The New Neutrals

I am unashamedly fond of neutrals. I always have been and I always will be. So imagine my delight when, as 2021 dawned upon us, the neutrals began creeping back into magazines, fabrics, paints and homewares! My go-to vanilla (pun intended) decorating is finally back limelight. But these colours are not beige; they are sand, stone and clay. Welcome, the new neutrals.

What is a neutral?

Let’s talk about what a neutral actually is for a moment. Most would agree that black, white and grey are neutrals. Shades of brown (dare I say, beige) would fall into the neutral category. But the new neutrals are richer, warmer and deeper than ever before. They are a statement in themselves.

Dulux says a ‘neutral is a colour that acts as a subtle background hue, which can easily be layered with other stronger colours’. So most colours can be ‘neutral’, if they are muted down. A muted colour is toned down a bit with grey. Think of the Farrow & Ball colour card and you are pretty much there.

In 2021 neutrals are about ‘nature’. Natural tones are the new neutrals. Colours of the Earth are what we want most at the moment. Green and earthy brown based shades have shot up in popularity, as exemplified by Dulux’s colour of the year (Brave Ground) and Little Greene have brought out their fabulous colour card in Stone.

Little Greene’s Stone collection features 36 colours stemming from nature. The colour card is broken down into columns to help your pick your perfect neutrals. There are shades of yellow, green and red. The new neutrals are so much more than just ‘beige’.

But beige is boring

No, it’s not. Magnolia has a bad rep because everyone’s first rented house had (or has) magnolia walls, irrespective of their aspect or the rooms purpose. You only have to read my blog here to know that my yellow bedroom almost drove me to a nervous breakdown, so believe me renters, I sympathise. There is also that feeling of not being able to change something when you are renting (though there are many ways you can change up your rental without losing your deposit) that has turned us against magnolia.

However, done well, in the right setting and using a neutral that works for the room in question, neutrals can be incredibly beautiful.

Neutrals can be a wonderful canvas ready for you to layer with textures and tones that set the room off. I’ll be honest, I don’t like ‘pops’ of colour – unless it’s something significant, like a sofa, I think they look a bit awkward (sorry) – but if that’s what you love then bring the fun with your colour pop. Or just layer up all the earthy tones.

Softening the edges

I have noticed a shift from stark neutrals (black, white and pure grey) toward softer ones – creams and warm greys. But it is not just the colour palettes that are becoming a little more muted. The edges are literally being softened. DIY decorators are starting to call time on masking tape, opting for blurred lines and lime washes.

There is currently a need for calm at home and it must be, at least in part, down to the last year. We have lived through miserable times without hugs, friends and family. Loved ones have been lost. We have spent more time than ever before at home. And as a result, our homes need to be our sanctuaries. For many, working long, perhaps stressful, jobs at the dining room table triggers a need for calmness and quiet in our decor.

My living room is accidentally decorated in a shade of warm grey. I say accidentally because we simply bought the wrong paint, but thought ‘let’s try it in the living room’ and it just worked. This room makes me feel calm. I feel at peace in here. And after eight hours of brain work, calls, meetings, stress, over ambitious deadlines and demanding clients. My living room is my sanctuary.

How to make the new neutrals work for you

As with any decor scheme, you need to consider a few key things first:

The room’s purpose

A plea for the kids here. We all need our own space, including our kids and it’s a shame to force neutrals on your children if they really want a brightly coloured bedroom. Let them be a bit creative and if they want a lime green and orange bedroom, let them (note to reader: I had a lime green and orange bedroom as a teenager!) That said, young children are unlikely to care that much about decor of course, so as long as there’s plenty of toys, I’m not totally anti-neutral for kids!

Otherwise, neutrals are exactly that – neutral – and so will work in pretty much any room but some may be better than others. Muted pinks are known to be soothing, whereas yellow undertones are more stimulating, for example.

Aspect

This is really important. The natural light in a room will have a huge effect on how your chosen colour appears. Our south-west facing living room is painted in Pebble Shore from Dulux and it’s the paint colour I am most often asked about. However, a friend of mine tried the colour in a less bright room and it looked washed out.

Always get a tester and try it in a few places (it’s recommended to paint a big sheet of paper and put it up in various positions around the room) first. I can’t get a proper feel for a colour unless it’s on the wall so I whack testers up directly, but painting paper sheets is less messy!

Texture

When you’re decorating with a neutral, I think you can really make the room come into its own by playing with textures.

We will see a lot more lime washing this year, with will really take you neutral up a notch. You can also add some drama with 3D artwork, curves and upcycling furniture to soften the lines. No one does this better than Luke Arthur Wells who demonstrates unfailingly how to turn neutrals from ordinary to extraordinary.

And let’s not forget the soft furnishings. Layer up those textures with elements from nature: metallics, natural stone, wood and leather can all be implemented into neutral schemes along with accessories in wool and linen.

Are you here for the new neutrals?

How do you feel about a return to beige? Are you loving the new neutrals? I always love to hear your thoughts so don’t forget to join me over on Instagram.