Living room paint colour for former rental flat

last year

Hi,

I'm about to move back to my Victorian flat and before doing so, it'll undergo a much-needed update to the decor as it hasn't been touched in 10+ years!!.

Proposal is to start with the living room so I'm requesting advice on the colour scheme for the walls and want a lighter, neutral feel to the room rather than the rich red. The room is approximately south facing so get a good amount of natural light throughout the day. Initial thought is something akin to below.

Edinburgh Victorian Terrace · More Info

For reference, attached are a few images of the room and in terms of furniture and fixtures, the only aspects that are remaining is the leather armchair and the sanded floorboards (which also need a minor refurb).

Another option is to link a neutral colour scheme to the tiled insert but unsure if this is a good idea or where to start.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Featured Answer

Sonia

last year

I would choose your furniture, such as sofas first, as their colour will dictate what you put on the walls. Get a sample swatch of your chosen furniture and use that to help choose your wall colour. You’re going for an extremely pared down look which may look a tad dull if it doesn’t have much colour. In your example they have chosen a mossy green footstool which could be a good place to start. Your tan armchair will sit well with many types of decor. The fireplace is lovely and again it will probably go with most decor. I don’t think you need to match it exactly with your walls. I might be tempted to paint the wooden surround white. Here’s some ideas, some neutral and I really love the green one, but it may be too much for you!

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Comments (16)

PRO
The Living House
last year
Hi Gordon, what a beautiful victorian flat you have! We absolutely love all the original features. If you would like to go for a neutral colour scheme you may like a few of these paint colours we've listed below -

Little Greene - Slaked Lime Mid

Farrow and Ball - Skimming Stone

Farrow and Ball - Shaded White

These of course are only a few to begin with to give you ideas, we would definitely recommending ordering some paint samples.

The colours in your beautiful fireplace would be a great way to bring in an accent colour perhaps a soft terracotta?

If you would like any help with updating your living room, feel free to drop us a message. We are an affordable online interior company and would love to know more about your project! Here is our website too - www.thelivinghouse.co.uk

- Sophie
Juliet Docherty
last year
What colour sofas do you have? I would look at what you are putting in the room as a starting point. The colour on your image is definitely cool, do you want something a bit warmer?
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Hi Janis Unfortunately I am not in the Boston area - I live in Ireland! Yes there are red items in 3 of the main rooms, the kitchen, sitting room and tv room (library) - although we have pared those back now and it's not as overwhelming. thanks for all your help everyone, i really feel like it's made a big difference and am excited to finish the tv room and then refresh the play room. do you think I should move the piano to the sitting room? and would the jazz painting work in the tv room? speak later, thanks!
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Lots of ideas....couldn't resist adding my two cents. i copied your photos and did a little cut and paste- it's messy, but hopefully gets the main idea across. i'd put your sofa in front of the large book case, chair by the fireplace, tv on the stand on the wall opposite the fireplace - so you can either look at the fire or the tv. Someone suggested using frames of one color for your photos - an inexpensive way to do that would be to spray paint them all a dark color-black goes with everything. Since your shelves are a medium tone wood, display things that are dark or light so that they contrast against the wood. Limiting your display items pallette to a few values usually helps to unify things. (I think that's why so many people want to paint the shelves or put inserts in the back to help your nice things read more clearly...some get lost). If you want to "splurge" -you may consider having a carpenter make a few solid tall cabinet doors to provide a visual break in the shelving. I'm showing 3 doors - 1 on the right side of the fireplace and 2 on the left to leave two open vertical shelves for display on each side - with things arranged to frame the fireplace as the focal point. To add some height to your big vases, consider stacking some books beneath them. Enjoy experimenting untill you get something you're happy with - good luck!
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Ooh Darzy I like your thinking. Actually the curtains are taupe and a nearly mint green - not stripes more they blend into each other (see pic). But if I got some art picking out those 2 colours that could work. I love teal but not sure about it on this wall. Maybe coral could be nice or is that too on trend? I also have an old chair I need to get reupholstered and was struggling for ideas for that. But a floral pattern with the green and taupe from the curtains and a third colour that matches the art could work well - ideas, ideas, ideas!Thank you Houzzers I knew you'd help me to look at this differently.
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I think you should consider installing wood or laminate flooring for a more on trend look. Do this first so that you have a nice frame to place your furnishing. Keep the walls painted as they are for now while you figure out what you want to do furniture wise for the room I think you should consider where the TV will be placed so that you can have good viewing and then have the sofa placed opposite the TV. This way you can enjoy the room if tv is going to be placed here. After that the other pieces will fall into place for you. You might also consider making the mantel deeper to display the radio antique?It could be a nice focal point in the room and on the fireplace. Also I like the current color of your room....it will work while you are figuring out what goes where. Paint LAST when you have your color design established in your upholstery. No need to have 100 dollars worth of paint dictating what the sofa color will be. If you do not have funds now, then place things you have now and take your time deciding what you are going to do first. But as your walls look fine and you are not sure about furnishings then do the floor and wait for the rest as funds become available.
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Juliet Docherty
last year
Also, the wood in your room is much warmer than in your image and quite colourful so I would opt for something that complements it whilst not exaggerating it too much. Warm neutrals are currently knocking greys out of the park, not that we care about fashion, but we do obviously, thus the trend for grey.
thistlejak
last year
It is a lovely bright room. As it is a room for relaxing I would go for a richer colour - sage green would go with the flooring and leather chair. It depends on your choice of other furniture - paint is cheaper then a sofa!!.

