Want to move to a neutral color palette but don't know where to start? Here is a step-by-step blueprint for moving to a neutral color palette and creating a home you love.
Neutral decor is classic and clean and easy to live in. But how do we move to a neutral color palette? Here are 13 steps to help you shift your decor to neutrals and create a room you love!
You don’t need a professional to help you move to a neutral color palette. I can help you do just that! Remember, my goal is to help you create a beautiful home you love. And to break down Interior Design concepts into easy-to-understand, doable processes you can use in your home.
Just follow these steps and they will help you have a neutral room (or home) you love!
Changing your color palette is not an overnight process. It takes time and a budget and patience! However, the result is so well worth it!
Neutral and classic rooms have longevity! They stay in style longer than their colorful counterparts!
I often hear, “I would love a neutral color palette”, from my readers. So this post is for you!
Let’s start by getting inspired!
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Most of us need a bit of inspiration when we are shifting a room from one style to another or from one color scheme to another.
Having a vision will help us make the dream of living in a home with beautiful natural interiors come true! A vision is like a mission statement. It keeps us on track!
Let’s get inspired! Is there an image of a beautiful neutral room you love?
Or is there a swatch of neutral upholstery fabric or a pillow with lots of neutral and natural texture you are holding on to because it inspires you?
Find something that you can use as a springboard or jumping off point to start changing a room or your whole home to neutrals.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT NEUTRAL COLOR PALETTE
The very first thing to do after you have decided to dip your toe into the pool of neutrals is to choose the perfect color palette.
Do you like grey, beige, white, cream, ivory, caramel, taupe, black, or any of the hundred other neutrals in between?
Do you like warm neutrals or cool neutrals?
One way to find the neutral color you lean towards is to take time and peruse Pinterest, Instagram, magazines, and blogs (like mine). You will find tons of neutral rooms so you can start getting a sense of the colors you would like to live with.
Nail down 3-5 neutral hues (colors) that go well together. These will be the base for your color palette. You can use tints (lighter) and shades (darker) of these colors too.
Our home has several main neutral colors. I chose white, beige, caramel, and black.
8 COLOR LESSONS YOU SHOULD KNOW is a must-read if you are considering changing the colors in a room. This post will give you a working knowledge of how to choose colors and detect undertones and how to figure out what colors are cool and warm colors. A must-read, really!
Also, read HOW TO CHOOSE THE PERFECT COLOR PALETTE FOR YOUR HOME. This is another post to read on your journey to neutrals that work together.
Here’s an old post about 6 REASONS TO LOVE STONEGABLE’S COLOR PALETTE you might like to read if you liked StoneGable’s color palette.
BE AWARE OF UNDERTONES
All colors have something called UNDERTONES. They are colors that “hide under” the main color. These undertones are super, super important! They can either create incredible beauty and harmony in a room or create color chaos!
Undertones are either cool or warm. And having a working knowledge of undertones is decorating gold!
To understand the amazing world of undertones you should read CAN YOU MIX WARM AND COOL COLORS.
This post will educate you about undertones so you can choose colors that work well together.
You won’t believe the difference a beautiful neutral paint color with the right undertones will make in a room!
USE A LITTLE BIT OF BLACK WITH A NEUTRAL COLOR PALETTE
One thing I’ve been learning the importance of is using a bit of black in a neutral room. Black adds visual weight and depth to a neutral room. If black is too heavy for you try charcoal or espresso.
Without a bit of contrast, a light-colored neutral room can be very uninspiring!
Black goes a long way, especially in a light neutral room. But a little bit of black goes a long way! Too much black makes a neutral room look moody.
Use the magic rule of three and when adding a bit of grounding black to a room.
You might like to read about the MAGIC RULE OF THREE.
ACCENT COLOR
An accent color, also known as a pop of color, livens up neutrals and adds personality. If your neutral colors are warm keep the accent color on the warm side. And if your color palette is cool keep the accent color on the cool side!
For me, I use caramel or saturated gold as my pop of color. It is pretty much a neutral-ish color but different enough to be interesting.
If you don’t want a pop of color then at least add a hint of color to your room. I often use green plants when I don’t want a noticeable accent color in a room. Also, think about adding seasonal colors to a neutral room. So pretty.
Finding an accent color that works for you is all about showing off your personality and preference! Have fun!
