A color expert shares the 9 shades you should incorporate into your living room right now (2024)

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Navy blue adds classic elegance to the space.

Navy blue can be a bold yet elegant color for a living room.

"Rich and classic, navy blue makes a color statement that will complement the softer neutral colors in your design," Wax said.

Wax also said navy blue can be a good choice for larger pieces of furniture like sofas or side chairs.

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Silvery blues make great accent colors.

Wax recommends using silvery blues as accents or for rugs "to anchor the design of your room."

This silvery shade can complement rich grays, deeper blues, or even black accents without competing for attention.

"The real beauty of this color is that it can be the perfect backdrop to a more updated, contemporary design," the expert told BI.

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Use olive green to bring elements of the outside in.

Colors that evoke a sense of nature never go out of style, and in 2024, olive green is making waves.

Though Wax said olive green is "a relatively new addition" to classic interior-design schemes, there are still plenty of ways to incorporate the hue into the living room.

She recommends decorating with olive-green furniture or patterned rugs because the "surprisingly neutral" color pairs well with beige, taupe, and even rusty orange and red.

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Warm butterscotch goes with everything.

Butterscotch, a saturated yet neutral color, can add a warm and comfortable note to the living space.

According to Wax, the shade can supply coziness and "go beautifully with everything from pale-cream colors to contrasting hunter greens, chocolate browns, or even navy blues."

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Creamy white is here to stay.

White creates a clean palette that works with many styles, but in 2024, creamier versions of the hue will rise in popularity.

"Creamy white is back in style in a very big way, giving a fresh updated look to your design in a warm and inviting manner," Wax said.

The creamy hue can work well on the walls or as an accent color and has long-term appeal that's unlikely to go out of style anytime soon.

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Cool gray creates a contemporary vibe.

According to Wax, cool, contemporary gray is a great choice for the living room, especially if you're going for a delicate look.

"Consider light and airy grays with a hint of pale blue or even lavender — a cooler gray is the perfect choice for a lighter wall color, which will open up the room," the expert said.

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Cozy rust is a great backdrop color.

Rust can make a living room feel warm and inviting.

"It's a color that embraces us from when we first see it," Wax said. "If you are looking for an intensely warm color palette, this is the color to use."

She especially likes rust because it incorporates the richer neutrals of the taupe and brown families but with "a friendlier, more lighthearted appeal."

Rust can also serve as a backdrop for softer, lighter colors.

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Versatile teal has a soothing appeal.

Teal is known for its flexibility, "softer appeal," and general feel-good properties.

"With the versatile qualities of blues and the understated vibes of softer greens, this color is the best of both worlds," Wax told BI.

She recommends versatile teal for the living room because it can be equally effective as a wall or accent color.

The designer also said teal can pair beautifully with light and dark neutrals.

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Warm taupe is the ultimate neutral.

According to Wax, taupe's warm, relaxed vibe makes it "a great choice for the flooring or a larger piece of furniture," as it "will play nicely with almost any color."

The softer, "easygoing color" is a great hue to pick first when choosing your room's design.