Ten colourful living rooms that make a statement with bold hues
Flamingo pink walls in a Greek seaside apartment and a living space in Italy defined by primary colours feature in our latest lookbook, which collects colourful living rooms that are designed to stand out.
From the pastel colour palette used in a Tokyo dwelling to the clash of reds and greens seen in an Athens apartment, these 10 living rooms from across the world are defined by their colourful interiors.
While using strong colours in a living room can seem like an intimidating prospect, these examples show how even just a few splashes of colour can create a warmer atmosphere and work as a contrast against traditional white walls.
This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing brutalist interiors, terrazzo eateries and residential atriums.
Polychrome House, Australia, by Amber Road and Lymesmith
Pops of colour feature in every room of Polychrome House, a 1960s property in Sydney that was renovated by architecture studio Amber Road and colour consultants Lymesmith.
“Bright primary colours, which were layered throughout the interior, became the heartbeat of the joyful experience we were all committed to creating,” Amber Road co-director Yasmine Ghoniem told Dezeen.
Find out more about Polychrome House ›
Waterfront Nikis Apartment, Greece, by Stamatios Giannikis
Flamingo pink walls and accents take centre stage in the living room of Waterfront Nikis Apartment, a Greek seaside dwelling set within a 1937 listed art deco building.
Architect Stamatios Giannikis paired a neon-pink hammock with a soft fluffy rug and rosy plant pots in the living room that overlooks the sea.
Find out more about Waterfront Nikis Apartment ›
Nagatachō Apartment, Japan, by Adam Nathaniel Furman
Designer Adam Nathaniel Furman used a sugar-sweet colour palette to liven up a Tokyo apartment he renovated for a retired expat couple.
Located opposite the open-plan kitchen, the combined living space and dining area features a plush lilac carpet that was chosen to contrast a bold green and blue chair and footrest, which Furman said “has the feel of sponge cake and looks like icing”.
Find out more about Nagatachō Apartment ›
Connecticut house, USA, by Hendricks Churchill
American firm Hendricks Churchill sought to combine the aesthetic of a traditional farmhouse with more contemporary details at this Connecticut house.
Dusty blue cabinetry meets reddy orange furniture in the home’s living room while a textured blue rug was placed on neutral wooden floorboards.
Find out more about this Connecticut house ›
Trevi House, Italy, by Studio Venturoni
Thick bands of terracotta and sand-coloured paint wrap around the walls of Trevi House, a one-bedroom apartment in Rome that is defined by warm, earthy hues.
The living room includes a contrasting rectilinear blue and cream rug, which is positioned underneath a statement oversized sculpture, reminiscent of traditional marble statues.
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The Karine Vilas Boas Apartment, Brazil, by Studio Julliana Camargo
A large rug with a bright geometric pattern by Portuguese brand Punto e Filo features in the living space of this large apartment in downtown São Paulo.
Studio Julliana Camargo placed a crescent-shaped pink sofa and vivid green armchairs around the rug, emphasising its bold, technicolour appearance.
Find out more about the Karine Vilas Boas Apartment ›
Trikoui apartment, Greece, by Point Supreme Architects
Local firm Point Supreme Architects designed this vibrant Athens apartment to include a single open-plan space combining the living, dining and kitchen areas.
To make up for the absence of partition walls, the apartment includes colourful built-in custom furniture to help delineate spaces, including a stained-green plywood storage wall and a table with a bright red top.
Find out more about this Trikoui apartment ›
House for Booklovers and Cats, USA, by BFDO Architects
American studio BFDO Architects added splashes of pink, orange and blue to the living room of House for Booklovers and Cats, a Brooklyn home designed to include various nooks for a pair of shy cats to retreat to.
A higgledypiggledy bookshelf featuring brightly painted alcoves was built into one of the room’s walls, which was designed to house the owners’ extensive reading collection.
Find out more about House for Booklovers and Cats ›
Retroscena, Italy, by La Macchina Studio
Retroscena is a distinctive 1950s apartment renovation in Rome, completed by Italian architecture office La Macchina Studio to reveal the home’s original terrazzo floors.
Primary colours were celebrated in the interior design, where the living room can be screened off by a yellow curtain and is decorated with a circular red wall hanging and a squidgy blue sofa.
Find out more about Retroscena ›
Madrid apartment, Spain, by Husos Arquitectos
Playful lime green deck chairs and bold yellow and orange accents feature in the large living room of this Madrid apartment by Spanish studio Husos Arquitectos.
While its plywood-board cabinetry and pinewood floors mean that natural hues dominate in the room, the studio painted some of the shelves in vibrant colours to brighten up the wood.
Find out more about this Madrid apartment ›
This is the latest in our series of lookbooks providing curated visual inspiration from Dezeen’s image archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks showcasing green bedrooms, gardens with swimming pools and homes with glass extensions.
The bakery Mi Pan celebrates bakers’ hard work in making delicious bread. Metal trays reoccur on the shelves, wall cladding and ceiling decorations. These are the same type of tray used for bread production, reminding people of the heart of Mi Pan – the kitchen.
The design team refurbished the floor of the wedding Kimono in the traditional Japanese clothing shop Haregino Marusho and themed it with wood. Many spatial components, including display shelves, partitions and the ceiling, are in warm-color wood of similarly soft patterns. The space becomes an elegant wooden display box that does not take any spotlight from the kimono fabrics.
In the coffee bar Blackhill, smooth wooden surfaces are put in conjunction with rough concrete surfaces. They together create a zen space for enjoying a moment away from the busy central Bangkok. In contrast to the colorful urban environment outside, the materials used in the coffee shop are limited to only wood and concrete. The simplicity of the design makes it almost a meditative space.
This small house has a footprint of only 280 square feet, yet it accommodates a biscuit shop and the shop owner’s family. Tsubomi House has seven different levels with no solid partitions between them. Each level is half a story higher/lower than the next one. Without walls separating each functional area, residents can move quickly from one space to another.
Instead of presenting the garments all at once, Sandra Weil Store’s design gradually reveals the collections as customers walk around. Floor-to-ceiling slats made of local tropical wood stand in line with equal intervals between them. They form rhythmic partitions that are visually permeable only from certain angles. This allows a comfortable level of privacy in the shop without cutting the small store space into tiny fragments.
This community bakery uses large areas of warm-color timber to create a relaxing atmosphere. Like Blackhills Café, RE x SUGAR also has a transparent shop front that embraces the sunlight. A large folding window connects indoors and outdoors while the window sills become seats.
