Paint color for living room -- open floor plan

Lori Kelly
by Lori Kelly
Ok, so I painted my dining room a golden yellow color and my kitchen just a shade lighter. Pops of red, brown, and black are throughout. My question is this: Since it is an open floor plan, without much natural light, what color do I paint my living room? I have hardwood floors throughout my house.
This is the gold color
More of the gold color
My new counter top
Wall in dining room
This is the sofa and behind it is the dining room. There is no wall between.
This is the dining room before it was painted. That is french doors on the top left.
  14 answers
  • Julie Julie on Jun 28, 2015
    May we see a pic of the "open floor plan" to include the kitchen/dining area leading into the living room? It will help suggest the color as you don't want too many colors in an open floor plan as you want a visual flow of color. Thanks!
  • Barb Barb on Jun 28, 2015
    I think I would do a warm beige / tan.you have a lot of "color" going on
  • Ellen DeVilbiss Ellen DeVilbiss on Jun 28, 2015
    There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Your golden yellow is very intense and lovely as an accent wall or two. I would go with a much less intense yellow or a warm antique white even. Keepin it warm without the bold intensity will keep it unified, but not overwhelming.
  • Lynda Burgess Langston Lynda Burgess Langston on Jun 28, 2015
    A warm beige would work well with the yellows. I have the same that same gold in my living room with a brick red accent wall and a warm beige in my hall. Looks great!
  • I'm a lover of yellow...I would use a gray for living room..
  • Suzanne Lee Suzanne Lee on Jun 28, 2015
    What about the same color much lighter?
  • Millie Millie on Jun 28, 2015
    I would go with the gray as has been suggested. Cream draperies in living room and dining room (if there is a window), recover the sofa pillows in cream with red &/or black trim. Change out the green lamp, or spray paint it black.
  • XXXXXXX XXXXXXX on Jun 28, 2015
    In maintaining continuity with the open concept, it would be recommended to continue with a "much" lighter gold hue into the living space as that of a pastel. Or, you can consider going with plain white living room walls while pulling in the gold of the dining/kitchen with gold accents pieces as of pillows, vases, candles, etc..
  • Nadine Nadine on Jun 28, 2015
    I read an article, if they are the same tone of color, they will go. Had to learn all about tone. Good luck.
  • Sandra_mason15656 Sandra_mason15656 on Jun 28, 2015
    i recently restored my almost 100 yr old house, my kitchen is pumpkin, with muslim colored cabinets, with brown counter top and and slate tone flooring, dining room is shasta daisy ceiling, cotton wood on top half of wall,, and a light shade of sage green on the bottom and the living room ceiling is cotton wood, top half of wall is a sponged tech. of antique gold, bronze and cotton wood, bottom is goldish bronze solid all the rooms have white crown moldinding and chair rails. i would do a flaux finish in the living room using some of the colors from other areas in the plan.
  • Ltt834476 Ltt834476 on Jun 28, 2015
    I have used that same mustard yellow and paired it with purple, and then with forest green, and with a brick/ rust color. Looking at your pillows on your couch and your green decor, the rust would really look nice in that room ans especially with that yellow. And will compliment all your decor in the kitchen. Are those apples? A light yellow would do anything for the living room but give it a boring look. The same with gray. You need color in that room. A reddish rust color would be beautiful! Take my word on that one. I learned these colors from a wallpaper/ color designer. I was' t sure at first, but I took all her advise. I got nothing but compliments. Sold my house for $260,000 on the first day, before it got on the Market.
  • Ltt834476 Ltt834476 on Jun 28, 2015
    My advice, if still not sure. Go to Lowe's or Home Depot. Look at the color samples. Grab your mustard yellow and put it next to the light yellow, then the gray, and then the reddish/rust color. And if none of those make you happy, keep matching until your happy.
  • Delores Delores on Jun 28, 2015
    If the window s face any direction but North, I would choose a cool color.
  • Cheryl B Cheryl B on Jun 29, 2015
    I love what you have done and I too recently painted my kitchen, living room and a dining room using close to the same colors. The living room is in a very light tan. My house has a spicy look to it and I love it. I weaved in a California poppy (red) color through out.