Living Room-Kitchen Color Combos: Expert Tips For Painting

Painting a combined living room and kitchen can be a fun project, but it can also be challenging to get right. The key to success is creating a cohesive look that flows between the two spaces. This can be achieved by using complementary colours, materials, flooring, and hardware that suit the style of your interior and the architecture of your property. Whether you opt for a unique colour scheme for each space or a cohesive palette that stretches across both rooms, the right colours can create harmony and visual continuity.

Choose a colour scheme: complementary colours for harmony

When it comes to painting a combined living room and kitchen, choosing a colour scheme that uses complementary colours is key to achieving a harmonious look. Here are some tips and ideas to help you select the right colours for your space.

First, consider the style of your interior and let that guide your colour choices. For example, if you live in a modern farmhouse, it makes sense to have a farmhouse kitchen with a colour scheme that continues into the living room. You can also choose a colour that complements your kitchen cabinets. For instance, if your cabinets are a muted orange, consider blues, greens, or neutrals for the walls.

The colour wheel is a valuable tool for selecting complementary colours. Choose your main colour, then use the wheel to identify pairings that work well together. Colours that are side by side on the wheel harmonize, while opposite colours create a pleasing contrast. For instance, blue harmonizes with green, and yellow contrasts with both. You can also vary the colours from room to room by using different intensities of colours within adjacent colour families, such as blues and greens.

When working with a combined living room and kitchen, opt for a colour scheme with two or three different colours. Change the tones and use colours from light to dark to add interest and depth. Lighter shades can create a sense of openness and flow, while darker shades can add depth and intensity. Consider using lighter shades in the sunniest spaces to create a bright and airy atmosphere.

Don't forget the ceiling and trim when selecting your colour scheme. While most homes have white ceilings, adding a colour can change the presentation of the room. For high ceilings, consider a deep, intense colour. Painting the trim throughout the house the same shade of white can create a sense of flow and connection between the rooms.

Use the colour wheel: find pairings and proportions

When painting a combined living room and kitchen, the colour wheel is a valuable tool to help you select a cohesive colour palette that blends seamlessly from one room to the next. Here's how you can use the colour wheel to find the right colour pairings and proportions:

Firstly, decide on a main colour that you will carry through both spaces. This colour will serve as your base and can be something you truly love or a shade that complements a prominent feature in the room, such as kitchen cabinets. For instance, if your kitchen cabinets are a muted orange, consider a complementary colour like blue or green, or a neutral shade.

Next, use the colour wheel to identify pairings that work well with your main colour. Colours that are side by side on the wheel harmonise, while opposite colours are complementary and create a pleasing contrast. For example, blue harmonises with green, and yellow contrasts with both. You can include a harmonising tone, a complementary tone, and a neutral in your palette.

To add interest and depth, vary the colours from room to room by changing the intensity and values of colours within adjacent colour families. Imagine a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being light and 10 being dark. Using different values of the same colour between rooms creates depth. For instance, you could paint your kitchen cabinets a dark grey and then choose a lighter shade of grey for the living room walls.

Remember, the colour wheel will provide you with complementary colours, and you can choose your favourites to build a coordinated colour palette. Select a colour scheme with three different colours for both rooms and vary the tones from light to dark. This will ensure a dynamic yet harmonious space.

By using the colour wheel and considering the specific features of your combined living room and kitchen, you can create a cohesive and visually appealing colour scheme that suits your taste and style.

Prep the room: clean, remove furniture, and cover floors

Before you start painting your combined living room and kitchen, it's important to prep the room. Start by thoroughly cleaning the space, including the walls, floors, and any remaining furniture. This will ensure that any dust or dirt won't interfere with the painting process and create a smooth and clean surface for the paint to adhere to.

Next, remove as much furniture as possible from the room. This step will give you more space to work with and prevent any unwanted paint splatters on your furniture. If there are large pieces of furniture that cannot be removed, make sure to cover them with drop cloths or plastic sheets to protect them from paint stains.

After the furniture is cleared, it's important to cover the floors to protect them from paint drips and spills. Use drop cloths or plastic sheets to cover the entire floor area, ensuring there are no gaps. Secure the coverings with tape if needed to prevent slipping or tripping hazards. This step is crucial to protecting your floors and making the cleanup process much easier.

Additionally, don't forget to cover any doorways or openings to other rooms to prevent paint from spreading to unwanted areas. This will help contain the paint job to the intended space and make the overall process more efficient and controlled. It is also a good idea to remove any wall hangings or decorations that could get in the way or be accidentally painted over.

By following these steps, you will effectively prep your combined living room and kitchen for painting, ensuring a smoother and more controlled process. A well-prepared space will also make the cleanup faster and more manageable, so it is worth taking the time to thoroughly prep the room before beginning your painting project.

Start with the connecting wall: establish the base colour

When painting a combined living room and kitchen, the first step is to establish the base colour. This will be the foundation for the rest of the space and will help create a sense of cohesion and flow between the two areas.

Start by thoroughly cleaning and preparing the room. Remove any furniture and wall hangings, and cover the floors and doorways with drop cloths to protect them from paint splatters.

The next step is to decide on your colour scheme. If you're unsure where to start, consider using a colour wheel, which can help you choose colour pairings and proportions that complement each other. For example, complementary colours like blue and green can create a harmonious space. You can also vary the colours by intensity within adjacent colour families, such as blues and greens.

Once you've selected your base colour, it's time to start painting the connecting wall. This wall will serve as a reference point for the rest of the space, so it's important to get it right. Take your time and use even strokes to ensure a smooth and consistent finish.

After the connecting wall is complete, you can move on to the other walls. Use lighter or darker shades from your chosen colour palette to add interest and depth to the space. Remember to consider the amount of natural light in each room, as this will affect the appearance of the paint colour.

Consider the ceiling: add colour to change the room's presentation

When painting a combined living room and kitchen, the ceiling is an important consideration. Painting the ceiling can add colour and completely change the presentation of the room. While most ceilings are painted white, adding colour to the so-called "fifth wall" can be an excellent way to experiment with colour and change the atmosphere of the room.

If you want to make a slight change, you can opt for a lighter shade from your colour palette. Pale pastels can make the room feel brighter and more open. If you have high ceilings, consider a deep, intense colour to make the space feel more intimate and inviting. For example, a vivid ochre yellow on the vaulted ceilings of a guest bedroom can complement the colours of folk-inspired wallpaper.

You can also use accent colours to accentuate the architecture of the room. For instance, shades of blue can mimic the sky and bring the outdoors in. Warmer tones, like dusty peaches and pinks, can create a luminous and flattering glow.

If you are looking for a sophisticated effect, consider painting the walls, trim, cabinetry, and ceiling the same colour. Keep the paint colour on the lighter side to maintain an airy feel to the space.

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