Choosing an accent color for your living room can seem overwhelming with so many options available. However, with some planning and consideration of your existing decor, you can select the perfect accent color to make your living room pop. The accent color will bring visual interest and tie the whole room together. Follow these tips to pick the ideal accent color for your living room.
Determine the Main Color Scheme
Before choosing an accent color, you need to identify the main color scheme for your living room. Look at the largest elements like your sofa, curtains, rug and paint color on the walls. Are there one or two colors that dominate the room? These will give you a starting point for selecting an complementary accent color. If your living room uses mostly neutral tones like grays, tans and whites, then you have more flexibility with choosing a vibrant accent color. However, if your main living room color scheme already features bold colors, opt for a more subtle accent shade.
Consider the Purpose of the Accent Color
Also think about what you want the accent color to achieve in your living room. Do you want it to draw attention to a particular wall, architectural feature or piece of artwork? Then choose a bright, saturated shade that will immediately catch the eye. Or are you aiming to subtly tie the space together? Go for a more muted tone in that case. A vibrant accent color pairs best with a neutral main scheme, while a soft accent color works well with bolder main hues.
Determine the Right Accent Areas
Where you use the accent color also guides what tone you select. Some common areas to feature an accent color in a living room include:
- One wall painted entirely in the accent color
- Back of bookshelves
- Inside of built-in cabinetry
- Patterned throw pillows
- Area rug
- Framed artwork
- Vase fillers
- Candles or other decorative objects
Larger accent areas like a wall or rug can handle more saturated hues, while smaller accents like pillows and vases look best in more subtle tones.
Complement Existing Furniture
The accent color you pick should complement the other furniture and decor in the living room. Look at the undertones of your existing pieces. For example, if your sofa and curtains have warm undertones, choose an accent color with similar warm undertones like peach, gold or tomato red versus a cool tone like mint green. You want the accent color to work together with rather than fight against your core decor.
Consider Lighting
The amount and type of natural and artificial lighting in your living room also impacts how the accent color will look. Bright, bold accent colors like fuchsia come alive in spaces with plenty of light. Darker accent shades like forest green work better in rooms with less light. As the daylight fades in the evenings, artificial lighting will also alter how the accent color appears, which is important if you use your living room often at night.
Select Your Color Palette
Now comes the fun part – selecting the actual accent color! Here are some popular palette options:
Bold Accent Colors
These vivid shades make a dramatic statement and stand out strongly against more neutral backdrops. Use them sparingly in smaller accents.
- Turquoise
- Lime green
- Magenta
- Cobalt blue
- Crimson red
Subtle Accent Colors
For a more subtle effect, consider these softer hues for your accent. They can cover larger areas like walls or rugs.
- Sage green
- Dusty pink
- Pale yellow
- Lavender
- Baby blue
Metallic Accent Colors
Metallics like gold, silver and copper add glamour and interest. They work best paired with gray, beige or white main schemes.
- Gold
- Champagne
- Pewter
- Copper
- Bronze
Neutral Accent Colors
If you want only a very subtle accent, go for these sophisticated neutrals which blend seamlessly into neutral decor.
- Dove gray
- Oatmeal
- Tan
- Beige
- Light brown
Select Paint Swatches and Fabric Samples
Once you’ve narrowed down your accent color choice, get paint swatches and fabric samples in your top colors. Bring them home and view them in the actual living room lighting at different times of day. See how they interact with your existing furniture and decor. The right accent color should complement what’s already in place without clashing.
Preview Your Accent Color
Before committing to painting an entire accent wall or investing in a bold color rug, test out the accent shade with temporary, removable products. Some options include:
- Throw pillows
- Removable wallpaper on a small part of the wall
- Area rug sized tape or tarp on the floor
- Colored lamp shades
Live with the test products for a few days and see if you still love the accent color over time. This helps prevent expensive decoration mistakes.
Combine Accent Colors
You can use multiple accent colors in a living room for extra visual interest. Just keep the same color ratio – 20% for accent colors and 80% for main colors. Some complementary color combinations include:
- Yellow and blue
- Green and red
- Pink and orange
- Purple and lime green
Split up your dual accent colors amongst different living room elements like throw pillows, art, rugs and wall decor. Or paint two separate walls in the accent colors.
Change Things Up Occasionally
One advantage of accent colors is you can swap them out seasonally or when you want to refresh the living room. Use removable accessories or paint samples to test drive a new accent choice before fully committing through permanent changes like new wall paint. Changing the accent color helps give your living room a quick face-lift.
Conclusion
Choosing an accent color may seem tricky but following this process will set you up for success:
- Identify your living room’s main color scheme
- Decide the purpose and placement of the accent color
- Select a complementary hue that fits your decor
- Bring home paint and fabric samples
- Preview with temporary products
- Combine accent colors for extra interest
- Rotate accent colors over time
An ideal living room accent color enhances your existing furniture and decor while adding visual appeal. With some strategic planning and experimentation, you can easily incorporate the perfect accent color into your living room. So have fun trying different hues until you find one that makes your living space pop!
Frequently Asked Questions about Choosing an Accent Color for the Living Room
Still have some questions about selecting that perfect accent color for your living room? Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
What percentage of a room should the accent color be?
In general, the accent color should make up around 15-20% of the room. This could be through an accent wall, pillows, rug and decor items. Too much more than 20% and it risks becoming overwhelming. The main color scheme should still dominate around 80% of the living room.
How do I choose an accent color to go with grey walls?
Light grey walls give you lots of flexibility for choosing an accent color. Try bright pops of color like citrine yellow, coral pink or turquoise blue. Deeper shades like navy blue, emerald green and eggplant purple also look beautiful against light grey. For a softer accent, choose muted tones of sage green, sky blue or peach.
What are some good accent colors for a brown couch?
Some great accent colors to pair with a brown sofa include:
- Sage green
- Burnt orange
- Brick red
- Baby blue
- Soft yellow
Pick a shade with similar warm undertones to tie the whole scheme together.
What color accents go with tan walls?
Tan walls call for accent colors that add interest while still feeling neutral. Terracotta orange, light sage green, sky blue, and soft peach are great options. For metallic accents, try gold, bronze or copper tones. Crisp white also complements tan walls beautifully.
Should my accent wall be darker or lighter?
In most cases, the accent wall works best slightly darker than the main walls. This adds definition without being overpowering. For example, paint the main walls a light grey and the accent wall a charcoal grey. Or pair beige walls with a chocolate brown accent. Going slightly lighter on the accent wall can work too, especially with muted colors like pale blue on light grey.
What are the best accent colors for a modern house?
For a modern, contemporary space opt for bold, crisp accent colors like cobalt blue, acid green, tomato red, orange and bright white. Metallic accents in silver, gold and copper also look very stylish against modern decor.
How do I add accent colors to a neutral room?
In a neutral room, bring in accent colors through changeable decor items like:
- Pillows in bold prints or colors
- Throw blanket in vivid hue
- Paintings with colorful motifs
- Flowers in brightly colored vases
- Colored glass lamps or vases
This avoids overwhelming the neutral scheme while letting you add pops of color.
What are accent colors examples?
Some examples of popular accent colors for living rooms include:
- Navy blue
- Kelly green
- Burnt orange
- Soft sage
- Butter yellow
- Brick red
- Rich purple
Any vivid shade that contrasts well with your core color scheme can work beautifully as an accent.
I hope these tips and answers help you choose the perfect accent color for your living room makeover!
