Living Room Color Trends 2024 — 12 Designer-Approved Picks That Promise to Reinvigorate Your Space

The living room color trends for 2024 span earthy tones, bold hues, and calming neutrals. Unsurprisingly, after the events of the last two years, we’re leaning more and more towards uplifting and invigorating shades, whether that’s a playful palette of candy colors or grounding shades drawn from nature.

Feeling freer – and less wedded to classic neutrals such as greys and off-whites – we expect to see a rise in cooler tones like green and blue that breathe new life into our homes. Alongside this, earthy reds and terracotta still endure with nature being an unwavering source of inspiration for interior design trends, albeit in richer, bolder hues. 

‘At the moment, it’s all about breaking the rules, and doing it with conviction,’ explains interior designer Simone Haag. ‘The palettes in our homes have broadened to encompass combinations one might previously have assumed wouldn't work. We’ve included some great color combinations in projects lately, such as emerald and navy, or lilac and mustard. And I’ve seen some amazing projects using tones of turquoise recently.' Feeling inspired? Discover more predictions for the top 2024 color trends below. 

12 LIVING ROOM COLOR TRENDS FOR 2024

The living room color trends set to define our next circle around the sun are fun and convivial yet equally relaxing and cozy. From cool steely blues to warm, earthy reds there's something for everyone on this list, and all of them have timeless appeal.

1. Sandy neutrals

While the last few years have been about embracing color, light sandy neutrals will always have a rightful place in our living room ideas. Taupes, off-whites, and accents of natural materials like wood, jute, or rattan make for a calming scheme - just make sure you plan for plenty of depth, dimension, and texture to keep things visually interesting. 

'The most popular color we are seeing is still light neutrals,' confirms interior designer Amy Youngblood. 'Neutrals are timeless and set a peaceful backdrop for a more open room designed for conversation and entertaining. I prefer a light greige shade which is basically a combination of gray and beige, almost taupe in appearance.' 

2. Jewel tones

When looking to create a color palette, jewel tones are a great place to start. If you prefer a rich, colorful living room that feels opulent and sophisticated, use shades of emerald, sapphire, and amethyst as a sounding board, mixed in with textures like velvet for a truly luxurious look. 

'One of the most popular results from my quiz in 2024 has been Vintage Salon, which consists of a rich color palette of jewel tones like emerald green, Delft blue, and poppy red, grounded by the dark browns of aged wood and leather,' says interior designer Cristina Cleveland, creator of the online 'Interior Style Quiz'. 'I think this speaks to peoples' desire to invest in one-of-a-kind pieces with history to help express their unique sense of personal style.' 

3. Rich Neutrals

If the sandy neutrals of a Scandi-style palette don't appeal to you, go for something darker and more contrastive yet equally livable. 'Rich brown hues, soft creamy shades, and greenish-grey details create a sophisticated and soothing space,' says Knut Bendik Humlevik, creative director at New Works. 

The Danish brand's ethos centers around natural materials, tactile textures and restrained color palettes, which is reflected in their designs, as well as in the settings they create. It's the height of current living room trends. 'These colors offer the perfect frame for artisanal pieces, inviting you to dwell on details and qualities. When combined with textured textiles, it results in a room that surrounds you with warmth,' he says. 

4. Green and blue

Tiffany Duggan, Studio Duggan's founder and creative director, says that the pairing of blue and green is becoming increasingly popular in high-end designs. This color combination for 2024 makes use of two of the most enduring shades of the last few years for a truly calming scheme.

 'I think nature-inspired hues, alongside rich browns and pale creams, will dominate color choices in the year ahead,' she says. 'I’m really into fresh and invigorating blues and greens at the moment and they work surprisingly well together.' Tiffany recommends offsetting these cool-toned hues with warmer tones such as a dirty pink or warm caramel, as illustrated by this view through the doorway of a living space. 

5. Muted Pastels

Cheerful and reassuring, pastel colors will continue to pop up in living spaces throughout 2024 - we're seeing them in bedroom trends too, unsurprisingly. If a palette of sugary shades feel a little outside of your comfort zone, why not look to muted, more 'grown-up' alternatives instead? 

This space, which is the work of Swedish design studio Note, combines enduring heritage colors that nod to the original features found in this 19th-century building. 'We devised an 8-tone color scale to complement the bright yellow paint we discovered on a door frame,' say the designers. 'The result is a harmonious but rich color experience inspired by the apartment's original splendor, which turned a white office space into a contemporary home.'

6. Coordinating woodwork

'We're seeing a move away from white woodwork and baseboards, with more people choosing to incorporate it into their design scheme,' says Ruth Mottershead, creative director at Little Greene. 

When it comes to how to pick a living room color scheme, Ruth recommends replacing bright white woodwork with softer hues, such as stone grey, rich green or deep brown. Alternatively, choosing a bold highlight color that contrasts with your wallpaper pattern is a big part of next year's wallpaper trends.

'Blacks and dark greys also work fantastically well on woodwork and skirting,' she continues. 'Pair a dark hue such as "Lamp Black" with the delicate and pretty 'Massingberd Blossom' wallpaper in grey for a modern twist on a traditional wallpaper.' We also love embracing the unexpected red trend through woodwork, too. 

