When it comes to blue and grey living room ideas the options are endless.

A popular pairing, grey and blue are both versatile shades that together can be used to create myriad looks and interior styles, from calming coastal to dramatic and intimate, plus the two-tone combination works well with many other accent colors.

Whether you're after a tranquil space to unwind or a statement living room perfect for entertaining, a living room color scheme of blue and grey can work perfectly depending on how it's put together. With each shade offering a wide-ranging spectrum of tones, from soft pebble greys to charcoal, and delicate pastel blues to bold cobalt and navy, there's plenty of scope for creative combinations within grey room ideas.

To prove how versatile this pairing can be we've rounded up an array of blue and grey living rooms along with some tips from the experts.

BY PIPPA BLENKINSOP

Decorating with grey provides a brilliant neutral backdrop for all sorts of interior looks, but flat greys used wall-to-wall can sometimes look dreary. Introducing blue accents in a deeper shade is a great way to add depth and create focal points within an airy light grey room, plus, switching black for blue can be a gentler take on the traditional monochrome scheme.

In this space the interior designer chose a textural wallpaper to add interest and soften the look, while the wall-to-floor bespoke living room shelving painted in a deep blue help punctuate what would be a large expanse of grey wall. The navy chairs and cushions co-ordinate with the bookshelves and help lead the eye across the room.

Decorating with white is guaranteed to make spaces feel brighter and lighter but they can feel cold. Adding in a variety of delicate tones of grey and blue through textiles and furniture can help to gently lift the space preventing it from feeling stark and austere. Here, a patterned light blue rug, textured grey sofa and armchairs, a pastel blue table frame and dusky blue velvet cushions are all layered to bring softness and interest to the scheme. 

When it comes to living room paint ideas, tone is a key factor, as this can have a big impact how a space looks and feels.

'The paler the tone, the more it will reflect the available light, the darker the tone, the more light it will absorb. So a pale grey would be good if you wanted to make a room look larger, a deep charcoal would make it appear smaller,' says Justyna Korczynska, Senior designer at Crown.

'For a moody atmosphere, greys and blues in darker tones are a go-to choice as they create a deep backdrop that really allows your furniture and accessories to sing,' adds adds Emma Deterding, founder and creative director, Kelling Designs. 'People are becoming bolder with design choices, often opting for really deep, inky blues and charcoal greys for a dramatic statement that evokes a cocoon-like effect,' 

Dark colors can work particularly well in large living rooms with high ceilings as they can bring the space in and help it feel more intimate as demonstrated in this scheme. The high-blacked velvet sofa adds to the cocooning feel while red accents bring essential warmth. 

In addition to tone, getting the temperature of the wall color right is also important, particularly if you're planning on painting the walls grey. 

The first thing to think about is the orientation of the room and how much light it receives. If you have a south-facing room it can take cooler greys, while a in north facing room that receives little light you may want to consider a grey with warm undertones to keep the space feeling cozy.

'I like using warm greys to give depth to walls without dictating the room's furniture palette – light greys add a layer of softness while rich greys add depth. Coating the windows, doors and trim in the same grey wall color further unifies the backdrop to a Living Room and can give the illusion of a higher ceiling when painted in a contrasting color. I gravitate towards greys with less blue and more brown in them,' says Catherine Fowlkes of the DC-based architecture firm, Fowlkes Studio.

In this scheme the grey on the walls has brown undertones allows the cobalt blue armchairs to pop, while the addition of a velvet sofa in rich terracotta brings further warmth.

Synonymous with sea and sky, pastel blues are perfect for interiors that soothe the soul and make a versatile shade for decorating, providing a touch of color without overpowering a scheme.

'Pale pastel blues are popular choices for dining and sitting rooms creating a light, bright atmosphere, and work well for children’s bedrooms due to their calming, serene effect,' says Dominic Myland, director of Mylands.

If you're worried that decorating with blue will leave your living room feeling cool, consider adding pops of warmer color as done in this scheme with the tan leather armchairs and an fall artwork.

Decorating with blue and white is a hallmark of coastal decor. However, if you’re looking for a more chic, contemporary take on the nautical look, try switching the white for grey. In this scheme, interior designer Tracy Morris wanted to use a palette of watery hues to allude to the coastal hometown of owners, so chose a warm grey as a base to set them off.

‘Our clients were moving from a coastal location. I knew we were going to use many tones of blue in the house, so I needed a clean backdrop that would bring out the blue tones – Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter was the perfect complement! This warm paint balanced the cool tones in the fabrics and rugs creating the perfect backdrop for this home.'

If you're looking to create a cozy atmosphere then don't be afraid to use a darker shades of blue says Dominic Myland, director of Mylands Paints.

'Despite common misconception that dark blue shades can make a room feel small and unwelcoming, they can in fact make a room feel bigger. Rich, dark blues can instantly bring inviting warmth and won’t overpower a room.'

Here this stormy blue paint shade with grey undertones brings a sophisticated, cocooning feel to this space and is the perfect backdrop to a statement seascape artwork. The gilt frame, terracotta velvet cushion and red ikat lampshade bring elements of warmth as does the blue velvet armchair.

Rustic, exposed stone walls and weathered wood beams in myriad grey-ish brown tones are prized features of country living room ideas. If you're lucky enough to have these original features then decorating in a palette of grey and blue can be a great way to showcase them. 

Here the grey-painted ceiling helps create a cozy atmosphere but also beautifully contrasts with the Cotswold stone, allowing its honeyed hues to shine through.

Accents of dark navy blue introduced through the alcove shelf and the sumptuous velvet blue couch help bring depth and a modern twist to the country look.

Sitting opposite blue on the color wheel, yellow makes a perfect accent color for blue, and is a happy shade for livening up neutrals like grey. For a delicate, fresh spring look perfect for a cottage living room, consider a soft lemon yellow. 

'Lemon yellow and soft smoke blue complement each other so perfectly. The tone of each of these colors is gentle which draws you into a room. This shade of yellow (above), which I call Hay, is so fresh, making you feel happy, full of hope and sunshine. On the other hand blue if often seen as peaceful and secure,' says fabric designer Vanessa Arbuthnott.

If you love the idea of using bold colors but are cautious of using them wall-to-wall then opting for bold blue blue living room curtains or cushions in a neutral grey scheme is a good place to start as these can be altered easily from season to season.