Not sure where to start with choosing a living room paint color? Here are some of our favorites – some are trendy, some are tried-and-true, but they all can help breathe new life into your living room. And don’t stress too much – if you change your mind, we’ve got the Love Your Color Guarantee: if you don’t love your color, we’ll replace it with one you do.

Choosing a color can get overwhelming – but here are a few things that can help narrow down your options.

Décor décisions

There are a lot of features – both big and small – that you might want to keep in mind when deciding on a color. Furniture is a big one, but also consider other pieces of décor like artwork, plants, and fixtures you won’t be able to change. These pieces can be a great source of color inspiration, and you’ll want to choose a color that works well with them. This is also a great time to review your current furniture and décor, and see if there is anything you might want to change along with your walls.

Look to your lighting

Lighting plays a huge role in how you perceive color in a space. It’s common to have multiple light sources – from windows, to lamps, to light fixtures – each of which can change how a color appears.

Natural light changes the appearance of colors throughout the day, from sunrise to midday to sunset. A room full of natural light brings out subtle undertones in lighter, cooler colors. Meanwhile, interior lighting offers a wide range of warm to cool tones. Warm light temperatures are popular, and they can help vivid and bold colors feel more livable.

Start with chips and samples

There’s no substitute for seeing paint on your walls – so no matter how much you love a color, you should always take the time to order and use paint chips and samples. Seeing a color with your own eyes and in the context of your space will go a long way toward getting a living room you love.

To get the best out of your samples, try to recreate how you’ll typically experience your space. This means using the paint on multiple walls, and seeing how different lighting affects the color. Be sure to check in throughout the day, so you get a better sense for the color as lighting conditions change.

Got an idea for what you want? Start by browsing colors by color family:

If you want advice that’s more specific to your space, our color experts and color tools are here to help.

Once you’ve got a color, then it’s time to pick a paint. It might not seem as important as color, but the right paint is a crucial part of getting results you love.

Choosing the right sheen

What makes a sheen the right one? For living rooms, that has traditionally meant eggshell and satin sheens. However, it really comes down to how you use your space, and what your preferences are. For some, living rooms aren’t particularly high-traffic areas, so qualities like washability and durability aren’t as crucial. But if you and your family spend a lot of time in the living room, you might want a sturdier sheen. For more information on sheens, take a look at our sheen article.

Make sure you’re covered

Before you buy, figure out how much paint you’ll need with our Paint Calculator.