Modern Living Room Colour Schemes 

Nowadays, there's no one-size-fits-all approach to modern living rooms. Until recently, most interior design trends focused on clean lines and stripped-back aesthetics. However, there's a variety of design approaches you can take to turn an unloved lounge into a modern living space. 

Prefer simplicity? Strip your living room back to the basics with crisp whites and monochrome furniture. If you're ready to experiment with tonality, play around with white and neutral shades. 

A modern living room doesn't have to be anchored on an all-white palette or grey-toned accents. You can incorporate hot pink accents or welcome more vibrant colours into the mix. Jewel tones are great if you don't want to veer too far from neutral paint shades, while dark navy and burnt orange can transform a space into a luxurious retreat. 

Need some ideas to get you started? Our living room colour guide is packed with information to help you choose the right shades for your space. 

Rustic Living Room Colour Ideas

Rustic living room interiors are enjoying a resurgence in popularity. Armed with the right colour palette and room accents, you can transform an unloved corner of your home into something truly special. 

If you're feeling uninspired in a grey living room, it's time to explore warm tones and richer alternatives to your existing wall colours. By switching out lacklustre greys and off-white paints for something with more character, you give yourself the perfect foundation for a first-rate room makeover. 

Canvas G485 is a fine choice for any living room colour scheme. This muted neutral paint colour has subtle tones of dusky pink that can be accented with more vibrant shades. Experiment with throw pillows to add texture, then introduce natural elements for that rustic feel. 

Jasmine F503 is a lighter take. Use this one for rooms lacking in natural light, or put it to work alongside darker shades for a subtle touch of contrast.

Modern and Minimalist Living Rooms

Minimalist living is still a popular design option. This approach involves taking things back to basics. All-white walls and exposed wood flooring used to be the standard here, but you have a bit more scope when it comes to selecting living room colour schemes today. 

This design trend doesn't really suit small-space living. However, if your interiors have more square footage, it's an effective option for anyone eager for a neutral space to call home. 

The colour of wall paint you choose is important here, so stick to off-white neutrals. A colour like Camelia F300 is a strong choice. Although it looks simple, there are some delicate lilac undertones at work here, which will bring a gentle warmth to your interiors. 

If you prefer bluish undertones, go with something like Arctic Fox S503. The understated blue character makes it easy to coordinate with monochrome furniture, as well as soothing shades of blue and grey. 

Both of these colours work well in spaces with large floor plans and high ceilings. Use them as a brilliant backdrop for a gallery wall. If your room is still looking sparse, play around with interior lighting to add warmth.

Warm and Earthy Tones

Warm neutrals and earthy shades are now back in fashion. The right colour scheme can inject instant warmth into a living room. If you're a fan of retro-inspired interiors, vivid orange paints and mustard brown are colours you're going to want to embrace.   

There aren't any strict rules when it comes to this interior design trend. Ultimately, it's a question of taste and personal style. For example, you may decide you want to frame your room colours around much-loved furniture and decorative pieces. 

If you're thinking about using richer colours, try and experiment with different tones to avoid overwhelming a space. This is even more important if your living room is on the smaller side. 

Ducato L392 is a terrific option for fans of earthy colours. This mustard brown brings warmth and character. What's more, it pairs well with colours like burnt orange. You can also incorporate premium materials like leather and jumbo cord for fantastic texture. 

If you want to take things down a notch, go for a more muted colour like Beeswax L396. Although this shade is fairly neutral, it's not lacking in personality and can still be paired with all manner of fabrics to bring your living space to life.

Contemporary Living Room Colour Ideas

Searching for colour inspiration for an open-plan living space? This type of living room demands a more contemporary palette, making use of bright light to let your interiors breathe. However, you don't need to limit yourself to plain white paint colours and pale shades. 

If your room is equipped with black and white furniture and monochromatic accents, it's best to explore neutrals with a hint of colour to them. Consider off-white paint colours with subtle undertones that will effortlessly coordinate with the rest of your room. 

Violet Y344 is a strong choice if you're a fan of blue. If you're decorating a smaller interior, you can use this neutral on every wall. For larger spaces, think about pairing it with an off-white shade to create stunning contrasts that won't overwhelm the senses. 

Antarctic Y348 is another fine option for modern interiors. This pale blue paint colour is the perfect partner to white or grey paint. If you're considering introducing bolder colour pops, it also works well with dark navy and indigo.

Make a Statement with Fiery Reds

If you're looking for a modern living room colour combination, why not start with reds? Bright colours aren't for everyone, but if you're out to make a statement, there's no better colour scheme to get things started. 

