Should a Living Room Be Painted Dark or Light? We Asked Design Experts to Settle The Age-Old Debate

Text by Devin Toolen

The color of your living room can completely shift the mood of your entire home, so the question remains: should you go light or dark...?

My parents are currently renovating their home, and, as a style editor for an interiors publication, perhaps I shouldn't have been so surprised when they asked for my opinion on paint colors for the living room walls. Holding up two swatches, my mother asked: should a living room be painted light or dark?

Oh, what a question. On the one hand, dark colors are deep, rich, and immediately set the tone for the space. But light colors? They're like a blank canvas, giving you free range with furnishings and other decor choices. So, how do you pick?

Before diving into the world of living room color trends, it's important to decide on the mood you want for the space — how you're going to use it, and how you want people to feel in it. "I always ask the client how they want their room to feel before choosing paint so that we can determine light or dark from the start," says interior designer Melanie Bryant.

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