The journal

Golden Living Rooms

11 October 2024 4 min read

Gold isn't just for Christmas decorations. It's a wonderful way to add glamour to your décor and create a luxe look year-round.

Gold isn't just for Christmas decorations. It's a wonderful way to add glamour to your décor and create a luxe look year-round, with a timeless appeal that brings a touch of sophistication to any space. You needn't colour drench a room in gold, though; dashes of it really lift a scheme and complement existing colours, and used strategically it brings a warm, inviting ambience. Our gold living room ideas will help you update your space with just enough gold for warmth, light and a hint of detail.

Exploring the essence of gold

Though perfect for a modern living room, gold has been used for centuries, think of the ancient Egyptians and their golden artefacts, for whom it symbolised divinity and cosmic strength, while in feng shui gold is celebrated for the energy of the sun and for attracting prosperity. If positive energy, divinity, strength and prosperity appeal, gold is well worth considering, and while it may be the colour of extravagance, opulence, glitz and glamour, it's also warm, welcoming and full of vitality.

Selecting gold-friendly wall colours

Gold is relatively easy to combine, working with dark and light tones alike. Warm neutrals like cream, taupe and some whites or greys can be lifted by dashes of gold, while pairing it with earthy tones like mustard, rusty orange, olive green and brown adds highlights and warmth. Rich, cool shades like navy, teal, emerald green and sapphire beside gold ooze opulence and sophistication, and black with gold creates a luxe, modern, dramatic look. For a softer approach, rose pink and gold is pretty and romantic; in this living room, the gold metallic bookcase lifts the soft pink wall (Mylands Soho Pink No.266).

Parisian sitting room with walls in soft pink Soho Pink No.266 and a tall gold metal bookcase — A Soho Pink No.266 living room wall lifted by a polished gold bookcase

Creating a focal point with gold

Gold is a showstopper that draws the eye and makes a definite statement, so it's ideal for drawing attention to a living room focal point. As here, gold inside a fireplace has amazing impact, promoting it as a focal point; gold wall art is another way to direct attention, really standing out against dark décor, which is why gold is often used to frame artwork. Draw eyes upward with a striking gold chandelier or statement metallic ceiling lights, making a big impact while adding light.

Georgian sitting room with a chimney breast painted metallic FTT-001 Rich Gold between navy Bond Street No.219 walls — A chimney breast in metallic FTT-001 Rich Gold flanked by Bond Street No.219 walls

Sophisticated black and gold living rooms

A gold-and-black scheme gives a living room a sophisticated, glamorous look, best for a stylish formal room rather than a casual, cosy one. Lift a dramatic black minimalist style with gold: gold metal frames on furniture such as armchairs, sofas, coffee and side tables, bookshelves and floor lamps, plus gold frames on art and mirrors, and even minimal touches like gold light fittings, switches, door handles and sockets make sophisticated finishing touches. Here, gold walls are complemented by gold handles on the sideboard and the stem of the table lamp.

Elegant cream and gold living rooms

Cream and gold offers a serene yet luxurious ambience; neutrals are known for their calming qualities, and gold upscales the look with opulence while cream keeps it soft and serene, a refined scheme that feels both zen and polished, keeping that new-home vibe going.

Art Deco living room with walls in metallic FTT-001 Rich Gold, cream sofa and a Brompton Road No.205 ceiling — Left, cream furnishings against walls in FTT-001 Rich Gold; right, a Brompton Road No.205 wall with gold accents

Farmhouse sitting room with sage green Brompton Road No.205 walls, FTT-002 Pale Gold window frames and gold accents — Left, cream furnishings against walls in FTT-001 Rich Gold; right, a Brompton Road No.205 wall with gold accents

Add luxurious gold accents

Decorating with gold accents is an effective way to infuse glamour, and if full gold décor feels too dramatic you can still make an impact with accessories. Against dark wall colours, gold accents add welcome contrast and reflect light; with neutral décor, they provide glistening highlights, and the simple addition of gold candlesticks, vases, ornaments and picture frames is all it takes to add luxe.

Making a statement with gold living room décor

Go beyond accents with full gold interior design for an atmosphere of dramatic opulence, think teal or emerald green with gold, or rich red with gold, sumptuous combinations that work well in dining and living rooms. But a gold wall needn't overpower; here it reads almost as a neutral, anchored to great effect by the natural tones in the flooring and furniture.

Coastal villa living room with a metallic FTT-001 Rich Gold wall, terracotta floor, linen sofa and rattan chair — A feature wall in FTT-001 Rich Gold anchored by natural tones in the floor and furniture

Go for gold

Add glamour and excitement to your living room; gold is a wonderful colour to transform a space and has made statements for centuries. Whether you want a striking, bold look or simply gold accents in your current décor, it's a wonderful way to add warmth and interest. At Mylands we have two sumptuous gold paints, FTT-001 Rich Gold and FTT-002 Pale Gold, so why not order a sample pot to decide which suits you best?