This easy two toned living room trend is the perfect autumnal update

This living room trend is HUGE for autumn and winter 2020 and it's a really easy look to get – just check out these spaces for inspiration

living room trend
(Image credit: Farrow and Ball)

Autumn/winter living room trends are some of our fave to research and curate galleries for. They are so cosy and inviting, and the best bit is that usually they are really easy to adapt to your current space without having to spend a lot or totally remodel. A big trend we have seen coming through is for two toned rooms – and really that can mean anything, mixing two colours in your soft furnishings, going for two different paint colours or contrasting your furniture to your walls. 

We have pulled together our fave looks and ideas to show you how simple it really is and inspire you to give it a go in your home. Make sure you also don't miss our living room ideas feature too for loads more style inspo.

1. Contrast your soft furnishings in a two toned living room

living room

(Image credit: Vanessa Arbuthnott)

How lovely are the colours in this living room? The pale yellow and teal create such a fresh space that works perfectly with the Mid-century vibe. Because of the bright colours of the sofa and the armchairs the rest of the room has been kept pretty neutral, something we would suggest doing, as you want the furniture to be the focus. Pick up hints of the main colours in the rest of the room – see here how those limey yellows and blues are in the rug and in the print too? It all works so well. 

If you like this living room style, check out our Mid-century modern decorating ideas too. 

2. Pair blues with orange and yellows for a statement look

Picking colours from the opposite sides of the colour wheel is a bold move, but it can result in the most fabulous of spaces. We LOVE this blue living room, the hints of yellow and the orange tones of the wood lift it and stop the blue just all merging together. The hints of very light green in the curtains work with the dark blue tones perfectly, and that hint of the same green in the adjoining room! It's such a beautiful space and so well thought out. You could very easily take this colour palette and incorporate it into your own living room. 

3. Soft dark hues with delicate pastels 

If you love dark interiors, but are concerned it's going to look too harsh in your living room, the key is to soften the look with more inviting colours. Of course, the go to is blush pinks, they work so well with a dark grey especially, but test out pale blues, corals, light greens and creamy neutrals which will work to cosy up the look too. 

For more dark and atmospheric decorating ideas head to our guide. 

4. Mix neutrals with sage green 

living room with green and beige

(Image credit: Ikea/Benjamin Edwards)

If you prefer a more neutral look, you can still get that two tone style. Check out this living room, a very beige, simple space but there are hints of green in there just to add a splash of colour. Note how easily this has been achieved too, just cushions and prints – this also this means to get switch up whatever hint of colour you want to add with the season, sub in yellows for spring, oranges in autumn etc. etc. 

5. Contrast your ceiling and your wall colours

Have we really got this far and not mentioned paint? Paint is such a great way to get a two-toned living room and there are loads of different ways you can do it – pick a feature wall to contrast with your other walls, create a dado effect by painting halfway up your wall oooor, like in this living room, paint your ceiling in a bold colour. 

For all the tips on how to paint a ceiling, check out our guide. 

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Hebe Hatton

Hebe joined the Real Homes team in early 2018 as Staff Writer before moving to the Livingetc team in 2021 where she took on a role as Digital Editor. She loves boho and 70's style and is a big fan of Instagram as a source of interiors inspiration. When she isn't writing about interiors, she is renovating her own spaces – be it wallpapering a hallway, painting kitchen cupboards or converting a van.

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