Room Design
Living Rooms
By
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel
Kristin Hohenadel has written on design for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Slate, Fast Company, and the international editions of Elle Decor.
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Updated on 10/25/23
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While the monotone beige interiors of decades past might have felt bland, today’s beige spaces are inviting, full of texture, and feel like a warm hug compared with the stark white interiors that have dominated our homes in recent years.
Many modern interiors feature a broad spectrum of beige tones that can range from the palest cream to the deepest shades of brown for a rich, layered, tonal look. Beige is a versatile neutral that can work in any style living room. You can mix warm shades of beige for a cozy feel, mix beige with other colors, or use beige accents to warm up an all-white space.
Check out these beige-toned living rooms in a number of styles from a range of designers that will show you how to create a space that feels fresh, livable, and modern.
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Add Texture
In this warm beige living room from Joshua Smith Inc., a minimalist midcentury modern textural fireplace wall sets the tone, while beige wood ceiling beams and a mix of light beige and burnt orange accents complement the serene ambiance.
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Warm Up a White Room
In this fresh and modern living room from Sissy + Marley Interior Design, shades of white are warmed up with pale beige textiles, decor, and wood tones to create a light and airy feel that is less stark than a pure white interior.
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Layer Multiple Shades
This Scandinavian apartment living room from Fantastic Frank is warmed up with soft tones of beige that range from pale taupe to deep rust, giving the small space a cozy and enveloping ambiance.
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Go Deep
Rich honey-toned beige wall paint adds warmth and softness to this spacious living room from Chango & Co. that is decorated with plush furnishings in shades of beige and brown to create a tranquil oasis in the middle of NYC.
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Paint a Beige Border
Leanne Ford Interiors modernized the walls of this living room by painting a taupe beige matte border around the room that helps ground the seating area while making the ceilings seem taller.
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Use Sepia Tones
Becca Interiors used multiple shades of beige to create a sepia-toned effect in this spacious and comfortable family living room that has a timeless feel. A chocolate brown velvet sofa adds a complementary tone that feels extra cozy.
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Wash It Out
If you like the idea of beige walls but want something more nuanced than a solid wall of paint, take inspiration from this cottage living room from Leanne Ford Interiors. The textured wall treatment was achieved by layering PPG Pure Timeless White paint with a coffee wash using everyone's favorite morning beverage that gives the walls a warm and lived-in look and quality.
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Warm Up a Formal Space
Kendall Wilkinson Design warmed the walls of this spacious formal living room with shades of beige paint that allow the artwork and designer furnishings to shine.
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Use Desert-Inspired Hues
The sandy tones of the Southern California desert outside the windows of this living room from Brophy Interiors inspire the indoor palette of soft beige and off-white. A pair of massive butterscotch leather sofas and a warm fireplace wall add warmth.
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Accentuate the Curves
Soft beige paint, plush textiles, and decor details blanket the curves of this NYC living room from Chango & Co. to create a chic, warm, modern minimalist feel.
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Accent With Reds and Blues
Kendall Wilkinson Design accented the pale beige walls of this living room with tones of blue, red, and brown to create a warm modern mood.
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Accent With Black
Warm beige tones bring warmth to this sophisticated open plan living room design from Sissy + Marley Interior Design that is rendered in a modern neutral palette layered with varying patterns and textures.
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Use Warm Stone Finishes
A large beige stone fireplace wall and pale beige tile floors add golden toned warmth to this light and airy living room from Brophy Interiors that is balanced with pale blue accents for subtle contrast and balance.
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Mix Tones and Textiles
Sissy + Marley used a range of tones on textiles and furnishings from the palest off-white to cream to taupe, light brown, cognac, and rust to add warmth to this contemporary living room.
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Mix With Taupe
Brophy Interiors mixed cool and warm tones of beige, taupe, and pale wood tones in this relaxing living room that has enormous picture windows with a mesmerizing view of the lush greenery outside.
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Play With Pattern
Mindy Gayer Design Co. added checkered beige-and-white throw pillows and an area rug to add warmth to this pale tonal beige living room. The mix of cool and white beige tones and wood accents creates a warm, family-friendly atmosphere.
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Warm Up Gray Tones
Warm beige wall paint adds warmth to this Scandinavian apartment living room from Fantastic Frank that is outfitted with cool gray and navy blue decor and furnishings.
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Keep It Minimalist
This minimalist NYC basem*nt living room space from Chango & Co. is bathed in pale beige tones, smooth textures, and soft curvy shapes, from the large U-shaped sofa to the round floor poufs. The pale wall paint is complemented with blond wood ceiling beams while black metal framed glass doors to the outside add graphic interest.
