Dark Living Room Ideas: Creating An Atmospheric Decor

Wow with dark walls in your living room

Should you paint your living room a dark colour? The short answer is yes. Dark walls have long been a trend, and it’s not set to end anytime soon; living room interiors make no exception.

There are several ways that you can incorporate darker tones into your sitting room style, dark walls perhaps being the most obvious. Deeper shades are particularly popular in smaller rooms that don’t get much light. This might come as shock to some, but painting a naturally dark room a light colour actually accentuates the gloom. A darker colour, however, will transform the room into a dramatic interior design look rather than a styling faux pas.

Note: It’s recommended to choose matte paint colours over their glossy counterparts, so that the room remains warm and moody.

But which is the best colour to paint for a dark living room?

Perhaps the most popular is dark blue. Set the scene and splash the midnight blue over the room’s four walls to create a deep and inviting space. Yet the latest colours in trend for living room styling have shifted, and dark greens seem to be stealing the interior show. Why not opt for a dark, jewel green for real glamour in your living space?

We all know that grey is a very ‘in’ colour for most things in interior design, and this is also the case for living room walls. From charcoal to industrial textured greys, there are differing styles that you can adapt and apply to your living room.

Yet if you’re not so keen on these cooler colours, there is always the option of dark warmer colours such as a deep and earthy orange as a nod towards the dark.

If this feels like a scary jump, why not start with just the one wall? Try a deep, dark blue feature wall on the shortest wall to create a sense of drama and sophistication. You could also opt for a colour block, and only go dark on half of the wall, whether this is over wood paneling or straight on the wall. Not only does this create a sumptuous and stylish effect, it’s also incredibly practical - particularly if you have little ones or pets!

Embrace the depth with dark ceilings

For an all out, alluring and enveloping look, paint the ceiling and in-built features the same deep colour as your walls. This is particularly effective if you’re dealing with a small space as it creates an illusion of height and space with an indeterminate start and end to the walls.

For a real dramatic look, opt for a dark ceiling and lighter walls, particularly if you want to make the ceiling the focal point of your room.

Set the tone with dark floors

Darker flooring can help to open up your room and create a welcoming feel. It may be surprising to hear that dark flooring can also make your room seem bigger.

Dark hardwood floors are a beautiful, classic feature of the home, and can be paired fantastically with either light or dark walls, depending on how dramatic your styling desires are.

Yet, whether you’re dealing with dark carpet or dark hardwood floors, you don’t have to stick to traditional dark neutral colours. Why not paint your wood floors an impressive and sophisticated blue? Or a more industrial, dark slate grey? Painting wood floors can be a great way to change up your style without expensive and painful processes of ripping up old flooring.

If you’re not ready to commit to painting your floors, or want to keep things more flexible for future styling changes, opt for a deep and textured rug in your favourite dark colour. Pair midnight walls with a dark blue rug in your living room for a cohesive and consuming look, or make your floor and furniture the statement with complimentary dark tones.

How to style a dark sofa

Now that you’ve built your dark and sophisticated living room setting, it’s time to work out your furniture pairings. Sumptuous dark sofas are a particular favourite, with both dark leather and dark fabric options available at Oak Furnitureland.

Stunning dark leather sofas

For a more opulent feel, a dark brown or black leather sofa makes for a beautiful pairing in a living room with dark interiors. Particularly if you opt for dark wood panelling, creating a more traditional, period design style. The beauty of this traditional style is that dark brown and black leather sofas can be complemented by almost any colour, so your midnight, jade, or dark grey walls will all work beautifully.

Luxurious dark fabric sofas

If leather isn’t your thing, dark fabric sofas might be a better option for your living room. Indulge in a dark teal velvet, or ooze comfort with a luxurious charcoal grey fabric sofa. Or why not choose coffee brown fabric for a cosy, retro feel. Pick a colour that compliments your colour scheme, or make your sofa pop with contrasting dark colours.

Keep your dark walls as the backdrop of these fantastic dark sofa choices, or let your sofa bring darkness to a room with lighter walls.

Choose a light sofa in dark surroundings

If a dark sofa alongside your new beautiful deep wall design is too much, a lighter sofa can work as a beautiful complement. It can help to make your room feel airy and fresh, despite the depth of the wall colour. Why not have a little fun? You can always pair your dark walls with a bright colour for the same effect, such as a yellow or red accent chair.

Soften your living room with dark furniture

Dark wood furniture is a gorgeous addition to any living room, dark or light, and provides a fantastic base for your favourite trinkets and accessories. It’s a great choice for those looking to soften brighter or stronger colours in a living room, or to add to the stunning depth and moodiness created with dark walls.

Paint your furniture dark

If you’re starting from scratch, opting for a beautifully painted furniture collection is a great choice for adding to your refined, dark living room. The Highgate range with its chic inky blue styling radiates both warmth and depth, perfect for any living room.

If you’re working with existing furniture, however, you have several options when it comes to incorporating dark painted furniture. Contrary to popular belief, mixing and matching furniture can be a great styling choice for your living room. Use your dark painted furniture as an accent piece amongst other wood pieces, or complement it with dark wood.

If you want an all over dark living room, but have existing furniture that you can’t swap in and out, why not paint your furniture to blend in? Choose tones similar to your walls, or go for a contrast for a more daring look.

Choose dark hardwood

Enrich the depth of your dark interiors, as well as the furniture itself, with dark hardwood furniture. Choosing a similar inky shade for your interiors as well as other woodwork helps to give each of your items a real sense of place. Start from scratch with a full furniture range, such as the Detroit, or use its beautiful textures and tones to blend it in with existing pieces.

Style a dark room with bright furniture

You’ve chosen dark interiors, dark flooring, and a dark sofa. While dark furniture would complete the look alongside some brighter accessories, it might feel too moody for some. Opt for light painted wood, such as our Shay, Brindle, or Kemble ranges. Or try light oak such as the Bevel or Parquet ranges. Light furniture will help to give the illusion of a bright and airy room, whilst it might be a smaller and darker nook.

You should be ready to get started creating a smoky, dramatic and sophisticated dark living room design. Browse our ranges of living room furniture to find your perfect pieces, and don’t forget to tag us in your final looks on social media using #OakFurnitureland.