For those who like to stick to a neutral color palette instead of using bold colors, know that neutral colors can have just as much life. Afraid of being stuck in a sea of beige or oatmeal? There are techniques you can use so that you can still use your palette but have a lively environment. You do not necessarily need bright, loud colors in order to make your home lively. You can achieve the same feeling with neutral tones. In order to do so you can use neutral colors the key is to use a variety of it. Experiment with shades, tones, textures, and shapes. By doing this you can make your home expressive without giving up your love for a neutral palette.
Tones
The first trick is to incorporate various shades into your space. Let’s say you want your living room to consist mostly of beige. While it might sound drab it depends on the shades that you incorporate. There are darker or lighter tones of beige that can be a great contrast. There are warmer and cooler tones that control the mood that you may try to evoke. Although you may want to stick to beige, there are many options available. Incorporating a variety of tones adds depth to the room, it prevents it from looking too bland. This way there are nice contrasting colors and you can play with atmosphere. Despite the different tones your room will still look cohesive because you are using variations of the same color. You do not have to worry about not matching like you would with having multiple different colors.
Textures
Although colors are available in various shades that does not mean that you would like to incorporate them all in your living room. While it is good to have variation, having every shade of beige in your living room may not be such a good idea. There are other ways to add depth to your room besides just sticking to color. Texture allows you to use similar colors but can be distinct because of the varying surface. If you plan on getting items of a similar color, try getting them in various textures. This way you will not have to rely solely on color and will add personality to your room.
Shapes
Adding interesting shapes is also a great way to add variety in your room. Similarly to texture, you can have objects of the same color but the shape will make them stand apart. Removing color from the way you furnish your room makes room to experiment with other factors. Adding unique shapes, regardless of the matching color of the rest of the furnishings, will add more dimension to your space. If everything is the same shape, whether it be linear or curved, it will start to look boring. Mix the shapes and contours of your furniture to separate it from the rest. This is especially important if you stick to the same color palette. While buying a living room set in which everything matches is tempting, if you are sticking to a limited color palette it will look boring. Try to add variety by including items with unique forms.
Sticking to a neutral color palette does not automatically mean that your space will look bland. There are ways to make your space look lively without sacrificing your color choice. There are many other elements that you can play with in order to make your room stand out. Having a limited color palette lets you play with texture and shape