Get ready to say goodbye to your white and gray walls because design has taken a hard right turn and it’s all about colour now. First we saw the change happen in our cabinetry. Our kitchens went from all-white to a small injection of colour in the base cabinetry. Then some brave souls went dark with both uppers and lowers being painted in deeply saturated colours. And now it’s making its way into our living spaces, namely living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. I have gathered up the very best dark paint colours and I hope you embrace this change and hop on the bandwagon
Dark colours don’t have to be scary and they’re definitely not just for large, open concept spaces. They are nuanced and can add such life to a living room of any size or shape. The secret is all in the nuance of the colour. You want rich and bold, not bright and childlike. A too bright colour can make your room look like a nursery school so stick with colours that have a grayish hue to them. Historical colours are a great reference point for finding something that will stand the test of time and look sophisticated.
BEST DARK PAINT COLOURS FOR YOUR LIVING ROOM
Benjamin Moore – Gentleman’s Gray 2062-20
SOURCE: Decorpad
I’ve talked about this colour here and here but if you’ve been reading for a while you know this is an all-time favourite for me. This has more colour to it than a lot of the other cult favourite navy paint options. It has just an extra hint of blue so although it’s dark it also has a brightness to it.
Benjamin Moore – Flint AF-560
I’ve been talking about Flint quite a lot lately because I used this colour in my cottage renovation. If you missed that post you can read about it here. It’s a charcoal with a lot of blue in it and if you look at just the tiny paint chip you might be scared that it’s too dark. As you can see from the image above, with the right lighting conditions this colour sings and is anything but oppressive.
Benjamin Moore – Chelsea Gray HC-168
SOURCE: Laurel Bern Interiors
Chelsea Gray has been one of Benjamin Moore’s heavy hitter for years and for good reason. It’s just such an easy colour to incorporate into your home and goes with almost everything. While it’s technically a gray paint it does have a lot of undertone so it ends up reading as a strong colour. The undertone is green although this one is complicated and there are times when purple hues come through as well. Don’t be scared by this because undertones are just a hint or suggestion of a colour. It won’t ever look green or purple entirely.
Benjamin Moore – Cushing Green HC-125
SOURCE: Interiors by Color
This historical colour has been another favourite for a very long time. While it was limited to mostly traditional spaces while contemporary lovers reached for all the whites, it’s being seen in a mix of spaces now. Although this is a deep colour it’s got so much warmth to it that you won’t have to worry about feeling cool in your living room.
Benjamin Moore – Bella Blue 720
SOURCE: Interiors by Color
This teal blue is a great pick for someone who is ready and wants to embrace the fun and joy of colour. As you can see from this little teaser, Bella Blue is an absolutely perfect backdrop to a much bolder mustard colour. I’ve also seen it paired with lavender and hot pink and it’s just as good. So if you are fully fed up with white and want to have some fun, say hello to Bella.
Sherwin Williams – Waterloo SW-6958
SOURCE: Emily Henderson
So maybe you love colour but you don’t have the right environment to pull off the bold navy. Waterloo will give you the deep saturation you want without making the room feel too dark. This is still high on the chroma level so it’s got a brightness that makes it feel more mid-toned than dark.
Sherwin Williams – Evergreen Fog SW-9130
SOURCE: House & Home
This was Sherwin Williams’ Colour of the Year in 2022 so we’ve been seeing a lot of it lately but in spite of that I’m not even a little bit tired of it. It’s acting as a neutral base for this caramel furniture and that’s one of the reasons we all love Evergreen Fog so much. It’s bold but it feels more like a neutral and pairs really well with neutrals of all shades.
Sherwin Williams – Passionate HGSW-2032
SOURCE: Sherwin Williams
You may have guessed from the colour code that this colour is part of the HGTV colour lineup for Sherwin Williams. And speaking of Colour of the Year, Passionate was the colour in 2021 for Sherwin Williams. If you’re old enough to remember the 90’s rage of burgundy paint you might be hesitant to do it again but this one feels like it’s worth a walk down memory lane.
Sherwin Williams – Ripe Olive SW-6209
SOURCE: Home Bunch
This colour is so warm and moody and the image above illustrates how to do it right. I love that this homeowner has just embraced the colour and ran it across the wall and the cabinetry. This home appears to be more contemporary but I could equally see this colour working well in a traditional, transitional or mid-century modern style as well.
Sherwin Williams – Darkroom SW-7083
SOURCE: Apartment Therapy
Remember at the beginning when I told you that these colours were not to be feared? This is testimony that dark paint colours do not leave your space feeling cold but quite the opposite. This room feels cozy and welcoming to me.
I hope you feel as enthusiastic about this new trend as I do. I was never a fan of the all-white home so I’ve just been continuing to use deep colours and waiting for the tide to turn. If you need some help picking a colour my Paint Consultation will take the worry away. I’ll give you the confidence to know that you can embrace the dark paint colours without any fear of making a mistake.
If you know your design style but you struggle with which paint to use, take a look at my Made-For-You paint palettes. They take the guesswork out and give you the confidence to get started.
