The colour of a room defines its energy and its character. You can easily see this difference by first painting a space a cheerful yellow and then black. The room’s tone will change with each shade, affecting your mood with it. Neutral interiors and colours reflect more natural light and make the space look larger, while airy and dark-coloured interiors have the opposite effect. The skill of an interior designer or an architect lies in playing with colours and objects to evoke a “feeling” that the end-user desires from a space.
Colour trends come and go with the years. For example, the 1980s were represented with peaches, blues and rosy outlooks, while the 1990s changed all that with a Tuscan trend that had loads of terracotta sprinkled with earthy reds and rustic golds. The 2000s were the decade of expressionism and a need for people to use bold colours that showcased their personality.
Many who paint their rooms in a bold, vibrant colour end up getting sick of it in a year or two. The once vibrant bedroom becomes too loud for a relaxing evening with friends. This is where neutral colours come in. Neutrals are one of the most versatile shades in the palette. They are calm, discreet, and easy to please, with people of all ages and tastes. A range of shades from white to beige, greys, magnolia, and contrasting shades of natural elements help neutral interiors create a welcoming environment that is calm and elevating for any office or home.
Whether you like whites, greys, greens, blues or purples, a neutral colour scheme will work with every style. Whether you are looking for a modernist look, a retro feel, or a chic transformation, neutrals will ensure that you can make that change by just switching things on the forefront—while keeping the overall tone unoffensive and calming.
Neutrals make a room seem larger, airy and welcoming. This helps you to play around with the design elements in the room effortlessly, as every wall can work as a backdrop without putting too much effort into it. Neutrals have the added advantage of a timeless colour scheme that will never grow old.
In our wild search for the perfect colour scheme, we often forget about the textural elements of the room. Neutral backdrops help to create a welcoming interior when they are mixed with warm textures such as rough-hewn wood elements, glossy tiles, brushed velvets and linens.
While flashy, bold colours make a style statement, you need to tone them down a bit, and there’s nothing better than neutral colours to act as a contrasting element between colours that pop. Neutral interiors also help bold elements stand out better than they would on their own. Using a grey sofa with a brighter or deeper coloured wall is a great way to break the monotony.
Designing the interiors of a room or a home is tricky, especially when trying to please a family. Designers need to use a combination of neutral elements and contrasting shades and textures to create a subtle or bold look. Neutral interiors help warm-up or cool down a room—making them an extremely versatile tool for any interior designer. Students of architecture and interior design at Chitkara University spend years being mentored by expert architects and interior designers who help them hone their skills. Creating a visual and design balance comes naturally to them—which helps curate interiors that families will love to come home to.
