The Lilac Living Room

I have to say that I am somewhat partial to lilac living rooms.  When I moved into my present home two and a half years ago, I painted my living room walls lilac. To most people I know, it was a strange color choice, but to me it made perfect sense. I have two boys, and I knew that I would never be decorating a bedroom for my own daughter, since that ship has SAILED, and no matter how much my youngest son begs for a little sister, it ain’t happening! The only place that I was ever going to get an ounce of  feminine color in the house (think pink, lavender, lilac) was in the living room.  I tested at least a  half a dozen lilac paint colors on the wall and finally settled on a pale lilac with a little hint of blue, Benjamin Moore’s “Peace and Happiness”.
Lilac is quickly becoming the “go to” fashion color for the home.  Lilac was one of the key colors in fashion in Spring 2012, and the trend has now trickled down to interiors and has gained such momentum that I would almost consider it a mainstream color choice for a living room.  Ok, maybe not mainstream, but definitely more commonplace than in years past.
Below is a collection of what I think are the most successful lilac living rooms.   What makes them so successful?  It is the colors that are chosen to accompany lilac – sometimes natural wood, other times a neutral, a contrasting black and white, an assortment of bright and saturated colors to draw attention away from the “sweet” color on the wall, or perhaps an abundance of metallic gold finishes.  Ah yes, each and every room is also perfectly imperfect, which is why I find them so charming.
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With a bubble gum pink velvet sofa, this room above is probably the most feminine of the bunch.  I love how a contrasting chartreuse is thrown into the mix in the rug and pillow.  The mid century sideboard is also a fun addition.

[via Architectural Digest]

These lilac walls change their appearance as the sun moves through the room throughout the day.  Where the sun is casting its light on the wall, the color appears more blue – perhaps because of the sky’s reflection.  I love how the bright fuchsia stools brings attention to the foreground.

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The strong graphic painting on the wall and the black chest gives just the right dose of masculinity to the room.  The ochre chair in the foreground provides the room with visual tension, making the room a much more interesting space to look at.

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The gold trim, the strong black and white in the zebra rug, and the bright pink bouquet of roses on the coffee table make for a beautifully balanced and visually stimulating space in this room designed by Alex Papachristidis.

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The walls in the room above designed by Betsy Burnham are not lilac, but the room reads as lilac because of the amount of lilac in other areas of the room.  A greyed lilac and lavender are used in the sofa and love seat in the foreground.  The multi color medley of colors in the painting above the fireplace is the perfect choice for the focal point, and brings life and movement to the room.

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I love the plum chair and the vibrant geometric rug that are used in the photo above.  The bright, contrasting orange brings the entire room to life!

So tell me – would you dare to paint your living room lilac?  If so, what other colors would you pair it with?

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