There is no doubt that neutrals have been the most popular tones for home use during the last few years, and perhaps for good reason. Many people feel most comfortable when surrounded by carefully balanced colors that create an understated environment and make few demands on the eye. A beige color scheme offers infinite possibilities for making spaces airy and relaxing, refined and timeless, or elegantly sophisticated. However, beige living room paint ideas alone are not a fail-safe option – and it is all too easy to fall into the trap of using bland, dull colors that are nothing like the subtle, complex schemes featured here.
Beige living room ideas
The new beige living room ideas are all about minimalism, simplistic shapes and natural finishes.
1. Layer a beige living room with texture
Beige shades range from earthy brown living room ideas to those with more of an ochre inflection. The right tone in a dark room will bring sunshine to a space that otherwise lacks natural light. We recommend pairing beige paint colors with lashings of texture in the form of fabrics, wood and stone to add physical comfort and visual interest to a space. ‘It’s wise to avoid sandy or beige colors with a yellow undertone in north-facing rooms, as these can appear green in the winter,’ says Paula Taylor, color and trends specialist at Graham & Brown.
2. Adopt a beige color scheme in a period property
Whether you favor vibrant colors or an understated look, a combination of texture, pattern and scale underpins every successful beige scheme. The key is to choose a cohesive style and carry it through, via fabrics, furnishings and accessories. This elegant beige scheme takes inspiration from light creams, serene greens and gray living room ideas, using latte shades to create an air of tranquility, while wood, rattan and enamel accents add joie de vivre.
3. Instil a sense of fun and frivolity in beige living room ideas
Gentle, warm beige living room color schemes will give you the freedom to play with different accent colors, luxurious textures and finishes elsewhere in your space. For an entirely unique scheme, mix and match styles from different eras. Mid-century modern living room ideas are back, but this time it’s infused with clean Scandi style, texture and a beige color palette that is cooler than ever.
4. Use a beige color scheme as a backdrop for art
Give beige living room ideas definition with hints of modern monochrome artwork and soft furnishings. Add some sharp, contemporary styling in a mainly neutral space with accents of black and white. Keep touches minimal to keep the overall scheme relaxed and understated but with a more edgy loft apartment style.
5. Evoke a sense of grown-up glamor
Cream, taupe and beige living rooms are one of the most popular schemes – with ivory, buttermilk and off-white living room colors also popular choices. Instil a grown-up aesthetic by adopting traditional living room ideas, furniture and a plethora of texture and subtle pattern, all in tonal colors. Beige living room ideas can lend themselves to a number of decorating styles, from rustic to contemporary.
6. Decorate in a variety of beige colors
Classic, calm and cozy living room ideas offer respite from the whirlwind of modern life – and with the neutral elements in place, it is easy to play with the balance of your palette as seasons change. ‘Beige colors work well as a base, as it keeps an interior looking fresh and styled without appearing dated,’ says interior designer Kelly Hoppen (opens in new tab). ‘You can then use color to accent or highlight using star pieces of furniture, accessories or art.’
7. Introduce one standout accent color
When decorating your beige living room, you might feel like there’s something missing, and that could well be an accent color. This technique of adding in an unexpected shade in small areas of the room is one of the quickest ways to add drama to a space, while creating a harmonious scheme. Depending on the outcome you wish to arrive at, these colors can complement or contrast with the main tone of the room. Either way they are there to add emphasis to the overall color, like in the elegant beige and green living room above, not detract from it.
8. Channel a warm minimalist look in your beige living room ideas
Rooted in the principle of ridding your home of clutter, minimalist living room ideas are all over social media at present. And with more of us desiring a ‘clean’ space that features only a few meaningful items, it is easy to understand why. Minimalist living rooms and beige color schemes go hand-in-hand, so it pays to keep your color choices simple. Opt for a white living room with beige and black decor, like the scheme above, and borrow design inspiration from the 1950s, when home decor was kept simple yet beautifully functional.