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Warm Up a Rustic Room
WRJ Design dressed this rustic living room in shades of beige from the checkered curtains to the natural hide on the floor to the soft furnishings and pale wood tones that add warmth to a room dominated by a monumental gray stone fireplace wall.
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Accent With Black
Black accents define and emphasize decor details in this moody, minimalist tonal beige Scandinavian living room Fantastic Frank.
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Keep It Light
This light-flooded living room from Fantastic Frank combines the palest beige textured walls with light beige flooring and sculptural modern furniture and decor in shades of white to create a warm and modern style.
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Accent With Beige
A medium-toned beige accent wall adds warmth to the white walls and pale blue and greige furnishings and textiles in this spacious formal living room from K+Co. Living without detracting from the wall of windows with a view to the backyard.
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Add Greenery
Fantastic Frank painted the walls of this Scandinavian living room in a deep toffee-colored beige that adds warmth to the minimalist design and sets off a smattering of green plants arranged casually on the floor.
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Add a Beige Anchor Piece
Leanne Ford Interiors warmed up this large contemporary living room with pale walnut flooring and a massive sandy beige sectional that anchors the otherwise black-and-white space, adding warmth and creating an inviting ambiance.
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Use Varying Textures
Deep sandy wall paint adds softness to the walls and a plush beige armchair with enveloping curves adds textural interest to this warm beige NYC living room from Chango & Co.
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Mix Warm and Cool Tones
This light and airy living room from K+Co. Living mixes pale blue furnishings with beige wood, and pairs a large beige and white patterned area rug with gauzy white-and-beige patterned drapes to create a neutral space that balances cool and warm tones to create a convivial atmosphere.
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Layer Beige and Brown Tones
This cozy living room from Joshua Smith Inc. layers beige wall paint with tones of brown from the cocoa-colored sofa to the dark wood antique side table. Soft golden accents bring it all together.
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Use Beige-Toned Stone
A massive fireplace rendered in warm gold-toned stone with dark beige grout sets the mood in this midcentury modern home renovation from Leanne Ford Interiors. Pale beige flooring and wall paint, a mix of off-white, wood, and rattan furnishings with organic shapes, and modern art and lighting lets the original character of the living room shine while feeling refreshed and current.
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Cover the Walls With Art
This living room from Will Brown Interiors has a warm and eclectic feel thanks to a palette of warm beiges, browns, and blacks and a mix of modern and contemporary furnishings and decor. The pale beige walls create a warm neutral backdrop for a collection of art and objects that make the room feel personal and lived in.
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Accent Beige With Gold
In this formal living room from K+Co. Living, gray-toned beige walls and cool pale gray upholstered furnishings are warmed up with golden wood antique chests of drawers flanking the stone fireplace, with bright gold accents on a pair of ornate gilded decorative mirrors that adds a warm metallic glow that complements the roaring fire.
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Mix in Natural Textures
This warm beige living room from Leanne Ford Interiors has a modern feel with its soft neutral palette and layered natural textures, from the wood stump end tables to the sheepskin throw on the back of the armchair.
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Freshen Up a Historic Home
In this historic Georgian Revival home in St. Louis, MO, Will Brown Interiors used a mix of pale beige on the walls for warmth and lighter shades of off-white to accent the trim and architectural details of the formal living room space, giving it a timeless appeal.
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Use Natural Tones
This tonal beige living room from Yael Weiss Interiors uses a range of shades from light to deep, with gauzy mid-toned beige curtains, a jute rug, and rich wood accents that complement the soft off-white walls and textiles.
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Add a Tonal Fireplace
Urbanology Designs matched the fireplace surround to the walls in this warm beige living room decorated with organic shapes and low slung furniture that emphasizes the soaring ceiling height. A slate gray sofa and black accents throughout add contrast and a graphic element.
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Add Beige-Toned Wood Slats
Folding Chair Design Co. used beige-toned wood detailing like a wood slat wall behind the flat screen and a pale oak built-in console beneath that complement the pale beige wall paint, rug, and furnishings in this warm living room.
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Paint the Brick Beige
While stark white is often the go-to color when painting brick interior walls, in this cozy living room, Will Brown Interiors opted for a warmer shade of beige. The pale beige tone of the walls is picked up on a pair of sculptural table lamps, while patterned navy and white textiles add contrast.
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Add Midcentury Vibes
Nile Johnson Interior Design painted the walls of this midcentury ranch home with a deep coffee-toned beige that serves as a backdrop for the client's art collection and vintage and antique furnishings. Large windows and glass doors leading to the outside are left unadorned to bring in views and natural light.
