We tell you what shades of basic colors to use and how to apply them correctly in different rooms.
When decorating the interior, a standard scheme is almost always used: a calm base and bright accents. The combination of two neutral colors often causes concern. Will it look too flat and boring? In this article, we talk about the universal combination of gray and beige: what styles are suitable for and how to use them in different rooms.
General Tips
Both colors are basic and are notable for a large number of shades. Despite the fact that beige is considered warm, it has many neutral and even cold variations: for example, oatmeal, smoky, marshmallow, and mother-of-pearl. Gray is an achromat and completely depends on the subtone that is mixed with it. As a result, we have almost two hundred shades that range from light warm nuances close to beige to cold, almost black.
Often two colors are combined, forming a mixed gray-beige color in the interior, which even came up with a name – greige (gray + beige) or French gray. This is a soft transitional tone that does not put pressure on the psyche, suitable for any room and all styles. Depending on the environment, it will be perceived as warm or cold.
So, what do you need to remember when using this pair in the interior?
- Light variations work on the same principle as white – they visually expand the space, making it lighter and more airy. Therefore, this combination is suitable for small rooms or rooms where there is not enough natural light.
- Use semitones. Pure beige or the most average gray will look trite and flat. Pay attention to their shades, perhaps not obvious, and combine them by temperature.
- Textures are important – it is on them that the base is revealed. Combine different textures of wood, the surface of stone or marble, concrete, metal, leather, ceramics, and natural fabrics in the design of the room.
- Beige loves contrast, so it’s best to combine it with shades much lighter or darker.
- The temperature of the shades must be chosen not only on the basis of the general palette but also depending on the location of the room. If there is a lot of light in the room, and the windows face south or southeast, natural light can be slightly muted with cool gray tones as a base. If the sun is not enough, the windows are small or facing north, then warm shades with a predominance of beige will make the room cozy, filling it with a sense of sunlight.
- To prevent the room from turning into a flat dimensionless space, outline the boundaries and add volume to it with the help of contrasting dark details. It can be accessories, lamps, decorative elements, ornament on textiles, or wallpaper.
- Bright accents will enliven the design: blue, dark red, coral, pink, emerald, etc.
Interior ideas in gray-beige tones
Kitchen
This neutral pair is perfect for decorating a kitchen in any style, from classic to minimalist. In the coming years, natural colors and restraint of the palette will be in trend, so such a base will look relevant for a long time.
What to Consider
- For the kitchen, use “edible” shades: biscuits, baked milk, cappuccino, oatmeal, cream, and coffee.
- It is often hot in the cooking area, so it is best to choose neutral or cool variations that will cool and refresh the space.
- If the kitchen is bright, you can dilute the garage with white – it will let the interior breathe. If a spectacular dark design is planned, then glossy surfaces, glass, and mirror elements will cope with this task.
- For classics, neoclassical, country, eco, or Provence, beige is suitable as the main color. For minimalism, Scandinavian, contemporary, loft-gray. Chrome technology looks interesting in modern styles.
Living room
A small room is decorated in light shades with the addition of white – this combination will give a feeling of spaciousness and lightness even in a small area. If there is enough space, you can experiment with darker colors: for example, use deep graphite, slate, or wet asphalt in furniture or decoration.
The situation in the living room should be multifaceted: it should be suitable for gatherings with friends, and for relaxing in a narrow family circle. To prevent a neutral palette from looking too calm and even boring, dilute it.
How to dilute the base tones
- Expressive textures – wood, marble, concrete, masonry, fur, leather, precious metals.
- Unusual works of art or posters.
- Live houseplants.
- Bright sofa.
- Multi-colored accents that are easy to remove or replace (decor, textiles, dishes).
Bedroom
The interior of the bedroom should be conducive to relaxation and provide a comfortable sleep – for this, the gray-beige palette is perfect. In the recreation area, monochrome solutions look organic (as if the saturation was reduced to a sepia effect in the photo).
You can take one of the two colors as a base, and make the second additional. Or mix them in equal proportions – in this combination it works. The main thing is to add at least a little contrast to such a range: for example, black or white. Interspersed with bright colors are also suitable, but use not acidic, but deep, slightly dusty colors: burgundy, indigo, malachite, ocher, terracotta, bottle glass, powdery pink, lavender, peach. Even furniture can be an accent: for example, bed upholstery.
Kids Bedroom
There is no unequivocal solution regarding the color scheme of the kid’s bedroom: someone believes that the interior should be colorful in order to develop the child’s imagination and give him positive emotions. Others say that space should soothe – it is important to “cool down” a mobile child’s psyche. In the baby’s room, the basic combination of gray and beige will give a second effect, so it can be used as a base: for example, in decoration or for furniture.
Unlike other rooms, there will be more colorful accents here: toys, decor, textiles, and contrasting prints on the wallpaper. Due to the versatility of the greige, any paint can be combined with it. Interspersed with yellow, blue, pink, green, and purple look good in a nursery. So that bright colors do not put pressure on the child’s psyche, it is better to use diluted pastel variations.
Cabinet
A neutral palette is a great option for decorating a home office, whether it’s a separate room or a dedicated part of a room (most often a living room or bedroom). The interior of the work area should be calm, helping to concentrate and at the same time soothing.
If visitors are received in the home office, then noble restrained colors will emphasize the status, and make the atmosphere more expensive and noble. Especially if you complement them with natural wood furniture, parquet, and high-quality finishes.
Gray is most often used for walls and floors, beige appears in the texture of wood or leather. Design examples are in the photo below.
Bathroom
The combination of gray and beige in the interior of the bathroom can be called a classic. This is a universal pair that can make up almost the entire palette. Suitable for any style and size: it will look equally good on two and ten square meters.
Advantages of the basic palette in the bathroom
- Visually increases the area if you use light variations. Glossy surfaces, mirrors, and white as a third color will enhance the effect.
- In a city apartment in the bathroom, as a rule, there is no natural light, so it is important to think over the lighting – with the light of one upper light bulb, the gray-beige combination will look like an indistinct dirty spot.
- Use several textures in the design of the bathroom. It can be marble or concrete imitation tiles, artificial or natural stone, decorative panels, and wood-like facades. You can complement them with accent fittings made of warm metals.
Hallway
The hallway is characterized by several features that affect the design of this room.
- Lack of natural light (with rare exceptions).
- Small size, sometimes inharmonious proportions.
- High pollution.
The design of the entrance area should be primarily practical: durable wear-resistant materials, thoughtful lighting, and non-staining colors. Achromats are best suited for the role of the latter, so shades of gray are often used to decorate walls and floors, complementing them with lighter and warmer colors to avoid the feeling of a dark cramped box.
In the classical and neoclassical style, you can take a noble light shade of beige as a base: ivory, cream, biscuit, mother-of-pearl, etc. It is most often combined with white, light gray, and gold details.
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