1. CONSIDER THE ASPECT OF YOUR ROOM
Lighting can dramatically change your perception of a certain color – even making it appear warmer or cooler – so paying attention to the aspect of your room is incredibly important. ‘While you may be attracted to a color in a paint showroom or seen through editorial or social, it may not be fit for purpose in the intended room,' says Patrick O’Donnell, color consultant and brand ambassador for Farrow & Ball. 'All paint manufacturers websites will give you great advice on considerations.’
2. THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE
The palette you choose for a cozy, cocooning snug-style living room is going to be different to a more formal, conversation-ready space – so be sure to take this into consideration.
3. DON’T START WITH THE WALLS
‘I think people often start with the walls of the room by default when they’re considering a color scheme, but there are so many other places to start,’ says Lisa Marconi. ‘In some rooms I’ve designed, we’ve started with a single piece that is particularly striking – a piece of art or a living room rug – and built the room out from there.’
4. THINK PRACTICALLY
Of course, there's little use in opting for beautiful off-whites or neutrals if you have sticky-handed kids – or dark, clingy fabrics if you have shedding pets. ‘When it comes to furnishing and furniture, you need to think about who is going to use it and how often,’ says Lisa Marconi. ‘If it’s the family room where the kids are going to be hanging out every day, don’t choose something light for the furniture and rugs – even the easy clean fabrics. You’ll just be constantly cleaning them! Go for darker colors (in stain-resistant fabrics) that will stand some wear and tear.’
5. LAYER YOUR PALETTE
Once you've established a base color, there are ways to build on it to create a scheme with depth and interest. ‘I’m always inspired by a combination of colors in a room scheme but will always consider their proportions to create the most dynamic schemes,’ says London-based interior designer Shanade McAllister-Fisher. ‘Start with your dominant color and layer this with accent colors. For a living space, I like to use a casual palette of earthy reds, foliage greens alongside denim blues and leather browns to give a relaxed, feet-up kind of feel.’
6. CONSIDER NEUTRALS
Among the color schemes the experts we spoke to recommended, neutrals were by far the most popular. ‘People don’t want to hear “beige", but it is a classic, quality color that works well in so many environments,’ says Eugene Colberg, principal at Brooklyn-based Colberg Architecture.
7. DON’T FORGET THE FINISHING TOUCHES
‘Textures and fabrics are another great way to establish a color scheme,’ says Louise McGarry. ‘I try to find one fabric that encompasses all the colors in the room to really tie a scheme together – it can be as small as in the form of a decorative cushion. Layering in textures such as stone, brass, ceramic, glass can add depth to a space.'
8. DON’T BE OVERCONFIDENT – BUT DON’T BE SHY EITHER
Coming into the design process with a balanced, neutral approach is key to ensuring you make fewer mistakes (though you're almost guaranteed to make some). ‘The two most common mistakes are overconfidence and under-confidence,’ says Eugene Colberg. Being overconfident ‘means you think you will figure it out on paper. Research other rooms you like and take note of what resonates for you. Try colors in small doses. Take stock of what you already have in the space. Make an informed decision based on this research. You need to understand how the color looks in the room, how the light moves throughout the day, and how it looks with your setup – only then will you know if that color scheme is truly a fit.’
HOW TO USE WHITE IN A LIVING ROOM
'White can be one of the most difficult colors to choose because there are so many variations and small differences of tone,' says Justyna Korczynska. 'You can have a very clean white, a chalky one, a greyed one, a white that has a hint of green or one with more of a yellow hue. This is because every white has an underlying tone. It might be something slightly warm or cool – the merest hint of red or blue, for example.'
HOW TO USE BOLD COLORS IN A LIVING ROOM
We've covered whites and neutrals – but what if you want something a little bolder in your living room scheme? Choosing a living room color trend like this is all about a measured approach, according to the experts.
WHAT COLOR SHOULD I PAINT MY LIVING ROOM?
While the interior designers and paint experts we spoke to emphasized the importance of choosing a color that speaks to you, some of them did have their own personal favorites – which might be a useful source of information if you're struggling with where to start.
WHAT COLOR SHOULD I PAINT A SMALL LIVING ROOM?
‘The amount of light or dark colour can alter the feel of the room, in the same way the saturation level of the colours can, too,’ says Justyna Korczynska. ‘In general, muted shades will open the space whereas brighter and highly saturated colours could overpower the room and make it appear smaller.’