Classic Neutrals

I had the pleasure to attend a seminar by the talented and world renowned Interior Designer, Larry Laslo. For those of you that don't recognize the name, you can check him out HERE. Essentially, Larry reminds me of a male Liza Manelli with as much talent in design as she had performing. During his chat, Larry's sense of style and design shone through; not only did he makes us giggle, but he truly inspired me. His taste (and clients) are extreme yet he uses neutrals. To quote Larry, "Neutrals aren't boring, they are beautiful. They are earthy; Sand, rock, snow, all are natural things, neutral in colour and are from the earth. There is nothing boring about that!". Isn't he right?! Larry single handedly convinced me once again, that neutrals aren't boring.

So what is a neutral? Well, as discussed, gray is a new neutral colour (see my PAST POST). A neutral is a colour that does not affect the other colours or sense of in the space; White, cream, beige, gray, taupe and black are all standard neutrals. Neutrals are quiet and versatile. The trick is to keep the same shade of neutrals, as there is definitely variations in each colour. The best way to describe this is on a paint deck; You may think white is white, but as soon as you have to choose what colour white you want your trim, the confusion begins.

As Larry said, neutrals aren't boring. Let's see if he is right....

This nursery is coloured with beige neutrals which creates a calm 
environment for the baby.
With bold stripes, a neutral carpet and fabrics, this small
room appears to be bigger without being complicated. Black

is used as the accent colour to create additional impact.
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The blue fabrics pop with the neutral background.
Now your accent colours will shine while the neutrals
set a back drop.
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One of my favourite neutrals is wood. Wood supports Larry's
notion that neutrals come from the earth.

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Neutral cabinets set a calm yet dramatic impact on
this space. The cute pink, striped chair helps
give this space character.
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This traditional space uses neutrals everywhere but look at the 
impact on the space. .
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Bathrooms are the perfect place to use monochramtic neutrals.
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These warm neutrals enhance the richness of the
orange and greens.
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I appreciate Larry's comment regarding neutrals. Being earthy is a classic style that rarely dates, but often is a "safe" choice. However, don't think of "safe" as boring, think of it as dramatic! Play up textures and fabrics with the same neutral tones, and watch how the space becomes impressive without having to commit to bold colour.