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  5. Decorating with Neutrals

Decorating with Neutrals

Caitlin Sole headshot
By Caitlin Sole June 08, 2015
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living room
Neutral colors area reliable decorating tool, providing welcome visual breaks, excellent backdrops and soothing moods, depending on how you treat them. See just how versatile neutral color palettes can be and how you can get a not-so-boring neutral look in your home.
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Orange You Glad?

living room

Walls painted a deep putty make for a versatile neutral, as the color not only works equally well with black, brown and white, it pulls all three together. A light, patterned rug warms the wood floor while balancing the brightness created by the white cabinets and woodwork. A cluster of neutral, nature-theme artwork adds understated interest, as do small, simple shots of happy orange.

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Neutral Color Scheme

See how to put together a color scheme starring neutrals.

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A Better Bath

bathroom

With tiles like these, who needs a shower curtain? Clear doors let the neutral-tone beauties take center stage. It's one of three types of tile, which work together so well in this small space because they're all made up of neutral tones. The mixture of gray and brown, plus the natural materials and abundance of clean, straight lines, give the room a masculine feel.

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Hub of the Home

skylight

A mix of soft, gentle neutrals in this kitchen make it an easy backdrop for the action it naturally attracts. Bare wood beams stand out against a whitewashed ceiling, and are nicely balanced by the wood floor and attention-grabbing black-and-white runners underneath. Note that any bit of dark tugs at the eye amid this cheery sea of light.

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Step It Up

Step It Up

Use neutrals to unify materials in DIY projects. Here, wooden step stools, painted gray and white, stack together as a impromptu library. The painted finish complements the neutral hues and textures used elsewhere in the living room.

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Smart Art

couch

A backdrop of subdued whites and gentle grays present the perfect way to show off a colorful art collection. Placing pictures in a variety of frames painted the same glittery, elegant gold is a smart way to draw attention and add cohesion without getting too matchy-matchy. 

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Go Beyond Beige

Use these tricks to take a beige room from boring to bold.

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Go Wild

Exterior Focus

Here's proof that a color scheme made up exclusively of neutrals is anything but boring. A healthy variety of brown tones, plus black and white, create an upscale look with intrigue. The nubby rug, stone mantel and sculptures add textural depth, and all those unassuming stretches of neutral allow the patterned work of art over the mantel to take center stage. 

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Rustic Neutrals

dining

Neutrals allow show-stopping pieces to have the attention they deserve. Here, simple white walls, neutral trim, and even the wood ceiling and floor quietly come together so as not to steal the show from the rustic cabinet, weathered farm table, and distinctive overhead light. Employing one color, a muted green, throughout the space adds a little dimension, without taking away from the room's rustic neutral palette.

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Throwback Country Kitchen

Kitchen Countertops

There’s something clean and classic about an all-white kitchen. Warm wood floors and countertops only add to the throwback appeal. Here, simple striped shades repeat both the wood and white, but add some sunshiny yellow. Metal fixtures and appliances find further cohesion from basic, yet shapely metal stools and a standout painted-green light fixture.

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Sweet Dreams

bedroom

In a bedroom, a mixture of white, barely beige and the lightest of baby blues are the stuff dreams are made of. The tonal color palette doesn't fall flat, thanks to an abundance of fabrics -- a padded headboard, plush comforter, billowy curtains, and upholstered stools.

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Naturally Good

living room

When a room is lucky enough to be filled with natural light, it makes sense to keep the mood bright with light neutrals. This room riffs off the outdoor theme with layered natural-fiber flooring, weathered wood tables, nature-inspired art and accents in the colors of water and sunshine. Lots of fabric and a mix of patterns big and small keep things casual. Pops of blue inject a just-right visual break from the cocoon of neutrals.

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Very Complementary

living room

Here’s a foolproof formula for a pulled-together room: Take extravagant stretches of beautiful neutrals, then layer in a pair of complementary colors, which always look good together. Here, red and green show up in a smart mix of patterns from big to medium to small. Though the drapes and rug are both tan, like the walls and sofa, their subtle patterns defy monotony.

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Change is Good

cream bedroom

If you keep the room’s main elements neutral, it makes it a cinch to switch up moods on a whim. In this bedroom, for example, all the basics are classic, comfortable and neutral, including the pale walls, white woodwork, wood floors, and white tufted headboard. Changing the vibe is as simple as changing the comforter and the throw pillows.

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Pattern Play

dining

When your patterns are neutral, you can layer many of them for intrigue without sacrificing sophistication. Here, painted gray cabinetry creates a certain elegance, while antiqued chairs and three varied gray patterns, spread from floor to ceiling and keep things from getting too serious.

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Building Focus

conversation room

When decorating with light neutrals, it’s easy to create focus with bold color, or even other neutrals in darker shades. In this room, for example, the dusty blue rug and patterned pillows are light enough to blend sweetly with the neutral wing-backs. It’s the neutral, yet dark ottoman and art that really grab your attention. 

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Naturally Industrial

Traditional Kitchen Cabinets

A good material mix is key to a successful neutral kitchen. Here, rugged, multicolor brick, delicate, sparkly glass, gleaming variegated wood tones, handsome gray cabinetry and all shades of metal each bring something fresh to the kitchen, otherwise outfitted in understated neutral shades.

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So Dreamy

bedroom

Neutrals are an excellent choice in the bedroom, thanks to their restful vibes. Lots of white plus slightly varied tones of calming beige throughout mix dreamily with sweet bursts of sky blue. Measured doses of dark brown low down -- like the wooden legs peeking out from under the upholstered pieces -- ground the airy palette.

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    1 of 18 Orange You Glad?
    2 of 18 Neutral Color Scheme
    3 of 18 A Better Bath
    4 of 18 Hub of the Home
    5 of 18 Step It Up
    6 of 18 Smart Art
    7 of 18 Go Beyond Beige
    8 of 18 Go Wild
    9 of 18 Rustic Neutrals
    10 of 18 Throwback Country Kitchen
    11 of 18 Sweet Dreams
    12 of 18 Naturally Good
    13 of 18 Very Complementary
    14 of 18 Change is Good
    15 of 18 Pattern Play
    16 of 18 Building Focus
    17 of 18 Naturally Industrial
    18 of 18 So Dreamy

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