11 Best Small Living Room Paint Colors

By
Ashley Knierim
Photo of Ashley Knierim
Ashley Knierim

Ashley Knierim is a home decor expert and product reviewer of home products for The Spruce. Her design education began at a young age. She has over 10 years of writing and editing experience, formerly holding editorial positions at Time and AOL.

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Updated on 03/21/21
Small living room with a green couch
Farrow & Ball Pigeon No. 25

Apogee Interiors

Though you may have to make some concessions when it comes to furnishing a small living room, the good news is you actually have more options when it comes to painting your quaint living space. While larger living rooms can often feel cavernous or overwhelming with certain paint colors, a small one can work with either dark or light shades.

Depending on your goals for your living space and whether you want to go for a cozy look or make your room appear larger, the right shade of paint can achieve a lot. While white is the obvious choice for a small room, it's far from the only good option.

  • Color Family: Various
  • Complementary Colors: Various
  • Pairs Well With: Various
  • Mood: Ranges from calming to energizing
  • Where to Use: Small Living Rooms

Here are some ideal small living room paint colors that make the most of limited square footage.

  • 01 of 11

    Best Gray: The Spruce Best Home Stone Quarry

    The Spruce Paint swatch in Stone Quarry

    The Spruce

    A bold gray paint like The Spruce Best Home's Stone Quarry is a great choice for a chic living room with an unmistakably modern vibe. This paint is a charcoal gray with a blue undertone, and is perfect for quaint living spaces with lighter accents and streamlined furniture. Minimalist decor won't look sparse with this bold wall color.

  • 02 of 11

    Best Muted: Farrow & Ball Pigeon

    Farrow & Ball Pigeon paint swatch

    The Spruce

    Farrow & Ball's Pigeon is the ideal color for a vintage, retro feel. It's a throwback-inspired bluish-gray that feels green in certain spaces. It plays well with moody colors, like hunter green or cool purples, or adds a touch of color to rooms with predominantly neutral tones.

  • 03 of 11

    Best Navy: Sherwin-Williams Dark Night

    Sherwin-Williams Dark Night swatch

    The Spruce

    It's a popular myth that smaller rooms can't use dark colors. In fact, the smaller the room, the darker you can go. Because a darker color reflects less light, it gives a room more depth and almost has the effect of pushing the walls out. So, a color like Sherwin-Williams Dark Night is perfect for your cozy living space—it's moody, bold, and rich, embodying everything we love in a navy blue.

    Tip

    Streamlined furniture can help your living room appear larger than it is. Think straight lines and simple silhouettes over anything ornate or curved. Not only do they look cleaner, sleek pieces tend to fit better into small spaces.

  • 04 of 11

    Best Beige: Magnolia Southern Grown

    Magnolia Southern Grown swatch

    The Spruce

    Beige has forever been a go-to neutral for rooms of all shapes and sizes, but Magnolia's Southern Grown is a great choice for your small space because it has a little more depth than traditional beiges, and will lend more visual interest to your space. It's a dusty beige that looks almost chalky on the wall, and feels incredibly homey and inviting in a cozy room.

    Continue to 5 of 11 below.
  • 05 of 11

    Best Off-White: Benjamin Moore Linen White

    Benjamin Moore Linen White swatch

    The Spruce

    Benjamin Moore's Linen White is a traditional off-white that has warm red undertones to give it a little more depth than other off-whites. It's perfect for a small room that wants to stay neutral, but craves a little more personality and warmth in the space. It will appear even darker in small rooms, especially if you're lacking natural light.

  • 06 of 11

    Best Pink: The Spruce Best Home Rose Power

    The Spruce paint swatch in Rose Power

    The Spruce

    A pink like The Spruce Best Home's Rose Power is an approachable color that will reflect light in a small living room while adding a hint of color to your space. Memorable but not overwhelming, this soft pink hue is perfect for size-limited living rooms and creates a very flattering background for your artwork or photos.

  • 07 of 11

    Best White: Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace

    Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore

    The Spruce

    We would be remiss if we failed to mention the wonderfully widening effect a bright white can have on a small living room. Benjamin Moore's Chantilly Lace is a classic white paint that designers love because it's a bright white that doesn't feel stark or cold. It's inviting and a great choice for a small living space with a minimalist vibe.

  • 08 of 11

    Best Black: Benjamin Moore Jet Black

    Benjamin Moore Jet Black paint swatch

    The Spruce

    There's just something utterly enchanting and chic about a black living room, and the good news is that a small space can really pull it off. Benjamin Moore's Jet Black is a rich black paint that is incredibly moody and dramatic. For a lengthening effect, consider painting two parallel walls in this shade to make the room appear longer and wider.

    Continue to 9 of 11 below.
  • 09 of 11

    Best Red: Valspar Cut Ruby

    Valspar Cut Ruby swatch

    The Spruce

    When you have a small space, you may as well go bold. Valspar's Cut Ruby is a vibrant dark red with a slight yellow undertone that makes a big statement. Pair it with warm shades or crisp whites for the ultimate wow factor.

  • 10 of 11

    Best Peach: Benjamin Moore Nautilus Shell

    Benjamin Moore Nautilus Shell swatch

    The Spruce

    Peach is a trendy color for any space, and Benjamin Moore's Nautilus Shell is a lovely shade that creates a warm, rich glow in your small living room. It's a universally flattering color that will enhance skin tones and make your space appear wider.

  • 11 of 11

    Best Light Blue: Benjamin Moore Dusky Blue

    Benjamin Moore Dusky Blue swatch

    The Spruce

    Benjamin Moore's Dusky Blue is a cool pastel color that adds a lovely hue to your small living room without overpowering the rest of it. It's a great choice for a beachy feel or a room that is mostly neutral, but could use a hint of color to make it feel complete.

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