FIND THE PERFECT COLOR FOR YOUR WALLS AND START THERE
Once you have a neutral color scheme you love (remember 3-5 main colors), it’s time to find your perfect paint!
Choose one of the colors from your color palette or choose a white with the right undertones for your walls.
You can also choose a tint of one of your main colors. To create a tint (lighter color) cut the color with white. Remember, your walls are a backdrop for the furnishings in your room.
I am so partial to white walls. I love the way white paint lets neutral furniture shine.
After choosing your wall paint then choose your trim and ceiling paint.
Make sure to read THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR CHOOSING THE PERFECT WHITE PAINT COLOR. This post is very helpful even if you are not painting your walls white.
Choosing the right paint is such a very important step so take your time making this decision.
PATTERNS AND TEXTURES COUNT IN A NEUTRAL ROOM
Texture and pattern become very important in a neutral room! Our eyes love interesting things and in a monochromatic room texture and pattern make up for color. They add warmth, depth, and interest to a room.
Use texture liberally! If there is not enough texture in a neutral room the room often looks flat. When you layer decor make sure to use lots of texture.
You might like to read THE BEST KEPT DECORATING SECRET. It will help become a pro at using texture in your home.
CAN YOU KEEP ANY FURNITURE YOU ALREADY HAVE
Before you buy any new furniture, make sure to think about the furniture you have. Can you keep any of it? Is any of it neutral? Will it work with your new color palette? If so! Great!!!
But don’t be lulled into wanting to keep furniture that really won’t work. Remember changing your color palette is a process! So make a list of items to be replaced and prioritize what you will buy.
If you love the lines of an upholstered piece you already own, think about slipcovering or reupholstering it. And if you can’t part with wooden furnishings like a coffee tables or chairs, then paint them. These are very pretty and very economical things to do to move towards more neutral colors.
THINK ABOUT FOUNDATIONAL FURNISHINGS
After you choose and paint a room and love it, now it is time to find the perfect foundation furnishings.
Some experts say to start with a rug, but I say start with finding a beautiful neutral-colored sofa.
Here’s where to look for good quality. Good quality does not always mean expensive.
A sofa, dining table, and bed are probably the biggest pieces of furniture in your home. And they get lots of use. So here is where to spend a chunk of your budget.
Choosing foundation furniture with classic lines, brown or neutral wood tone, and a gorgeous neutral fabric or leather will keep that investment piece in style longer.
CHOOSING MORE FOUNDATIONAL FURNISHINGS, AND RUGS
There is no special order to choose your more pricy pieces of furniture like sturdy chairs or bookcases for a room. Just make sure you work within your color palette.
This is also a good time to coordinate curtains and choose a rug.
When I decorate I have a mantra I use all the time…
STAY IN YOUR LANE!
In other words, don’t offroad into other color palettes! This is so important! Choose each item you put in a room you are making more neutral with your style and color palette in mind!
MIXING METALS AND A NEUTRAL COLOR PALETTE
Mixing metals in a neutral room is so important. Metals add style, flair, contrast, and interest. Use the 70-20-10 rule. Seventy percent one metal, 20 percent another, and 10 percent a third metal.
In other words, have a main metal color and then add other metal colors in small doses.
You might like to read 5 TIPS FOR MIXING METALS IN DECOR.
FINDING ACCENT FURNITURE
After you have chosen your main furniture, start choosing accent furnishing like…
- accent chairs
- mirrors
- lamps
- art
- garden stools
- accent tables
- benches
- curtains
- a bar cart
- clocks
- and more
Here’s where you can use the tints and shades of your colors.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESSORIES
Accessories and accent decor are really the same things. In my mind, however, accessories are smaller items that usually cost less.
Accessories can really update a room since they are not a big investment. Have fun with them and let your personality shine! Choose lots of on trend inexpensive pieces to keep your decor fresh.
I consider accessories the jewelry of a room!
Here are some accessories…
- throw pillows
- blankets and throws
- trays
- lanterns
- baskets
- small plants
- flowers
- vases
- lanterns
- candles and candleholders
- urns
- bowls
- poofs
- flowers, real and faux
- objects d’art
- more
These items are easily changed out seasonally. Think about collecting a stash so you have lots of decorating options.
You can offroad a little bit with accessories, just keep a good balance between cool and warm colors in your room.
You might want to read ACCENT DECORATIONS EVERY HOME NEEDS.