In our Victorian house we have painted all the ceilings the same colour as the walls - leaving the cornice and woodwork a subtle off white - we have picture rails as well. It stops the ceiling looking too high.
PRO
Paintforme
last year
Hi Gordon,

Warm White and Cornforth White would work well.

Kind Regards,

Paintforme
PRO
AL PAINTING
last year
just to add that the suggestions made by The Living House above with their colour shcheme recomendation is a great joice, we've painted many propertie's with those colours and they look amazing, fresh touch and comfy feel 100%.
T S
last year
Such a lovely room…I don’t know what your sofas etc are but FB slipper satin is a really lovely warm neutral
smac232
last year
It obviously depends on aspect of room however here’s my contribution

My study is Slaked lime Mid. It’s neutral to the point that you don’t know it’s there and is a good backdrop to colourful art.

We painted our TV room in Cornforth white. It is definitely a grey. A cold grey at that with a sort of purple/lilac hint to it. We’ve now completely repainted the room in F&B Setting Plaster which we love. It’s really warm and not a girly pink at all. Would go well with your fireplace but couldn’t be classed a neutral.
Gordon
Original Author
last year
Many thanks for all the suggestions and comments - lots to think about!!

Whilst I like the idea of using a similar shade of green suggested by a few, I don't think I'm brave enough as I tend to keep it neutral and add interest and contrast with paintings and artwork, etc (that said, the adjacent bedroom is a pale green shade).

The floorboards are also due a minor sand and refinish with the intention for a less warm, orange tone and the sofa hasn't been purchased yet hence the plan for a neutral scheme which can be changed easily (as mentioned, paint is cheap esp. as my nephew's a painter and decorator).

The plan is to try a few of the suggestions and I'll let you know the outcome.

Thanks
tim_baker921
last year
last modified: last year
Reminds me of my Marchmont apartment. Your floors are great but the yellowing is the natural result of UV light exposure. Are they oiled or varnished? Sanding will make them paler initially but the options for colouring them have downsides which can make future changes less easy.
Amber
last year
I would definitely go with a colour than a neutral or grey tone. These tend to look cold and boring iny opinion. You might need to use white as a base coat first to try and get rid of the red. Try a good quality paint with a slightly softer look like farrow and ball or little green. These can't be colour matched they are unique and give a classy finish without smell.
David Thomas
last year
The pale green of the second picture down is outstandingly the best and it looks tremendous allowing all the various objects in the room to display their individual character.
PRO
The Living House
last year
Hi Gordon, since commenting last week we now have Facebook group community that you may find helpful, its another place to ask questions and gain free advice from like minded interior lovers and us as experts! Here is the link if you would like to join - https://www.facebook.com/groups/interiorhomedesignadviceandsupportuk
Sonia
last year
I’ve got Cromarty in my living room and although it’s cool it doesn’t feel cold. Room is NE facing.
angelavdavis
last year
I had a house similar to you flat. In fact I think the dining room had been the same red colour your lounge had been previously! I used perfectly taupe. Is not taupe in south facing rooms. I loved it with white plaster and paintwork.

Living room paint colour for former rental flat

Sonia

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Living room paint colour for former rental flat

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