An empty room can be thought of as a blank canvas, and similar to any artist, a homeowner is in charge of what goes into creating his or her masterpiece. Understandably so, every homeowner would want their living space to be a reflection of their personality, what makes them happy and the impact they want to have on their guests.
However, a common misconception that has been floating around for years and holding back many homeowners from exploring every idea is that a neutral palette is nothing but boring. People describe neutral colors or muted palettes as ‘generic.’ This is large because of the very definition of neutral color is the lack thereof of any color.
This misconception has been keeping homeowners and designers wary of incorporating dull tones such as gray or beige into their living spaces. Just because bold and bright colors work for some people, doesn’t mean that it’s the golden rule to designing.
Read on for five reasons why we believe neutral palettes are here to stay and why you should incorporate them into your living space.
They Compliment Furnishings and Textures
Credits: Unsplash, John Mark Arnold
Before dabbling into the merits of neutral colors, it is important to understand what a neutral color is and why it’s so widely differentiated (often misunderstood). The word neutral means without color, although neutral tones do have an undertone to them.
Neutral colors are not typically found on color wheels but are shades of colors such as black, white, and beige. Contrary to popular belief, they aren’t ‘monotone.’ You might have more colors to play around with if you go with a neutral palette scheme for your home.
With bright and bold colors, the textural elements of a room often go unnoticed or overlooked. Colors such as bright yellow or orange become the statement piece themselves. Again, we’re not here to bash a color in support of neutral tones, rather explore the possibility of each.
Fixtures such as lighting elements, chandeliers and such, are supposed to take center-stage. Bold color choices take away attention from fancy lighting. Light Atelier is an online store that sells timeless lighting fixtures and stands which work well with neutral color tones. Check our product catalog for more inspiration.
While bold colors can look great if done correctly, there’s a lot more room for error. They can make a room feel unwelcoming by omitting layered and textural designs. A neutral backdrop creates much more focus on furnishings and textural elements for a welcoming interior.
You Can Layer All Day Long
Credits: Unsplash, Kirill
Having a more muted backdrop allows you to explore other artistic elements predominantly by layering shades without one overpowering the other. Layering becomes overly simplistic if your backdrop essentially blends in rather than stands out.
Layering creates a warm and well-designed space that compliments everything to make it all look in-sync. One of the best things about muted color tones is that they keep connectivity and fluidity throughout the house. Statement colors stand out on their own and can make corners look out of place.
They Are Timeless And Versatile
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Ever heard of fast-fashion? Well, there could be such a thing as a fast-interior. You follow a pattern that’s being incorporated in several designs for a particular time. In this case, it’s when you’re looking for inspiration for your home. However, those patterns or elements are replaced over the years making your home stand out like a sore thumb.
Neutral colors are timeless and versatile, which is what makes them appeal to people. You won’t grow tired of looking at those walls because they don’t make an impact to overshadow other designs. However, even if you do wish to incorporate other designs, neutral colors make it easier to do so.
Bold colors can look great for the time being, but then ultimately that time is up and you’re back to painting over those walls. You do not have to let go of having anything in bold colors, maybe just more accessories than walls making them easier to redistribute and readjust.
Showcase Your Style With Muted Tones
Credits: Unsplash, Hutomo Abrianto
Contrary to popular belief, muted colors aren’t supposed to take anything away from your creativity. Do not think of them as generic or boring colors that dim your personality, instead, think of them as room to showcase more of it.
They work with absolutely any style! Whether you’re looking to go modern, traditional, rustic, or even contemporary – a neutral backdrop can work with just about anything. We’ll revisit the analogy whereby your home is a blank canvas. The one thing that’s stopping you from adding in more artistic elements isn’t the lack of paint, rather the dramatic scheme of the painting.
While this concept might go against what so many people have believed for so long, it’s the absolute truth. Your style can shine through much more vividly with neutral tones making every detail, piece, and accent stay in the spotlight where it rightfully belongs. This impact would have been impossible to achieve with competing for statement colors.
They Highlight Complex Designs and Schemes
Credits: Unsplash, Fransesca Tosillini
Complex designs and architectural elements pose as potentially overwhelming visual disturbances. To cut down on the assault, designers recommend using neutral colors to cut down on the complexity.
Bits of colors can still be incorporated strategically to emphasize parts that you want to be noticed without an exaggerated effect. Statement colors would be at the very back of your arsenal, in fact, you might want to consider throwing them away entirely.
Conclusion
Neutral color schemes are the ideal choice for an interior style statement, as opposed to whatever misconception there is about them. They are great options for modern interiors with architectural elements that have to stay center-stage. Likewise, they can go along with any sort of fixture or furniture. Neutral colors ensure that homeowners will never grow tired of their design choices – they’re timeless and versatile in every essence.
