by Terrie Schultz

Created on: November 13, 2008   Last Updated: November 21, 2008

Choosing paint colors for a living room can be quite a challenge. Living rooms are often the focal point of the home, where we entertain friends or relax with family. Therefore, it is important to select living room colors that create an atmosphere that is compatible with your lifestyle and taste.

There are many things to consider when choosing living room colors, including the architectural style of your home, the size of the room and amount of natural light it receives, and which colors you especially like.

Is the architectural style of your home traditional? If you want to recapture the authentic, historic feel of a traditional home, choose living room colors that were popular during the period when the house was built. Some paint brands now offer collections of historic paint colors.

The size of the room is important, as is the amount of natural light it receives. A darker shade may work in a large, light-filled room with many windows, whereas a smaller room with few windows would benefit from a lighter shade to open it up and make it appear more spacious.

Once you select the dominant color for the walls of your living room, you may want to choose accent colors to highlight architectural details such as beams, molding or trim. If you prefer a monochromatic color scheme, you may choose an accent shade from the same family as the wall color. Selecting a complementary or contrasting accent color adds lively interest, while white trim gives an airy, traditional look.

Most importantly, choose living room colors that you genuinely like. When choosing your palette, think about your favorite colors. Are you partial to warm or cool hues? Luminous yellow, gold and pale pumpkin are warm and cozy, while cool colors such as sky blue or soft green are soothing and serene. A natural palette consisting of quiet tones of earth, sea and sky invokes a peaceful mood.

If you are unsure whether you have made the right choice of living room colors, it's a good idea to buy a small amount of paint first and try it out. Colors often look very different on the wall than on the small sample chip.

Once you are satisfied that the color will work, you can be confident that your freshly-painted living room will bring you enjoyment, and enhance the beauty of your home.

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