You can use red paint to decorate a whole room. Alternatively, limit it to individual walls and features, before contrasting it with crisp white and lighter tones.

Ready to embrace red? Tomato M316 is a stylish choice for contemporary living rooms. It makes an instant statement, but it's muted enough that it won't overload the senses. What's more, it pairs beautifully with creamy neutrals and white. 

If you prefer pink, why not use Flamingo K319 to transform your living room? This watermelon shade is the way to go if you're not afraid of more daring colours. It can also be used with more eclectic colour combinations, including vivid yellows and gorgeous green paint colours.

Off-Whites and Muted Neutral Living Rooms

If you want to create a more grown-up living room, it's time to consider a more neutral shade. Pared-back wall colours are perfect for creating a serene interior, while different shades can add visual interest. 

Subtle hues bring richness, but you don't want to overdo it when introducing accent colours. To keep things on a tranquil track, think about combining neutral walls with muted green accents and upholstery. 

Taffeta F383 is a superb choice for living room walls. It's very understated, with a delicate grey undertone that exudes elegance. Furthermore, this premium neutral is incredibly easy to coordinate with. 

For a subtle touch of colour, use Cucumber Y383. If you're a fan of sea green shades, you'll love this colour. Use it to accent alcoves or draw attention to a chimney breast or feature wall.

Luxurious Living Room Design Ideas

Is your living room long-overdue a luxurious makeover? Don't skimp on colour when designing your dream space. Neutrals have a place here, but you'll also want to create dynamic contrast with darker shades. 

Lotus F488 is an excellent choice for wall and ceiling paints. This off-white paint colour has delicate blue undertones that will set you on the right track when it comes to pulling your room together. 

To add contrast, go for something that's going to make a statement like Eclipse V488. The perfect blend of dark blue and charcoal, this elegant paint colour is ideal for accent walls. 

Once you've taken care of the paintwork, start adding the finishing touches. Tan leather works beautifully here, while gold-tone ornaments and deep pile rugs add another layer of sophistication.

Modern Living Room Colour Palettes 

In need of some living room colour ideas? We've put together some premium colour combinations that will look right at home in any modern living room. 

Blues can be used incredibly effectively in modern living spaces. The right combination of off-white neutrals and more daring blue paints can transform an unloved lounge into something really special. 

Kick things off with Lotus F448. This off-white neutral works well if you're looking to paint an entire room. Meanwhile, its blue undertones make it easy to coordinate with navy shades and grey tones. 

For a more fierce colour pop, use something like Silk Road S440. Anybody who loves teal is going to fall head over heels for this premium paint colour. It's a great pick for luxurious spaces and pairs well with gold accents.

If you're searching for a more understated blue, there's Spa X442. This pale shade is perfect for creating contrast. Use it to counterbalance more daring shades and create zoned areas in open-plan living spaces.

Different tones of blue can also be used to create contrast. The right colour palette can lend itself well to a modern living room. 

Start things off with a lighter shade like Seagull F496. This pale blue is a great idea for larger spaces with lots of natural light. What's more, it works very well with dark woods and monochrome furniture. If your current furniture doesn't fit in you can always give it a fresh new look with one of our furniture paints.

If you're looking for something with more character, there's Glacier Y435. This sky blue shade is on the pale side, but it's an easy way to introduce colour into your interiors. 

To add luxury to your living rooms, use Peacock M366. This rich blue exudes elegance and is the ideal pick for feature walls. It also pairs well with metallics, so think about adding gold and copper pieces to your interiors once the painting has been taken care of.

If you want to create a serene living space, greens are the way to go. For a more tranquil interior, use sages and forest greens. For a more dramatic living room, embrace emerald and jade green shades.

If you've never decorated with green before, start with something simple like Taffeta F383. This neutral shade is closer to white than it is to green paint, but there are subtle undertones at work here you can build upon.

To add colour to your room, think about using Emerald L373. This is one of our more vibrant greens and instantly leaves a space feeling luxurious.

Want something darker? Fjord M442 is another first-rate colour pick. Once you've finished painting, introduce tan leather upholstery, dark wood furniture and gold-tone details to bring everything together.

Pastels, dark and rich colours work particularly well together. Just because you're designing a modern living space, doesn't mean you have to stick with off-whites and muted shades. 

If you're a fan of dusky pink, you'll love Coconut Y456. This premium pastel shade is ideal for smaller spaces and pairs beautifully with blush pinks like Papyrus Y392. 

Looking for earth tones? Harvest V406 is a stunning choice. Use this one for accent walls or smaller spaces lacking in warmth.