5. Cool and warm

Looking for a way to update a pink-walled living space? Consider a splash of 2024's 'it' color for paint trends: lavender. Collective Works partner Siri Zanelli collaborated with Koi Color Studio's Dagny Thurmann Moe on the scheme for this Victorian home. 

'The subtle pink-and-beige combination on walls and historic features makes the north-facing living room warm, and the contrasting cool-toned sash window creates enough complexity to make the interior exciting,' explains Siri, who used Pure & Original paint throughout the house. 'Mixing cool and warm tones in the same room requires skill, and needs to be composed alongside the rest of the material palette. Timber is, in many ways, a neutral that can be used safely in any color combination,' the architect advises.  

8. Uplifting orange

Whether zesty and energizing or in more muted, terracotta tones, orange looks set to continue its comeback in 2024. Choose softer shades for a more subtle approach, or go bolder for a nostalgic nod to 70s style.

We love how this orange B&B Italia Tufty-Too sofa defines the living area at Dun Aluinn, a beautifully designed destination in the Scottish Highlands that spearheads current sofa trends. 'I took cues from the landscape: predominantly the burnt orange heather hills of winter, as well as the warm yellow glow from the sun setting through the adjacent window each evening,' says architect Susie Whyte. 'I was adamant about changing up the traditional Victorian interior, and this sofa seemed like the answer.'

9. Spice-inspired shades

In line with a steady resurgence in bold, spicy colors, de Le Cuona's new Terra Firma fabric collection includes names such as 'Peppercorn' and 'Mustard', and features a strong, earthy aesthetic. 'Nurturing neutral shades sit alongside the warmth of mud brown and hot shots of terra rossa,' say the collection's designers of the distinctive scheme, a line that could also apply to next year's carpet trends.

For this space, interior stylist Alex Kristal chose a limewash paint by Bauwerk in 'Clove'. 'The rich, brownish red completes the autumnal palette, complementing the textures of the natural yarns, cork daybed, and coffee table made from salvaged oak sleepers,' she explains. 

10. Restful blues

'The renaissance of dark colors continues with gusto and will carry on into our decorating repertoire through 2024 and beyond,' says Farrow & Ball's color consultant Patrick O’Donnell. 'Have we become more brave? Or do we understand that dark colors are often an appropriate proposition for poorly lit spaces?,' he muses.

Whatever the reason, Patrick notes that people are leaning more towards the darker end of the blue palette - primarily because there are a lot of fantastic colors that go with blue. As he goes on to explain: 'Dark blue effortlessly teams with a multitude of colors to create striking living spaces, from cool, architectural greys to bold pinks, tobacco tones, and jeweled greens like emerald & malachite.' 

The room above features a color called Wine Dark from Farrow & Ball's latest collection. 'Inspired by midnight skies, this spiritual shade is perfect for creating an intimate space,' say its creators. 

11. Pale purple

This soothing shade infiltrated fashion and has now well and truly made its mark on interiors. Thanks to this color's versatility, the options for purple living room ideas are virtually endless, but softer tones of lilac are making the biggest splash this year. 

If you're keen on pale purple, but not quite sure how to make it work in your living space, take inspiration from this sophisticated example by Simone Haag. The Australian interior designer chose a chalky purple hue for the walls of this creative agency breakout area, which provides a contemporary backdrop for a carefully chosen collection of monochrome furniture, objets, and art. 

12. Grounding green

'There is something especially beautiful about colors you can't describe in a single word,' says Studio Kaya founder Deniz Bayern. 'Castle Grey from Farrow & Ball, which I used in my living room, is one of them. It changes throughout the day from a blueish grey to a deep, muddy green depending on the light.' 

We're pretty sure you can expect to see more of these moody greens about in 2024, as well as shades at the opposite end of the spectrum, like pale sage and pistachio. 'Other than deep greens, greyish browns and tones of terracotta are my current favorites,' Deniz adds. 'I recently noticed that the poles on the Bakerloo line are a great shade of warm, reddish brown. I think I'll try to get it matched at the local paint store.'

FAQs

What is the most popular color for living room?

When it comes to living room color trends, some tones are undoubtedly more popular than others. Typically, they tend to be informed by a general mood or feeling, rather than which colors are trending elsewhere in the home. 'Lately many of my clients have been asking for rooms that feel "cozy" and "moody," and rich, dark jewel tones help create that feeling,' notes Cristina. 'Oxblood and burgundy shades like Farrow & Ball's Deep Reddish Brown and Benjamin Moore's Cottage Red and Arroyo Red offer a rich warmth that's inviting with a touch of drama.' 

Ultimately, though, the color you choose is unique to your living room and the vibe you want to create. 'If you want your living room to be a calming escape from your busy day, then ask yourself what colors make you feel most at ease,' Cristina adds. 'If your living room is an active hub for entertaining your family and friends, then ask yourself what colors feel stimulating and inviting to you.' Color is all about injecting personality and charm into your space, so don't hold back.