9. Use neutrals, natural materials and plants to create calm
Go back to basics with simple decor and neutral living room ideas. Alongside all the clamour of color, pattern and shape in current interior design, there’s a quieter story of considered, understated forms and textures at their finest. Dress your tranquil beige living room ideas with materials found in nature, plenty of lush greenery, and art and colors that have been designed to instil peace, calm and serenity.
10. Pack a punch with pattern and color – alongside a beige backdrop
With their soft, soothing feel, it can be hard to move away from a palette of beige, browns and taupes, but if you’re craving an update, it’s easy to give a neutral scheme a more contemporary edge. A few additions of color and pattern can turn beige living room ideas from bland to beautiful in an instant.. ‘Being adventurous with color is hugely rewarding, and you need only start with a few flashes of your favorite strong color,’ advises color expert Annie Sloan (opens in new tab). ‘I tend to base a scheme on the neutrals I want to use, identify what tones they include and then use splashes of a color opposite for maximum drama and interest. For example, if I’m using a cool-toned beige I’d use pops of a hot color – maybe vivid pink or neon yellow living room accents. ‘It’s a very effective way to make a room vastly more lively and rewarding to look at, and you only need small amounts of your accent color.’
11. Build a serene scheme with chalky neutrals
Exposed rafters and textural neutral walls create a coastal-style backdrop in an open-plan beige living room. Sculptural shapes abound – including a curvaceous living room sofa from Ligne Roset (opens in new tab), wavy ribbed side table, and a Rose Uniake (opens in new tab) plaster lamp – add shapely interest to the relaxed scheme. Color is effectively introduced here with the wonderfully chic coral travertine coffee table from Julian Chichester (opens in new tab), the Caroline Popham (opens in new tab) artwork and complementary mix of blue cushions. ‘Textural wall finishes are a really effective way of creating a softer, aged, more lived in feel, and warmer atmosphere,’ says style editor, Emma Thomas.
12. Give a beige scheme a boost
White is the classic neutral that many of us opt for to make spaces seem brighter and bigger, and it makes the perfect backdrop for all accent colors to be laid upon. However, neutral living room ideas – and white living room ideas – can be layered, textured and interesting. ‘Textures help to keep a space from feeling flat or one dimensional,’ says Tiffany Leigh, of Tiffany Leigh Design (opens in new tab). ‘Texture in interior design is all about creating tactile moments that invite touch.’
13. Introduce subtle flashes of color
Blue and beige décor is timeless, and one of the most classic color combinations, perfect for creating a serene yet fresh aesthetic. The pairing is often used in country or coastal retreats to create chic spaces that look relaxed and informal at the same time. The blue and beige color match is a modern take on a color pairing that dates back centuries, and is still popular with ceramicists today. In the contemporary home, it evokes an easy-breezy aesthetic with a laidback beachside lifestyle at its core, although you don’t need to have ocean views to incorporate the scheme into your own home.
14. Layer up with texture and pattern
A beige living room can still be inspiring and have depth and dimension. It’s important to consider texture, whether through pattern, such as a lacquered fabric, or by mixing finishes, like a matte wall with gloss paint on the ceiling. These elements create interest that will make neutral living room ideas sing. Layers of similar tones keep a scheme from feeling flat, while accents of dark gray, brown or black can be used to punctuate this space.
15. Use variations of the same color palette
It’s fair to say that at Homes & Gardens we’ve been championing vivid interior schemes and bold decorating ideas for some time, but a neutral backdrop can enable beautiful architecture, decorative furniture and bespoke artworks to make a true style statement within your home. From oyster and beige to sand and gray hues, the secret to neutrals is to pick the right tones for the type of light coming into your room. Cool light works well with warmer neutrals, while south-facing light has a yellow hue, so cooler neutral colors are best.
What color goes with a beige living room?
When choosing a color scheme to go with beige living room ideas, your first port of call should always be the color wheel. From bold, dramatic palettes to soothing tonal combinations, using the color wheel is fail-safe way to guarantee decorating success for your beige living room. Following color theory (and plenty of trial and error on our part) is a straightforward way of creating an easy-to-live-with beige scheme. These harmonious colors are the most widely used group in interior design.
