pleasure.

Sometimes people decorate their living room to create a statement about themselves or their beliefs. They might create a theme for this room, showing off some of their favorite collectibles, hobbies, period style or era. In this case the color they select to paint their living room helps relay the message they are trying to send to all others that enter this area of the house.They have to make sure that the chosen color reflects and blends well with the style or time period they are trying to portray.

This simply means there are no hard and fast rules to selecting a paint color for the living room, just a few simple ones.

It is important to select a durable and washable paint, as this room has to withstand long and hard hours at times. There could be guests of all ages as well as pets sharing this space on a regular basis. If you use your living room to entertain, food and beverages could give the paint a run for its money, as most likely spills and stains can occur. You are going to appreciate a simple clean up of mild soap and water during these times.

The type and intensity of natural light and lighting fixtures should also be taken into consideration, as well as, the overall size of the room. You have the option of painting a larger and well lit room a darker or medium shade of color, while a smaller or dimly lit room should always be painted a lighter color to give it a brighter and less confining feel.

Neutral tones

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