topic Re: Neutral Overload in Home

Neutral Overload

wilma — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 16:59:31 GMT

There are a lot of rooms out there on the Internet that have a completely neutral color scheme. Yet, I know no one personally who has a room like this in their home. Guess we’re out of touch with current design style?

Whenever I am searching for pictures to post & discuss I always find lots rooms designed only in tones of beige, tan, sand, ivory, etc. Then there’s all the rooms dominated by white or tones of grey. There’s not a color pop anywhere in some of these rooms - even the artwork, pillows, & all the accessories are neutral.

I love neutrals, but I need some color in my house. Right now I have mostly neutral furniture & walls, but I have color in my rugs, accessories, plants, and even on accent walls.

What’s your opinion on using neutrals in home decorating?

Re: Neutral Overload

jubilant — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:46:25 GMT

I'm thinking maybe people go with neutrals because they have learned if they get tired of it, they can change it by adding a little of any color they want at any given time. It is practical if you think about it. Personally, I would have to add color right away....even if it were just greenery.

Re: Neutral Overload

shoptilyadropagain — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 17:20:18 GMT

I agree completely. I've never been a fan of the monotone, neutral rooms. I do love gray though but even it needs some contrast. I redid my living room last summer with new gray furniture but it's darker and incorporates some lighter and darker shades as well as black, tan and cream.

Re: Neutral Overload

geezerette — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 17:41:52 GMT

I would love to have nothing but light neutrals throughout my entire home.

But it's just not practical for my lifestyle.

Re: Neutral Overload

ScrapHappy — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 17:51:08 GMT

I like neutrals. We've been painting the main floor of our house room by room with Sherwin Williams Agreeable Beige. What I like about this neutral color is that sometimes it looks more grey and sometimes more beige. We got a new sectional for the family room and the color is called Sepia and it's perfect. I did add a little color with the area rug but it still in the neutral tones. My husband got a new recliner and it's a darker tone which complements everything niceley. We plan on getting new living room furniture (just sofa and 2 chairs) and I plan on going neutral there too. Our house had a lot of color, a lot of different colors top to bottom. Walls and ceilings painted different colors. The dining room was painted in different colors of green stripes.

Re: Neutral Overload

DREAMON — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 18:19:47 GMT

I have neutral wood floors, off white walls, and neutral furniture in weathered coastal wood with gray fabric on the sectional sofa.

I use plants, pillows, and area rugs to liven things up. I change the accessories with the seasons.

Re: Neutral Overload

coco14 — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 19:19:20 GMT

I love, and have always, loved neutrals - I find them very relaxing and comforting - lots of creams, off-whites with black-cream accents -

In fact, black and cream toile is my absolute favorite -

When I was working, I dressed this way also.

Bright colors, for me, are very jarring.

Re: Neutral Overload

Spurt — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 21:30:48 GMT

I understand why people chose neutrals, but too me the neutral theme is just too blah....and when I see all these light colored couches and chairs I can just picture what they will look like with everyday living especially with kids and pets or those that entertain a lot.....ARRRGGGHHH!!!

Re: Neutral Overload

Desert Lily — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 22:14:02 GMT

@wilma I have an extra bedroom that's done in all neutrals, and I really like it. Everything is a shade of ivory/off-white. The walls are a cream color, the window covering is vanilla and has texture, the 2 matching chests of drawers I recently bought are a shade of off-white, the lamp shade is ivory with a texture, etc. There are 3 paintings that are basically neutrals, but 1 one has silhouettes of people wearing dark gray & the other 2 have hints of silvers/other neutrals in them. I use this room as a "dressing" room. It has a calming atmosphere, yet warm with the warmer shades of ivory.

Re: Neutral Overload

Regal Bee — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 22:41:27 GMT

I love neutrals but use colors in very light tones. I don't like a lot of color in my designs.

Re: Neutral Overload

Sooner — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 22:54:58 GMT

I have decorated basically in light neutrals since the 1970's. We moved in the late 1980s and I pulled down the navy paper, the duck border, the navy counters, heavy drapes and went neutral getting white shutters that I loved.

Yes, all of my houses have trended toward that with more navy and one forest green office along the way. Oh and a soft yellow guest room with black furniture. But neutrals are what makes me happy.

I will throw in a soft colored chair maybe, or a duvet in a color (but never a bright color), and that's about it.

I have softly colored rugs on wood floors, different textures and things like that, maybe some peach towels, but never bright colors. I just find them too loud for me. I want soothing, serene, and light rooms.

Re: Neutral Overload

ninjawife — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:32:45 GMT

My entire home except for my children's bedrooms is painted a color called chopstick which is a beige color. I also have beige wall to wall carpeting upstairs and red oak hard wood floors downstairs. Those neutrals along with some black accents are the background to color that is in my furniture, accessories, curtains and area rugs.

Re: Neutral Overload

Reever — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 00:35:32 GMT

Every room in my home is white ( or an off white such as Linen White). I only use flat white paint. I dont listen to what the experts or home designers say nor do I care what the trends are. I even had a contractor refuse to paint my room with flat paint ( I fired him).

Re: Neutral Overload

Drythe — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 01:08:11 GMT

@wilma

The beige / grey themes are not to my taste.

No issue, just not for me.

Re: Neutral Overload

jeanlake — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 02:15:13 GMT

I begin with a neutral but make sure each room has a pop of color or even a surprise decor item.

Re: Neutral Overload

stevieb — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 14:57:55 GMT

Neutral rooms can be beautiful and I have a real appreciation for them but a whole home full of neutral rooms and spaces is not for me. Moreover, I'm so weary of picking up shelter magazines and seeing very little that's new or different. It seems the mantra that's been reigning for too long is neutral (usually grey) rooms, transitional style, a few pieces of modern art, an obnoxious ceiling fixture, geometric patterns, and a couple of plants... There might or might not be a piece or two of vintage furniture in the mix and there might or might not be something Asian influenced along for the ride... Too predictable and not my aesthetic... I'm down to one shelter magazine subscription and I'm leaning toward cutting that one loose, due to the lack of variety... I'd also note that when color is featured, the tendency is to be heavy on the blues, which, other than for accessories, are not among my favorite hues for decor...

Re: Neutral Overload

magicmoodz — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 15:15:09 GMT

Proudly raising my hand as someone who LOVES a neutral home. I feel nothing dates a home faster than out of style paint colors.

Currently my entire home is a chameleon. Depending on the light coming in from massive windows/time of day it can look either taupe or a warm gray (lots of red, no blue).

I do sometimes think about having it all painted white and decorating with white, black and lots of big greenery, but it seems like a huge undertaking. I should be content with my new summer wardrobe pieces consisting of white, black and pear green.

Re: Neutral Overload

faeriemoon — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 11:10:13 GMT

I love neutrals, but I also have color mixed in. Quite a bit of color actually, depending on the room.

A neutral backdrop allows you play with color.