The New Neutrals

Think you know neutrals? Not anymore, you don’t. There’s a new set of neutrals in town, and actually… they’re not neutrals. Technically. The approach to decorating with neutrals these days is a little eyebrow-raising. No more beige-based palettes from the 90s, grey-dominated rooms of the 2010s or the greige- all-over rooms that came next.

Yes, there are still organic shades such as fawn, camel, stone, sand, mushroom and almond (otherwise it really wouldn’t be a neutral palette), yes, there are layers of different tones (for depth), and yes, we’re remembering to mix materials (for tactility and quiet contrast). But there’s more.

In today’s neutral schemes, colour is creeping in, peeking out from among the classic almost pigment-less tones and acting as a neutral, like it’s an interiors version of Where’s Wally. Of course, we’re not talking letterbox red or cobalt blue, the contemporary unexpected neutrals are muted, pushed back and understated – the likes of dusty pink, olive, rust red or ochre.

Think of putting mauve with your mushroom, dusty pink with chocolate, olive with terracotta, or mustard with cream. What makes them fit in with the classic neutral palette is their earthiness; each has the feel of being a little dirty and softened around the edges, so that they slide right in amidst their neutral distant cousins.

The way to make these dirty hues work is to see them as neutrals, to try to forget they have any pigment and look only at their tonal quality when placing them into your colour-free interior. Instead of restraint and rule-following, focus instead on character, nuance, warmth and atmosphere. The result will feel inviting, intriguing, considered and confident.