Paint colors for your home, inside and out
Small room · Living room · colors from 6 paintings
In a small living room with brown furniture, light walls with a warm tone work best. The four wall colors here have LRVs between 60 and 75, so they help the walls recede while the brown pieces stay in front.
Quick answer
Paint the walls #E5E0DC, an LRV 75 soft white. Bring in #E0CEAF in sofas or curtains and keep #542112 for one deep brown accent.
A very light neutral at LRV 75 and the best all-round wall color for a small room. It comes from Irises by Vincent van Gogh.
From Irises, Vincent van Gogh
A light violet-tinted color at LRV 65, nice for curtains, cushions or a ceiling. It comes from Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect by Claude Monet.
From Waterloo Bridge, Sunlight Effect, Claude Monet
A light warm color at LRV 63 that suits walls or a sofa next to brown furniture. It comes from Saint George by a Russian painter.
From Saint George, Russian Painter
A light cool blue at LRV 60 for a wall that faces warm light. It was measured from George Moore by Edouard Manet.
From George Moore (1852–1933), Edouard Manet
A very dark brown at LRV 2 for frames, shelving or a small table. It comes from The Dead Christ in the Tomb with Two Angels by Abraham Janssen van Nuyssen.
From The Dead Christ in the Tomb with Two Angels, Abraham Janssen van Nuyssen
A very dark red-brown at LRV 3 that echoes brown furniture. Use it as one accent such as a lamp or a chair; it comes from The Court of the Princess by Adolphe Monticelli.
From The Court of the Princess, Adolphe Monticelli
The same paint reads differently in cool north light, warm south sun and under evening lamps. Find the column closest to your room.
| Color | Neutral daylight | North light | South light | Evening lamps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soft Linen White | ||||
| Pale Lilac Gray | ||||
| Cream Sand | ||||
| Cool Silver Blue |
Pick which color goes on the walls, the big furniture and the bold piece. Floors, shadows and trim follow your choice.
The framed picture on the wall is Irises.
Choose a color with an LRV above 60. All four wall colors here pass that test, and #E5E0DC is the highest at 75.
A light wall reflects more light back into the room, so the walls seem farther away. That matters most when your furniture is dark brown, because dark pieces already take up visual space.
If you want warmth, #E0CEAF is a soft cream-sand that matches brown wood. If you want a cooler, cleaner look, #E5E0DC is neutral and calm.
Use one wall color on all walls and the ceiling when space is tight. Breaking the room into many colors makes it feel smaller.
Brown furniture usually has a warm red or yellow undertone. Colors with a warm undertone, such as #E0CEAF, sit comfortably next to it. Neutral colors like #E5E0DC also work because they do not fight the wood.
The violet-tinted #D6CFE9 and the cool blue #C7CCD4 give contrast. Use them in curtains, pillows or art so the room does not become all brown and cream.
If the furniture is very dark, avoid dark walls. A light wall behind a dark sofa makes the sofa look clean and defined.
The deep browns #332A1C and #542112 are best saved for small things: lamp bases, frames or one chair that matches your larger furniture.
In a small room, the ceiling is part of the wall plan. Painting it the same color as the walls, or one shade lighter, removes hard lines and makes the room feel taller.
In north light, a cool wall such as #C7CCD4 may feel chilly. Choose the warm #E0CEAF or the neutral #E5E0DC there instead.
In south light, any of the four colors will look bright. A cool one can help balance too much warmth.
Under evening lamps, light walls turn warmer. Brown furniture glows in the same light, so the room feels cozy. Use bulbs with a warm color temperature so the walls do not look yellow.
Paint large samples on two walls and look at them next to your actual furniture. A small paint chip will not tell you how the color works beside dark wood.
Check the samples morning and night. Look for any pink, green or gray shift, because small rooms show undertones more clearly.
The nearest matches in the data include Sherwin-Williams SW 7077 Original White for #E5E0DC and SW 6134 Netsuke for #E0CEAF. Use these as starting points only.
Bring a cushion or a curtain swatch next to the sample. If the sample makes the fabric look dull or yellow, try the next color.
A light color with an LRV above 60, such as #E5E0DC or #E0CEAF. It reflects more light and keeps the room open.
Warm creams, soft whites and gentle neutrals. A touch of pale violet or cool blue in textiles adds contrast.
Usually not, unless you want a cozy, moody effect. Dark walls with an LRV below 10 absorb most light.
Light colors with high LRV, like #E5E0DC at 75. Painting the ceiling the same color also helps.
As small accents such as a lamp, a frame or a chair. #542112 matches brown furniture without covering the walls.
A card with every color on this page, its LRV and the paintings it comes from. Pin it, or take it to the paint store.
North West Facing Living Room Colors for Cool Mornings and Warm Evenings
Color Schemes for a Basement Family Room
Beach Paint Colors for Living Room
Black Accent Wall in a Living Room: Colors That Work
Calming Colors for Living Room Walls: Soft Yellow, Blue and Green
Small Bathroom Paint Colors with No Windows
Painting images: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Art Institute of Chicago, public domain (CC0). Colors measured by Light & Pigment. Paint names belong to their brands and matches are approximate. Colors look different on screen than on a wall, so always test a sample.
