If it wasn’t clear, we absolutely love a paint trend. It’s an easy, inexpensive way to imbue your space with a trendy yet non-permanent touch for $100 or less, and you can complete a project in a single weekend. And, when it comes to signature spaces that directly reflect your design style, living rooms take the cake. So, we decided to zero in on a particularly high-impact, low-lift design combo: trendy paint ideas for the living room.

From a rich, unexpected chocolate brown to punchy cobalt blue and beyond, Havenly designer Melissa Wagner shares the trending living room hues she’s bookmarking this season (and beyond). Get your paintbrushes ready:

1. Soft Sage Green

Yes, sage green was our color of the year in 2021 and on our list of favorite green paint colors this summer. But we can’t help ourselves — the soft, nearly-neutral hue is perennially trending in our designers’ eyes. From living rooms and kitchen cabinets to nurseries, home offices, and bathrooms, this calming hue is always a good choice. We particularly love Benjamin Moore’s October Mist! Pair with plenty of ivories, cognac leathers, and hint of saffron for a cozy organic feel.

2. Retro Chocolate Brown

The fashion set has been fixated on 1970s-inspired brown for a few seasons now, and true to form, the design world has followed suit. The retro hue feels like a refreshing departure from simply defaulting to jet black or dark gray, and we love the elevated moody aesthetic it lends to a space. Clare Paint’s Coffee Date in particular is a gorgeous, rich brown that’s as delicious as your morning brew (hold the cream and sugar). And if you have the opportunity to add some architectural molding to your living room, by all means, please do.

3. Crisp Cobalt Blue

ICYMI: We love this hue so much we wrote a whole article on it. Cobalt blue is navy’s vibrant, bold sister, and we love the pop of color it adds to a space. No shade to navy (the timeless shade also made this list), but cobalt feels a touch more trendy and unexpected. Plus, we love a brass light fixture, and cobalt beautifully complements the finish. Test the waters with Farrow and Ball’s Drawing Room Blue or Clare Paint’s Blue Ivy — you won’t be disappointed.

4. Barely-There Pink

Pink paint isn’t just for nurseries or kids rooms! A soft, barely-there hue like Clare Paint’s Wing It offers a subtle touch of color that still functions as a neutral. It’s very Sarah Sherman Samuel-esque and would look gorgeous paired with some richly-veined marble and a sculptural sofa moment.

5. Classic Navy

Plain and simple, Hale Navy isn’t going anywhere. We love it, we use it over and over again, and it will always be relevant. In our opinion, paint trends may come and go, but Hale Navy (and navy in general) is forever. It offers the same impact as the aforementioned Coffee Date paint color to your living room, but with a timeless, classic twist that somehow feels more palatable. 

6. Subtle Chartreuse

Clare Paint’s High Vibe is the subtle chartreuse we’ve all been looking for. It’s bold, but not too bright, and sort of drapes a living room without feeling too loud or stark. We could even see this color working on a smaller piece of furniture (like a bar cart) or even on doors and trim — it definitely has a punchy, artistic edge to it. Pair with a high contrast palette including blacks, ivories, and brass for a chic take on color.

7. Warm Terracotta

While a terracotta hue like Benjamin Moore’s Toasted Pecan isn’t for the faint of heart, we can’t help but love the warm, desert modern trend. This color scheme particularly sings in an Anthropologie, Jungalow-inspired living room (a la Justina Blakeney): a touch bohemian with countless plants and a slew of global-inspired prints. 

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