20 Fresh Ways to Use Teal in Your Living Room

From splashy accents to bold waves of color, we’ll help you navigate the newest ways to deploy this assertive aquatic tone.

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November 25, 2020

By: Lauren Oster

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Cool Off

This glamourous, eclectic living room features pastel and tawny tones, from the barely-there mauve walls and ceramics to the two plush sofas. The shock of teal on the chairs flanking the fireplace gives the room a delicious artistic chill.

From: Ana Donohue

Aim High

The deep teal carved mantel, pale teal Chesterfields, faceted teal velvet coffee table and teal-accented abstract art in this Victorian living room are all spectacular. That said, our favorite burst of color here is the daring teal ceiling; how cool is that?

From: Loczi Design

Try Color Blocking

The massive, curvy sectional in this sitting room effectively divides the space into three swaths of color. Teal paint carries down to the white expanse of the sectional, which gives way to a red area rug. Large, solid elements like these are an effective way to work with bold colors without letting any single hue dominate your space.

From: Erin Williamson

Team Up With Green

This overdyed teal rug teases cool tones out of the custom sofa atop it, while the Kelly green sofa pulls golden notes out of the flooring beneath. Try pairing colors like these to create synergy that stops just short of contrast.

From: Gina Sims

Give an Upholstered Piece the Blues

Velvety teal fabric accented with a fresh coat of white paint pulls this tufted vintage sofa into the 21st century. The pair of ceramic foo dogs that flank it enhance the space’s symmetry and offer a subtle variation on the tone.

Experiment With Agates

This jewel-bright dyed geode enhances the teal fabric and trim on this sofa and its accent pillow. Try dyed coasters with gold edges for a similarly luxe look.

Tweak a Traditional Floral Pattern

The oversized poppies on this stylish wallpaper feel crisp and contemporary thanks to their unexpected color. The effect is bold enough to share space with eye-catching pieces (like the mirrored cabinet against the wall) and counterbalance more demure ones (like the gray sofa).

Beautify Barrel Chairs

The origin of the relationship between oceanic blues and occasional chairs with rounded silhouettes is a mystery, but its magnificence is impossible to miss (and there’s evidence of it all over the design world). These chairs paired with the crisp, white walls make an impact on anyone entering the sitting room.

Balance Bold Patterns

The graphic teal shibori pillow on this living room’s armchair provides large-scale contrast with the intricate, multicolored dragon print on its window treatments. The teal seat on the X-base stool serves as a bridge between those fabrics and introduces another pattern to the mix.

From: Claire Paquin

Create a Layered Accent Wall

Moody teal paint gives the panels on this accent wall a luxurious feel that deepens through Roman shades and entertainment cabinets in a similar tone. The pair of gold accented leather chairs, in a bluer version of the hue, compound the opulence in this space.

From: Erica Bryen Design

Invigorate a Neutral Room

This serene space gains a contemporary coastal edge from the textured ottomans, in front of the fireplace, and the graphic accent pillows on the occasional chairs. The fabric on those pillows — Kelly Wearstler’s classic Graffito — demonstrates how beautifully teal lends itself to a hand-painted abstract pattern.

From: Abbe Fenimore

Accent and Complement

The riot of color and pattern in this fabulous, maximalist living room calls for a base that gives the eye a place to rest. The emerald green grasscloth panels on this wall do just that. Complementing that hue are the teal velvet pillows atop the tiger print sofa.

From: Veronica Solomon

Play Around

This whimsical room piles on the quirky charm. The layered cowhide area rug is a deep shade of teal, the transparent pendant has a pastel blue-green tint and the beachy accessories riff on the tonal theme. The lesson here? A consistent color can create harmony between unusual decorative elements.

From: Caitlin Murray

Go All-In

This dramatic sitting area is unquestionably unique; it’s also a master class in teal’s appeal. It ties together gallery walls, creates a gathering spot via an overdyed rug, updates vintage, woven-leather chairs and pops as patina on the end tables.

From: Design 4 Corners

Reimagine Molding

The teal baseboards, crown molding and door frames in this Art Deco living room are the perfect frame for its dramatic, painterly wallpaper. The tone also cools the fiery saffron seen in the wallpaper and sofa.

From: Right Meets Left Design

Accessorize a Neutral Armchair

This monochromatic upholstered chair with nail-head trim becomes a cozy reading nook with the addition of diverse accessories in similar shades of teal. Pieces like this are a commitment-free way to audition bold colors in your living room.

Hit the Bookshelf

This midcentury living room’s built-in storage is even more striking in this classic, dusty teal tone. The color is especially effective as a foil for other period appropriate colors, like the goldenrod tone of the barrel chair and the rich wood on the vintage loveseat and side table.

From: Sarah Stacey Interior Design

Anchor an Airy Space

The rustic coastal atmosphere in this sunny, nearly-neutral living room gains an edgier, contemporary feel with the addition of textural, saturated pillows and throws.

From: Jil Sonia McDonald

Modernize Classic Architecture

The brick fireplace, mantel and molding in this living room are utterly transformed with a wash of teal paint and matching floor-to-ceiling window treatments. This contemporary look is even more striking with the addition of metallic pieces like a gold starburst mirror, a flush-mounted floral lighting fixture and a pair of silver floor lamps.

From: Duet Design Group

Put a Twist on a Traditional Ottoman

The focal point in this living room is the vivid teal ottoman that doubles as a coffee table and bonus seating for company. It’s also a bold visual departure from the space’s sun-drenched layers of white.

From: House of Jade Interiors