Best Colours for a Small Living Room

Decorating any small space can be a challenge. However, if your living room is more compact than most, selecting a suitable paint colour palette can prove particularly tricky. However, picking out the right colours for small living rooms is relatively easy. With a little inspiration, you can find a dream palette for creating a dramatic and intimate interior. 

Along with the bedroom, it’s probably your living space where you spend the most time when at home. Therefore, you’ll need colours that reflect your personality and enhance your space, even if you’re decorating a tiny room. 

Many people choose to use off-white paint colours and light tones to give the illusion of extra space. This approach can prove effective, but you don’t have to stick with soft neutrals when refreshing small spaces. 

If you’re keen to create a living space that’s unique to you, you’ll need to think bolder. Vibrant reds, bright blue and intense yellows can all work well in a small room, but you’ll need to use them creatively.

Which Colours Work Best in a Small Living Room?

As with any room that’s on the small side, lighter colours can be a good choice when decorating a tiny living space. Along with instantly refreshing an interior, they’ll make a space feel far bigger than it actually is. Off-whites and neutral shades tend to be the most popular picks, but you don’t have to stick with these if you’re someone with a penchant for more eclectic hues. 

For a brighter living room scheme, try using pastels. They’re low-key enough that they’ll make your room feel larger, but they also work well when exposed to natural light. If you are thinking about using neutrals, it’s worth considering warm tones when decorating a smaller living room. Neutrals with red or pink undertones will make any room feel more inviting, especially during the evening. 

Do you have a soft spot for more dramatic colours? There’s always a place for a darker colour in a tiny room. A dusky red or gorgeous green can be used for feature walls, while tonal decorating is something else to think about if you don’t want to paint an entire room in the same colour.

Our Favourite Paint Colours for a Small Living Room

Looking to create the illusion of space in a small living room? Whether you’re searching for classic neutrals or something more stylish, we’ve got you covered. 

For an instant refresh of a compact space, bright white always works well. If your living room receives very little natural light, it’s an easy way to open things up. 

If your living space is particularly small, a coat of Brilliant White will work particularly well. It’ll instantly open up the dimensions of your space, bringing you that fresh and airy vibe you’ve been looking for. 

Cool tones are also worth thinking about if you’re decorating a smaller living room. An off-white like Enduring Ice is worth a try, with its sage tints bringing a soothing energy to any interior. 

To make your living room more inviting, don’t be afraid of incorporating warmer tones into your colour scheme. Honeyed neutrals and muted florals will pair effortlessly with this irresistible icy hue. 

Are you struggling to find the perfect wall colour for a contemporary living room? Grey Glimpse will work well in minimalist interiors, even if square footage is an issue. Cool and refreshing, this stunning paint colour has a dreamy before-the-dawn quality. 

To make the most of your space, pair this shade with light-coloured furniture and simple accents. Keen to incorporate more colour into your living room? Cool tones like blue and green can work nicely with this neutral, but you can also add warmth by adding floral-infused shades. 

If you don’t think that purple can work in a smaller bedroom, take another look at Moon Lily. This enchanting purple has a stunning misty quality that will make your living space feel more inviting. Despite being rich in colour, it’s also muted, meaning it won’t overwhelm a room with small dimensions. 

You can even try playing around with tonal decorating. Provided you’re pairing this hue with subtle shades and cooler tones, there’s no reason why your small living room can’t benefit from layers of colour.

In a small living room, natural light is a real problem. With a paint shade like Horseradish, you have a colour that will make the most of limited sunshine. This refreshing off-white has hints of yellow and green, with both shades coming into their own when exposed to natural light. 

Try adding layers of colour to your living room by introducing khaki tones and contemporary beige paint shades. To make a space feel more welcoming, warm neutrals with pink and purple tints can also be used. 

If you typically use white when decorating, it can be hard to finally start introducing colour to your interiors. With Sea Of Tranquility, you’ll find a neutral white that’s surprisingly complex. Thanks to its sandy character, this paint colour brings all the usual benefits of white but delivers added warmth to make a small living room feel more welcoming.

You can keep your colour scheme as simple or as complex as you want. A couple of coats of this paint will leave your space feeling refreshed, but you can try accentuating it with more contemporary hues like greige and slate. 

Green hues are a good choice in the living room, helping your space feel more tranquil. If you spend a lot of time in your living room throughout the day, try using Touch Of Sage for instant refresh. 

This clover green hue is crisp and uplifting, while a hint of mint makes it particularly vibrant. Light enough that you can use it in place of standard white, this low-key green also works nicely with other botanical hues. Use it alongside a muted teal paint colour in a minimalist interior, or try adding intense pops of colour to truly make your space your own. 

It’s easy to unwind when you bring the essence of the natural world into your interiors. A sea glass green like Poetic License will make a refreshing addition to your living room, no matter how small your space is. 

It might be a fairly light shade of green, but this crystallised hue will still enhance and uplift your room. Still think your room needs more colour? Just about any muted blue or green will make sympathetic additions to your room palette. You can even try using a jewelled teal. 

If you think pink can only be used in the bedroom, think again. Bare Pink will make a cheerful addition to any small bedroom. Combining floral notes with a hint of cerise, this muted shade will add warmth to your living space, although it’s still light enough that it will help create the illusion of space. 

Because it’s so understated, you can use this instead of the usual neutrals to paint an entire living space. However, you can also take some inspiration from those floral notes to create a unique palette. Try using a more intense pink like fuchsia for a feature wall. Considering a more mature living room makeover? Jewel tones and blush pinks can also work well. 

Searching for a colour that will bring the romance back to your living room? With Scented Valentine, you have a shade that will reinvigorate even the smallest of spaces. This understated colour is subtle enough that it will bounce around natural light, while hints of raspberry pink will add warmth and make your space feel more inviting. 

You can stick to classic complementary colours when creating your living room palette. Light greys and taupes work exceptionally well if you’re thinking about a warm colour scheme. However, you can also incorporate gold accents and more luxurious touches if you’re dreaming of a more elegant living room makeover.