apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

We also just bought a chocolate colored sofa for our living room and I've been wondering the same thing. What color? Part of me is digging a subtle, but rich aqua-y color, but I don't know...

How much sun does the room get and at what time of day? There is less in the winter, but it is lower and reaches more interior for part of the day depending on which direction the room's windows face. If you get little sun etc....go with something much lighter and put some mirrors and mirrored objects in the room. If you get a lot of sun in there, you can afford a medium or somewhat darker shade. There is really no color in nature that does not "go with" other colors. If you color block, you can choose any set of colors in any portion to each other. If you find a pattern you like, follow the proportion of those colors throughout the room as a whole. That's what I love about architecture and interior design etc...: no many ways to be right.

Try the sample paint in a big swatch on the wall before committing. Above all, HAVE FUN!

I like the idea of using something in the aqua family- and it would work well with a yellow, depending on the shade:

If you want something soft, i would try Benjamin Moore's Palladian Blue. It's a greyish, greenish blue that is on the light side. It's a classic color that can look really modern and the greyness gives is a sophistocated feel. You can get a large 18" square sample or a small sample jar.

Something bolder, and bluer but still aqua and teal is Ben Moore's Tranquil Blue. It can feel cold though so i would be sure you get lots of light.

You can get both colors in the Aura version of Ben Moore paint - the low VOC paint that doesn't need priming and can sometimes be done in one coat.

Why are you ruling out colors you already have used? I assume not a palatial space, so I think further segmentation of color will only continue to chop up your space. Perhaps a whiter or grayer or darker version of either is the key.

But if hellbent on a third color, stay naturally inspired. A pale rust, maybe, if not too peachy. Or a gutsy terra-cotta, since it seems that wood furniture veers to the rustic.

Otherwise, considering this is no doubt your largest living space, go neutral with the latte. And change things like drapes and pillows seasonally, or drawing from the colors of your adjacent rooms (only gutsier, like saffron and olive, for example) to prevent locked-in decor stir-craziness.

I'm in love with Farrow and Ball's Borrowed Light - it works beautifully with chocolate and you could use oranges or other brights to add interest. As its name suggests, it transforms over the course of the day depending on the light source in the room - it is simply stunning. Because it's a tad on the expensive side, I had the Benjamin Moore guys match it and it looks great.

My first thought is a Robin's Egg Blue. It would blend nicely with the yellow and sage colors in the other rooms, and brown and blue is one of my favorite color combinations. It's still homey yet modern and not too bright for a living room.

I am wondering if yellow could be the way to go for the living room since it does open into the kitchen. Perhaps a different shade of yellow or an accent wall in the living room of a darker shade, but then you can infuse oranges, aquas or blues etc. with accessories (pillows, artwork, etc). It sounds like you love color and are trying to incorporate as many color schemes as you can in the house, but I think it is worth considering to continue with yellow, but enhance it or give it another layer with accessories of another color family.

Thanks to everyone for your helpful feedback. To be honest, I am just starting to experiment with my creativity in this area, so I need all the help I can get. :) I definitely don't want to chop up my space by using too many different colors, so I am considering using a different shade of yellow...but what about gray? Is that neutral enough to maintain a sense of continuity? Thank you, thank you!

Gray and brown? Yick. (Sorry) I like the Aqua suggestions. However, I'm going to propose something that might not go over so well, but I have to say: Peach. A very light peach. It goes with our brown sofa so wonderfully, and it adds a nice warm glow to our living room. I love it. Sure its kind of twee, but so am I, so if you have that inclination....