35 neutral colour ideas for your living room

Choosing the right colours is an essential aspect of designing home interiors. Colours are important as they impact mood, reflect the owner’s character and style and enhance the aesthetic appeal of the house. A neutral colour palette is one of the safest and most versatile colour options. It works with any interior design theme and helps achieve the right balance, especially if strong colours have been used in the décor. Neutral colours work for any room, including the living room. So, if you are planning to give your living room a fresh look, check these neutral colour ideas for living room and useful tips.

 

What is a neutral colour theme?

A neutral colour theme comprises of colours with softer shades or muted tones. Unlike the bold colours, neutral shades do not have an intense effect. Typically, neutral colours are used in combination with other colours to create a cohesive look. Neutral colours include grey, white, cream or black.

 

Benefits of neutral living room colour theme

• Calming effect: Colour selection in interior design is mostly based on the effect one wants to achieve. If you are looking to create a relaxed, calm and welcoming environment, neutral colour is your best bet.
• Versatile: Neutral colours easily go with different design trends, whether your looking for minimalist theme or even a rustic, industrial look. The colour can even be used as a backdrop for a painting or designing an accent wall.
• Timeless: Neutral colours are one of the popular choices for homeowners and have been in trend for many years. The timeless appeal makes it one of the safest colour options for home interiors.

 

35 neutral colour ideas for your living room

 

Warm neutrals

#1. Ivory

This soft, off-white shade, resembling the colour of ivory tusks, can be used in combination with other colours. Use this colour for the walls, curtains or upholstery.

Source: Pinterest/7036943161082041

 

#2. Tan

You can pick this pale shade of brown for the living room walls or include this colour sparingly through rugs and curtains. When matched with other shades of brown, the colour theme can add style and character to the space.

Source: Pinterest

 

#3. Contemporary cream

Bring in the elegance of cream to modern living rooms through walls, artwork or accessories. The colour can also be used for accent wall tiles to add texture to the space.

Source: Pinterest HomeCabinetExpert/825495806730727889

 

#4. Pale champagne

This is a luxurious neutral shade that can elevate the visual appeal of your living room. You can opt for this colour theme for an open floor plan, comprising of living and dining space. Choose a range of shades to give the interiors an interesting look.

Source: Pinterest pinterest/1001910248326713082

 

#5. Sepia

A reddish-brown shade, Sepia can be used for the walls if you are looking for a solid backdrop for your artwork or paintings. The rustic appeal matches with other colours, especially gold elements.

Source: Pinterest bathroomideas99/3025924744436876

 

#6. Rich almond

Almond colour is a light brown to creamy undertone that can be a great choice for your neutral living room colour theme. You can include this colour by incorporating some décor items and accessories.

Source: Pinterest allcrafts1/476326098109680550

 

#7. Soft wheat

Soft wheat is another popular neutral colour that can be used for living room décor. You can paint the living room walls in soft wheat hues or opt for this colour scheme through accent colours.

Source: Pinterest HomeCabinetExpert/180495897559907256

 

#8. Farmhouse brown

If you are planning for a rustic interior design theme, then farmhouse brown is an excellent option to achieve the rustic appeal. Even for minimalist interiors, this colours creates a stunning impact when used for design elements like furniture.

Source: Pinterest linneacrona241/68748318681

 

#9. Bright honey

You can use this colour for your dining room or living space to bring some elegance yet relaxing vibes. For a more dramatic effect, go for bright honey coloured walls.

Source: Pinterest inspiration_for_home_ideas/1087971222484837566

 

#10. Sand

Sand is a neutral colour that works with any interior design theme, from contemporary to traditional. For a cohesive look, you can opt for sand colour walls and matching décor.

Source: Pinterest yprosacco0008/7388786883732078

 

#11. Light Mocha

A popular neutral colour, light mocha works best as an accent wall that can elevate the visual appeal of your living room. To balance the effect, go for lighter tones for the ceiling and other areas.

Source: Pinterest inspiration_for_home_ideas/64246732180860500

 

#12. Subtle peach

Peach is a widely used neutral colour that works well in combination with other colours such as cream or light green. It is a classic colour choice for your home interiors to bring some positivity.

Source: Pinterest HomeCabinetExpert/163114817760332741

 

#13. Pale pink

Pale pink is a lighter shade of pink and serves as a neutral shade for home décor. The best way to include this colour in your home décor is through accessories and upholstery.

Source: Pinterest bonnietallo/1337074888284747

 

#14. Charcoal

Charcoal is a solid colour that can be paired with both wooden and metallic hues. It works best for an industrial look. Bring in some greens or other bright colours to elevate the visual appeal.

Source: Pinterest jb_myg/98094098129052491

 

#15. Ecru

Ecru is a neutral colour you can use for the living room walls. Include some golden elements in the décor for an enhance visual effect and a luxurious appeal.

Source: Pinterest ArtFacade/564146290837729314

 

Cool neutrals

#1. Silver

Silver is a timeless colour and brings sophistication to any living space. Include silver coloured décor elements and match the look with glass accessories to make the room look bright and interesting.

