• A great room refers to a large area of multifunctional space. For example, it may combine a living room, dining room and a study in one open space. It's possible to paint each designated area its own color. However, instead of a potential confusing or clashing mess, consider painting the room all one color or using an accent wall while breaking up the space with furnishings such as carpets and furniture.
  
  

Cozy Colors

• Family rooms are places for people to gather and relax. Rich chocolate colors, jewel-tone greens and deep mauves help make a large room feel more intimate. If you are concerned about shrinking the size of the room, paint an accent wall. Ann accent wall is one wall painted in a color while the rest of the room remains neutral. Accent walls could be the wall where a fireplace or bookshelf is, or behind the sofa.
  
  Consider textured paints if you would like to combine the texture of the wall with furniture. Use suede and denim paints in family rooms to create a contemporary cozy feeling.
  
  If you paint the room with a dark color, consider breaking up the walls with a contrasting white or ivory on chair railings, moulding, door frames and windowsills.
  
  

Sunny Colors

• Yellow is a popular color for kitchens and study rooms or any high-traffic area. It's a stimulating color that adds a light and breezy feeling to any room. Yellow comes in a variety of shades. Buttercup yellow is saturated and looks very urban, where pastel yellows tend to be more relaxing. Deep rich yellows that lean toward oranges are seen in restaurants and resemble old towns in Europe. They are great for kitchen areas.
  
  If the yellow is too intense, break it up with white and neutral furnishings. Try getting a few paint samples to test out on your walls and see how they change throughout the day with various lighting. Deep, saturated colors work well on south-facing walls because of the light. However, they may be too dark and aren't so attractive on north-facing walls.
  
  

Muted Neutrals

• If your furnishings are brightly colored, such as wine-colored sofas, New Mexico-inspired print rugs, or vibrant artwork or posters on walls, consider neutral colors for your great room. There are many neutrals on the market and all look very contemporary. Steel gray, deep beige, rust, terra cotta and dark mauve are all beautiful rich colors that will make a statement without taking over your room.
  
  These colors can still be used on an accent wall. They will also look great with contrasting molding and chair rails. Semi-gloss paint will help bounce light off of any dark areas in the room.