59 Eye-Catching Living Room Color Combinations That Are Anything but Dull (2024)

Abstract paintings by Belgian artist Jean-Marc Louis command the white-walled living room of architect Paul Bates’ hillside Birmingham home, where an Italian articulating mobile chandelier in black and brass dangles from the vaulted ceiling. A green sofa and wood chairs accentuate the space.

In this Upper East Side townhome designed by Lucy Doswell, a tufted deep plum corner banquette brings the soaring parlor down to a more intimate scale with a pop of dark color backgrounded by a graphic mossy light green wallcovering. Banquette fabric and wallpaper, Holland & Sherry

In Liz Lange’s restoration of Grey Gardens in East Hampton, teal pops from two vintage chairs by Mastercraft, complementing the sofa’s Arbre de Matisse Reverse upholstery (Quadrille) in a nod to Billy Baldwin.

In this Naples, Florida, rebuild, Bobby McAlpine and Susan Ferrier selected a tropical grisaille mural (Ananbô) to headline the living room. Like the rest of the home, the fabrics and carpets are monochrome neutrals and earth tones. Sofa, Promemoria

Decorator Garrow Kedigian pulled color inspiration from The Carlyle's timeless decor for his own apartment in the iconic New York building. The bright yellow walls pay homage to the lobby's velvet sofas while the black moldings echo the iron doors and the window mullions.

Instead of looking to the walls, designer Fran Keenan decided to introduce color into this Los Angeles family room by hanging persimmon curtains. The light-taupe upholstery and bronze-brown carpet (Fibreworks) make the room feel gracious and relaxed.

In Summer Thorton's Chicago townhouse, an oversized orange sofa brings out the warm undertones of the apricot living room. Woven bouillon fringe (Samuel & Sons) adds a flirty touch to the velvet mohair seating.

The floral linen by Blithfield covering the comfy sofas and tufted armchairs inspired the soft pink and barely-there blue palette in this Block Island living room. Designer Miles Redd sprinkled oak spindle armchairs cushioned in white terry and woven rattan drum tables throughout to amplify the home's beachy feeling.

To counter this Upper West Side pied-à-terre's spacious rooms, designer Anthony Barrata played with arresting colors and dramatic furnishings. An American painting by Tomory Dodge and an oversize custom floor lamp take advantage of the capacious height. Plaster and marble objects, including an over-the-top amphora lamp, echo the color and classical tone of the original ceiling moldings. The cherry-red velvet is by Pierre Frey.

Taken by her famed neighborhood's green, decorator Cece Barfield Thompson ushered verdant color and nature-inspired patterns into her family's New York City living room. The white walls, tonal carpet, and punchy green curtains give the Louis XVI chairs a modern presence. An oil painting by London artist Daisy Cook hangs over a nine-foot Schneller sofa upholstered in stain-resistant fabric (Perennials).

Sweet pastel tones, taxicab yellow walls, and cobalt Chinese lamps give the living room of Todd Romano's San Antonio home a dose of vibrancy. On the walls are two prized artworks from Romano's vast collection: an Andy Warhol silkscreen print of Liz Taylor and a flamboyant Todd & Fitch work.

Decorator Anthony Barrata played up high-drama Americana with an emphasis on textiles and folk art in this historic New York apartment. The study is dressed in a Lee Jofa tartan pattern recolored specifically for this room. The armchair upholstery is inspired by an early American weaving; the leather chair is antique English.

Raw oak rafters mix with white-painted panels and crossbeams, and golden walls (Standish White by Benjamin Moore) in this Carrier and Company-designed New York family room, making it an energetic place for parents and kids to hang out. The sofa is upholstered in a moss green fabric by Kravet.

Designer Ceara Donnelley used an Art Deco–inspired wallpaper (Iksel) to headline a warm, earthen palette in the sitting room right off the kitchen of her 18th-century Charleston home. The Dmitriy & Co. sofa is covered in a Schumacher fabric.

For this Naples, Florida home, designer Summer Thornton ushered in delightful color and buzzy prints to create an energizing family hub. Apricot walls are amplified by verdant fabrics and botanical prints. The gauzy block-printed drapery (Muriel Brandolini) filters sunlight into the great room.

Designer Angie Hranowsky gives each room of this late-20th-century Tudor in Austin its own distinct personality with the help of buoyant color. For the lively living room, energizing shades of yellow on the wall (Golden Straw, Pratt & Lambert) flirt with the soft peach tones of the sofa (Pierre Frey).

Ravishing neutrals and brilliant metallics dominate the sprawling, light-filled salon of this Atlanta home by designer Melanie Turner. Historic styles mix to create an elevated look from conical Murano glass chandeliers and Louis XVI–style commodes to the chevron-pattern custom carpet (Patterson Flynn). The custom retro-inspired sofa is by Björk Studio.

Blue velvets, lilac prints, and touches of red liven up the original oak panelings in this New York living room by Carrier and Company. The Bridgewater-style sofa is covered in a Mohair fabric by Maharam. The walnut veneer drawings are by Neal Perbix.