I'm an oil painter who uses a palette knife.
Why?
Because the knife lets me layer on thick layers of paint. It's this texture that excites me. The rough consistency adds interest, movement and energy.
My love for texture leads me to my love of neutrals. Here's why:
Neutrals are Warm, Welcoming, and Stress-Free
A neutral color scheme can provide an oasis of tranquility. We all love spaces that exhibit relaxation and warmth, and neutrals can achieve this perfectly. A home that uses neutral hues naturally reflects a welcoming and inoffensive atmosphere. Their simplicity makes it easier to diffuse some of the stresses of the day, offering more balance to your lives.
7 Benefits of Neutral Home Decor
1. Neutral Works For Any Style
The wonderful thing about neutral colors is they literally work with any style! Whether you love modern, traditional, eclectic, or rustic charm.
2. Family Friendly
When most people think of neutral, they think of light shades of white, but darker tones of tans, taupes, and beige support your entire family's needs inviting them into a room where they feel comfortable kicking back and relaxing without fear of getting things dirty.
3. Highlights the Architectural details
Various shades of neutrals can strengthen and add interest to a room by including even minimal contrast to architectural details such as ceiling beams, wainscoting, decorative columns, and crown molding.
For a rustic texture reclaimed barn wood as paneling will have a dramatic impact.
When decorating with a neutral color scheme, it's important to bring in a variety of patterns and textures. By offsetting rough with soft, shiny with matte, and coarse with smooth, you create depth and interest, making the room more dynamic. Think about using textures like linen, suede, velvet, cable knits, and sheepskin.
5. Never Grow Tired Of Neutrals
Neutrals are a classic. Have you ever painted a room in a bold color, and two years later find you're ready to pick up a paint brush because you’ve grown tired of the color or the energy the all-blue room proves to be too lively? One of the best features of neutral colors is you’ll never grow tired of them.
6. Enhance or Create a Focal Point
One touch of color, be it soft and subtle or bold and bright, can become the showstopper in your room. It can be an accent wall, accessories, or art. Paintings are my favorite way to add a focal point to a neutral color scheme. The art pops, becoming front and center against the neutral background. Adding this touch of color allows you to show-off all your cool design choices and personal style.
7. Neutrals Adapt to the Seasons
With a neutral background, it’s easy to add your personal tastes when it comes to seasonal décor. For spring, easily add throw pillows with a pattern of bright yellow daffodils. For autumn, add a vase of bright orange bittersweet berries. Neutrals are a blank canvas to create festive Christmas decor, too.
If you think neutral color schemes are boring or unimaginative, think again. They allow your personality to shine because you can add as little or as much color to the basic palette as your taste prefers!