Changing up the color of my living room once a year is an idea I can get behind more than almost any room. It's a lived-in space that might just need repainting regularly anyway, and if you've got the sort of furniture that can adapt well enough, why not try something different occasionally?
Whether you're a serial redecorator, or your old scheme is starting to feel dated, it pays to be up to date on what's hot, and what's not so, in color before picking a paint. So, what are the living room color trends for 2025? Well, they track with the general color trends we're seeing for the home, though with a real focus on those warming, grounding hues. Think earth tones and sunset colors — comforting and on the cozier end of the spectrum.
However, that being said, there are also a couple of unexpected colors cropping up as emerging trends, too, that will give you pause for thought when browsing for paint colors. Let's dig in.
1. Rich Red
This living room marries rich red and brown tones for a sophisticated take on the trend.
Red doesn't sound like a calming living room color idea, necessarily, but the right tone of this powerful, emotional color can set just the right tone for a space that's cozy and relaxing, especially in the evening.
"The current trend of burgundy and jewel tones has definitely influenced my design choices," interior designer Filippo Calvagno, founder of Studio Calvagno, tells me. "I’ve always been drawn to a warm color palette, often using browns and greens, but the more red-toned hues are certainly becoming more prominent in my projects. It also seems that my clients are drawn to these colors as well."
So what shade of red, exactly, is the big living room color trend of the moment? Our pick for the year is 'oxblood' — a brown-red with huge depth and warmth that reads a lot more neutral than even the likes of burgundy.
Price: £0.50 per sample
Described as burgundy with black, this shade hits the trend perfectly.
2. Terracotta
Designer Dagny Thurmann-Moe uses a mix of terracotta, pale orange, and pink across this living and dining room.
I'm not just telling you that muted shades of orange are being picked up for living rooms more and more anecdotally, according to Google, searches for 'terracotta' have gone up by 5,000% since 2024. Whether deep and rich, or a paler 'soft orange', it plays into this same color palette of warming, cocooning shades.
And there's a reason they're great for a living room. "Everyone looks good surrounded by these colors, they make your skin glow and your spirits rise," says Dagny Thurmann-Moe, a Norwegian color expert and founder of Koi Fargestudio. "In both Scandinavia and the UK we tend to have quite a cool daylight, full of blue tones, which these colors combat well. They flatter you. And if you feel you look good then you’ll feel good, too."
This living and dining room designed by Dagny shows how to style the trend, pairing with other sunset shades as colors that go with terracotta.
Price: £5.50 per sample
A classic terracotta shade inspired by your garden planters.
3. Light Blue
This living room uses contrasts of terracotta, yellow, and green against the light blue walls.
Light blue is an enduring color from last year, but one that hasn't been overdone, especially within the living room. Flying in the face of the 'warmer' living room color trends on this list, light blue is cool and refreshing, and has a near-neutral quality that makes it a bolder choice than white, gray, or beige, but enough of a background character, still.
"The light blue is a favorite of ours as it is architectural in feel, meaning it blends into the space rather than taking over from other elements such as millwork and furnishings," explains Lisa Lev, the interior designer behind the light blue living room above, which uses light blue as a base.
It also opens you up to some fun and playful color combinations, as lots of colors go with light blue. "Within the light blue envelope is a combination of green, mustard yellow, and terracotta, which are all muted enough to create a colorful yet calm setting for family life."
Price: £5.50 per sample
Not Farrow & Ball's most imaginatively named paint color, but a classic muted take on the hue.
4. Caramel
The walls in this living room match a colorway of Casamance's Moretta Fabric called 'Olive Noir'.
If you're wondering about whether beige living rooms are still on trend — well, yes, but with a slight difference. "This year, I'm definitely seeing neutrals punched up," says Livingetc editor Hugh Metcalf. "The so-called sad beige trend is definitely waning, but for those who love their earth tones, more saturated colors are coming through. Think richer, deeper browns, with more interesting tints."
Caramel, for example, is a color that feels perfect for right now. It's more intense than beige and has a retro richness that harkens back to the 1970s — another big interior design trend right now.
Price: £5.75 per sample
This neutral-leaning 'Indian Yellow' is an ideal caramel tone.
5. Purple
I'll say it now, purple wasn't a color I was expecting to see on any trends list anytime soon — however, it's undeniable that this color is making a comeback for living rooms, maybe for its dramatic boldness, maybe just as something a little bit different.
"I've been experimenting with purple in projects in a few ways," says Alexandra Barker, of Barker Architecture Office. "From a 'lavender gray' that's almost like a neutral with a tinted hue, to this deep aubergine that just feels so rich, but unexpected."
It's a color we're seeing surge in a big way for sofa color trends, too, even used in schemes where everything else is neutral. Think a more muted hue in this case, and materials like linen or weaves, rather than velvets.
Of course, alongside these bolder color choices, there are living room color trends that are a little more timeless, but I'm calling it — 2025 is the year to take a chance. Take stock of these colors, and other trending ideas like the sofa trends for 2025, and make a statement with your design, while keeping ahead of the bandwagon.
