What are neutrals? They’re not just creams and light browns. Try painting different tones of dark neutrals and layer them with harmonising hues.

What’s a neutral colour scheme?

What is a neutral colour scheme?

Neutrals aren’t just confined to creams and browns.

The perfect backdrop

A neutral is a colour that acts as a subtle background hue, which can easily be layered with other stronger colours. That makes neutrals a great blank canvas for you to get creative, giving your artwork and architectural features a chance to shine.

A neutral colour scheme can be anything from light neutrals, such as cream and white, to darker shades, such as chocolate or charcoal.

Break with tradition

Traditional neutral shades include taupe, nutmeg and sandstone. But, here, a grey-brown lavender is used as a neutral backdrop in this bedroom. Different tones of the same colour have then been layered around the room with sumptuous dark lavender pillows and a beautiful pale lavender bedspread. Decorative touches in harmonising hues of gold and rich rust complete the elegant scheme.

Steal the look

Follow these steps to recreate a similar style: Try using a colour swatch with five different tones of the same colour. Then layer the room with the different shades on walls, woodwork and furnishings. Finish by adding other accessories in harmonising hues, which sit close to your main shade on the colour wheel. You’ll easily be able to create a beautiful colour scheme by using neutrals as a base.