A color expert shares the 8 shades you should use in your living room this year

Killam said creating a living room you'll love begins with choosing stunning colors "that aren't boring," such as a bright, happy yellow. Her own yellow sofa has been in her living room for over 13 years.

"During this time, it has worked beautifully in various decorating palettes in my living room," she said. "And I bet you wouldn't have guessed that it's over a decade old."

She favors bold, happy colors because they have a timelessness to them. According to Killam, neutral colors, though easy and safe, can actually feel "tied to a specific trend cycle. And that means it's already dated." 

Blue is an easy and classic color choice for the living room. Traditional blue isn't just a feel-good color because, according to Killam, it "will be serene and timeless for years to come."

"Think blue jeans with a crisp white shirt," Killam said. "It's so easy to accessorize, right?"

Part of this shade's appeal is that it can be easily paired with so many paint color options.

"Add a blue sofa in with lots of fresh white, then combine your favorite accent color and some warm wood tones for a perfectly polished and classic color palette," she told Insider.

Lucky for pink lovers, the hue isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Killam sees sophisticated pink as "a surprisingly versatile color that looks great on a living-room sofa."

The color can be repeated in paint choices and an area rug to tie the whole look together.

Nature-inspired colors continue to trend so Killam loves versatile deep green for the living room.

Deep green can be incorporated into the room through plants, and there are plenty of decor choices that pair perfectly with the hue.

Although Killam loves bold yellow, she also sees a growing interest in rich ochre, a more muted-gold version of the hue.

She said the color has wonderful design flexibility and "works well in both modern and traditional decor."

Killam recommends incorporating ochre through a couch, though it can also be a bold and cozy wall color.

Killam said, like gold and yellow, "orange is having a moment" because it's "a perfect antidote to desaturated decor."

There are also numerous variations of warm burnt orange to suit one's personality and space. People can choose between a spicy red-orange or a cleaner coral tone, depending on the coordinating decor they prefer.

There's something calming and joyful about a living room that reflects the colors of sky and sea, and cerulean blue-green can be a great color choice for brightening the room.

"Aqua tones are perennially popular, and in this moment of drenching rooms in color, they are a great choice with a pretty balance of cool and warm," Killam told Insider. As an added bonus, she said it's easy to find decor to pull cerulean blue-green from.

For those who aren't brave enough to jump into a bright shade of purple, Killam recommends livening up a neutral space with a warm cognac.

"It's still neutral, but not as flat as charcoal," she told Insider. "So while it doesn't feel like a big leap in color, it effectively makes an otherwise black and white or all-grey room come to life."

A cognac leather couch can be timeless and the color can be repeated through warm wood tones, yellows, and golds. Cognac is also versatile enough to complement endless accent colors, from rich greens and blues to deep-plum and warm-pink hues.