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Soften Industrial Spaces
The walls of this industrial Kansas City loft space from Will Brown Interiors are warmed up with beige walls and a pair of beige-toned sofas that soften the industrial vibes of the penthouse space.
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Keep It Traditional
Beige walls mixed with earthy shades of cream, brown, and natural wood create a calming and timeless feel in an older or traditional home. Becca Interiors updated a 1906 carriage house in Bedford, NY with soft beige walls and a mix of traditional and vintage furnishings and decor in sepia shades.
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Clad Walls in Travertine
Beige-toned travertine stone can be used as flooring or wall covering for a textural look. This spacious living room from interior designer Momoko Morton Wong has a dramatic travertine slab backdrop that creates a spa-like atmosphere. The room is finished with a cream-colored sofa, distressed beige oriental rug, natural leather side chair, wooden coffee table, and earth-toned accent pillows.
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Layer Multiple Textures
Layer soft shades of beige with natural materials to create a warm living room that feels airy and light. Lynden Lane Co. used a pale shade of beige on the walls, then added layers of texture—from the comfy couch to the piles of pillows and cane side chair—to create an inviting feel.
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Mix Light and Dark Tones
Pair light beige walls with darker beige and bronze-toned flooring and area rugs to create dimension. In this living room from House of One, a beige rug layered over warm stone flooring is complemented by a mix of furniture in creams and browns. Black accents add definition to the soothing space.
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Try a Jute Rug
Warm up a white-walled living room with a beige-toned natural woven rug that will complement wood flooring. Lindye Galloway Studio + Shop added texture to this neutral living room with a jute rug and light wood accents for an effortless modern feel.
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Accent With Gold
Warm up light beige walls with gold accents like wall sconces or gilded mirrors. Morse Design leaned a gold-toned antique-style mirror over the mantel in this living room to complement the beige walls, upholstered leather armchair, woven wicker firewood basket, and beige throw pillow.
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Pair With Cooler Neutrals
Pair warm beige with cooler neutrals to create contrast. Meredith Owen Interiors lined the wall behind the floor-to-ceiling slate gray fireplace with soft beige stone to soften the feel of the modern room.
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Try a Textured Paint Finish
Mix shades of beige in matte and textured finishes to create interest. Lynden Lane Co. paired two shades of beige on the fireplace surround and wall, then added matte beige paint to the mantel to create a focal point in this neutral-toned living room. Soft white shelves, built-ins, and painted ceiling beams keep the space feeling bright.
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Vary Shades and Textures
Layer textures and tones to keep your beige living room from feeling flat. Morse Design mixed soft beige tones from the warm wall paint to the knitted, tasseled throw, to the upholstered coffee table pouf to create a layered and cozy feel. Subtle pops of warm color on lightly striped throw pillows, an area rug, and a trio of botanical prints above the sofa gently energize the neutral space.
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Use Beige as a Backdrop
Hang cool-toned art on warm beige walls to add contrast. Joshua Smith Inc. hung large-scale artwork over the sofa of this light peachy beige living room that adds color and movement without compromising the relaxing feel of the neutral space.
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Paint the Ceiling
Paint both the walls and the ceiling in a warm shade of beige to create a softly enveloping feel. Mackenzie Collier Interiors paired beige paint with a beige couch and neutral accessories to create a soothing and cohesive monochromatic space that invites relaxation.
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Accent With Beige Stone
An exposed stone accent wall adds texture and creates a natural focal point in your living room. JZ Interior Design mixed this beige stone wall with white painted shiplap ceilings, natural wood beams, light brown stained wood flooring, and beige and rusty brown accents throughout the space for a low-contrast look with plenty of dimension.
Is beige a good color for a living room?
Beige works well in living rooms because it's soothing and neutral and can be paired with virtually any color. Beige can work with any style of living room, from traditional to modern to contemporary. Depending on the look and feel you want to achieve, select beige paint, furnishings, and decor with warm, cool, or neutral tones, or a mix.
What color goes with beige living room?
Beige is a versatile neutral that can work with any color. Pair it with black for a sophisticated look. Use it to bring down the sweetness of pastel pinks and peaches in a baby girl nursery. Or incorporate shades of beige to warm up an otherwise all-white room.
How do you modernize beige?
The easiest way to modernize beige is to go for a tonal look that incorporates a range of at least three different beige tones. Light beige wall paint, a medium beige rug, and pale beige wood flooring will create a soft and neutral modern backdrop that can be styled with deeper tones of brown, rust, or black. Or pair beige walls with bright colors like coral or turquoise for a fresh, modern look.