Decorating
Decorating: How to do Neutral Colour Blocking in Your Home
We’ve had colour-blocking brights, but here’s how to block out your neutrals for the height of sophistication
How best to colour block bold hues and sugary pastels has been a key decorating concern of late. But now it’s time to move down a gear or two (in colour-talk, anyhow) and go for colour-blocking neutrals to help create subtle drama in any room in the house. Let’s face it, there’s no denying the liveability factor of cream, taupe and grey, be it in the bathroom or the boudoir, but to stop your neutrals from being a bore, learn how to block them out beautifully.
Use a subtle colour change
Blink and you might miss the subtle change of neutrals in this delightful, modern classic kitchen. But the slight shift in tempo from Fired Earth’s Pearl Ashes 3 on the lacquered wall units to Graphite 4 on the island unit is just enough to stop the kitchen from appearing ‘too neutral’.
Sprinkle with brushed metal lamps and warm cherrywood accents and who needs any other colour?
Blink and you might miss the subtle change of neutrals in this delightful, modern classic kitchen. But the slight shift in tempo from Fired Earth’s Pearl Ashes 3 on the lacquered wall units to Graphite 4 on the island unit is just enough to stop the kitchen from appearing ‘too neutral’.
Sprinkle with brushed metal lamps and warm cherrywood accents and who needs any other colour?
Highlight symmetry
Today’s trend for mix-and-match kitchens is spot-on if you fancy a touch of neutral colour blocking. This well-considered kitchen nails the look using a handful of contrasting materials and colours, but all in a natural, elegant palette.
Simple blocks of white, handle-free units create a starting point for the design, from which slick planes of richly veined marble, exotic wood and stainless steel add an individual touch and create a really pleasing sense of symmetry.
Today’s trend for mix-and-match kitchens is spot-on if you fancy a touch of neutral colour blocking. This well-considered kitchen nails the look using a handful of contrasting materials and colours, but all in a natural, elegant palette.
Simple blocks of white, handle-free units create a starting point for the design, from which slick planes of richly veined marble, exotic wood and stainless steel add an individual touch and create a really pleasing sense of symmetry.
Try out a stripe
Be experimental with your neutral tones and be amazed at how much character and spirit can be had from cream, grey and taupe.
Don’t be restricted to single neutral blocks on separate walls. Why not paint out a thick horizontal band that stretches right around the room or use a contrasting neutral on skirting boards and door frames? It’s a simple technique that can work wonders.
Be experimental with your neutral tones and be amazed at how much character and spirit can be had from cream, grey and taupe.
Don’t be restricted to single neutral blocks on separate walls. Why not paint out a thick horizontal band that stretches right around the room or use a contrasting neutral on skirting boards and door frames? It’s a simple technique that can work wonders.
Add texture with tiles
A key decorating tool to stop your beloved neutrals from looking overly bland is texture, texture and more texture.
It’s a relatively simple strategy to pull off in the living room and bedroom, with so many feel-good fabrics at your disposal. But how to do the same in the bathroom? One way is to shake up your tile size, layout and pattern. Harness the calm, spa-like shades of beige and stone, but ‘colour block’ by using different tiles for subtly different tones, such as the big, square floor tiles, rectangular wall tiles and pencil-thin mosaics in this room.
Get to know different tile patterns to create different effects
A key decorating tool to stop your beloved neutrals from looking overly bland is texture, texture and more texture.
It’s a relatively simple strategy to pull off in the living room and bedroom, with so many feel-good fabrics at your disposal. But how to do the same in the bathroom? One way is to shake up your tile size, layout and pattern. Harness the calm, spa-like shades of beige and stone, but ‘colour block’ by using different tiles for subtly different tones, such as the big, square floor tiles, rectangular wall tiles and pencil-thin mosaics in this room.
Get to know different tile patterns to create different effects
Opt for warm neutrals
Decorating gurus will tell you that you can’t possibly go wrong with big blocks of neutral hues in the bedroom: they are timeless, sophisticated and foolproof.
