Autumn is our favourite time of the year. This is the season of golden sunlight, burnished leaves, new boots and, of course, cosy blankets. As the temperature drops and your finger hovers over the thermostat, you might find yourself looking for warm living room ideas. Read on for our essential guide to choosing a warm colour palette and learn how to create a cosy living room that can be your cocoon for the colder months ahead.
What are warm colours?
In a nutshell, warm colours contain pigments of red, yellow or orange. If you paint your walls with a warm colour palette, this has the effect of drawing in the space, making it feel more intimate, welcoming and inviting. If this is the mood you would like to create, you should select warmer colours as the starting point for your scheme.
The terracotta trend is back! A warm paint colour like 'Flower Pot' on the walls and skirting boards creates a cosy, autumnal feel
I don’t like red, yellow or orange…
No problem! While autumnal shades of terracotta, mustard or rust might be the obvious choice, almost all colours are available in warmer hues. Pick up a good paint colour chart and you’ll see warm whites, greys and even blues. Another trick is to use a dark colour palette to create a den-like atmosphere, or jewel colours that feel cosy and opulent. For a quick mini makeover, you could just paint the chimney breast or behind bookshelves for an instant pop of warm colour.
Use moody, muted colours to create a calming, den-like atmosphere. 'Rocky Horse' is soft and inviting
Which colours make a north-facing room feel warmer?
Rooms with windows that face north receive indirect light, which can make them seem cooler and darker than rooms that face south. Balance this by using colours with cream, pink or earthy undertones to make north-facing rooms feel warmer. Pile on the texture in north facing rooms with rugs, cushions, heaps of throws, and low-level table lamps to cosy-up the space when night draws in.
Can I make a room feel warmer without paint?
For a quick fix, fabrics are your friend. Seek out highly-textured upholstery, deep rugs, heavy curtains and layer, layer, layer! Wool throws in warm colours like Lingonberry, Mustard and Damson will instantly add a cosy feel to your sofa or bed. Natural materials like wool, leather and wood are more beautiful than synthetics and give an earthy, hand-crafted vibe to your home.
Make sure everyone in the family has their own wool blanket for those winter movie nights
What accessories suit a cosy modern living room?
Warm colours are the perfect backdrop for natural accessories, especially in a cosy living room. Bring the outside in and fill an oversized vase with branches of autumn leaves for effortless style. Chunky knitted or herringbone blankets ooze warmth and look great piled in a wicker basket. If you don’t have an open fire or wood burner, fill a tray with church candles of different heights to create a flickering focal point. Restrained touches of warm metals - gold, copper and brass - will reflect light.
Your favourite armchair can become the centre of a reading corner with a cosy red blanket and soft lamp
With these tricks up the sleeve of your woolly jumper, a cosy living room with warm colours is easy to achieve. Pick out your favourite wool blanket from The British Blanket Company collection to add instant cosiness to your living space and pop over to our friends at Earthborn to see the eco-friendly paint colours featured in this post.
