Dark and moody living rooms are rising in popularity amongst those who want to be enveloped in warmth and coziness while they’re at home. But, while these spaces are all about using darker colors, they certainly don’t have to feel dingy or boring.
Moody spaces are all about charisma – they’re fun and dramatic! And you don’t have to decorate in a specific style to achieve a moody feel.
In this article, we’ll cover decorating styles, moody color palettes, and the selection of furnishings and paint colors for your living room. By the end, you should have a better understanding of how to decorate your living room to achieve a dark, moody ambiance.
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Identify your decorating style
You can use dark colors in nearly any style of home, from vintage or traditional to modern minimalist. Not sure exactly what style you like? My favorite method to figure that out: Browse Pinterest and save all of your favorite home decorating pins to a single board.
Then go through all of the photos and figure out what each of these spaces have in common, including colors and style characteristics. This is a simple way to identify colors that you love so you can figure out a color palette.
Choose a dark and moody color palette
There are plenty of non-black color palette options for your dark and moody living room! Start by shopping for a decorative item, like an accent pillow or a rug, in a color palette that you love.
Think deep, rich colors like charcoal, navy, plum, and emerald.
If you choose an inspiration piece that has several different colors, you’ll automatically have a color palette for your living room. Now, all you have to do is shop for furnishings and paint within this pre-made color palette.
Shop for your furnishings
You might be ready to choose a paint color now, but I typically recommend waiting until you’ve chosen all of your permanent materials and most of the furniture for your space.
When it comes to furniture, you definitely don’t have to go neutral! Add a little bit of color where you can, especially if you plan on using charcoal or navy on the walls.
Decide on paint colors
Now comes the fun part! While choosing the perfect paint color might feel stressful, it certainly doesn’t have to be. Because you’re going dark and moody in your living room, there is no pressure to find a gray or beige with the perfect undertone.
Pull one of the colors from your pre-determined color palette to use as your wall color. I’ve used a navy paint color in my own home, although a slightly more vibrant hue like Prussian Blue would look beautiful in a moody living room, too.
Want to test it out in your own space? Grab a sample of Prussian Blue here.
Explore more ideas
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can find more wall decor ideas on my blog:
How to Choose a Color Palette for Any Room in Your Home
9 Interior Paint Colors That Go With a Red Brick Wall or Fireplace
9 Stunning Bedroom Paint Colors for Dark Furniture