What are the Best Tips for Creating a Colorful Living Room?

Creating a colorful living room is as simple as going shopping. It is easy to add color to a living room by adding colorful furnishings. Alternatively, a more colorful living room can be achieved by painting one or more walls or by using colorful wallpaper. Many interior designers recommend being restrained when adding colorful elements to rooms, but a home is a personal space and should reflect its inhabitants. If a colorful living room with bright hues in every corner reflects the people who use that room and makes them happy, then consider the room well designed.

The first step when creating a colorful living room is to decide on what colors to use. Having a clear palette when choosing wall or furniture colors can help the room look complete and professional even when using whimsical shades. One way to keep colors consistent is to keep a design board with swatches of color handy when shopping for new elements. This helps ensure that all pieces look good together.

If the room is already furnished, it is often possible to create a more colorful living room by changing the covers on sofas and chairs. Often, these items have removable covers that can be dyed or replaced. Alternatively, one could add colorful pillows and throws for a more subtle effect. Wooden furniture can often be stained or painted, but this should be done with caution. Not every piece of furniture looks as attractive in a different shade.

A great way to create a colorful living room is to change the color of the walls. Many interior designers recommend painting an accent wall rather than all the walls. Painting only one wall in a room makes it possible to use darker or more aggressive shades without overtaking the entire room. A dark red painted on four walls, for example, might make the space feel too small. Using the color on a single wall does not shrink the space but still adds an interesting color.

In some spaces, such as many rented apartments, painting is not an option. Colorful wall decals can be used to brighten walls because these can be removed. One might also frame samples of wallpaper in complementary shades and hang them all over the room. Rugs can also be used to add color to a living room. Matching throw pillows and rugs can pull a room together without changing any of the major furniture.

Before making major changes to furniture or walls, it's a good idea to have a plan. When creating a colorful living room, that plan should include physically seeing the way colors look when viewed together in the room’s light, not just imagining it. Certain shades look wonderful on their own but look entirely different next to other colors. This unfortunate optical illusion can leave one disappointed in the finished room. The best way to avoid disappointment is to plan the room thoroughly before making any purchases.