Winter Colour Palettes to Try in Your Living Room

As the temperatures dip, and the days grow shorter, we retreat more and more to the safety of our homes, safe from the cold and the perfect setting for those cosy evenings and festive moments.

One of the best ways to prepare the home for this period is to transform spaces with the use of colour. With the right winter colour palette, your living room can go from stark and chilly to warm, inviting, and effortlessly stylish.

Decorating in the winter needn’t be a full redecoration or include major renovations, instead, with some subtle stylistic changes like a fresh coat of paint, some new accessories or a switch up in textiles, you can dramatically shift the mood of a room.

Whether you're craving a cocooning atmosphere, a modern festive feel, or a calming, nature-inspired space, there’s a winter colour scheme that will suit your style and space.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most popular winter colour palettes to try in your living room this season.

We’ll also offer practical ideas on how to introduce these hues through walls, furnishings, and accents, along with sharing tips on how to pair colours with textures, lighting, and layout to enhance warmth and comfort during the colder months.

So if you’re ready for a seasonal refresh that doesn’t break the bank, read on for inspiration, advice, and achievable ideas.

Why Colour Matters More in Winter

Put simply, we spend more time in our homes throughout the winter than at any other time of the year, and a significant amount of that time is spent with the lights on and curtains drawn.

As such, the colours in our home have a great impact on everything from our energy levels to our ability to switch off and relax. Winter colour palettes tend to lean into mood and comfort, drawing inspiration from nature, seasonal celebrations, and the warmth we instinctively seek out at this time of year.

While summer palettes celebrate brightness and airiness, winter tones are much deeper and richer, with more ties to the natural world. For this, consider the likes of earthy browns, deep grans and plum-toned purples. Think of colours that wrap around a space like a warm blanket.

When used effectively, these shades can make a living room feel not just stylish, but safe, calm, and snug — exactly what most of us crave in the colder months.

Warm Neutrals: Classic, Calm, and Cosy

Neutral colours are a top hit for many living rooms, but in the winter months, it’s best to opt for the warmer end of the scale, swapping out the stark whites for more caramel tones and creamy ivories. These shades and hues can really add an element of softness to a space, and create a timeless canvas that works beautifully with both traditional and contemporary décor.

One of the most key benefits of using warm neutral is the versatility they offer. These tones naturally to textures like wood, rattan, and linen, and they allow you to layer in other seasonal colours without clashing. You may also want to opt for a sandy-toned wall paired with some burgundy cushions and a wool throw, or a mushroom-coloured sofa accented with dark green and gold accessories.

If you don’t feel ready to fully repaint your rooms, you can still inject these colours in through the use of warm neutral in soft furnishings like rugs, cushion covers and throws. The key is to keep the palette harmonious and build depth through texture rather than colour contrast.

Deep Blues: Sophisticated and Serene

Deep and rich blue tones are really synonymous with the elegance of winter. Whether that is through midnight navy’s or inky indigos, these hues and shades offer a real depth and drama that is perfectly suited to the winter season. The colour blue evokes feelings of calmness and clarity, which is why it is such a popular colour for living rooms, especially when paired up with ambient lighting and some metallic elements.

In some smaller living rooms the use of dark blues can really make a space feel cosy and intimate when paired up with the right lighting. In larger or open-plan rooms, a navy feature wall can anchor the space and add visual interest without overwhelming the scheme.

It is best to match deep blues with warmer metallics like brass and gold, creating a beautiful luxury winter feel. By introducing soft furnishings with wool and neutral colours, you can prevent the room feeling overly cold, and the famous blue and mustard-like shades are a real mood setter.

Forest Greens: Natural and Nurturing

Greens are well known for their comforting feeling, most probably due to their link to nature like pine trees and evergreen hedges, but forest green is actually becoming one of winters most used shades. This colour adds richness without the intensity of red or the coolness of blue and brings a grounding, organic energy to your living room.

These types of greens work beautifully as a wall colour, particularly in period homes with decorative mouldings or high ceilings. However it can also be introduced in other ways, like through subtle furniture, and soft furnishings like cushions. In fact, you can even introduce these colours through candles and ceramics.

To maximise the warmth, pair green with wood tones, warm off-whites, and rusty accent shades. Textures are key here too: leather, suede, and wool all sit beautifully against green and help elevate the seasonal feel.

The lighting choices are particularly important when using green indoors, so make sure to use layered lighting, combining floor lamps and table lights, to bring out the richness of the tone and create an inviting atmosphere.

