Tips for Taking Your Neutral Livingroom from Snooze to Soothe

Have you ever fallen in love with the look of a light, bright neutral living room, but when you tried it, you found you had a room that was a complete snooze, rather than the welcoming, soothing living room you expected? Don’t despair, using only neutral colors can create a warmly soothing and sophisticated space if you do it right. Many people are fearful of using color, so they choose all neutral colors and create a room lacking in flair. A neutral palette is more than just a lack of colors, as seen below in this living room featuring the Conrad Conversation Sofa by Lexington Furniture.

Many Shades of Neutral

Use numerous shades of your neutral color, whether you’ve decided on taupe, gray, cream, or any other neutral color, using many shades of that color will add depth and interest to your room. In the room above, the chairs, ottoman, and sofa contain four different colors and the walls are also a different color – the wood is very dark in comparison to the upholstery on the sofa and chairs.

Use Texture

Work with many textures that contrast well. If the fabrics on the sofa and chairs had the same texture, this room would be boring. Bu the fabric on the chair and ottoman and sofa have obviously different textures that contrast well with the dark walls and cream-colored drapes.

High-Quality Texture

When your color palette is neutral and your textures take center stage, the other aspects of your living room are even more important. Texture is one of those aspects. In the room above, the light plays off of different angles, highlighting the luxurious fabric of the sofa. Carefully choose your standout piece and spend your budget wisely. Purchase the best furniture pieces you can afford – this is something you will use every day, so you will notice.

Use Shapes

Highlight beautiful and interesting shapes. When you take color out of the equations, the shapes in the room catch your attention. The upholstery on the Conrad ottoman and chair by Lexington Furniture bring in a geometric element that catches the eye. The circular pattern on the area rug softens the room and contrasts with the lines of the coffee table.

Materials and Surfaces

Carefully combine interesting surfaces and materials. The room above contains a plush area rug, luxurious upholstery on the sofa, a textured print on the chair and ottoman, flowy drapes, and a hard wood surface on the walls. All these textures work together to add interest to the room.

Patterns

Use patterns mindfully. The geometric upholstery of the chair and ottoman along with the circular pattern on the rug is echoed in the circular pattern of the drapes. The room works on so many levels, which is what makes it interesting and not boring, not in spite of but because of the carefully applied neutral palette. It includes all of the above mentioned elements: different shades of one color, multiple textures, patterns, different materials, and interesting shapes. This certainly demonstrates that a neutral palette is more than a bunch of beige.

If you want to create a neutral palette that soothes rather than snoozes, visit the Baer’s Furniture near you and take advantage of their complementary interior design service. Find out more about Baer’s Furniture on Hoovers.