If you’re planning to freshen up your lounge this year, you’ve picked a fun time. 2025 has become a celebration of mood, personality and — yes — colour. From cosy moody hues that hug a small room to pops of “dopamine” yellow that make grey January mornings feel human again, UK tastes are both adventurous and sensible. Below I’ve pulled together the most popular lounge wall colours in the UK for 2025, backed by recent industry announcements, surveys and trend reports — plus practical tips for using each colour so your lounge actually looks like a home, not a showroom.
1. Green — the “new neutral”
Green keeps showing up on trend round-ups and search data, and designers are increasingly treating it like a neutral that works in almost any scheme. Reports and search analyses from 2024–25 name green (forest, sage and smoky greens) as a leading living-room choice — people are looking for rooms that feel connected to nature and calm. One 2024–25 industry analysis even shows green ranking as the most-searched living room colour for consecutive years, underlining that interest.
How to use it: softer sage tones make a perfect all-over colour for lighter, north-facing rooms; deeper greens (think emerald, forest or “Green Smoke”) are brilliant for colour-drenching or for dramatic feature walls paired with warm woods and brass hardware.
2. Blue — steady, versatile and very popular
Blue is such a safe favourite that many designers call it the “evergreen” of living rooms. Recent pieces from established UK interiors outlets note blue’s ubiquity — it’s often the single most requested palette in design consultations, with figures around the 40% mark of consultations involving blue themes, showing how often clients ask for it. Blue works as both a calm backdrop (pale powder blues) and a cocooning statement (navy, indigo).
How to use it: pale blue opens smaller rooms; mid to deep blues create depth and cosiness for TV rooms or evening spaces. Add layered textiles — velvet cushions, woven throws — to avoid a “cold” blue look.
3. Warm neutrals — beiges, greiges and soft taupes
Not a flashy trend, but a lasting choice. Warm neutrals continue to perform strongly because they’re flexible (good for resale and for mixing with accent colours) and they sit well with the move towards “warm minimalism” in interiors. Big retailers and trend roundups list earthier, warmer neutrals as part of the 2025 colour story. Use them all over for a timeless lounge that will cope with changing accessories.
How to use it: layer textures — boucle, linen, natural timber — and bring in a single saturated accent (a cushion, artwork or side table) to keep the space modern.
4. Earthy terracotta, rust and warm reds
Autumnal, cosy and strongly on the radar for 2025: terracotta and warm reds. Many trend pieces highlight clay, ochre and terracotta shades as major players — colours that feel grown from natural materials and pair beautifully with plants, timber and artisan ceramics. These tones are being used to add heat and personality without tipping into ‘loud.’
How to use it: these hues are excellent for partial walls, snug alcoves or as an enveloping choice in dining-lounge spaces. Balance them with lighter upholstery or large mirrors to keep the room from feeling too small.
5. Joyful yellow — Dulux’s “True Joy” influence
Big paint brands shape what people try at home. Dulux named “True Joy” as its Colour of the Year for 2025 — a sunny, uplifting yellow intended to be used as a bright accent or to energise entire spaces. When a global brand highlights a shade, it usually nudges both consumer searches and shop sales, so expect to see more pockets of yellow in lounges (cushions, an accent wall, or paired with moody hues).
How to use it: start small — a single wall, a mantel, or a statement piece of furniture — then combine with earthy tones or navy for a balanced palette.
6. Jewel tones and moody purples/burgundies
Dark jewel tones — deep purples, burgundies and wine shades — are being championed by designers for 2025 as a way to make rooms feel luxurious and cocooning. These colours are less about being “safe” and more about creating atmosphere, and many decorators recommend them for feature walls, bookcases and accent zones.
How to use it: keep ceilings and trims pale to avoid heaviness; combine jewel tones with tactile fabrics (velvet, wool) and warm metallics.
What UK homeowners actually say and worry about
If you’re thinking practically (and especially if you might sell in future), note that consumer surveys show people care about colour. A UK survey of 1,500 people by a national paint retailer found that nearly four in ten UK residents said they’d offer less for a house because of its colour scheme — and 19% would be put off altogether. Translation: while bold colours are trendy, many buyers still prefer rooms that feel neutral and welcoming. If resale is on your mind, neutrals with a tasteful accent are a safe bet.
And on the emotional side, 2025 has seen a rise in “dopamine decor” — a move toward brighter, happier touches in homes as people seek mood boosts from their environments. Several recent consumer polls have picked up a significant minority experimenting with brighter cushions, wallpaper and accent walls to lift spirits.
Practical tips when choosing a lounge colour (quick checklist
- Test big: paint 1m² samples and watch them through morning and evening light for 48 hours.
- Match undertones: compare paint swatches against your fixed items (sofa, flooring) not in isolation.
- Consider ceiling and trim: a slightly warmer white on ceilings can make warm neutrals sing.
- Think about finishing: matte emulsion hides imperfections; eggshell adds a subtle sheen for easy cleaning.
- Resale? Lean neutrals with one accent wall; love bold? Consider painting just an architectural feature or an alcove.
Final thought — 2025 is a year of personal colour
The theme of 2025 in UK lounges is less about everyone choosing the same safe option, and more about mixing personal, mood-lifting choices (True Joy yellow, jewel accents) with quietly confident foundations (green as a neutral, warm greiges and deep blues). Whether you want a serene, plant-friendly lounge, a cocooning moody space, or a bright corner that makes you smile each morning, there’s a trend and a practical way to make it work.
