The Best Neutral Color Palette Ideas That Are Anything but Boring

By Kathryn O'Shea-Evans

If you think a neutral color palette is guaranteed to be as dull as stale crackers, think twice. Designers have long turned to neutral-on-neutral design schemes to set a serene, calming tone, but that doesn't necessarily equate to mundane. Consider some of the most eye-candy yet earthy rooms of history and you’ll know what we mean. The Coco Chanel Suite at the Ritz Paris? Pretty much awash in oatmeals and ecrus, and yet as head-turning and tailored as one of her tweedy jackets. Georgia O’Keeffe's living room in Abiquiú, New Mexico? As tawny and tortilla-hued as the wild bluffs beyond her windows.

To suss out what differentiates a showstopping neutral color palette from a ho-hum one, we turned to the pros. The upshot? Texture is vital—from high gloss to woven fabrics and fibers—as is a gentle layering of color, which is evidenced in the latest design trends. "I promise you, an all-white space does not have to feel stark," Pennsylvania designer Leanne Ford says. "Use it as a blank canvas and start layering the life into it! Neutral spaces can actually feel extra warm and cozy." Read on to find out how to put it in neutral—the right way.

A sunny, cloudless disposition is kind of the whole point of a neutral room—so don't muddy the space up too much or overcrowd it with furniture. For the sitting room of her house, which was built by architect Charles Barton Keen in 1900 in the countryside outside of Pittsburgh, Ford left the windows bare, allowing daylight to flow unfettered. "This sunroom used to have a dining table in it, but we decided to use it in a different way, as a casual space to relax close to the kitchen," she says. "My daughter and I have spent countless hours here cozied up around the long coffee table, making art together."

Focus on playing with form and shape to add interest and playfulness to a neutral room.

"Serenity Now" may as well have been the mantra of this getaway home on South Carolina's Kiawah Island that Charleston designer Stephanie Molster designed for her Washington, DC–based clients. "At the same time, it needed to be inviting and livable for their two young children," she says. "In order to achieve this, we layered lots of different textiles and materials, from wool to linen, teak to rattan. I also started playing around with shapes and form. For example, the shape of the island pendants mimics the round tapered legs that make the dining table base…. This play on form brought visual interest to the neutral palette, as well as a sense of informality, which was perfect for welcoming the homeowner's young family."

The intricate crown molding and wall paneling of Ford's foyer is painted a slightly different hue than the adjacent living space—a trick that cozies it up and makes each room feel even larger. "Bring in warmth in a neutral tonal space by layering shades of whites and creams living together," she says. And texture is unequivocally key for a soulful neutral color palette. "Layer cool linens and warm cottons next to beadboard, shiplap, concrete, and painted brick to add texture and interest for your eye."

Neutral doesn't have to be all light and airy all the time.

By Dan Avery

By Sam Cochran

By Dan Avery

Like pepper in a dish, sometimes a hint of spice can be a very good thing. After adding Portola Paints’ Roman Clay to the walls of this dining room to make it "more inviting and less sterile," David Samuel Ko, Founder & Designer of Maison Ko, brought in inky shades to the art and the furniture, which serve to ground the space. "The term ‘neutral’ isn't as limiting as one may think, as there are so many tones and shades of neutral colors, and it's just how they all interact with one another," Ko says. "By using a mix of darker-shade woods, warm brass, and textiles, we were able to create a space that felt warm and inviting but not too tonal or boring."

Any hue that comes from the earth can read as a neutral, if done correctly. "My clients on this Sag Harbor renovation wanted a green-themed space, but we wanted to keep it soft," says Southampton, New York, designer Victoria Ninette. "This is my take on what I call a ‘tonal neutral’: I play with a color scheme that envelopes the room in tonal variations of XYZ color. It's neutral in the sense that it feels calm and cohesive."

Play not just with texture and shape but with height as well.

By Dan Avery

By Sam Cochran

By Dan Avery

Life's inevitable highs and lows make it more interesting—and the same goes when it comes to interior design. Below the stairs in this tucked away space, Ko embraced branch cuttings that look truly sculptural in a leggy vase (and supply instant interest). Placing them next to the lower bowl and accessories serves to create the ultimate high/low juxtaposition on the tabletop. To create a beautiful neutral color palette, "play around with texture, weight, height, and layers," Ko says. "A space can remain neutral if there is nothing that draws too much of your attention and everything blends well together. Also, take advantage of natural light (if available), as that will add that final touch your space needs."

Neutral can actually be quite glam with the right touches.

The right jewelry can seriously upgrade an outfit in a neutral color palette. Likewise, a bit of bling can provide a much-needed wink of luxury in an otherwise neutral space. Take this living room by Shelby Girard, where brushed gold touches enliven the creams and blacks—especially in their unpredictable silhouettes.

By Dan Avery

By Sam Cochran

By Dan Avery

"My clients wanted a comfortable and cozy retreat in the chaos of Greenwich Village," Ninette says of this charming abode. "Here we used creams and warm woods in the main spaces to keep it easy on the eyes and played with fabrics for texture." To keep things interesting, the designer nestled a couple of showstopping and uncommon furniture pieces and accessories in the living space, including a coffee table that looks like a felled tree trunk, wood skis, and a pair of sculptural armchairs with rattan frames and abaca rope details.

A few well-placed mirrors do more than bounce light around—they add a sense of movement that can be transfixing, even if all they’re doing is reflecting curtains in the breeze. In this Manhattan living room by SheltonMindel, a set of two mirrored wood folding screens create a bit of additional architecture in a room of cool and calming grays.