Burgundy and Plum: Bold, Cosy and Glamorous

If you’re looking for a colour that adds some immediate drama and warmth, look no further than the bold burgundy and plum colours. The deep red hues in these colours imitates the richness of red wine and mulled spices, making it the perfect option for winter interior design. Plum tones, which introduce a hint of purple, offer a slightly softer take on the same palette.

These shades will create a luxurious and almost moody look to your living room, and you should use them sparingly on feature walls, or introduce them in the form of soft furnishings and accessories around your space.

Because burgundy and plum are such strong colours, they pair best with neutrals that let them shine. Try soft pinks, warm creams, or dark greys as balancing tones. Metallics, most notably copper and brass, also complement these shades beautifully and can be added through picture frames, candle holders, or mirror surrounds.

Earthy Browns and Terracotta: Rustic and Inviting

Earth tones are certainly the shades that are gaining the most traction for interiors in recent years for the winter period, and these shades are great ways of ‘grounding’ your space. Shades like burnt orange, cinnamon and chocolate brown mimic hues of autumn leaves and firewood, making beautiful connections to the natural world.

There are many ways you can use these colours depending on your design goals. Terracotta shade walls, while a bold choice, are incredibly striking, particularly in homes that benefit from a lot of light. For a more subtle approach, add a clay-toned throw, a burnt orange lampshade, or an earthy-toned cushion mix.

These colours come to life when paired with tactile textures like jute, wood, rattan, and wool. Consider layering a textured rug over wooden flooring, or introducing handmade pottery in complementary tones for an artisan feel.

Small Changes, Big Impact

As we’ve mentioned earlier in the guide, you really don’t need to make drastic redecoration changes to embrace a more seasonal palette around your home. One of the joys of interior design is making huge changes with very few updates, and the genius is making these changes thoughtfully and carefully. If you don’t want to make any total transformation work just yet, there are many ways to dip your toes into new colour schemes that are quick and easy.

Of course, soft furnishings and the first port of call, with swapping cushion covers for new shades, layering new throws and even changing the curtains. Choose tactile materials like fleece, velvet, or chunky knit for added comfort and seasonal charm.

An often overlooked element is the addition of artwork and wall hangings, especially when swapping out summer prints for autumn and winter inspired pieces deep in all of the tones we’ve explored so far.

Lighting also plays a powerful role in your interior design efforts. You should consider replacing any cool-white bulbs with warm-toned alternatives, adding floor or table lamps to darker corners, or even draping string lights across shelves or mantels for an instant glow. These changes are easy to implement and help create the layered, welcoming feeling we all crave during winter.

Of course, paint remains one of the most cost-effective ways to completely transform a room. If you are planning on a full repainting, you may want to check out our painting and decorating cost guides so you can plan the work in advance, along with finding out how much this is likely to cost. Many are surprised to find that it isn’t as expensive as they thought, especially when you book in advance during the quieter months.

Choosing the Right Colour for Your Space

Before you commit to the switch to any new palette, you should take some time to watch how natural light impacts your spaces at the moment. You will find that south-facing rooms can handle cooler tones like navy or grey-blue, while north-facing rooms often benefit from warmer hues like beige, terracotta, or caramel to offset the lack of sunlight.

For this research and planning, sample paint will become your best friend. With these you can try different colours on your walls, and then observe throughout the day how they look with and without natural light on them. Additionally, testing out these colours will give you a better steer on what accessories and soft furnishings you will need to purchase, and the colour schemes for those.

Lastly, consider the architecture of your home. High ceilings and decorative mouldings often suit bold, rich tones, while smaller rooms may feel more comfortable with lighter or mid-toned palettes. Whatever you choose, aim for a balance that reflects both your personal style and the season’s atmosphere.

Winter is the time for relaxing, nesting and simply being comfortable in your home, finding moments of calm and clarity amongst the hubbub of festive shopping and the cold weather. Your living room, sitting at the heart of your home, should reflect every ounce of that feeling. No matter whether you are more naturally drawn to earthy tones, or those deep and dramatic colours, there are many winter palettes that are tried, tested, and ready to transform your home.

The beauty of seasonal decorating lies in its flexibility. A few simple updates, such as a cushion here and a coat of paint there, can make your living room feel like an entirely new space. And with careful planning, you don’t need a big budget to make it happen.

If you’re ready to make a change this winter, start small, plan smart, and embrace the colours that make you feel most at home. And if you’re thinking about repainting or refreshing your space more significantly, don’t forget to check out MyJobQuote’s painting and decorating cost guides for up-to-date advice on budgeting and hiring the right help.

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