Decorating and outfitting an interior space will almost always be reflective of your personal tastes. Some opt for lavish, loud decor while others prefer something a bit more minimal, and take a calm and relaxing approach. When it comes to the latter, working with a neutral decor in one’s home really comes down to the subtitles of shade and tone. 

Working with neutrals is not as simplistic as it may seem. In fact, you can easily use various shades of white, grey, and beige to inject real brilliance into the rooms of your home. If you’re thinking about going this route and looking for some inspiration, we’ve got you covered.

10 examples of neutral decors

1- Warm and toasty accents in this living room

photo: chaos & wonder design

This room is an excellent example of how one can work with neutrals and yet, still keep the space feeling warm. This living area is gorgeous, even with a mostly white and cream-coloured decor. The pairing of the cream and wood flooring and window trim is a match made in heaven. Plus, the rose and burgundy accents, including the pillows, vases and armchair really pop against the soft white walls.

10 examples of living room decors and layouts

2- Pattern and texture to keep things fresh

photo: apartment therapy

Some may find it difficult to keep things exciting when working with neutrals, but we’re here to suggest that there are plenty of ways to do so. One method is to work with lots of different patterns and textures; both in the materials of the space and in its accessories.

Take this room as an example. Between the white-painted brick wall, the woven fibre wall art, the fuzzy rug and the leather chair, it’s hard to know where to direct the eye. Nonetheless, this room has the right balance. 

3- Subtlety and sophistication in this open space

photo: blog lovin

Now, some choose to work with neutrals to keep things simple and sophisticated. We think that this room is a stunning example of how a little can go a long way. This neutral palette of white and wood tones reminds us of Scandinavian style design. We're particularly drawn to these ornate chairs as a focal point. All the elements of this space seem to just fit together in harmony.

4- Create a sanctuary in your bathroom

photo: glitter inc. 

There are so few elements in this bathroom and yet, the vintage-inspired pieces evoke an immediate calm. The repurposed farmhouse decor may not be for all tastes, but we could easily imagine spending an entire afternoon in this stark white tub.

The neutral tones between the tile floors and brick-patterned walls are divine, as well as the recessed windows offering an extra surface to rest towels or bath products on. This is the way to take simplicity to the next level.

Here are a few articles to help you with your bathroom renovation project:

• 10 examples of bathroom renovation projects

• Bathroom Renovation Project: Checklist of the Steps to Follow

5- Play with architectural elements in your kitchen

photo: modernest homes

If you’re working with neutrals, we’d suggest thinking beyond your typical elements such as materials and wallpaper. If you’ve got a room in the home with jaw-dropping architectural details, find a way to highlight them.

The exposed wood beams in this kitchen work well with the cream-toned wall and ceiling colour. The various wood accents and the matte black lighting features really pull this space together.

More ideas for your kitchen:

• White kitchens with diverse style: 10 examples

• 5 tips to decorate your kitchen

• 10 examples of dark kitchens (black, blue, green, grey and more)
   

6- Contrast is key in this dining room

source: Chaos & Wonder Design

Working with neutrals doesn’t mean that things need to feel one-note. In fact, we’d say a neutral colour scheme relies on layering opposing elements to create a cohesive decor. In this space, the stark contrast between the black light fixtures, chairs, as well as the dark wood table and brick accent wall, helps the white paint to really pop.

The piece of monochromatic art hanging on the exposed brick plus the various hanging plants work to bring the room together.

7- Various finishes to bring a space together

source: Domino

The elements of this room may initially appear chaotic, with many different textures, tones and finishes. However, this neutral living room with white walls and curtains, dark gray contemporary sofa, and big creme and gray patterned area rug work as a balanced backdrop for the antique art and 19th-century furniture.

This room is an excellent example of calm within the chaos, and how much it really comes down to incorporating many finishes to find balance.

8- Take playful risks in your baby's bedroom

source: Apartment Therapy 

Wallpaper on the ceiling? This is a concept we haven’t come across that much, but we think it’s quite daring in this nursery. This very neutral baby’s bedroom is cozy, calm and feels like each textural element adds to the playful nature of the room. When working with neutrals, it can be easy to box yourself in. But here we’re reminded that a little sense of adventure goes a long way.

9- Decorating the transition spaces in your home

source: Lauren Liess

It’s difficult to tell if this example is the room of a home or the entryway to an art gallery, and that’s exactly why we’ve chosen it!

Working with neutral decor means that you have ample space to incorporate various art pieces into your home. The art in this home stays true to the overall palette but gives the owners plenty to marvel at.

10- The simplicity of a beautiful bookcase

Wow! There is truly something stunning about this library, in all its neutral glory. The homeowners here have chosen to hide the spines of their books, and instead, display the white pages.

This may seem simple, but it’s quite effective. The little knick-knacks between the books further draw attention to just how little colour there is in the space. In some cases, it just works and this happens to be one of those cases.