You are carrying out painting work in your interior and you are going to move on to one of the rooms in which you and your family will be most present: the living room.
You then come to a question often asked by Algo customers: what paint should you use on your living room walls? Two criteria often come up regarding the decoration of your interior: the first is related to the decor and therefore the colors that will be applied in the living room. The second criterion concerns the technical aspect. That is, the characteristics that you need in your paint to achieve a good and durable finish.
The living room is the room in which we will spend the most time and for this reason, several criteria must be taken into account: aesthetics of course, with the decor that we wish to define in a living room through the choice of colors on the walls. The quality of the paint and the durability that will be offered are also a strong element of your choice, since the living room is undeniably one of the most frequented rooms in the house. Finally, visual comfort is also very important depending on the color applied, and the atmosphere that can have an impact on the space.
What type of paint should you use on your living room walls?
Choose an eco-friendly paint for your work
At Algo, we distinguish between two types of paint for your room: classic paints, such as acrylic paints and glycero paints, and ecological paints like those we offer.
Acrylic paints are still the most widely used in interiors: otherwise known as water-based paints and often multi-surface, they emit fewer odors, dry quickly and certainly provide a quality coating for a wall or ceiling in a room. However, we tend to think, when we see the can, that a water-based paint is more ecological and more respectful of the environment.
This is not the case! Today, Algo eco-friendly paint meets all the requirements of conventional paints and provides good durability, excellent resistance to maintenance and daily use in a living room or any room in the house. Other elements such as coverage go, which is more important than a conventional alkyd or acrylic paint. Our paint has a coverage of 12m2/L, where a conventional paint will have a coverage closer to 10m2/L.
With a pot of Algo ecological undercoat, for example, you will be able to cover 120m2 with 10 liters, whereas you will cover between 90 and 100m2 with a pot of classic paint.
Beyond the technical aspect: there are more than 100 shades available in Algo ecological paint, and therefore with a color chart equivalent to a range of classic paint.
Our 3 tips for choosing paint for your living room
Choosing a durable paint is the first technical criterion to consider, regardless of the room in the house. As mentioned previously, analyze the paint's characteristics. By durability, we're particularly referring to the impacts and friction the paint may experience on a daily basis.
Ease of maintenance is the second element to consider when choosing paint for the living room: children and pets make ease of maintenance a key element when choosing paint for a room like the living room. To go further, a paint that is known to be easy to maintain is presented as washable. Not all paints are washable, just as not all finishes will have the same effectiveness in terms of washing. Washing is an important factor for any room in the house, but even more so in the living room, which is a space where we will spend a lot of time.
The finish is also a subject you should consider: between matte, satin, and velvet, it can sometimes be difficult to choose the right finish for your living room. At Algo, we wouldn't necessarily recommend using a matte finish for your living room. Matte is an unattractive finish and isn't as easy to maintain as other paint finishes like velvet or satin, for example. Velvet is an intermediate finish, which means you'll retain intermediate washability and end up with a less glossy finish than satin.
Finally, satin is a finish that is shinier than velvet (although there may be differences between different ranges) - it is also the most washable of all. It is customary to use satin and velvet on walls and to favor matte for ceilings.
Since it is the shiniest finish, satin is also the finish that will best diffuse light in your living room.
What colors are suitable for decorating a living room?
Color will have the impact of bringing ambiance to a living room and marking your decor: whether it's dynamic, soothing or deep colors, it's clear that all tastes are in nature for your interior. The Algo color chart consists of 100 shades with all the colors that are represented: you will therefore be able to choose the perfect pot of color for your living room and more generally for your interior.
Soothing colors:
It is mainly neutral shades and tones that guarantee the calming character of a room: white, creamy beige or even gray are very telling examples.
Among the neutral color ideas that can be used in decorating, white represents the vast majority of painted living rooms: notably because of the modern ambiance it exudes. Paint manufacturers all offer an increasingly wide range of whites. Algo is no exception to the rule with our pure white, warm white, dawn white, and even more original shades like polar bear, which will be slightly grayed, or beluga white, which is a shade very slightly accompanied by pink.
The primary advantage of a neutral color in decoration is the ability to visually enlarge a space and ensure the most light in your living room, and your dining room if the living room.
Dynamic colors:
Otherwise known as warm hues: a dynamic color will bring life to your living room and interior. Among the warm colors in the Algo color chart, we can mention yellow, ochre, and terracotta. In certain settings, pink can also meet this challenge.
The Bréhat pink color in our collection is the one that will bring the most warmth. Use this pink color without moderation on the walls of your living room! However, avoid this pink in a total look and instead opt for highlighting it on a single section of wall for a more neutral style. It's the trendiest pink in our color chart, so don't hesitate to use it to perfect your decor.
Deep colors:
If you have the space, using deep colors is one of the ideas for decorating your living room walls in a stylish and original way. This is especially true if the living room opens onto the dining room.
You can paint a section of your living room wall a deep color for a trendy and sophisticated look. Among the key colors for a living room: the seven-island navy blue will give depth and character to the room. Peacock green or mullein blue-green also fit into this approach.
Knowing that choosing a shade can sometimes be complex, don't hesitate to order a sample or tester of the shade you're interested in for your interior decor. This way, you can test the color on a more or less lit wall in your living room and see how the shade will look depending on the wall's exposure.
Get help with your living room painting project
Need help optimizing your living room decor? Contact Anne-Sophie and book a free color consultation to get advice and guidance on the Algo colors we offer, so you can familiarize yourself with the colors in our color chart.
You can also mix and match colors, allowing you to explore less obvious tones like black and pink, and consider more colorful neutrals like creamy beige. Let's talk about your project!
