The living room is one of the most important rooms in the home, so decorating it to make sure it's a place you look forward to spending time in is a must. Too often neutrals are chosen instead of color when decorating because it feels safer. However, you shouldn't be afraid of going too bold with color. By adding in different colorful accents, like wall art, accessories, pillows, or even plants, you can liven up your living room without overpowering your surroundings.
Color is also one of the easiest and most effective ways to change the mood of a space. Painting a room is probably the fastest and boldest way to add color, but what if that’s off the table because you rent? Or what if you’re just not ready to commit to painting a whole room? What’s the best way to add pops of color in small ways then?
Painting a room is probably the quickest and boldest way to add color, but what if that’s off the table for you? What’s the best way then to add pops of color to your living room? No matter your comfort level, there's always an easy way to incorporate pops of color into any space. Think rugs, accessories, art, and even home plants. All these elements can be utilized to add just the right amount of color to your home.
If you're ready to create a beautiful, bright room but could use a little inspiration and some tips, read on for our 10 easy ways to breathe new life into your living room purely with the use of color.
Things to Consider Before Adding Color to Your Living Room
Landing on a color palette, pairing or combination can be tricky. Where do you even begin and how do you know what colors work well together?
Before anything, consider how to choose a color palette that’s right for you and your space. From there, choose a base color scheme to build on top of. To help you get started, here are a few ways to add color using these three common base color schemes.
- How to add color to a white room
White rooms are blank canvases, so you really can’t go wrong no matter your color approach. However, it’s important to consider the view outside your space, as those colors will add to the overall palette and look of your room, so be sure to keep that in mind when adding color.
- How to add color to a neutral room
Neutrals tend to have an organic and earthy feel, so stick to a few tones for more consistency. Colors with earthy undertones, like browns, walnut, stone grays, and beiges, will complement neutrals nicely. Keep to the palette and avoid bright and saturated colors.
- How to add color to a black and white room
Black-and-white spaces have an innate boldness to them since they bring together two high-contrast shades. This is something you'll want to consider while choosing colors for your living room. The good thing about a black-and-white room is that it can support many different pops of color. Just make sure to consider how many colors you want to add first. If you go with too many, it can make your room feel overwhelming. Start with two (at most three) colors to layer on top of a black-and-white room.
13 Easy Ways to Add Color to Your Living Room (Without a Paintbrush!)
If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to add a pop of color that doesn’t involve making permanent changes to your living room, consider these ideas to give your space that “wow” factor.
1. Create an accent wall
An accent wall will add character and charm to your living room. It's also an excellent way to have a little fun with bold colors. For those who don’t know, an accent wall is one feature wall that is usually a different color. Go with a color that will stand out and grab a person’s attention when they walk through the doorway.
This wall should feature beautiful artwork, shelves with vases, or at least a few family photos on them. It should be enough to give an area that wow factor all on its own.
2. Mix Warm and Cool Colors
A hint of warm colors can take the chill off a cool color palette. With various colors, a white sofa, leopard print pillows, and a white side table become neutral pieces that allow saturated colors to truly shine. If you love a patterned area rug, but worry it will be a distraction, opt for a smaller size and layer it over a neutral area rug for grounding.
3. Add vibrant throw pillows to the mix
Another easy way to redecorate your living room is to buy some colorful throw pillows. Perfect for the sofa or armchair, throw pillows are always a great choice to add character to your home. You can add pops of color and texture on a small budget and you can always change them according to seasons and trends.
4. Go Green with Botanicals
Nature has the most beautiful colors to add to your living space. Plants and flowers can instantly change the appearance of a living room. If your living room gets good natural light, you can combine green foliage and flowering plants.
If you don’t have a green thumb or there's not enough light in the room, high-quality artificial plants or flowers will add the same effect. However, choose greenery that's meant to thrive in indoor low-lighting conditions.
