Beige is back… how to work it in your home

Latte, cream, buff, sand, khaki, ecru, stone, fawn… no matter how you label it, it’s all beige, isn’t it? Well, guess what, it seems this once boring neutral is making a comeback into our homes, perhaps finally stalling our long time love affair with all things grey… but are we ready to embrace it and can we make beige exciting again?

I’ve been noticing beige returning to interiors a lot lately, particularly in modern rustic schemes, where it’s been used as a contrasting, warming, backdrop against modern black kitchen units or introduced alongside natural wood finishes and raw linen textures for a soothing, tonal scheme. It doesn’t portray the coolness that we so often associate with grey and in my opinion, it’s probably a much easier shade to get right. Grey can be really tricky to perfect in different lights, particularly as it picks up blue, green or purple tones, however beige can work in almost any light – you just have to choose your surrounding decor scheme carefully to keep the look fresh and modern, rather than bland and boring.

So, in an effort to help you better understand this traditionally safe colour and see it in a whole new (dare I say it) trend-setting light, I’ve picked out some beautiful decor schemes that showcase this neutral hue at its best.

First up, this stunningly simple and pared back Swedish apartment shows how beige doesn’t have to mean boring. With a palette of soft neutrals, touches of nature and layers of subtle texture, the owner has created an incredibly soothing home.

Again, this gorgeous Scandi style living room has been based around a soft palette of coffee cream and pale taupe, which is kept fresh by the clean white walls and pops of monochrome pattern. As before, natural elements such as bamboo, basketweave and a little greenery inject interest and texture.

The use of milky coffee tones in this Scandinavian apartment prove how successful beige can be as a warmer alternative to grey, but with the same element of ‘cool’, understated design. I love the bleached natural wood floor and the added depth offered by the hint of darker colour on the wall behind this room. Also notice how the dark wood table really contrasts and adds further warmth?

In this image from IKEA, this popular storage cabinet has been stained black and is the perfect contrast to the sandy backdrop. Black and beige partner really effectively for a clean and stylish look, whilst the buttery leather cabinet handles add another layer of texture toning with the wall colour. With this darker shade of sand, it’s important to keep the overall room design simple and modern with just charcoal and white to break it up.

A similarly sandy shade of beige has been used to wonderful effect in this refined and calm dining area. Again, it has been contrasted with pure white and natural wood furnishings and accessories for a peaceful scheme. Love the texture the grasses in the ceramic vase add; bringing grasses into the home is another trend I have noticed as an alternative to greenery.

In the kitchen, we’re seeing a resurgence of beige on cabinet doors. In this minimalist kitchen, the warm putty colour of the cabinets is beautifully set off by the brass tap and door knobs, as well as the glossy white work surface.

Finishing off with a beige bedroom, which has been lifted by the clean white bed frame, natural texture of the light fitting and pops of black to ground it all. The hint of blush pink linen really finishes it all off with a subtle, feminine feel.

So if you thought beige was ‘bleh’, maybe you need to think again? For me, the key to getting beige right is to ensure you add black accents to the room scheme, use simple furnishings with clean lines and natural textures. A splash of white somewhere in the room will also go a long way in keeping it fresh and contemporary.

What are your thoughts on beige in the home? Could you be tempted to flirt with fawn or are you turned off by taupe? :)

A very Happy New Year to you.

K x