But try leaning towards warmer neutrals (or yellow-based neutrals as they are called in the industry), including pale gold, hessian and string, for a more inviting and cosy take on the smart, hotel-at-home vibe. Layer with plush velvets, cool cottons and metal accents for a textural feast that will ramp up the wow factor.
Decorating gurus will tell you that you can’t possibly go wrong with big blocks of neutral hues in the bedroom: they are timeless, sophisticated and foolproof.
But try leaning towards warmer neutrals (or yellow-based neutrals as they are called in the industry), including pale gold, hessian and string, for a more inviting and cosy take on the smart, hotel-at-home vibe. Layer with plush velvets, cool cottons and metal accents for a textural feast that will ramp up the wow factor.
Bleach it out
This is how to do light, bright and clean neutrals in the most fuss-free and refreshing manner. A vast space like this could take any colour, however bold or bright. But blocking out the walls in a wraparound swathe of whispery taupe and the sofas in off-white linen creates the most comfortable and serene living room imaginable.
Even the neutral-coloured cat doesn’t look out of place…
This is how to do light, bright and clean neutrals in the most fuss-free and refreshing manner. A vast space like this could take any colour, however bold or bright. But blocking out the walls in a wraparound swathe of whispery taupe and the sofas in off-white linen creates the most comfortable and serene living room imaginable.
Even the neutral-coloured cat doesn’t look out of place…
Go for grey
Big blocks of sophisticated grey are still riding high on the design radar. Go for a smooth, matt paint on walls and contrast with crinkly linen or shiny silk curtains to bring out the different tones and characteristics of your all-grey palette.
Of course, all of this neutral grey-ness does need just a teeny smattering of colour to stop it looking cold, so pepper with cushions in muted jewel tones and accents of marble and distressed wood.
Big blocks of sophisticated grey are still riding high on the design radar. Go for a smooth, matt paint on walls and contrast with crinkly linen or shiny silk curtains to bring out the different tones and characteristics of your all-grey palette.
Of course, all of this neutral grey-ness does need just a teeny smattering of colour to stop it looking cold, so pepper with cushions in muted jewel tones and accents of marble and distressed wood.
Max out on milky tones
There’s barely any colour to talk of in this bedroom and yet the big blocks of subtly different milky neutrals can’t help but instil an overriding sense of calm and serenity – perfect for sleeping and relaxing.
Use subtle tones of the same neutral – stone, off-white and linen – which are urban and contemporary, but here, have an underlying pinkish tinge to retain a certain warmth.
There’s barely any colour to talk of in this bedroom and yet the big blocks of subtly different milky neutrals can’t help but instil an overriding sense of calm and serenity – perfect for sleeping and relaxing.
Use subtle tones of the same neutral – stone, off-white and linen – which are urban and contemporary, but here, have an underlying pinkish tinge to retain a certain warmth.
Swap out your whites
The all-white bathroom is a classic, for sure, but all that white can be a little too clinical for some.
Blocks of barely there neutrals will do the job just as well if you want a slick, contemporary bathroom, and will create a warmer, more liveable vibe (and best of all, won’t show up the dirt so quickly!). Mix and match pale ceramic tiles, modern timber storage and a faded neutral on the walls and let the crisp white sanitaryware gleam.
TELL US…
Do you love your neutrals? Please share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
The all-white bathroom is a classic, for sure, but all that white can be a little too clinical for some.
Blocks of barely there neutrals will do the job just as well if you want a slick, contemporary bathroom, and will create a warmer, more liveable vibe (and best of all, won’t show up the dirt so quickly!). Mix and match pale ceramic tiles, modern timber storage and a faded neutral on the walls and let the crisp white sanitaryware gleam.
TELL US…
Do you love your neutrals? Please share your tips and photos in the Comments below.
If a strict black-and-white palette is a little too severe for your design tastebuds, then why not opt for a softer take with charcoal and buttermilk.
Harness the velvety-smooth texture of matt fabrics and paint finishes and use in distinct blocks – light furniture against dark walls, say – for a striking yet elegant look. Remember, dark hues will benefit from effective lighting to bring out shadow and contrast.
Browse more monochrome schemes