Source: Pinterest yomoore/17521886042704806

 

#2. Snow white

You can opt this colour scheme for your winter-themed décor theme. The pristine white colour and matching wall décor can make your home interiors visually appealing, perfect for the festive season.

Source: Pinterest VibeCascade/25403185393176897

 

#3. Ice blue grey

This is a bluish grey shade that works best for an accent wall. Make this wall stand out by choosing a suitable colour like white. Include some bold colours in the form of accessories to complete the look.

Source: Pinterest creativebooster/744712488415465656

 

#4. Dove grey

This softer version of grey can be used generously in your living room décor. Use this colour in combination with white, which brings a balanced effect.

Source: Pinterest TheAIHomeDesign/27654985206748531

 

#5. Soft teal

Soft teal can be used if you want to make your neutral colour theme more interesting and appealing. Choose colour combinations such as soft teal and white or soft teal and grey, to make the interiors cool and welcoming.

Source: Pinterest homedecorbliss/504051383314003596

 

#6. Celery

With its bright and refreshing vibes, celery is a neutral shade of green that can be used for the living room walls or it can be used sparingly in the room décor.

Source: Pinterest

 

#7. Taupe

Taupe is a mix of grey and brown and works well for living room interiors. You can use this colour for the walls and for other design elements to create a cohesive look.

Source: Pinterest

 

#8. Mint

Mint is a popular neutral shade widely used in modern and traditional home interiors. Choose mint colour for the living walls and blend some green elements for a matching colour effect.

Source: Pinterest

 

#9. Olive green

Olive green is a perfect neutral colour idea for a tropical interior design theme. It can also work for other design themes and works well in combination with other shades of green, orange, greys, brown, etc.

Source: Pinterest unyblackmail96u6K4/914862420596602

 

#10. Misty grey

Misty grey is a cool neutral shade and works with bold colours, including browns and blues. You can use this for the living room walls or other design elements.

Source: Pinterest lorddecor/591590101083481960

 

#11. Light sage

Light sage is more of a cool neutral shade but can be used smartly with other colours, including warm neutrals, to create the desired effect. It is a muted green or greenish-grey colour that can be used for the living room walls.

Source: Pinterest suite101official/669699407122972911

 

#12. Concrete

Concrete shade is a neutral colour that you can used for creating an industrial or rustic-farmhouse look. You can use this colour with other cooler shades like blue to make the space look welcoming.

Source: Pinterest adobestock/911486412089217114

 

#13. Greige

Greige is a mix of beige and grey. It can be a perfect colour for your neutral décor theme. You can either use this colour for the living room walls and add some bright accessories or use this colour to decorate the room and have the walls painted in another neutral colour.

Source: Pinterest HomeCabinetExpert/486036984802170381

 

#14. Pale Stone

Pale Stone is a shade of brown and works well in combination with whites or greys. Go for pale stone sofa or wall colour. Include some bold colours to create an interesting look.

Source: Pinterest elenhsv/51791464458618667

 

#15. Medium grey

Medium grey shade is a perfect neutral colour if you do not want a completely white or a dark grey shade for your living room. Choose this colour to create an accent wall.

Source: Pinterest ebaycouk/899101513098850001

 

Versatile neutrals

#1. Mauve

Mauve is a neutral shade of purple and a versatile colour that works with different colours like green, brown, teal, etc. It looks elegant when used for the living room walls, creating a luxurious appeal.

Source: Pinterest HearthandPetals/84020349292372438

 

#2. Lilac

Lilac is another shade of purple with a pinkish tone. It can be a great choice for bedroom interiors. However, Lilac can also be incorporated into living room décor. You can choose to paint the walls in lilac or choose furniture of this colour.

Source: Pinterest adnandf094/764626843016893039

 

#3. Clay

Clay is a muted shade of earthy grey and can be a great colour choice for a open living room. You can use this colour to design a section such as a reading corner or the dining space and include some bright colours to create a visual impact.

Source: Pinterest goldenlighting/288089707408301411

 

#4. Light brown

Light brown is one of the safest colour options if you are going for a neutral colour theme. To avoid the space from looking dull, include some bright colours like greens or darker shades of brown.

Source: Pinterest ModernNestInteriors/2814818511055048

 

#5. Mushroom

Mushroom colour your living room can create a calming space and add a unique style statement. Make sure to use suitable colours like earthy tones or whites.

Source: Pinterest divineinteriorco/37506609390746964

 

Housing.com News Viewpoint

Typically, living rooms are the best place to experiment with a neutral colour theme as it is a common room where the entire family spends time. While some neutral colours may give a totally plain or dull look to the interiors, some colours such as lilac are enough to create a great visual impact for your living room. When selecting a neutral colour, make sure you choose the perfect colour combinations to avoid making the space look overwhelming.

 

FAQs

How to bring color into a neutral living room?

You can bring neutral colours to the living by creating an accent wall or including furnishings like curtains, rugs, upholstery, etc.

What are some neutral colours for the living room?

Ivory, tan, soft teal, lilac, pale pink, mint, ice blue grey, clay, etc. are some of the popular neutral colours that can be used for the living room interiors.

Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com