6 sociable colour schemes to revamp living room walls

“My living room feels a bit tired and unwelcoming. How can I turn it back into a space that people love spending time in?”

Are you embarrassed by the appearance of faded wall colour in your living room? If so, you’re not alone. More than a quarter of people surveyed by AkzoNobel admitted they’re ashamed of their dull décor and are desperate to refresh faded wall colour.

Luckily, giving your living room a new lease of life is easier than you might think. These clever colour schemes will help you transform an unloved living room into a inviting space that’s perfect for entertaining guests, or putting your feet up with the family.

1. Outgoing orange

Jubilant orange fizzes with vitality making it the ideal hue for perking up a lack lustre living room.

If you’re going for all-over wall colour, select a subtle shade that won’t overpower the scheme. For a more daring look, choose a vibrant tangerine shade to pick out a key area in your living room, such as the inside of a door or the wall around a window.

Which paints?

C7.49.50 – 28YR 29/561

2. Homely neutrals

There’s nothing cosier than a neutral palette, provided you get the balance right.

Paint your walls in a deep shade of taupe to create a warm, cocooning effect. If you don’t want to go dark all over, try painting the wall behind your sofa in a deep shade and choose lighter tones for the rest of the room.

Finish the plenty of comfy cushions and throws in luxurious velvet's and chunky knit wool – perfect for snuggling up with the family at the weekend.

Which paints?

R7.04.78 – 70BG 68/056
H3.04.72 – 10GY 56/073

3. Sunshine yellow

Zingy yellow is full of optimism and cheer. Use it to give your living room walls a sunny lift that will put a smile on the face of everyone who steps inside.

If you go for bright, bold tones, balance them with grounding neutrals such as mid-grey. Pale lemon sorbet tones will sing when paired with pastel green or blue.

Which paints?

G0.68.75 – 60YY 62/755
G2.05.65 – 50YY 47/053

4. Emerald green

Bold jewel tones such as emerald green are perfect if you want to make a statement in your living room.

Team it with crisp white ceilings and woodwork and accessorise with gold lamps and gilt frame mirrors to enhance the luxurious feel to the scheme.

Which paints?

N8.40.21 – 90GG 08/118

5. Gunmetal grey

Do you dare to do dark? If you want the cosy, cosseting feel of a deeper palette without committing to black, gunmetal grey, or even dark blue, is the perfect colour choice.

What’s more, it makes a great canvas for eye-popping accent colours – bright yellow and pink are a punchy pick – making your living room feel vibrant as well as snug.

If you feel gunmetal is too strong for all-over colour, use a paler grey on your walls and add depth to your scheme by adding a darker shade on your doors, window frames or other architectural details.

Which paints?

S0.20.21 – 90BG 08/075

6. Russet red

Rich and warming, russet will transform your living room into an inviting entertaining space that you’ll love showing off to visitors.

Containing hints of orange and brown, this slightly muted hue is cosy too, especially in the evenings when it’s lit by soft lighting.

Team with natural wood furniture to enhance the rustic feel, or deep stained leather for a sophisticated feel.

Which paints?

C3.46.30 – 30YR 14/365

Top tip

Want a sneak preview of how your room will look once it’s painted? The Taubmans Visualizer app will give you an instant digital impression of your decorating scheme so you can try out different looks before you splash out on paint.