5. Light up a Colorful Lamp
Another way to add color to your living room is to choose a colorful lamp. For noticeable pops of color, add a pair of lamps flanking a piece of art or furniture. The designs and colors of these lamps jazz up our spaces amazingly and we surely love them.
They are easy to change and add distinctive character and unique charm to your home. A simple table lamp could become so aesthetically pleasing and could add so much personality to your spaces!
6. Start with Soft Hues
If you’re ready to move on from a neutral color palette but not quite ready for an overpowering array of hues, start working in soft colors in small doses. Peach, blush, mint, and pale yellow will add a different perspective to your space without seeming too out of place with your room’s existing calm neutrals. Incorporating faded rugs, textiles, and accessories is also a good way to start.
7. Choose bright accessories
You can add bursts of color and character to your living room with bright accessories. There are plenty of choices when it comes to choosing accessories, so it's down to your taste. You can use a creative storage tray or a stylish bookshelf to group different objects, such as candles, books, and other various decorative items.
8. Switch up Your Curtains and Window Treatments
Changing the curtains is another easy way to radically transform your living room. For an easy splash of color, outfit windows in treatments with bold hues and unique patterns. A playful blue against a sea of bright white walls feels fresh, fun, and simple without being a snooze fest. Try out a floral pattern or a stripe if you want something a bit more subtle.
You don’t need to stress over matching your curtains exactly to your sofa or rug - you can match them to throw pillows, artwork, or accessories. Blinds with sunset scenes can also add enough color that there will be no need for accent pieces. To make the room appear larger, hang the curtains from the ceiling down to the floor.
9. Invest in a colorful sofa
If you’re trying to brighten your room while making it a space of celebration and comfort, your sofa’s color is important. Try picking colors similar to pieces of artwork in the room or other accent pieces such as lampshades, vases, photos, or even books on a bookshelf.
Spend some time figuring out what size and style would work best in your family room or another space. Only then think about the best colors and patterns you can find in that style and size. With all these factors taken into consideration, you can shift your living room ambiance with just one piece of furniture.
Check out this: Colorful Yeti Sofa
10. Add an Area rug
A bold area rug strategically placed in front of a chair or under a coffee table also adds color and texture to a living room. Additionally, rugs give your space a more lived-in feel rather than making guests feel like they just set foot in a doctor’s office.
Incorporate a rug with a colorful pattern or detail and try adding matching details. Try layering an area rug on top of carpeting or simply over hardwood flooring in a contrasting color.
11. Opt for Statement Lighting
Bringing in dimension through a colorful pendant light is an unexpected and easy twist to incorporate into any living space. Not only are pendants lights easy to change, but they're also subtle while still making a big impact. Go for a soft powder blue for a laid-back vibe, or choose a bold red for a more energizing feel.
Related article: Colorful Pendant Lights
12. Hang some Dramatic Art or Wall Decor
If you prefer to keep your furnishings and accessories monochromatic, you can add color and character to your living room through an artwork or a wall painting. One large and colorful piece of art placed in a living room introduces hues and shapes into a large area.
You can choose a large, bright artwork or make an interesting, colorful gallery. You can also get the same effect with a group of framed photos with colorful matting and bright frames.
13. Reflect Light and Color
Do you have an empty wall in your living room but don't know how to fill it? Try placing a large mirror on that bare and boring wall. Choose a mirror with a stylish frame. If your mirror's frame is too plain, you can embellish it with cording or braid, or if you have a large round shape, you can customize it into any DIY design that suits your taste. The mirror will reflect large swaths of color and light from around your living room, and you didn't even have to paint a thing to add more color to the space.
Create a brilliantly colored room with CharmyDecor
Each room in your home should be inviting and comfortable, but more than that, they should incite feelings of wow and wonder. Colorful accents can help you reach these emotional peaks, and CharmyDecor can bring all kinds of hues into your room without any painting.
Browse our Home Decor collection now for colorful pieces that can reinvent your space with the push of a button, or the flick of a switch, at your leisure.
