8 Calming Colors to Paint Your Living Room—and Make the Space More Relaxing

Surround your self with soothing, cozy colors.

The phrase “living room” can mean many things to many people. For some, it’s a place to veg out on the couch while watching a favorite streaming show. For others, it’s where they finally have the opportunity to reconnect with their partner or family over a glass of wine or a crossword puzzle. Whatever the focus of your space, one thing is certain: living rooms are for relaxation .

Like any space, the vibe of your living room can be greatly impacted by the color scheme you incorporate. “When it comes to choosing a living room palette, soft, neutral shades, like warm greys, muted blues, and soft greens, are often considered the most relaxing,” says designer Danielle Chiprut of Danielle Rose Design Co. “These tones bring a sense of calm and balance to any space, making it feel serene and welcoming."

Inspired to bring a bit more zen to your own home? Below, we’re rounding up 8 relaxing colors to paint your living room, straight from the pros who recommend them to their clients. From creamy white and calming beige to inky blue, these hues are like a breath of fresh air for your living room, allowing you to lay back, relax, and throw your feet up.

Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore

Photo by Lindsay Salazar for AE Design

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Not all white paints are created equal, and choosing the wrong tint can lead to a space that feels sterile and cold instead of welcoming and warm. The key to selecting a cozy, relaxing white paint for your living room? Look for a shade that boasts just a hint of warmth. “ Benjamin Moore’s Swiss Coffee adds the perfect amount of warmth while keeping things very neutral and calm,” says designer Amy Elbaum of AE Designs, who utilized the hue among a backdrop of cozy accessories in her client's mountain home.

Smoke by Benjamin Moore

For a design accent that adds visual interest as well as a sense of relaxation and calm, look for a shade that has a chameleon quality about it. In the daytime, Smoke by Benjamin Moore may appear as a tranquil, oceanic blue—but come nighttime, the shade deepens to an almost gray that invites cozy evenings cuddled up on the couch. Lynn Berney, Tracy Gould & Alexa Evans, behind LTA Interiors recommend this shade for it's spa-like feel and the relaxing atmosphere it creates.

Creamy by Sherwin Williams

Have a room that’s short on natural light or tends to get gray, shaded sunlight throughout the day? A super warm white—one that verges almost on buttery yellow—can be a great way to bring warmth to your space, transforming it from a dungeon to a tranquil retreat. “Soft, warm whites can make a space feel serene and timeless while offering versatility,” says designer Nicole Roe of R. Nickson Interiors . “As the name suggests, Sherwin Williams’ Creamy adds warmth to a space, making the room feel inviting and relaxed.”

Jasper by Sherwin Williams

When choosing the direction of your living room color palette, it’s important to remember to follow your gut—what feels relaxing to you might not be everyone’s first choice, and that’s ok. If a dark, moody green makes you feel like you’re enveloped in a hug from Mother Nature, consider this your permission to go for it. “I always say to pay attention to your gut when it comes to color—start there and think about what colors give you the most peace,” says Alexis Vitale of Vitale Design Group . “We like to pick a color that adds just the right depth to a space to allow you to sit back, relax, and feel warm. One of my favorites is Jasper by Sherwin Williams —it gives a more mystical feeling, like being out in nature.”

Skylight by Farrow & Ball

If you’re looking for a foolproof shade that looks good regardless of the size or location of your room, hit up the blue section of the paint aisle. Even the palest of hues can bring a serene, dream-like quality to your room, acting as a big exhale any time you step into your space. “ Skylight by Farrow & Ball is a pale, powdery blue that evokes a sense of airiness and calm,” says Chiprut. “It’s perfect for creating a restful environment.”

Caspian by Portola Paints

Choosing a deep, moody hue can be a fun way to play with the vibe of your living room, especially if you’re someone who’s calmed by darker environments. The key to ensuring it doesn’t feel one-note (or worse, like a cave), lies in choosing a rich paint hue with undertones that play well with whatever light makes its way into the room. “ Portola Paints’ Caspian hue is a moody and dark slate blue that adds a dynamic richness to your walls,” says Catie Lee Casazza, owner of CRL Construction . “This is the perfect hue for color-drenching a room—it stands on its own beautifully.”

Even Better Beige by Behr

Thanks to the drab aesthetics of the ‘90s, beige has gotten a bad rap—until it got rebranded as “mushroom” and became the color of choice for homeowners looking for a neutral-yet-cozy environment. “Mushroom, or similar warm tones, bring just the right sophistication and are perfect with light wood tones excluding a natural organic relaxed feeling,” says Vitale. “I love Even Better Beige by Behr —it pairs so well with other neutrals and is a true beige that gives that distinct warm, relaxed feeling so effortlessly.”

Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball

Dark blue can be a hard color to get right; it often skews too purple or too “royal” to feel sophisticated and serene, leaving you with a slightly garish space that feels anything but relaxing. Luckily, midnight blue lovers have met their match in Farrow & Balls’s Hague Blue , which incorporates undertones of green to maintain its inky integrity. “I find a darker blue to be a very relaxing color,” says Casazza. “Hague Blue captures the beauty of the deepest ocean, creating a luxurious vibe wherever you use it and adding an underlying warmth that makes metallic accents, like brass, pop.”

Related: 33 Absolutely Perfect Paint Colors Designers Love

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