Most Popular Living Room Paint Colors This Year
Choosing a paint color for your living room can be an exciting yet daunting task. With so many options to pick from, it's hard to know where to start. This year, warm neutral tones, soothing blues, and vibrant greens rank among the most popular living room paint colors that designers and homeowners love.
From factors to consider when selecting colors to pro tips for application and maintenance, we'll cover everything you need to know.
Why Choose Popular Living Room Paint Colors
When opting for a trending, popular living room paint color, you gain confidence in knowing that color has already been tried and tested in many homes. Popular paint colors earn their status by being versatile and visually appealing to suit a variety of decors and spaces.
Each year, major paint brands like Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore analyze up-and-coming color trends. Their predictions stem from consumer feedback, inputs from professional interior painters and designers, Pantone's Color of the Year, and even influences from the fashion and hospitality industries.
Benefits of choosing a popular living room paint color include:
- Increases resale value: Popular neutral colors especially appeal to homebuyers.
- Easier coordination: Many furniture and home collections come designed around popular paint shades.
- Visual expandability: Light, bright colors can make a small living room feel more spacious.
Tried-and-true favorites for living rooms year after year include warm whites like Benjamin Moore's White Dove, soft taupes like Sherwin-Williams Repose Gray, and neutral tans like Behr's Silk Cashmere. These versatile neutrals effortlessly match existing furnishings while keeping the focus on your overall room decor.
Most Popular Living Room Paint Color Types
Today's leading living room paint colors fall under three main categories:
Warm Neutral Paint Colors
The warm side of the color spectrum continues to rank among the most popular paint choices for cozy, welcoming living rooms. Neutral doesn't have to mean boring! The right tone can make trim details pop and add dimension to the space.
Try on-trend shades like:
- Beige: Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray (HC-168)
- Light brown: Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige (SW 7036)
Cool Paint Colors
For a more modern, sleek living room aesthetic, cool-toned grays, blues, and greens reign supreme. These tranquil hues open up smaller spaces and allow room accents to take center stage.
Some bestselling options include:
- Light blue: Sherwin-Williams Rain (SW 9083)
- Light green: Behr Silver Drop (HL-DC-05)
- Gray: Benjamin Moore Pale Oak (15-41)
Vibrant Paint Colors
This year, many homeowners opt for vibrant paint colors to create a bold, dynamic living space. The key is striking the right balance so the color doesn't overwhelm the room.
Eye-catching picks like these add personality without going overboard:
- Deep blue: Behr Calming Rain (PPU26-14)
- Forest green: Benjamin Moore Verde Green (2062-10)
Before deciding on a final color, consider testing paint swatches across different walls that face various light exposures. A blue that pops in morning light from the east-facing window may appear dull and grey-ish in the harsh afternoon sunlight.
Factors To Consider When Choosing Paint
With limitless paint options to pick from, narrowing down your decision can get overwhelming fast. Here are some key factors to consider:
Room Size and Lighting
The dimensions of your living room and the direction it faces impact how paint colors appear. Large, well-lit spaces can handle deeper, bolder hues without closing things in too much. Smaller rooms with minimal natural light often look best with light neutrals or cool tones to keep the space feeling open and airy.
Furniture and Decor
Take inventory of the existing furniture, flooring, window treatments, and accent pieces you plan to keep in the living room. Cool-toned grays pair beautifully with black leather furniture, while beiges and taupes match seamlessly with woods and natural textiles. Determine an overall color temperature for the space.
Personal Color Preferences
Consider if you naturally gravitate towards warmer ambers, minty greens, or prefer a clean, crisp white aesthetic. Determining colors that appeal most to your taste makes selecting a hue you'll enjoy long-term much simpler.
Multi-Purpose Room Usage
If your living room doubles as a home office, kids' play area, or space to entertain guests, opt for versatile, neutral paint colors. Popular choices like Benjamin Moore Simply White or Sherwin-Williams Accessible Beige beautifully adapt to fulfill many purposes.
Best Paint Finishes For Living Rooms
Beyond just color choice, the paint finish hugely impacts the living room aesthetic. Consider these top options:
Eggshell Finish
With just enough luster to reflect light, eggshell finishes add depth without the gloss. The velvety texture masks minor wall imperfections beautifully while offering great durability and easy cleanability.
Satin Finish
Slightly more shine than eggshell, satin finishes catch the light wonderfully. This elegant finish works well for living rooms since it stands up to occasional wall bumps and dirt better than flat finishes.
Matte or Flat Finish
For a more muted, subtle look, flat and matte finishes provide zero sheen. Great for bold wall colors that might appear too loud with added shine. However, touch-ups show easily, so flat works best on pristine walls.
Consider a matte finish for the main living space and accentuate trims and ceilings with a pearlized paint. The right balance of sheens adds beautiful, customizable dimension.
Combining Paint Colors In Living Rooms
Thoughtfully layering paint colors and textures boosts visual interest exponentially compared to an all-white or single color room. Try these expert tips:
Accent Walls
Highlight the sofa seating area or home entertainment center with a bold accent wall color. Contrast beautifully with adjoining neutral walls and watch focal features pop.
Trims and Ceilings
Crisp white ceiling and trim details frame colorful walls elegantly. For contemporary edge, carry one bold wall color onto the ceiling for a enveloping effect.
Coordinating With Flooring
Hardwood floors establish a good neutral backdrop for vivid paint colors. For lots of contrast, pair light walls with dark flooring. Match wall and floor hues for seamless flow.
Matching Furniture
Choose a paint color a couple shades darker or lighter than furnishings for cohesion. For built-in bookcases or cabinetry, select a wall color in the same tone family, like a grayish blue with blue accents.
Popular Brand Name Paint Colors
Both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams showcase several bestselling paint colors perfect for living rooms year after year. Here are some top picks for 2023:
A prevailingly popular neutral beige, Sherwin-Williams Agreeable Gray harmonizes beautifully with any style from farmhouse to traditional. Pair with crisp white trim for a light and airy backdrop to display artwork.