Warm neutral colour schemes for living rooms: How to achieve the look

Mastering the super stylish neutral décor look is easy to achieve when you know how. If you’ve got plans to give your lounge a neutral makeover or want to perfect what you’ve already created, read on for everything you need to know – 21st style.

When did the warm neutrals trend come about?

Warm neutrals really took hold in 2023 and is set to continue its popularity into 2024 thanks to its easy to adopt, minimalist aesthetic that holds mass appeal whilst also reflecting the current home décor love affair with cream and inviting neutral interiors.



How do you make a living room neutral?

Neutral living rooms are just that – neutral – or a colour without colour. We know, it may sound a bit odd, but neutral colour schemes are nothing new however, they are a go-to interior choice for so many spaces, residential and commercial, because of their ability to work so well.

If you want to make your living room neutral, you need to review your colour scheme. Replace any strong colours with muted shades (this applies to your entire room, from the walls and floors to your sofa, tables, curtains and ornaments).

What are warm neutral colours for a living room?

Beige, creams and warm whites are at the centre of this trend, complemented by warm natural wood accents extending from cool bamboo tones to rich tans and deep oak colours.

In order to add depth when working with a neutral colour palette, we’ll see texture take centre stage with fabrics that you want to sink your hands into and stroke and instead of block colours, creams are likely to be flecked through with a warmer richer colour when it comes to textiles.

However, there’s also another dimension to neutral colours because despite lacking in colour, neutral shades do have undertones to them.

Warm neutrals in particular contain hints of pink, gold and yellow, ideal for creating warm and welcoming spaces. Tip: warm neutrals work well in north-facing rooms.

Warm neutral living room inspiration

When it comes to styling this trend in homes, we’ll see people lean into the fully neutral aesthetic and take it to its extremes, very much like a Kardashian home interior, or we’ll see the use of accent colours that will break up the neutrality without ruining the overall calming and minimal design that’s at the heart of the aesthetic.

Check out how our customers have styled their ScS sofas in their living rooms in a neutral palette:

What colours go with neutrals?

Neutral doesn’t have to mean all-out neutral. You can have a neutral living room that’s peppered with more standout complementary colours, such as: 

• Lime green
• Shocking pink
• Bright yellow 
• Cobalt blue 
• Strong heritage colours, such as sage green and duck egg

Don’t forget about texture either, which is fundamental to making sure your living room doesn’t feel like it’s missing something.

Introduce a secondary non-neutral colour in several tones, e.g. a bright blue rug with a light blue sheer curtains, or use carefully-selected furniture materials, e.g. a rustic wood sideboard or herringbone floor, to introduce added depth and warmth.

The beauty about neutrals is they can stay as neutral as you like them and be livened up as much as you like too. It all comes down to personal preference, but if you start off with a neutral backdrop (e.g. your walls and floor) and only inject a splash of colour here and there, you should still retain a neutral balance.

10 top tips for creating a warm neutral living room

Follow these tips to achieve neutral lounge perfection:

1. Choose your main warm neutral colour.
2. Decide if you want to have an-all neutral room or add some colour to it.
3. If you want to stick to just neutrals, you may want to choose two to three neutrals for added depth. If you prefer to just have one colour, that’s fine too! 
4. If you’d like to introduce some colour, decide which shade you’d like.
5. Don’t go overboard when adding the colour to your room, a coloured rug, plant pot, curtains and a throw is all it takes.
6. Introduce wood, be it flooring, shelving or a side or coffee table for added natural warmth.
7. Think about patterns, which are also a great way of adding texture. For instance, patterned cushions, throws, a rug or curtains.
8. Add a touch of glamour by choosing a sofa with stud or deep set button detailing, plush fabrics or furniture with mirrored surfaces. For more glam inspo read, ‘4 top tips for creating a glamorous house.’
9. Embrace metals, such as brass and bronze, for added warmth instead of using wood.
10. Gradually add to your vision. Warm neutral décor is all about simplicity, with your walls and floors being the main canvas and everything else building upon it. Less is definitely more when it comes to neutral styling. 

Before I go, here’s how our customers are turning their warm neutral living room design visions into reality and doing a fabulous job of it!